| Show PREDATORY PRE A TO R ANIMALS KILLED AT Al GOST OF The an annual ual report of or George E E. Holman predatory animal inspector for Tor r the state board of agriculture in IE cooperation with the bureau of biological biological bio bio- r logical survey United States department department depart- depart r ment of agriculture shows that the official reports In Mr Ir Holmans Holman's of- of l i fice flee for the year ending June 30 last show a total of predatory animals animals ani ani- mals killed by reason of the coper- coper alive campaign This total Is made tak taken hunters hunters hunters hunt hunt- up of 2887 actually n by ers which were poisoned as itIs itis it itIs Is believed the bodies or traces atthe of at the bodies being found but no part saved and unborn predatory animals The expense pense incurred was 63 or an average overage of 1876 on each predatory animal definitely f reported report cl k killed The federal government government government govern govern- ment bore of the expense of which was paid out In hunters' hunters salaries the remainder beIng being being be be- ing in the sa salaries arles and expenses of Mr Dir Holman two assistant inspectors inspectors tors tom and a clerk or In miscellaneous and contingent expenses Of the tho state contribution of a much higher gr r I 79 in all went In the payment of the actual hunters' hunters salaries Mr 11 Holmans Holman's report credits 1968 I of the animals to the federal hunters hunters hunt hunt- ers In Including eleven mountain lion and one wolf The federal cost cost I would average 1859 the animal The state hunters are credited with 1806 animals which would make mako the average cost 1476 the animal i iThe IThe i iThe I The predatory animals taken were in varieties as follows Bear 4 bobcat coyotes loan 11 wolves 1 In addition to these Ulese predatory wild animals the hunters reported also that badger 33 skunk kunk 1 raccoon 1 civet cat and porcupine taken In addition to the money mone expended expend expend- ed Mr 1 Holman reports that ani ani- mals for bait halt stations in the poison polson campaign were furnished mostly by stockmen and included horses 42 cattle catHe 82 62 burros 2 mules sheep a n total of 1174 animals Several Several Several Sev Sev- eral hundred porcupines and other small animals als also o were used as bait Approximately baits were used The claim is made by the In Inspector inspector inspector in- in that from all Information available it it- IMs itis is safe to say that no noless noless noless less than predatory animals were killed that have not heen been accounted ac ne- counted for by the hunters If this statement Is correct the average cost to the state and nation per predatory predatory predatory preda preda- tory animal would be reduced to Cooperation was given in the campaign not only from the state and the stockmen but also from state and national stockmen's as association association association as- as the national forest service and the state fish and game depart depart- ment Hunting mountain lion with dogs has been tried and has been found to be expensive One Ono of the hunters spent the major portion of his time in the Kaibab where he was under Mr direction though of course the state was not In ithe the expenses there Only two adult lion were taken by him this year and very title lIUe other signs were found Mr Holman reports Previous Previous Previous ous to the year ear on which the report was made approximately seventy- seventy five lion have been taken in the Kaibab by cooperative hunters and the conclusion Is drawn by the in inspector inspector inspector in- in that the situation there is about cleaned up and that In the future only a few weeks each spring In the Kaibab I Ito and fall need be spent to keep the lion in control Four lion were taken In the Dixie forest by the hunter in January and February February I ary of this year No special effort it Is reported i has been made to hunt or trap bear except where they have been doing damage and In some localities localities localities ties their numbers have not not been re re- In other localities our efforts and the efforts of others have materially materially materially ma ma- reduced their numbers Bobcats Bobcats Bob- Bob cats cata and coyotes cootes have been killed in such numbers by our work by th the stockmen many of whom have used poison as as instructed by this office and by private hunters that their numbers have been boon greatly reduced In practically every locality While ninety wolves have been killed in San Juan county in the past bast few v years sign of only one was found Cound In the past year and it was trailed across the Dolores river In Colorado In the Book Cliff Clift country in and Grand counties where there were several wolves last fall signs of only one have bave been seen and no doubt our poison polson got the rest There are still a small number in Duchesne county and possibly two or three In Inthe Inthe inthe the Fillmore forest but we have only only only on on- ly stockmen's reports for tor this and have not been able able- to verify them Because of the ruggedness of much nuch of the country that mountain lions inhabit it is difficult estimate estimate estimate esti esti- mate their numbers but there are arc not hot any great numbers left One Ono hunter in Grand county during the winter found where six lion had killed s v pJ deer and fed ted on them He tr treed ed one with a dog au and shot It and then put o out poison at the de deer r carcasses In a day or two he h found one poisoned and secured the skin He later found two more an and secured their scalps and no doubt killed he rest as no sign was found It Is reported as difficult to get bet accurate data from stockmen In re regard regard regard re- re gard to losses to livestock from predatory animals Most of th them m do donot donot donot not definitely what th their ir losses are but will give us correct data when they know but In some SOUle cases case they will exaggerate conditions I think this is sometimes s done with a avIew aview aview view of oC keeping a hunter In their lo lo- lo They think of they report few ew losses we may move the hunters hunters hunt hunt- ers from their district Often tl they thoy cy depend on herders' herders reports and ind it the he herders ar are s short ort any sheep they blame It on predatory aai when sometimes they are Jost lost in other ways I From personal investigations and md knowledge I dge I am- am am u convinced convinced says bays Mr Ir HoHan that fully one half all and possibly three fourths hs of all stuff in Utah In the past few Cow years was brought from other states or In some somo cases the stuff was bouts bouts- tied more moro than once Since the payment payment payment pay pay- ment of bounties ceased from lack of ot balance in the state bounty fund Cund there has been a noticeable improvement Improve improve- Improvement ment In our work In regards to the loss of oC traps and animals from traps and around poison polson stations s. s With regard to future plans It 11 Is announced that the same same- sort of campaign as now Is In progress will willbe willbo bo be b continued If the present methods are followed followed followed fol fol- fol- fol lowed it Is claimer d without In Interruption Interruption interruption In- In or suspension It will only bo be a short time until predatory animals ani animals ani- ani mals mala will cease to be a serious menace men ace to the livestock interests and ancl the protection and propagation of ot game amo and birds |
