Marlcu 



The long-range investigation of marten liv- 

 ing requirements conducted in cooperation with 

 the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research 

 Unit was continued during the biennium. This 

 study is based on live trapping and is produc- 

 ing an understanding of population ecology 

 through long-term observation of marked wild 

 marten. Results of this study and analysis of 

 aarlier marten seasons guided formation of 

 improved management plans which allow an- 

 nual cropping of marten populations. Formerly, 

 seasons were held at irregular intervals. The 

 1957 open season was the third in this sus- 

 tained yield program. 



Restocking of vacant habitats was con- 

 tinued with the release of live trapped marten 

 in the Big Belt Mountains during 1956 and 

 1957. 



l*r«Mlatoi> 



Fur animals, properly managed, are worth 

 millions of dollars to the people of Montana. 

 Predators, on the other hand, if mismanaged, 

 may cost the people of the state millions of 

 dollars. Such costs may be in the form of live- 

 stock and poultry losses or may involve unwise 

 expenditures for ineffective or unjustified con- 

 trol measures. In order to execute predator 

 management in accord with modern scientific 

 principles, factual information relating to eco- 

 nomics, population trends, distribution and 

 certain aspects of predator ecology must be 

 available. 



The first step toward a thorough analysis 

 of Montana predator problems was to under- 

 take a mail survey of wildlife damage on 

 ranches and farms. In cooperation with the 

 State Department of Agriculture, cjucstion- 

 naires were mailed to approximately 10,000 of 

 the state's 33,000 ranchers and farmers. Over 

 75 per cent of the survey forms have been re- 

 ceived and are being proce.s.sed. When this 

 information is summarized and evaluated it 

 will aid the Department greatly in belter serv- 

 ing the ranchers and farmers who rai.se much 

 of the state's wildlife. 



Future investigations will deal with preda- 

 tor-prey relationships affecting management of 

 the various game species in Montana. 



Ohj««tiM-5 



Fur and predator research is aimed at bio- 

 logically and economically sound management, 

 of these segments of the wildlife resource. 

 Trapping seasons and regulations based on fact- 

 ual information will insure that the people of 

 the state will continue to reap the benefits to be 

 derived from the fur resource. Action pro- 

 grams conducted by the Department in con- 

 trolling private property or wildlife losses to 

 predators will be guided by careful investiga- 

 tions. Such programs will be aimed at remov- 

 ing individual animals causing losses or at con- 

 trolling depredations on specially managed 

 areas, leaving the majority of predators free 

 to carry on their natural and often beneficial 

 functions. 



PrcMlalor Ctintrol 



Predation is only one of the factors that 

 limit game populations. Investigations show 

 that other natural forces such as weather, food 

 availability, disease, cover and other factors 

 may have a far greater effect on many species 

 than do predators. Thus, indiscriminate preda- 

 tor control without the guidance of scientific 

 investigation has no place in modern game 

 management. 



If studies show predation on game to be 

 an important cause of keeping a population 

 below the carrying capacity of its habitat, then 

 predator control, used on a local and often 

 temporary basis, can be one of the game man- 

 ager's kit of tools. Before control measures may 

 be used on much (>f our public lands, the man- 

 aging agency properly requires that game 

 populations must be under the carrying capac- 

 ity of the habitat and that harvest by hunters 

 must be adequate to keep herds in balance 

 with the range. 



During the biennium, the Fish and Game 

 Department contributed $40,000 annually to 

 the predatoi- control piogiam conducted by the 

 U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation 

 with the State Livestock Commi.>;sion. the coun- 

 ties and the game department. This contribu- 

 tion is not so much for purpo.ses of game man- 

 agement as it is a means of di.scharging a part 

 of the Commission's responsibility toward over- 

 all predator management. The State Fish and 

 Game Director is a member of the Advisory 

 Committee which makes recommendations on 

 the conduct of the predator control program 



24 



