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Twenty years ago the Rock River in this district was one of the 
best streams to catch fish in in the Middle West, but owing to the poor 
protection it received from a lawless element that made onslaughts upon 
its many game fish, with seines, nets and every other known device, it 
was simply depleted of fish to such an extent that people seldom tried 
to fish with a pole and line. In 1913 the stream with all its tribu- 
tarles was set aside, by the present Game and Fish Commission, as a 
fish preserve, stocked with game fish and protected, and as a result the 
fish have increased to such an extent that more people were seen fishing 
May 30, 1916, than could have been seen in an entire year prior to 1913. 
Since Rock River was made a preserve and proved such a success 
quite a few other streams or bodies of water have been, in this district 
set aside as fish preserves, among which are several ponds, lakes and 
sloughs along the Mississippi River in Whiteside, Carroll and Jo 
Daviess Counties, also the Fox River, a part of which runs through this 
district in La Salle County. 
Hundreds of thousands of small fish were rescued in this district, 
in small ponds, where they had been oe landlocked by floods; fish that 
would have been allowed to perish a few years ago. 
The rough fish have increased to such an extent that they are a 
detriment to the game fish; the carp especially are a menace for they 
root around and destroy the vegetation which game fish hke to in- 
habit. Under the supervision of deputies crews were employed to 
take out rough fish, and in this way a great many gars were destroyed, 
and the preserves were rid of thousands of carp, the revenue from 
which paid all the cost of the work. 
from all reports the quail in this district have increased wonder- 
fully, also rabbits and squirrel but the prairie chicken which can be 
found all over the district seems to be merely holding its own. How- 
ever, the prairie chicken has not had a chance to increase much the last 
two years on account of the fact that a great many nests were de- 
stroyed by heavy spring rains. 
ihr ve aera that quite a few ducks are hatching on the upper Ili- 
nois, Putnam County, especially wood ducks but there are not many 
on the Mississippi, owing no doubt to the fact the water remained high 
all through the spring. ‘Tlinois is not far enough north for many ducks 
to be expected to hatch within its bounds. W Tod ducks are the only 
specie that hatch in Illinois to any great extent. 
Hundreds of tons of clams are being taken out of the Rock River, 
and are sold at from $28 to $30 per ton. The area of the Rock River 
now open to clammers extends from the mouth of the river to Byron 
bridge. 
In November, 1915, the lands owned and controlled by the Hon. 
Frank O. Lowden in Ovle County, known as Sinissippi Farm, was set 
aside as a game reservation, where it is unlawful to hunt, trap or “€n- 
snare any wild bird or game animal at any time as provided for in 
section 21a, revised act of the Game and Fish Act of July 1, 1915. 
A large tract of land of this size composing 5,000 acres is bound 
to show good results in the preservation and increase of our game birds 
and animals. The preserve is very suitable, as it is composed of both 
