250 Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin 



introduction is likely to be, it is hard to say. I would strongly 

 advise, however, that only native species be encouraged in the Park. 



The Bob-white or Quail (Colinus virginianus) seems to be 

 unknown in the region, not only now but also in the past. Probably 

 the winters are too severe and the snow too deep for them to sur- 

 vive here. Wild Turkeys doubtless occurred many years ago. 

 Ducks occur in suitable places, and some may breed within the 

 Park. Good duck hunting is sometimes to be had in the Tunungwant 

 Valley, near Limestone, particularly in years when there are heavy 

 rains that increase the pools and bayous, but in other parts of the 

 Park the occurrence of ducks is only casual. 



Efforts should be made to conserve game birds in the Park, not 

 only because of their educational interest, but also in order to insure f 

 good hunting there always. Probably the most effectual thing that 

 can be done to accomplish this is the setting aside of one or more 

 central areas as game refuges where no hunting at any time should 

 be allowed. In other specified parts of the Park hunting under 

 proper legal restrictions should be allowed and encouraged, as it 

 is one of the uses for which the Park was created. (For a dis- 

 cussion of management of the wild life of the Park, see Adams, '21.) 



The boundaries of the game refuge area should be well marked, 

 and fenced with a single wire, not barbed. Any other sort of fence 

 is unnecessary and liable to be harmful to game. Ruffed Grouse, 

 in the fall, frequently fly about wildly where flocks are scattering 

 and often kill themselves by flying against wires. In other regions, 

 where areas have been fenced with a fine-mesh wire fence, supposedly 

 cat- and dog-proof, many Grouse and some Woodcocks have been 

 killed and injured by striking the fence. On such areas game -birds 

 have been greatly reduced in numbers by this cause. 



The Park regulations regarding game should be strictly enforced. 

 The majority of hunters will respect the laws, knowing that they are 

 for their own good. It is not unlikely that a few will break laws 

 when they can, particularly the law that prescribes the maximum 

 number of birds that may be taken in a day or season. However, 

 a few convictions with severe penalties will serve as a check for such 

 disregard of law. 



The use of the automobile in hunting has a bad effect in most 

 regions. Hunters go from one good area to another with the machine, 

 covering a larger territory in a day, and keeping their dogs always 

 fresh. Complaint is made that this practice has been combined 

 with a disregard of the daily bag limit, w T ith decidedly bad results. 

 The use of an automobile to reach the Park for a hunting trip is 

 not objectionable, but its use in going from place to place there 

 for the purpose of covering a greater area in a day should be restricted 

 if it tends to result in depletion of game or other unfavorable 

 features. 



The aim should be to keep the game birds of the region always 

 in normal numbers, and to allow only so much hunting as will offset 

 their natural annual increase. If this can be done successfully there 

 will always be good hunting in the Park. If it cannot, game birds 



