duced in a state-owned strip of land around the east 

 edge of the project. These crops were left in the field 

 to attract waterfowl. This has minimized depredation 

 on adjoining croplands under private ownership. 

 Excellent public hunting has been provided over 

 most of the area. 



A relatively small closure on the south end of the 

 project has encouraged the development of Canada 

 geese. A captive flock is being utilized in this area 

 to establish a nesting population. 



The Nine-Pipe Game Management area is located 

 in the Flathead Valley in the Ronan-St. Ignatius area. 

 Acquisition of key tracts of land particularly in the 

 vicinity of the Nine-Pipe Refuge has developed an 

 area that provides outstanding opportunities for 

 public hunting. As with Freezout, food patches have 

 been developed. Water is being provided for pot- 

 holes previously intermittently dry. Necessary de- 

 velopment and maintenance work has primarily to 

 do with water control structures and boundary 

 fences. 



The Milk River Game Management area (Water 

 Development Project) is located near Nelson Reser- 

 voir out of Malta. The primary objective has been 

 to improve waterfowl breeding, nesting, feeding and 

 hunting conditions. Development work carried out 

 during the past several years has consisted primarily 

 of the construction of dams, several dikes and neces- 

 sary boundary fencing. The newly created water 

 impoundment areas have proven very attractive to 

 waterfowl. In addition to ducks, Canada geese are 

 utilizing this area in considerable numbers. 



SMALL GAME 



Waterfowl Management in Two Flyways 



Montana has now become the first state to be 

 divided into two flyways for waterfowl management. 

 Biological fact-finding over the past ten years was 

 unquestionably the deciding factor in accomplishing 

 this goal. Information on banding, production and 

 harvest was gathered and analyzed. As a result, we 

 can now have an early waterfowl season in eastern 

 Montana and a later waterfowl season in western 

 Montana. This procedure improves the hunting 

 opportunity for hunters throughout the state. 



Wild Turkey Management 



Wild turkeys have increased during the biennium, 

 to the point where considerable new territory has 

 been open to the hunting of this magnificent game 

 bird. The Department is still searching for adequate 



n^m 



The "King ol Game Birds 



being hunted in several Montana 



habitat in which to transplant these birds. As the 

 habitat is located, the birds are trapped and trans- 

 planted. New flocks are continually being estab- 

 lished. Hunting opportunity and interest is increasing 

 each year. 



Grouse 



Drought conditions, with the resultant loss of 

 vegetative cover, has affected our Upland Game Bird 

 management over the past two years. Certain species 

 have been more affected than others. Production in 

 the Prairie Grouse species has been lowered. The 

 over-all hunting opportunity during the past two 

 years has remained approximately the same. In- 

 creased use of the hunting opportunity has resulted 

 in a comparable harvest of Prairie Grouse in spite 

 of lower population and an increase in harvest of 

 Mountain Grouse with favorable production of these 

 species. 



Upswing in Trapping 



The general interest in the trapping of fur has 

 increased. This, of course, is a reflection of the price 

 paid for fur. During this period, the beaver and mink 

 harvest rose to the highest figure since 1954 trapping 

 season. In addition, much more interest has been 

 displayed in the trapping of the long furred species 

 such as skunk, bobcat and raccoon. 



DISTRICT WILDLIFE INVESTIGATIONS 

 PROJECTS 



The Montana Fish and Game Commission has 

 divided the state into seven administrative districts. 

 Game managers and their assistants are assigned to 

 each district to obtain information necessary for 

 modern gome management. Facts concerning game 

 birds, game animals and fur animals and their habi- 



16 



