THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 



trial. A large number of deer hides were found in camp and 

 there was evidence to show that several hundred deer had been 

 killed. William Golden, one of the gang, turned state's evidence 

 and was not prosecuted. George Fischer was fined $300 and 

 sentenced to sixty days in jail. Clifford Fischer was fined $150. 

 J. J. Van Norwick and M. F. Robinson both pled guilty and were 

 fined $50 each. 



District Attorney Meredith writes that the men have not 

 paid their fines and Curry county is now using the violators to 

 advance the good roads movement. 



WILD GEESE AND GRAIN CROPS. 



Each year complaints are filed with the Game Commissions 

 of Oregon and California concerning the damage wild geese are 

 doing to crops. Last spring some of these complaints coming 

 from northern California were investigated by George Neale, 

 Assistant Commissioner. His report is in part as follows : 



" These reports — so often in evidence about this season — do 

 not come altogether from the farmer or rice grower, but from the 

 market hunters, who, when the time comes for the arrival of the 

 geese on their way from the northern nesting grounds, display 

 a sudden interest in the welfare of the farmer and the rice 

 grower. The amount of damage done to young grain by wild 

 geese depends upon the stage of growth. Should the grain be 

 sufficiently strong to resist the geese and they are unable to 

 pull out the kernel, in that event the geese nip off the tops of 

 the young grain only, which aids or promotes the growth, and, 

 as the farmer himself says, makes it stool out heavier. However, 

 should the grain be just showing above the ground, the geese may 

 destroy the grain by pulling out and eating the seed. Most of 

 the grain found in the stomachs of geese is eaten in stubble fields 

 after harvest. Every flock of geese that is seen in growing grain 

 is said to be eating such grain, when, as a matter of fact, an 

 examination of the food so eaten will disclose that the geese are 

 feeding upon a noxious grass, the name of which I do not know, 

 except by the name of "goose grass." It has a seed rich/ in oil 

 and is very fattening, sheep doing exceedingly well upon this 

 feed. It is this food that gives the strong odor to geese at this 

 time." 



Fag*e seventeen 



