COM MISSIO'NE R S 
F. M. NEW0ERT • 
M f J. Connell 
Bosqui 
— 
: 
EX ECUTIVE OFFICER 
Carl Westerfeld 
Fish and Game commission 
OF CALIFORNIA 
SACRAMENTO 
December 20,1918 
Mr . A1 exand er 
V.'etmore , 
Bureau of Biological Survey, 
Washington, D. C. 
Dear Mr. Tetmore : - 
I received your letter of the 12th inst. 
and am pleased to know that you appreciated the v/ork 
of Mr. Carpenter and Mr. Ricketts. 
The rice growers in northern California have 
abused their privilege by extending invitations to 
their friends, etc., but we exuected this and I believe 
that next year the situation will be handled much better. 
One thing has been proven and that is that their reports 
have been greatly exaggerated . The market hunters are 
operating in and about Butte Creek. They have an 
organized delivery at this time. Mr. O’ Hair and Mr. 
Ellis are still using the ten shot automatics. I 
had. the Governor of the State of California out shooting 
with me yesterday on our Club and .he heard the shots of 
these market hunters. They sneak upon a great body of 
ducks and geese and discharge twenty shots in rapid 
succession. You can hear them shoot at least twenty- 
five shots to kill the cripples that are left on the 
water. There is no doubt in ray mind but that they 
kill at least one hundred birds every time they pull 
this kind of a shot. 7/e now have a number of wardens 
in that vicinity and hope that we will be able to catch 
these gentlemen at their work. 
There is one thing that I believe should be 
called to your attention and that is the pest ]mown 
at the blackbird and mudhen. The mudhen is siirely 
the coming pest to the rice grower. The duck can be 
easily scared away but the more you shoot at the mud- 
hen he dodges into the rice and it is impossible to 
scare him out. They are increasing in great numbers 
in the rice district and unless something is done to 
relieve the situation the rice grower is going to have 
considerable trouble next year. If we could start 
some sort of propaganda in California calling the at- 
tention of the public to the value of the mudhen as 
ADDRESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS “FISH AND GAME COMMISSION' 

