While it is true that a considerable portion of our population is 

 serving in the armed forces, many of these individuals are not hunters 

 or fishermen. Of those vho are sportsmen, many are replaced on the fish- 

 ing streams and hunting fields by workers on war projects who can now 

 "better afford to hunt and fish, and by novices in military training camps 

 who, for the first time, have been exposed to the lure of outdoor recre- 

 ation. Also, many sportsmen in the armed services will be able to do 

 some hunting and fishing during the period of their military training. 

 Another factor that will tend to keep up the number of those who will go 

 hunting and fishing is the normal increase in population v/hich brings 

 forward each year a considerable number of persons who have reached the 

 age for active participation in these sports. .Available data show that 

 years of financial depression brought more reducing effects on the fi- 

 nances of the various State game departments and on the niamber of persons 

 engaged in hunting and fishing than did the war years. The information 

 at hand and a study of the present situation indicate that during the 

 year 1942, the first year of the present war for the United States, the 

 number of persons who will seek recreation in hunting and fishing will 

 not be materially less than in 1941. There probably will be fewer man 

 days of hunting and fishing because msnj?- m.11 be too busy helping to 

 win the war to spend much time with hunting guns and fishing tackle. 

 Furthermore, increased income taxes will lessen the momber of days that 

 many are able to devote to favorite sports. Inability to purchase auto- 

 mobiles and tires also vdll decrease the number of days the hunters and 

 fishermen can engage in field recreation; and, no doubt, >r±ll tend to 

 decrease the number of persons who will hunt and fish, but in a much less 

 degree. There will be more pooling of automobile transportation and use 

 of other means of travel. Certain classes of persons who generally de- 

 pend on hunting and fishing for their recreation v/ill be able to obtain 

 automobile tires, and they will, no doubt, share transportation with 

 some of the less fortunate sportsmen. 



Although it is true that the war will reduce materially or even stop 

 the manufacture of sporting arms and ammunition, the best information ob- 

 tainable indicates that there are sufficient stocks of ammunition and 

 arms in the hands of sportsmen and dealers to take care of hunting needs 

 at least for this year and probably for ajiother year or longer. It should 

 be noted, also, that except for a very limited number of items, sporting 

 arms and ammunition have no value as equipment for organized military 

 forces. 



Many war-time factors, some of which have been mentioned, are now 

 coming into effect and will have influences on the wildlife of this coun- 

 try. Those engaged in wildlife management are being requested by certain 

 groups to stop all hunting and sport fishing during the vrar. Many argu- 

 ments are used, among which are the necessity of saving for war purposes, 

 ammunition and materials that go into its manufacture; saving of gasoline 

 and automobile tires; and the preserving of game for men in the military 

 services when they return. Also, the argument is presented that now is 

 the opportune time to give wildlife a chance to increase abundantly and 

 thus insure its conservation. It must be remembered, however, that what 



