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Show Poor Hunting Is Common Report Much in line with the verdict rendered in connection with the deer hunt, considerable disappointment disappoint-ment has been expressed following-Utah's following-Utah's 1944 pheasant hunt. The comparatively poor results attained attain-ed in the deer hunt, especially in the Beaver mountain district, have been attributed largely to the policy of allowing open seasons on antlerless deer, a policy which foresighted sportsmen have seej resulting in nothing short o f ultimate disaster. That this is true is confirmed by the fact that, as usual, results were good in the Mineral mountains area between the Milford and Beaver valleys, where no doe-hunting ever has been legally permitted. However, unless indiscrimate shooting in this area is stopped, conditions here are sure to deteriorate. Dozens of carcasses of dead does have been found during the just-closed just-closed season, according to report, most of them on the east slope of the Mineral mountains, and this condition will have to be stopped. Pheasant hunting throughout the state this season is reported not to have been up to par and the South Milford special hunting area was no exception. The relatively poor hunting is believed to be attributable at-tributable to four well established factors. The wet spring is believed be-lieved to have been a primary cause of poor hatches, this condition condi-tion having been general through out the state. Also, unless other sections of the state were treated, more generously than Beaver county, the birds furnished by the fish and game department from the state game farm were away off from the quantity usually furnished. Definitely this was the case in western Beaver conty, for only about a third of the quantity furnished last year came to the local club for distribution this year. Destruction of nests and young birds by crows and coyotes is thought to account for a considerable con-siderable loss of birds, and poaching poach-ing throughout the year results in another heavy inroad in the bird crop. This latter cause has come in for heavy censure in many parts of the state, but in western Beaver county the condition has been cased considerably with the appointment of F. L. Osborn as part-time deputy. .According to Howard Gospill president of the South Milford Hunting Area association, a total of 215 special hunting tags were sold for hunting within the area. The storm which came up Sunday noon interfered considerably with the success of the shoot, but the checking station near town reported report-ed 191 birds bagged and that at the Arthur Williams farm home .reported 27. In addition to these, there would be quite a number of unchecked birds killed by residents of South Milford. 'Mr. Gospill blames the relatively poor crop of birds to the depredations depreda-tions of crows and coyotes anil it is likely that an extensive campaign cam-paign for the eradication of these pests will be set up by the association, associ-ation, working in close cooperation with the Milford Wildlife Protective Protec-tive association. |