| Show 14 MILE DIKE NOW PLANNED ACROSS LAKE square miles could coul be marshed shooting and sanctuary area Hun hunters tors guns same game hogs and au poachers are no ion longer ger the only major enemies of migratory waterfowl and those interested in the perpetua tion olour of our migratory birds are mak ing strenuous efforts to stamp out ou the real plague which is taking its toll in millions million of birds annually the th lack ot of sufficient feeding ceding grounds and its attendant ills the chief ol of which Is the deadly alkali malady game wardens the bio biological logical survey various game prote protection cdon associations and the sectional and national associations ciati clat ions ons of game commissioners have generally agreed that the midst vital spot in the entire country ta Is the bear river marsh area in utah and that something must be done here hem soon or the hunting ot of eleven eastern states will be cut to nothing the problem which now laces faces those who would perpetuate migratory waterfowl are the ones which naturally follow the march of civilization in the past thirty years there haye have been areas drained which it placed together would make an area anaa almost as large as the entire new england states this has not only cut the feeding grounds of Ith the migratory wild life down considerably but it has given rise to a disease which when rampant takes millions milU oiLs and ol of birds annually Chiet antong those who are urging that something be done and done at once with the bear river marshes are edward IV nelson chief of the biological survey and william adams director of the department of conservation of the commonwealth of 0 massachusetts by building a fourteen mlle mile dike across an arm of 0 great salt lake these marshes can cad ibe be made to cover an aera of 0 about square miles the dike would take in the mouth of 0 bear river box elder creek areek and a halt half dozen other smaller streams and the area would soon freshen the average depth tor for the water over this immense area would be a little over a foot none of it over two feet and little of 0 it over a foot and a half A good bit of it would be marsh experiments peri ments have shown that good duck food can be grown in a year the building of this dike would then insure hasure a fine bird depot for the birds of the intermountain flight it would perpetuate wild fowl and wild fowl hunting in eleven western states and it if the plan is as successful as the specialists believe it will be bear river will be only a start in a program which will take in every portion of the united states roughly speaking the dike aike and its attending features would cost something like E W nelson kelson of the biological urvey survey s declares that would more than cover the expense there Is a good bottom across the place where the dike will be put which will simplify matters considerably the level of the back water will be a little higher than the waters waiters of the lake with bear river pouring its fluctuating stream into he backwater continually it will be tut but a short time until the area is entirely fresh water beyond the dike of course would be great salt lake as bitter as ever with its 2 per eglit of salt hurling itself against the planked blanked or concreted face of the dike under the plan about CO 00 per cent of this area would be a sanctuary tor for the migratory waterfowl a place to which the birds could flee when harassed by the many nim rods forty per cent would be hunting grounds the large part of the hunting ground would be open to the public under regulation of a responsible body and judging from the success of the public shooting grounds which have recently been established there is virtually no lemu to the number of persons who could be assured good shooting setting salting aside the benefits which will be derived from making good feeding grounds out of these natural bird del depots pots consider the other viewpoint something must be done with these natural bread baskets or the wild fowl of the country will be exterminated by a disease which can bt be cured by and which can be prevented by fresh biresh water malteur malheur lake bear river and a dozen other places not so important at times have become veritable morgues and millions of birds have fallen victim of the malady the bear river marshes have hake been subject to three great scourges urges and the only reason why the scourge was not repeated this year is because of the eternal watchfulness of david H madsen fish floh and game commiss commissioner I 1 oner and his aides it was during this scourge that the real cause of the malady was discovered and that the way to save the birds was ws to get fresh water to then them as soon as possible accordingly boats were provided and a force of men collected great numbers of ill birds forced water down their throats and then took them to a duck hospital v 4 i shore where the fr fresh esh water wate r treatment was continued about go 90 per cent of the birds so han handled lied were saved another part of the big program that Is being worked out success successfully fully near the bear river Is the public shooting ground idea the state fish and game department has obtained title to acres of 0 land north of bear river and by judicious use of 0 dikes has created seven lakes which cover about acres there Is ample water to increase the lake area to about acres next year these lakes are shallow being about knee deep in most places water is 19 flowing continually and a permanent supply Is assured on the opening day of the ithe pre present sant duck season men registered on their way into the area more than birds were killed or an average of a little more than six birds per hunter bunter this Is an exceptional shoot tor for the first day tor for in most places there are more hu nIters than birds on the opening day the fish and game department has strict regulations which are meant to keep one hunter from doing anything which will injure the sport of another the department has powers to eject anyone who violates any of the regulations but an educational campaign has been carried on and up to the present time no one has done anything which has seriously interfered with another mans mang hunting tribune |
