48 CIRCULAR 636, V. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



to pay the farmer for damage done by the hunters or by the game, for 

 the materials and time contributed in controlling the hunters, for pro- 

 viding feed and cover for the game. In many instances this food and 

 cover can be provided rather inexpensively as illustrated in figures 4, 

 7, 8 and 12. As the hunter has paid 6.5 cents per acre for his hunting 

 privilege in this area and takes 1 piece of game per 7 acres, the privilege 

 costs him more than 45 cents for each piece of game bagged, without 

 including any other hunting expenses. 



RANCH HUNTING PRESERVES 



Ranch hunting preserves are confined chiefly to the deer and wild 

 turkey range of the Southwest where the land, although in private 

 ow^nership, is in large holdings of 1,000 acres or more and devoted 

 primarily to grazing. They are established and operated by indi- 

 vidual ranchers to control trespass and for the purpose of selling 

 the wildlife crop by selling hunting privileges. 



Management of one of these preserves remains with the rancher 

 but is subject to the restrictions of preserve permits which the rancher 

 must obtain from the State game commission when his preserve is 

 established. Permits must be renewed each year. Subject only to 

 the preserve permit regulations, which require the rancher to main- 

 tain breeding stock and sets a top limit on the fee that may be 

 charged for hunting privileges, the rancher manages the wildlife on 

 his land much as he does his other livestock. In fact, he usually 

 considers the deer and wild turkey as part of his livestock even 

 thougli they often leave his premises. The State enforces trespass 

 and game laws. 



These preserves are practicable only where the following condi- 

 tions prevail: (1) Large private holdings of relatively rough range 

 land; (2) enforcement by the State of trespass and game laws; and 

 (3) easy accessibility of the range to sportsmen having more than 

 average incomes. 



From the short-time viewpoint these preserves present a very defi- 

 nite limit on hunting opportunities as many who would like to hunt 

 are unable to pay the required fee and as only a limited number are 

 allowed to hunt on any ranch. Nevertheless, perpetuation of breed- 

 ing stock is assured. This type of game management seems to be 

 expanding and all interested parties appear to be relatively well sat- 

 isfied. These preserves are credited with having been responsible, to 

 a very large degree, for preventing the extirpation of deer and w^ild 

 turkey in some States. 



In one State, where ranch hunting preserves are well established 

 and are spreading, the State collects an annual preserve permit fee 

 of $5 plus 10 percent of receipts from the sale of hunting privileges. 

 The State enforces trespass and game law^s, but the rancher has to 

 post his own land and do some patrolling. Since the operating 

 units are large these costs per acre are very small. 



The gross return per acre from the sale of hunting privileges 

 range from about 10 to 50 cents per acre. These returns, like the 

 per acre return from range cattle and sheep, depend upon the care 

 and attention given the wildlife. The ranchers value a deer at about 

 as much as a steer, and a wild turkey at about as much as a sheep. 



Hunting privileges vary from $2 to $4 a day. The average kill 



