at one time. On opening day of tlie 1955 hunting season, the area was 

 used by approximately 400 hunters. When the development of the area 

 has been completed and it is being managed for hunting, a far greater 

 number of hunters can be accommodated. 



Management of the area includes small grain production on project 

 crop lands for use as food by the waterfowl, during migration and as 

 a means of preventing depredation on private lands. Some shelter-belt 

 plantings are being established to provide emergency winter food and 

 cover for pheasants. 



There have been no resident geese on Freezeout Lake. A captive 

 flock of Canada Geese are now being reared at the lake to establish 

 a breeding population. This vv^ill be a valuable addition to the wildl fe 

 on the area. 



Freezeout Lake has inherent features which have provided an ex- 

 ceptional potential for management. The waters of the lake are highly 

 productive. Sago pond weed, one of the best natural waterfowl foods, 

 grows profusely here. The topography of the basin surrounding the 

 lake is relatively flat and lends itself well to the development of shallow 

 water areas. The presence of a good water supply and the means to 

 ideally distribute it throughout the project is a very valuable asset. 



Excellent cooperation has been received from the Greenfields Irri- 

 gation District, under its agreement with the Department. Financing 

 of the project lias been the responsibility of the I'ish and Game De- 

 partment, with the assistance of Federal Aid under tlie Wildlife Res- 

 toration Act. However, the engineering assistance and the construction 

 equipment furnished by the Greenfields Irrigation District has made 

 it poss ble for the Department to undertake the project. The potential 

 value of Freezeout Lake as a waterfowl area should become apparent 

 (hiring the next bienniuni. Tlie true merit of the project will be 

 evident, in future years. 



THE NINEPIPE PABLO DEVELOPMENT AREA 

 The Ninepipe-Pablo Development Area during the past two years 

 has justified the foresight of the instigators of the project. Hunter 

 usage has increased to the point wiierc the'r management in the future 

 of tlie area may become more critical tlian tliat ol tlie waterfowl. 



Studies on the area have revealed that 38.7% of all waterfowl 

 hunters hunting the border (approximately 6 miles) on the Ninepipe 

 Migratory Bird Refuge hunted on the three-fourths mile of border 

 owned by the State Fish and Game Department. These same hunters 

 accounted for 18.2% of all geese killed in the vicinity of the refuge. 

 Tlie kill on this Department-owned land was one and one-half times 

 that of any other single piece of property of comparable size. Approxi- 

 mately the same relationship held true during the 1955 hunting season. 

 The practice of leaving grain standing in the fields for use by 

 waterfowl has resulted in improved waterfowl hunting. This has been 

 brought aliout by more birds being held in the area and by an increase 

 in the number of flights to and from the Refuge area proper. This 

 practice may become exceedingly important in future iiianagoiiu'iit of 

 the local Canada goose population. Intensive investigations in the 



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