UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



BULLETIN No. 1049 « 



*? Contribution from the Bureau of Biological Survey, ^SJa'vI^ 



-J^MSSu E - w - NELSON, Chief. TVE'SP 



J\J^'^fLfu 



Washington, D. C. 



March 14, 1922 



GAME AS A NATIONAL RESOURCE. 



By T. S. Palmer, Expert in Game Conservation. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Importance of game 



Principal kinds of game in the 



United States 



Big game : 



Deer . 



Elk " 



Moose 



Small game : Rabbits 



Game birds : 



Quail 



Waterfowl 



Value of game to the farmer 



Value of game from the standpoint 



of health___ 



Returns from license fees 



Estimates of the value of game by- 

 State officials 



Limitations on excessive hunting 



Big game and quail 



Bag limits 



Records of game killed 



Enumerations of game 



10 

 11 



12 

 15 

 15 

 IS 

 IS ! 

 23 I 



Page. 



Methods of increasing game re- 

 sources 25 



Protection 26 



Summer shooting 27 



Spring shooting 28 



Protecting females of big game- 28 



Establishing game refuges 29 



Public hunting grounds 29 



Game refuges - 31 



Restocking depleted areas 34 



Game birds 34 



Deer 36 



Elk 39 



Game breeding 42 



State game farms 42 



Private game farms 43 



Cost of maintaining game 44 



Warden service 44 



Game refuges 45 



Game farms 47 



Suggestions for making a survey of 



game ._ 47 



IMPORTANCE OF GAME. 



(Tame is produced in every State in the Union, but its full im- 

 portance as a national resource has not been generally recognized, 

 and the best method of insuring its preservation and increase is a 

 problem which as yet has been only partially solved. Under normal 

 conditions in the LTnited States probably more than 6,000,000 persons 



The number increases 



engage in hunting during the open season 



Note. — This bulletin summarizes present information on some of the larger problems 

 of game conservation. It is for the information of individuals and associations interested 

 in game preservation and is prepared "with a view to the more general gathering of datn 

 for use in making a survey of game resources. 

 79S64— 22 1 



