Show nt J I T I 1 II If f I L it PRANK FRANK I K BAK BAKER BAKER- V Marriages among wild geese arc are rather permanent V tO contracts fr more so 59 in fl fact than they frequently are between between be- be tween tween hum human n i as an interesting case at the V Bear River Migratory Bird refuge near Brigham City proves V Unlike the other wild fowl Jowl geese mate lor life and that fact f forms the background for an interesting story behind two geese Lt In inan an unroofed ofed pen at the refuge headquarters 4 G George orge E. E superintendent V of the federal game V p project j ct told me the story during a visit there something li like e this I V Three years ago one of the workmen found the hen in an exhaust- exhaust id d ci condition on one of pf the dikes nearly nine hine miles from headquarters head head- I V quarters H He carried her home and put ut her in a p pen n to recuperate recuperate cli clipping ping her wings so she couldn't authoritieS author author- V tie tieS had made a careful study dy of other her her condition f P VV V V I The Thc hen r recovered rapidly under the he diligent care and I. I V c feeding When winter c came r and snow Inow cover covered d the ground a alone WV 7 f 1 V lone gander hovered cre ar around und headquarters to pick at th the few Ex V l V kernels of gr grain un thrown v o out t as feed t V V The other geese had already moved oved on south toward l warmer climate but in spite of increasing cold and the wintry blasts s the big gander ander remained close to the pe pen housing the I now novy recuperated hen b J. J V At first ho he flapped noisily away every time men ap approached apt apt ap- ap t t V him Finally h he grew friendly and attendants gu guessed u he was the them mate te to the hen 7 V One day an attendant opened the gate and the thega ga ganSer gander gan- gan Ser der r walked through squawking loudly And there he has V remained to this day daYi although there is no rio roof on the p pen n. n V He e. e can fly flyaway away at will but he always comes back to be bear hear ar his mate who can cant can't t get over the fence V V V V. V The hen nested the spring after the birds were reunited but buther V her eggs didn't hatch When she filled her nest with wit eggs eggs' the V. V following spring attendants did their bit to td keep her from being V Disappointed They exchanged her eggs with those se from ron a nest In hi a near-by near marsh Despite the switch both sets of eggs hatched lj The has gone forth hundreds of times to teach each his young ones their way about in the world Three o of the tile offspring V dan n be seen swimming in the stream passing within a af f fi jw vi f feet o of the pen housing their theix mother Three others have I already dy gone elsewhere but the the gander gander always flaps back over overto the fence to the hen he mated with for life sl I The f federal deral bird refuge is a gigantic giganti project worthy of a visit some afternoon from every sportsman in this v territory err tory In fact i there ere are many interesting things to observe erve there whether one is a wild fowl hunter hunt r or riot not ot V There are about 1300 acres of f. f marsh land open to duck tuck shooting in season but as Superintendent I- I V V points out the fe federal eral governments government's primary aim im in inV int t V fostering the r refuge fuge is to raise birds not to kill them I V ri The superintendent believes real progress is being made in inthe V V the e move to the continual decrease in wild fowl Projects such as the Bear river plant along the regular flyWays flyway arc d db doing f g much Co fo o provide sanctuary for the migratory ry birds Extension V V o- o of othis this work coupled wi with h cooperation from sportsmen in regu regu- V privileges is expected to bring about an ultimate increase se in the birds the superintendent believes V f An n appropriation of was originally appropriated the refuge under an act which stipulated that never more than 40 40 per cent of the t territory could ever be opened to hunting and V V t that at only under extremely happy circumstances Nearly oneS oneth one- one third th d of the acres now w watered are open in season S 4 VV The yearly yearl operation cos cost runs Between and nd S. S V Erection of several new buildings at t headquarters V V including a an aquarium laboratory where biologists will study dy r. r aquatic animal and pl plant nt life lifo in a a plant second only to the one S f. f cat at Ann nn Armor Mich 1 is now in progress V V VS rl V S I Development o of more mare more vegetation on the refuge is one of the current pro problems lems Most of the migratory birds c VV V like to nest on islands because the surrounding water offers of of- fV f- f V fers a feeling of security y Crews are now how building anum- anum V V b t bet er r of such islands following one of s V He had an island only feet long built two X ears rs ago It t w was s virtually b bare re the first year and drew little attention from the birds Last Las year however it S Jio t d a growth of grass and weeds a and d was occupied by y nests t i 5 V came from Montana Montana to assume his duties at the V r rf refuge fuge in n 1930 He has bas been in the federal service for 16 years V of 20 years in fish and game work all U l In inthe the V west vest V |