95 
From all parts of the State the commission has had requests for the 
English call duck, and in order to supply the demand a large number 
of these ducks were bred this vear. 
These ducks are used by sportsmen for decoys in duck shooting, 
and as such have become very popular with the duck shooters of Illinois. 
GAME RESERVATIONS. 
The system of game reservations adopted by the commission is 
peculiar, no other state having the identical plan. 
Instead of establishing several large reservations on land acquired 
by purchase, the commission has devised the plan of establishing one 
reservation for each county in the State on land leased for the nominal 
sum of $1. These reservations will contain about 1,000 acres in a 
compact body and except for a little aid the bird will be allowed to 
remain in a state of nature. When they have multiplied sufficiently, the 
surplus birds will distribute themselves over the adjoining country. 
Inasmuch as this method was new an experiment was made with 
four reservations, one in Cook County, one in Lake County, one in Will 
County and one in Kankakee. 
It was found that these reservations could be maintained for about 
$50 each a year, and that birds would multiply very rapidly under our 
system of management. 
After a lease of the land is made the ground is posted. Then 
arrangements are made with the landowners to plant about three acres 
of grain in small patches close to cover. For this work the landowner 
is paid $5 per acre. The kinds of grain used for sowing these patches 
are wheat, buckwheat, millet and sorgham. ‘The grain is allowed to 
stand, so that in the winter time when food is scarce elsewhere, the grain 
patches will furnish a bountiful supply. The sorgham, which grows 
high above the other grain will furnish a food supply to the birds when 
the other grain is covered deep with snow. 
It is the deep snows that last just long enough to starve our birds 
that are responsible for the great loss. When the birds are weakened from 
hunger they become easy prey to animals and hawks they are able to 
avoid when strong. ‘The saving of the birds is therefore largely a 
question of food, and to furnish food for a short period at an economical 
cost is the problem that this plan of game reservation solves. 
There is no particular cost in looking after these reservations at any 
time, for the landowners are naturally interested in keeping off poachers. 
Then the local deputy game warden makes it a part of his duties to 
keep the game reservation under surveilance. 
Two of the reservations established last year are peculiarly suited 
to the propogation of prairie chickens. ‘These are the Cook County and 
Lake County tracts. There are many prairie chickens on these reserva- 
tions now and it is confidentiy expected that they will multiply very 
rapidly under the treatment they are receiving. 
