R-U.S.N. 1/31 



Change number one , The limit on ducks will be reduced from 



25 td 15 ducks a day. 



Chan A'e .number two . The bag limit on geese will be reduced from 



8 to 4 a day, 



CharifTe number three , A possession limit has been established under 

 which no hunter ma^' have in his possession more than two days' bag. That 

 means he may not hold more than 30 ducks and 8 geese at any one time. 



Why was this reduction necessary? 



Secretary Hyde of the Department of Agriculture said the necessity 

 for such a reduction has become evident from exhaustive field investigations 

 by the Bureau of Biological Survey, The investigations made revealed the 

 fact that Waterfowl have not been holding their own during the past year, 

 Furthennore, the unusual drought that prevailed on the breeding grounds 

 during the past season was a hard one on wild life in maj:^ sections. The 

 reclamation of large former breeding grounds in the northwestern States 

 and Cariada has resulted in cumulative losses of great areas of marsh and 

 Water. This, too, has been a hard blow to waterfowl. 



The chief reason for the Migratory Bird Treaty betv/een the United 

 States and Great Britain was the realization that through indiscriminate 

 slaughter and the lack of harmony in the open seasons in the different States 

 and the Canadian Provinces the birds were threatened with extermination, as 

 a result of inadequate protection during the nesting season and while on 

 their migrations and on their wintering grounds. 



In carrying out its defined responsibilities under the treaty, it is 

 the duty of the Federal Government to protect these migratory birds. 

 Uniform laws and seasons throughout the country have aided materially in this t 

 protection. And now, with the bag limit reduced, it appears that we should 

 be able to enjoy our wild life for generations, if we'll only join in and 

 cooperate with Uncle Sam in helping to carry out and abide by these regula- 

 tions enacted for no other purpose than to make sure of the perpetuation of 

 our wild fowl. 



Forty-five States have shown their willingness to cooperate in this 

 wild-life protection by passing laws on waterfowl seasons in harmony with 

 the Federal regulations. Prior to the recent amendments 29 States had gone 

 a step further by passing legislation reducing the bag limits below the 

 Federal standards. 



TJe need more than the restrictions themselves, however, if our wild 

 life is to be preserved for all time. There must be a sound public senti- 

 ment in favor of the observance of the game laws already in force. There 

 must also be a willingness on the part of sportsmen and others interested in 

 the preservation of game birds to cooperate in their protection. Colonel 

 Sheldon stated that if such cooperation were always received, then the pro- 

 tection of our wild life would offer no serious problem to the enforcement 



-3- 



