Show easm alsed ON PRAIRIE CHICKENS there will be no open season on grouse in utah this year announce announced I J arthur mecham state fish and game commissioner recently the e edict diet which grants protection to all so called wild chickens sage hens willow grouse ruffle tails partridge and pine hens comes in an effort to prevent utter extinction of the game commissioner mecham said scarcity of tho the game usually comes in iii cycles the commissioner pointed tout out this year he said sage liens hens es cs specially Ipe are unusually scarce grand nd boxelder Box elder counties alone alono show ft ling gary any great population of this member olf the grouse family sportsmen of mue three counties petitions ond mr mecham to allow no open season in their counties unless sunless the entire state Is thrown open to 0 hunters bunters th hy y feared concentration of hunters in Jit those particular areas would make virtually extinct the game willow grouse and pine grouse too ar aro e scarce this year mr mecham sal said d so limited are their numbers in some regions that hunting would have to be prohibited la in them resulting he said in a similar situation to that in boxelder Box elder grand and rich counties sportsmen feared closing the season for or a year the game chief bellev believes bs will aid considerably la in restoring the game population to normal with the announcement ot of the closed season on grouse mr mecham assured hunters that there will be an open season on pheasants this year the time will be set tor for late september or early october lie he said and in some counties to afford the best hunting the open dates dates will bo be split by intervening closed days of hunting pheasants as a result af extensive planting activities and protection at forded corded them in late years are quite numerous this year |