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Show 000 during the present biennium At conclusion of the project this fine hunting area will have beet completely rebuilt and improved A project last year included build ing three and one-half miles 0: new dikes with a resulting 1,80' acres of new lands being floodt: for nesting birds and greate: shooting area." He noted that a! work there is being accomplish: under Federal Aid Pittman Robertson Rob-ertson funds under the supervise, of the Department's division c construction and maintenance. Fish and Game Hews Motes ... Beaver pelts taken during the fall and early winter months were recently sold at a Denver fur auction, according to spokesmen for the Utah Department of Fish and Game. Gross receipts for the 1,148 Utah pelts sold amounted to $5,398.15. Less sales commisisons and express ex-press charges of $408.02, final net return from the furs was $4,990.13. The average price of $4.35 per pelt sold is one of the lowest returns re-turns in many years. Prices ranged from a low of 25 cents for kits to $13.50 for "blankets" or 'top grade large furs. The spokesmen attribute the low net return to the fact that fewer such furs are being used in coat making, as well as several other factors. ' Of the 1,148 pelts, some 563 were taken by 30 permit trappers who will receive $2,022.31, or an average of 75 per cent of the net receipt from the sale of these 563 furs. State trappers and wardens took 585 pelts from which all net sale receipts go into the fish and game fund. Net returns from these furs, plus the average 25 per cent credited to the state from the furs taken by permit trappers, leaves a total net return to the Department Depart-ment of $2,967.82. It is noted that beaver increases must be cropped the same as any other game creature. When pelt prices are low it becomes an increasing in-creasing problem to do so, with the financial return often not covering cov-ering the expenditures incurred. The annual late winter early spring big game counts and range surveys will soon get under way in. all sections of the state.. Game Department officials are again encouraging all interested individuals and organizations to take part in these rides. They note that anyone participating in these surveys not only helps in collecting data necessary to recommending types of hunts, length of seasons, etc., but also is able to see the animals and feed conditions when they are concentrated on the winter win-ter ranges. Since the winter range, is in short supply over most of the state it forms the key to herd numbers in nearly all of the 62 deer herd units. Anyone wishing to "join up" for such a survey should contact the district game manager, local warden, war-den, nearest forest service official or BLM representative for the area of their interest. First requirement is a horse and. saddle, with additional equipment equip-ment necessary in certain areas where the rides amount to more than one day and camping out is called for. A major construction and improvement im-provement project is going forward for-ward during the winter months at the Statels Clear Lake Refuge in Millard County, according to Director Di-rector J. Perry Egan of the Utah Department of Fish and Game. The present project includes the fencing of 4,722 acres of refuge lands, construction of cattle guards on access roads, and building build-ing of a headquarters house 'for a refuge manager. Lack of adequate fencing in the past has caused overgrazing of these marsh-lands by livestock to the detriment of nesting cover and the total hunting area. The refuse is surrounded by grazing lands " The Director noted that the present work was designed to bring the Clear Lake Refuge more nearly to its place intended as one of the best of the six sta'ie owned public shooting grounds for migratory mi-gratory birds. He said, "Total expenditures of lear Lake will approximate $95,- |