1957 goose season was Canada geese — 67.4%, 

 snow geese — 29.57", white-fronted geese — 

 1.9%, and unknown — 1.2%^. 



Waterfowl habitat development constituted 

 a very important phase of the Department's 

 program. Major state-owned waterfowl habi- 

 tat development areas in the Flathead Valley, 

 Ninepipe-Pablo; the Fairfield-Choteau area, 

 Freezeout Lake; and the Milk River area, 

 Sleeping Buffalo project, were the most im- 

 portant units where this type of development 

 was carried out during the biennium. 



Fencing, diking, establishment of water 

 control facilities, as well as the planting of food 

 and cover, represented important activities on 

 these areas. In addition to the increased pro- 

 duction of waterfowl, public hunting of major 

 importance will be guaranteed by these areas. 



This pintail must find several resting and feeding 

 during his south-bound flight. 



WINTER GAME RANGE ACQUISITION 



The pattern of land ownership in western 

 and central Montana results in many elk win- 

 ter ranges being located partially or whoUy on 

 private lands which are adjacent to National 

 Forests. The public-owned forest lands furnish 

 forage for elk during the spring, summer, and 

 fall. Competition with livestock is usually not 

 a problem on the ranges which are used by 

 elk during these seasons, but it may be intense 

 on the privately-owned rangelands used by elk 

 during the winter. Frequently, landowners 



along the entire foothill area of a mountain 

 range are affected. These landowners should 

 not be expected to support large numbers of 

 elk at the expense of their livestock operations. 

 The solution to such problems is to restrict an 

 elk population to a definite winter range area. 

 The restriction of elk to definite wintering 

 areas, where they will not compete with live- 

 stock operations, is one of the primary func- 

 tions of the game ranges which are acquired 

 by the Montana Fish and Game Department. 



ground 



fork of Bear Creek in Madison county with the "Sphinx' 

 1 the area of a recently acquired big game winter range. 



19 — 



Helmet" in the back- 



