game and wild-fur production and utilization 39 

 Problems in Production 

 limited productivity 



The inherent antipathy of most wild creatures toward crowding; is 

 probabl}^ tlie most important of the many and diversified factors bear- 

 ing- on the production of game and wild fur on agi'icultural lands and 

 should be taken into account, when money returns to the landowner 

 are being considered. 



There are isolated instances of farm-game species reaching a pro- 

 duction peak approximating 1 unit per acre under optimum condi- 

 tions. Even uncler such conditions not more than half of the game 

 and wild-fur animals present at the beginning of the fall hunting 

 season can be safely harvested annually. When populations are below 

 the optimum, the percentage of kill must be still lower if existence of 

 the species is not to be jeopardized. 



Areas of the high productivity indicated are considered to have 

 game concentrations and are relatively small in extent, seldom if ever 

 equaling a county in size. Furthermore, they are the exception and 

 not the rule. 



The kinds and quantity of wildlife that can be produced on the 

 various soil types and in the different climatic zones vary, as do agri- 

 cultural crops. In general, it follows that the potentialities for wild- 

 life production parallel farm-crop possibilities so far as they are 

 determined by natural conditions. Quantity production, however, is 

 not so easily achieved as in the case of domestic plants and animals. 



The quantity of wildlife harvested annually within a State may be 

 illustrated by data compiled for Pennsylvania. The information on 

 game killed in Pennsylvania for 1937 and 1938, shown in table 6, was 

 obtained from Pennsylvania Game News.*^ 



Table 6. — Game killed hi PennHylvmna, 1937 and 1938 



Game 



Deer, legal males 



Deer, antlerless 



Bears 



Rabbits, cottontails 



Hares, snowshoe or varying _ 



Raccoons 



Squirrels 



Wild turkeys 



Ruffed grouse 



Season of 

 1937 



39, 347 



Closed 



537 



3, 074, 820 



1 2. 420 



29,842 



1. 056, 408 



6.619 



177.683 



Season of 

 1938 



Closed 



169. 986 



381 



4. 222. 659 



' 2. 120 



35, 790 



1, 097. 660 



6.722 



222. 863 



Game 



Ring-necked pheasants. 



Quail 



Shore birds.. 



Wild ducks and geese... 



Blackbirds 



Woodcocks 



Woodchucks 



Total, all species. 



Season of 

 1937 



371, 526 

 105. 795 

 12. 657 

 16, 758 

 78.543 

 57. 244 

 (.■) 



Season of 

 1938 



511,132 

 109. 030 

 8.656 

 21,231 

 78, 078 

 49. 857 

 145. 163 



5,030,199 I 6,681.328 



' For this species it was necessary to use the Field Officers' estimates only. 

 2 No report obtained prior to 19.38 soa.'Jon. 



Pennsylvania is recognized by sportsmen as one of the better game- 

 producing States of the eastern seaboard. There are more than 28,690.- 

 000 acres in Pennsylvania ; thus, in 1937 the State average was 1 unit of 

 game taken for each 5.7 acres, and in 1938, one unit of game for each 

 4.3 acres. The 55 percent of the State in farms produces by far the 

 greatest proportion of the game killed. Cottontail ralibits, pheasants, 

 and quail are undoubtedly bred and harvested chiefly on farmlands. 



r<'niisylv;ini:i ';;im(> News. So|itoiiiliiM- T.i.30. ]). :?1. 



