
| United States Department of Agriculture 
Bureau of Biological Survey 
Wildlife Research and Management Leaflet 39-91. 
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a 
Washington, D. C. * May 1937 
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RESEARCH STUDIES IN THE CONTROL OF DESTRUCTIVE MAMMALS 1/ 
By F. E. Garlough, Director, Control Methods Research Laboratory 
Division of Game Management 
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Contents 
Page Page 
Conditions favoring pest increase 2 Studies for suppressing coyotes 5 
Meadow mouse control... . +. -« 2 : Methods employed . - « « « = « 6 
Combating pocket goohers .... 3 : Selective poisons developed . @ 
Over ROmCwt Sica. «sce te nee «ls 5 ' Protecting innocent species - 8 
It is with some degree of trepidation that I come before this group 
Or naturalists, whose main endeavor is to conserve wildlife and who may not 
appreciate the necessity of the effort to reduce animal populations under 
certain economic conditions. It may appear paradoxical that the Bureau of 
Biological: Survey should on the one hand exert every effort possible to 
study and protect birds and mammals, and on the other hsnd canduct control 
i operations to reduce the numbers of certain grouvs of animals. On further 
thought, however, this dual effort is not so strange. It has its parallel 
in human affairs. There are religious, medical, and social organisations 
whose members are using their fullest knowledge and strength to make the 
character, health, and living conditions of the human rece better. At the 
same time there are other organizations—-Feceral, State, and private--that 
are making every possible effort to control or remove individuals and group 
: who have criminal tendencies. 
Most birds and mammals in their natural way of living are not ex~ 
cessively destructive either to other useful species of animals or to maen- 
kind. This fact has been learned by observation end through careful de- 
tailed studies of tne habitat, food, and general habits of the different 
species. This research work has been and is being done under the leadersnip 
or the United States Biological Survey in cooperation with many other organi- 
zations also interested in wildlife, and tnrough it sufficient information 
is gathered to determine the economic status of the species of birds and 
mammals. Such studies also furnish facts of value in planning either pro- 
tective or control measures. 
1/ Presented March 1, 1937, at the Second North American Wildlife 
Conference, St. Louis, Mo. 
