N 
6. In Tyrone and Strabane Townships, Adams Coun- ; 
ty, near Hunterstown. 
7. In South Fayette Township, Allegheny County, 
near Oakdale. 
8. In Wood Township, Huntingdon County, near 
Robertsdale. 
Whether more of these refuges should be established now is a de¬ 
batable question. It might be advisable to wait until further studies 
can be made of the results of these auxiliary refuges. 
GAME FOR RESTOCKING PURPOSES 
During the past year the purchase of game of various kinds, es¬ 
pecially Mexican Bob-White quail and cotton-tailed rabbits, was 
less difficult than at any time during the last five years. Shippers of 
quail reported that the drought that had continued for several suc¬ 
cessive years and apparently caused a shortage of quail in northern 
Mexico had subsided and weather conditions were again more nor¬ 
mal, with the result that the number of quail trapped last winter 
was greater than during the entire time since 1916. We could have 
purchased during the winter months ten or fifteen thousand quail, 
but because of our past experiences no birds were accepted for ship¬ 
ment prior to March 1st, According to tabulated statement of game 
purchased given later in this report, you will note that we purchased 
and distributed 11,283 bob-white quail in first-class condition. 
Cotton-tailed rabbits were available in goodly numbers and we 
secured and distributed throughout such portions of the State as 
needed restocking quite badly, as well as in some other sections for 
the purpose of supplying new blood, a total of 15,423 cotton-tailed 
rabbits. We also obtained and released 7.540 varying hares, com¬ 
monly known among our people as. snowshoe rabbits. 
The available supply of desirable deer and other game has been 
quite limited for several years past, while the native ruffed grouse 
cannot be secured in any worthwhile number anywhere in North 
America. Our sportsmen are constantly becoming more imbued 
with the thought that if the native birds and animals of Pennsylvania 
are given proper protection restocking with species foreign to our 
State will not be necessary. 
The number of ring-neck pheasants available last year was some¬ 
what limited because since the war many of the farms previously 
raising these birds in large numbers have not been able to again get 
back on a pre-war basis, and because of rather unsatisfactory ex¬ 
periences during 1920 with the distribution of large numbers of ring- 
neck pheasant eggs, the number of eggs purchased was only a frac¬ 
tion of our distribution heretofore. The majority of the eggs so 
secured were placed in the hands of our several refuge keepers, with 
whom the results were apparently better than those secured by 
general distribution to interested sportsmen. We purchased a total 
26 
of 5,389 eggs, from which 2,854 birds were hatched, of which number 
1,195 were reared to maturity and released. The average cost of the 
birds so reared and released was $1.15 per bird in comparison with’ 
$2.05 per bird in 1920, $0.96 per bird in 1919, and $1.04 per bird in 
1918. A number of the refuge keepers have on hand a limited supply 
of birds from which they hope to gather eggs for hatching, as well 
as for distribution to nearby interested sportsmen. 
• BEAVER 
The colonies of beaver previously established are apparently thriv¬ 
ing and increasing in splendid shape. No complaints have yet been 
received relative to their work except in one instance, where a pair 
of these animals, not the result of stocking on our part but apparently 
from an old colony located in the Poconos a number of years ago, 
have caused some annoyance to a property owner in that section. 
If this annoyance continues next spring the only remedy will be to 
trap and remove these animals. 
The securing of additional beaver during the past year for stock¬ 
ing purposes has been practically out of the question, and only three 
additional colonies have been started during the year located as 
follows: 
1. Preserve No. 8 on the Loyalsock Greek, Lycoming County. 
2. Preserve No. 4 near New Germantown, Perry County. 
3. In Clinton County, on McElhattan Run. 
Additional animals have been promised from various directions. 
Just what the result will be of anticipated trapping operations I am 
unable to say. Our citizens, however, continue to take a great deal 
of interest in our effort to re-establish the beaver in Pennsylvania, 
and desire more colonies established as rapidly as animals are avail 
able. 
BOUNTIES 
_The operation of the Pennsylvania bounty system is meeting with 
the continued approval and support of the sportsmen, and our sys¬ 
tem of handling the payment of bounties is receiving quite favorable 
consideration * by other States. During the fall of 1920 fur buyers 
discouraged trapping, among other things reducing the price so de¬ 
cidedly that trappers apparently intended doing but little trapping 
during the winter of 1920 and 1921. This led us to believe that the 
total amount of money required for bounties would probably not ex¬ 
ceed $90,000 or thereabouts. When the industrial depression over 
the whole country became a reality throughout Pennsylvania, mam 
of our unemployed turned their attention to trapping, and regaidless 
of the fact that the Legislature reduced the bounty on weasels from 
$2.00 to $1.50, effective April 1st last, and the mink was taken from 
the bounty list entirely by the Act of May 17, 1921, the number of 
bounty claims continued increasing throughout the year, as well be 
27 
