THE GAME BREEDER 18' 



one side I had excellent snipe shooting If 4,000 grouse can be produced and 



all the way to the northern road where sold from the place at $2 each (they cer- 



another small bridge crossed the slough, tainly will bring nearer $5 than $2 if 



and returning on the other side the shoot- sold alive or dead), the revenue from 



*ing was equally good. On one occasion the grouse should be at least $12,000 per 



I shot a prairie grouse which arose from annum. A thousand or more quail also 



the tall grass bordering the slough and should be sold. These at present prices 



I believe this was the last survivor on would yield at least $1.50 each if sold 



the tract since I went over it with some alive, or $1,500 for the crop. Any ducks 



care hoping to find more of the larger reared on the slough should bring from 



birds. This ground containing (rough- $1 to $2 each and a thousand ducks 



ly estimated) four or five thousand acres would be a small number to rear on the 



easily could be made to produce four or slough I have in mind ; there are thou- 



five thousand grouse, and a big lot of sands of such places in the West I 



quail and ducks for good measure. Leav- reared one season 2,500 mallards on 



ing the slough as it is the ducks could be about seven or eight acres of land with 



bred abundantly. It might be improved very poor ponds and no natural foods 



by making a few inexpensive ponds and such as are plentiful in the Western 



by planting some additional wild duck sloughs. I sold some of the ducks for 



foods. Two good gamekeepers and two $3.25 per brace and could have sold them 



assistants should be enough to properly all. I sold, also, a few hundred duck 



look after the grouse and quail and if eggs at $25 per hundred and many eggs 



the vermin be reduced and a few ducks should be gathered and sold. I have es- 



introduced there would be plenty of timated the expense items high and the 



ducks in addition to the grouse and sales items low. I am quite sure that 



quail. If I am right in my estimate of one skilled keeper and three or four as- 



the number of birds that can be pro- sistants, skilled with the use of the 



duced, I am surely right in saying that shotgun and vermin traps could make 



they can be sold, not in Illinois, but from such a place as I have described yield 



similar places in Oklahoma, Indiana and abundantly. If the breeding operation be 



other States where it is not criminal to undertaken by the owner of the land 



profitably produce foods on a farm. there would be no rent to pay and the 



There are many places where lands expenses might be made about one-half 



such as I have described can be rented of the above estimates. Any one of the 



for breeding and shooting purposes, a three crops, grouse, quail or ducks, 



small part of the land being rented abso- should pay the entire expenses of the 



lutely for nesting sites and plantations place and show a profit. In a good year 



of wild roses, sunflowers and other foods I firmly believe the total profits would 



and covers. If the owners continue to exceed the present value of the land in 



cultivate corn and wheat or other grain places not well settled, which are the 



or hay the birds undoubtedly will find best places for the industry described, 



mudh food in the stubbles and they I am quite sure I can sell the entire 



should not be expensive to rear. Both crop of birds before they are produced 



quail and grouse can be reared very much to reliable purchasers for possibly a little 



cheaper than pheasants. The rent item smaller prices than those named since the 



should not be over $500 per annum, and purchasers would expect to make a good 



wild lands with sloughs and wild grasses profit. I know of no crop that could 



on them undoubtedly can be rented for be more easily sold (cash on delivery) 



less. The wages of the gamekeepers and at a price agreed upon before the crop 



assistants should not be over $2,500 per was produced. One item of expense not 



annum. The rent of two cottages for mentioned is the stock birds. On some 



the keepers should not be over $500 per places many quail and some grouse still 



annum. Extra foods, ammunition for occur. It would be advisable to purchase 



shooting vermin and incidentals should at least a few stock birds and the prices 



not be over $500. for these, excepting the ducks, are high. 



