ee Ae Ural eb OsNee BULL Ber tN 9 
three and a half times local production. On the opening day, the kill of 
canvas-backs exceeded local production, and the season’s total kill was more 
than eleven times as great. 
In the old days, the marshes were shot out by relatively few hunters 
who took large bags. Today they are shot out by many hunters whose kills 
are smaller but whose total bag is as big or bigger. In Hochbaum’s opinion, 
the present type of regulation fosters a kind of shooting more deadly than 
market shooting. He suggests a restriction on the number of ducks that 
may be taken in one place in one day; he feels that the place as well as the 
bird must receive protection. He predicts that, no matter when the water- 
fowl recover from their present slump, or to what degree, a repeat decline 
is inevitable in a few years unless the “burning out” of breeding stocks be 
halted by the adoption of radical changes in management and regulation 
procedures; that, in the formulation of restrictions on the take, under 
existing policy, branches of the same old tree have been progressively 
chopped off, but that it is now time to cut the tree down and start a 
new plan. 
Hunters are not the only interested group that will have to make 
sacrifices. If this situation is to be met and a cure effected there may have 
to be less maintenance and acquisition money for refuges; some reduction 
in the state license revenues; a reduction in the business of the many 
elements that cater to the waterfowl hunter. Whereas conservationists 
may deplore reduction in available monies for refuge acquisition and 
maintenance, they will recognize that the duck refuges have value only if 
there be ducks to occupy them. Whereas state fish and game or conserva- 
tion departments may deplore loss of revenue from license sales to those 
who hunt only waterfowl and not other game, they will recognize that 
temporary sacrifices would be a small price for their own survival. 
Let’s go right on buying duck stamps during the year of a halt in the 
kill! Let’s also encourage general public participation in the purchase of 
these stamps. No new legislation would be required. The refuge mainte- 
nance and enforcement programs financed by duck stamp money could be 
largely, if not wholly, continued. Let’s call it the 1947 Duck Restoration 
Stamp. We believe that the number of conservation-minded citizens who 
cherish our North American waterfowl is considerable, and that the total 
sales of the stamps which they purchased would make an impressive figure. 
The National Audubon Society would pledge itself to give wide promo- 
tion to the sale of such a Duck Restoration Stamp, and we feel confident 
that every conservation organization in this country and Canada would 
gladly give the same pledge. 
And so, we repeat, the National Audubon Society advocates that the 
hunting of migratory waterfowl in North America be discontinued for a 
year, with the understanding that during that time basic revisions of man- 
agement and regulation policies be worked out and adopted. 
[Editorial note:—As Mr. Baker has stated in his article, the U. S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service makes a spring estimate, or “inventory” as they prefer 
to term it, of waterfowl, and his forecast of this season’s conditions was 
