RECOMMENDED LEGISLATION 



Special Non-Resident Deer and Antelope 

 Licenses 



There is a need to exert greater hunting 

 pressure than provided by resident hunters in 

 certain areas of the State. Since 1955 the 

 Legislature has granted the Commission au- 

 thority to issue special $20.00 Deer and special 

 $20.00 Antelope Licenses for two-year periods. 



The following numbers of licenses have 

 been issued each year: 



1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 



Non-Resident 



Deer Licenses 2623 6445 5038 7533 9291 



Non-Resident 



Antelope Licenses ..3495 5033 2895 1237 



Because there is yet a need for providing 

 greater hunting pressure in certain areas of 

 the State, it is recommended that the Legisla- 

 ture grant authority to the Commission to 

 continue the issuance of special Non-Resident 

 Deer and Antelope Licenses. 



Migratory Waterfowl Refuge Lands 



There is an urgent need to preserve a rela- 

 tively small acreage of wet lands in Montana 

 for migratory waterfowl habitat. Public own- 

 ership of certain wet land areas would assure 

 use of such lands for waterfowl propagation. 

 The funds received by the Federal Govern- 

 ment from sale of Duck Stamps are earmarked 

 for acquisition of such lands. However, before 

 any wet lands may be purchased in the State 

 by the Federal Government, an enabling act 

 authorizing the purchase must be passed by 

 the Legislature. It is therefore recommended 

 that the Legislature pass an enabling act 

 authorizing the Federal Government to acquire 

 wet lands in Montana for migratory waterfowl 

 refuge purposes. 



Hunter Safety — Wearing Red On Clothing 



Section 26-302 of the Fish and Game Laws 

 requires that every person who hunts big game 

 animals shall wear- a cap or hat, shirt, jacket, 

 coat or sweater of bright red color. Safety 

 studies regarding hunting accidents have in- 

 dicated that red is not the most distinguishable 

 color to all people. Bright orange and yellow 

 have been found to be more discernible colors. 

 It is therefore recommended that Section 26- 

 302 be amended to include the colors of Red, 



Orange or Yellow, to be worn singly, or any 

 combination of such colors may be worn. 

 Add Mourning Dove to Migratory Game 

 Bird List 



The Migratory Bird Regulations annually 

 provide an open season on mourning doves in 

 those states desiring such a season. Montana 

 raises great numbers of mourning doves each 

 year. The doves migrate south in late summer 

 or early fall. 



In order to provide an open season on 

 mourning doves in Montana, it is recommended 

 that Section 26-201 of the Fish and Game Laws 

 be amended to include mourning doves on the 

 migratory game bird list. 



Amendments to Motor Boat Registering and 

 Water Safety Law 



After two years of administering the Boat 

 Registration and Water Safety Law, a number 

 of provisions of the act have been found to 

 need clarification or amendment to make them 

 more workable. Some of the recommended 

 changes are as follows: 



a. The statute should clearly state that the 

 money received for sale of Boat Certificate of 

 numbers should be deposited to the credit of the 

 Fish and Game Fund. Any fine money collected 

 from violators which have been apprehended by 

 Fish and Game officials should also be deposited 

 to the Fish and Game Fund. 



b. It is recommended that the life preserver 

 equipment requirement be amended to exclude 

 the requirements for passenger-carrying boats 

 which meet the standards required by the Coast 

 Guard and which have been inspected and 

 awarded a document showing approval by the 

 Coast Guard. 



c. It is recommended that the provisions con- 

 cerning fire extinguishers be amended so that 

 exactly the same provisions as required by the 

 Coast Guard be followed. 



Ex-Officio Wardens 

 Section 26-114 should be amended to au- 

 thorize the Fish and Game Director to appoint 

 field personnel employed by the Department 

 primarily for other than law enforcement 

 work, as Ex-Officio Fish and Game Wardens. 

 Such personnel, because of their assignments, 

 are in the field of activity where violations 

 occur. Although such field personnel now re- 

 port such violations to regularly appointed en- 

 forcement officers, an ex-officio status would 

 in many cases expedite prosecution of violators 

 apprehended. 



