32 Ten Boe Agu DUB OuNge Db Ustream aN, 
WILDLIFE BOUNTIES / U.S. & CANADA 
NEW SURVEY OF BIOLOGISTS REVEALS 
THE EIGHT GLARING WEAKNESSES 
by JAMES S. FRALISH and LARRY THEIVAGT 
A BOUNTY is a monetary reward for the death of a noxious animal or 
predator. The giving of such rewards has been based on the concept that 
if the numbers of certain predators or pests were lowered, the primary 
result would be an increase in game species, a reduction in domestic 
livestock losses, or in some cases, the control of disease that might be 
transmitted to man and his pets or livestock. Therefore, it is understandable 
that the system has been around for centuries. 
THE FIRST known bounty, according to Aldo Leopold, was placed on 
crows, choughs, and rooks by Henry VIII in England around 1550. In 
the United States, Massachusetts was paying a bounty on wolves in 1630, 
and since then the technique has been tried in nearly every state and 
Canadian province in North America. 
THE SYSTEM is probably a result of man’s disturbance of the eco- 
system. When man and his activities changed the delicately balanced in- 
terrelationships between the biota and the environment, certain species 
of animals began increasing in number. In turn, man tried to control these 
increasing numbers through monetary rewards. Moreover, social attitudes 
have tended to perpetuate the bounty system. In the United States there 
has been a prevalent attitude to pull for the “underdog,” so predator 
species at which most bounties were aimed have been considered as 
“killers” to be eliminated at all cost. In addition, private interests groups, 
particularly cattle and wool growers’ associations in the Western States, 
have maintained the “killer” image of the larger animal and bird predators. 
HOWEVER, IN RECENT YEARS there has been a trend toward elim- 
inating bounties primarily because the system is in a state of disrepute 
among wildlife biologists. In order to study the current status of bounties, 
questionnaires were mailed to conservation agencies in 50 states and 11 
Canadian provinces. The questionnaire asked what species of animals or 
birds were bountied in 1965 and in 1970, how much was paid for each 
animal, the total amount of bounty money paid out during each of the two 
-years, and the source of funds for bounty payments. It also asked if the 
present position on bounty payments reflected the recommendations of the 
state wildlife biologist. With the exception of Hawaii, the questionnaires 
Mr. Fralish, a director of Illinois Audubon Society, is 
assistant professor of forestry at Southern Illinois 
University, Carbondale. Mr. Theivagt is a graduate 
student in forestry. 
