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Show PROTECTION OF MIGRATORY WATER FOWL SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION AT WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF STATE FISH AND GAME MEETING - .... Need of further protection for mi-! gatory water fowl, driven in dwindling dwindl-ing flocks from one vanishing marsh to another because of three drouth, years in the United States and Canada, Can-ada, was stressed at the eleventh annual an-nual convention of the Western Association As-sociation of State Game and Fish Commissioners in Flagstaff, Arizona last week. Thirty delegates from seven western states, the District of Columbia and British Columbia were present at the meetings according to Newell B. Cook, state game commissioner, commis-sioner, who stopped over In Beaver Friday night, in company with D. H, Madsen, superintendent of wild life in National Parks; Jack Scott, chairman chair-man of Wyoming Fish and Game commission; and Bob Hill, state game warden from Montana, who were returning from the association meeting. m closing uusmess sessions lues-day lues-day six important resolutions were passed and officers elected. Newell B. Cook, head of the Utah state game department, was chosen president to succeed R. L. Bayless of Arizona. Salt Lake City was named as the 1932 convention city, but no date for the meeting was set. A. Bryan Williams, game commissioner commis-sioner of Canada, was elected vice-president. vice-president. Selection of a secretary-treasurer secretary-treasurer will be delayed, Cook said, but an official of the Utah state game department will be chosen. Clinton W. Rowley of Washington is the retiring secretary-treasurer. Important resolutions adopted included: in-cluded: 1. Recommendations that biological biologi-cal survey, rin its 10-year program, give attention to development of new and artificial water areas to harbor migratory water fowl. Further expense ex-pense for making a survey of existing exist-ing water areas was asked abolished. 2. Pledging of cooperation with the Smalli Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute and forwarding for-warding a vote of thanks for information infor-mation obtained on wild game in recent re-cent surveys. 3. Agreement with sportsmen of Utah by federal government, providing provid-ing 40 per cent of Bear river marsh be held open to public shooting be 'carried out by the biological survey and other federal agencies. If it becomes be-comes necessary to close all other areas to shooting to preserve migratory migra-tory birds, however, the Utah sportsmen sports-men will lay aside their protest. j 4. Third consecutive year of drouth conditions prevails over a jgreal portion of nesting and breed ing areas of imigratory birds, making mak-ing necessary steps to preserve wild fowl. Association in sympathy with efforts to shorten shoooting seasons and abolish practice of baiting within with-in less than 100 yards of a blind or shooting stand. 5. U. S. biological survey asked to institute active program of rodent ro-dent and predatory animal and predacious pre-dacious bird control in vicinity of breeding and nesting areas of migratory migra-tory birds In states represented by association. Activities are to be exercised ex-ercised only with consent of states and in cooperation, however. 6. Arizona, President Lee Bayless, and people' of Flagstaff and Flagstaff Game Protective association thanked for warm hospitality while the convention con-vention was in session. The most important resolution, number four, was; drafted by Secre tary rtowiey at me request ot several east coast organiaztions and members mem-bers of the association. Communications from officials of New York, Connecticut and Michigan Michi-gan associations caused the measure to receive first-hand consideration. Drouth conditions in United States and Canada, existing over ;a three-year three-year period, have greatly depleted the number of wild fowl, commissioners commis-sioners explained. Breeding grounds and nesting spots are drying up at an alarming rate and fear of extinction extinc-tion of some species of wild fowl was expressed. Uniform regulation, sponsored by the federal government, was suggested suggest-ed as 'one means of shortening the shooting season, or, possibly abolishing abolish-ing wild fowl hunting for a year., Unsportsmanlike practice of baiting bait-ing spots with grain and then mowing mow-ing down wild fowl was condemned. The association considers baiting shooting, grounds at 100 yards distance dis-tance Un some instances, but the practice as a whole is considered unfair un-fair to wild fowl. In case shooting season is limited to 4 5 days, the association members voted that each state should select the dates. Representatives from New Mexico, Ariozna, California, Washington, Utah, Montana, Colorado, British Columbia, District of Columbia and Wyoming attended the meeting. Oregon Ore-gon game association men said funds were lacking to attend. Game department problems ranging rang-ing from a drop in license fees In Colorado because of business depression depres-sion to survey on the Kaibab deer situation were discussed by experts from various states. License fees in Colorado dropped $40,000 during the past year because be-cause of financial depression and closing of additional streams to fisherman, fish-erman, Roland G. Parvin, commissioner commis-sioner of game and fish department of Colorado from Denver said. Leo K. Wilson, representative California state game department, said duck diseases, which have reduced re-duced large flocks to small numbers, are being investigated by game specialists to determine the cause and remedies. "Feeding of wild fowl by California Califor-nia gun clubs is one of the greatest aids to hunters along the coast," Wilson said, "because without this method the ducks and other birds would undoubtedly fly into Mexico to be slaughtered at all times of the year. Starvation faces the wild fowl in many sections unless tne gun clubs sponsor this feeding, since no state or federal funds are available." Dave Madsen, superintendent of wild life in national parks, from Salt Lake City, urged three methods of procedure more uniform legislation; legisla-tion; better forms of sportsmanship; smaller bag limits on wild game. "A sportsman cannot expect to go into the hunting area armed with a 52 license and a rifle and get $200 worth of game," Madsen said. Further reduction of deer herds in the Kaibab National Forest was said by Superintendent Walter G. Mann of Kanab, Utah, to be absolutely necessary. nec-essary. "Hunters killed 5,033 deer in the Kaibab last fall," Mann said, "but ranges again this year are overgrazed. overgraz-ed. Shipments of fawn have aided somewhat in the reduction, but only 120 were transported during the past year. If the demand is sufficient, suffic-ient, we hope to increase the number moved to other areas to 200 this season. sea-son. It costs about $35 to put a fawn aboard a train, the expense of which is borne by the organization receiving the deer." Two problems still confront Kaibab Kai-bab Forest service men. One is the disposal of over-production of deer and the other is erosion problems along the Colorado river. Bolh will be worked out eventually, Mann declared. de-clared. Speakikng for the federal bureaus. Judge R. W. Williams assistant chief conservationist of the biological sur-' sur-' vey, Washington, D. C, said the sur-j sur-j vey wished to cooperate witli state : game departments in every way pos- sible. |