Transplanting wild Merriams turkeys in Montana may provide hunting of a new game 



bird. Initial results are promising. 



Two plants of Merriams Wild Turkeys were made in Montana 

 during the biennium. This represents the first major effort to estab- 

 lish this western strain of wild turkeys in Montana. One plant of 18 

 birds, secured from the State of Wyoming, was made in the Long Pine 

 Hills in the northeastern corner of Carter County, east of Ekalaka on 

 January 27, 1955. Twelve turkeys, obtained from the State of Colorado 

 were introduced into the Judith Mountains, northeast of Levvistown 

 on November 13, 1954. Both plants have been watched closely since 

 their introduction. To date, the plant in the Long Pine Hills is showing 

 excellent progress. The Judith Mountain plant has indicated a slower 

 rate of increase. An area in the Fort Peck Game Range, along the 

 Missouri River Breaks in northern Garfield County has been tenta- 

 tively selected for a third planting site for this important game bird 



species. 



Waterfowl 



The waterfowl program in the State has assumed two basic aspects. 

 The gathering of sound information, through surveys and investigations, 

 on which we can base our management is primary. The second is the 

 development of areas for waterfowl production and public hunting.' 



Regulations governing the harvest of waterfowl are based on the 

 most up-to-date and accurate information available. Montana is situ- 

 ated in the Central Flyway for waterfowl management. Montana, as 

 well as the other states in the Central Flyway, have organized into a 

 Flyway Committee for the purpose of pooling information. This 

 procedure is a cooperative effort by states to supply the best possible 



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