GAME AND WILD-FUR PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION 39 



Problems in Production 

 limited productivity 



The inherent antipathy of most wild creatures toward crowding is 

 probably the most important of the many and diversified factors bear- 

 ing on the production of game and wild fur on agricultural 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 under 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. 6 



Table 6. — Game killed in Pennsylvania, 1937 and 1938 



Game 



Season of 

 1937 



Season of 

 1938 



Game 



Season of 

 1937 



Season of 

 1938 





39, 347 



Closed 



537 



3, 074, 820 



i 2. 420 



29,842 



1, 056, 408 



6,619 



177. 683 



Closed 



169. 986 



381 



4, 222, 659 



i 2, 120 



35, 790 



1, 097. 660 



6,722 



222, 863 



Ring-necked pheasants 



Quail . 



Shore birds, _ 



371, 526 

 105, 795 

 12, 657 



16, 758 

 78.543 

 57, 244 

 ( 2 ) 



511, 132 





109, 030 





8,656 



Rabbits, cottontails 



Wild ducks and geese. 



21,231 



Hares, snowshoe or varying . 



Blackbirds 



78, 078 

 49, 857 



Squirrels .. . . 



Woodchucks 



145, 163 





Total, all species 





Ruffed grouse . 



5, 030, 199 



6, 681, 328 







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



2 No report obtained prior to 1938 season. 



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 rabbits, pheasants, 

 and quail are undoubtedly bred and harvested chiefly on farmlands. 



Pennsylvania Game News. September 1039. p. 31. 



