RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LEGISLATION 



1, SPECIAL NON-RESIDENT DEER AND ANTELOPE 



LICENSES. 



The Fish and Game Commission was given authority by the Thirty- 

 Fourth Legislative Assembly to issue special $20.00 non-resident deer 

 and antelope permits for a period of two years. This authority expires 

 on December 31, 1956. 



During the 1955 hunting season, the numbers of non-resident 

 special $2000 licenses issued were: 



Kind of License No. Sold Amt. Received 



Non-Resident Deer 2623 $52,460.00 



Non-Resident Antelope 3495 69,900.00 



Total Received $122,360.00 



It is expected that the department will issue more special non- 

 resident antelope and deer permits during the 1956 hunting season 

 than were issued during 1955. 



The additional hunting pressure and resulting harvest of surplus 

 deer and antelope by non-residents has helped toward control of the 

 population in southeastern Montana, but department field surveys indi- 

 cate a need for continuing this program and enlarging the areas where 

 such licenses can be issued. Therefore, it is recommended that the 

 legislature enact legislation granting authority to the Commission to 

 issue special non-resident $20.00 deer and antelope permits for as 

 long a period of time as it is deemed necessary to keep these big game 

 populations in balance with their range. 



2. REPEAL SEC. 26-1114. CREATING BLACKLEAF 



GAME AND BIRD PRESERVE. 



In May of 1955, a petition to abandon the Blackleaf Game Pre- 

 serve in Teton County was received by the Fish and Game Department. 

 The petitioners were landowners residing within the exterior boun- 

 daries of the preserve and who represented ownership of more than 

 fifty percent of the land. 



A hearing was held at Choteau, Montana, on July K), l'^35, on 

 the petition. Several landowners who resided within the area testified 

 that game animals including elk and deer had caused damage to agri- 

 cultural crops on their property, and that game numbers had increased 

 in the area and should be reduced. Several landowners in the area 

 did not want the preserve abandoned, and some gave the reason for 

 their stand that they did not want hunting on their property. 



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