Show N I Fish and Game Notes I V IV Deer sex ratio counts are currently currently currently cur cur- in progress in most areas of the state department of fish and game biologists noted the These counts important to management of Utah's mule deer I herds are annually taken during during during dur dur- ing this period after hunt hun t when the animals begin frequenting frequenting frequenting fre fre- their winter ranges and while the bucks still retain their r antlers and the fawns are readily readily readily read read- ily identified animals animals ani ani- For this census as ns many counted and possible are m mals als as classified as to sex and age class that is bucks docs does and fawns From this information game managers are able to obtain an indication of the reproductive rate of the herd and the size of the manageable fawn crop as the relative number of bucks and does docs in the herd This together with that obtained from trapping and tagging operations general winter winter winter win win- ter observations and the early spring range rides helps state game managers keep track of herd composition and food conditions conditions conditions con con- as well as an any problems that might occur while the deer are on their winter range The states state's mandatory hunter safety training program has ap apparently apparently ap- ap paid good dividends according to a n preliminary report report re report re- re port issued today by the safety and survival training section of the department of fish and According to the report there ere ereis is a definite trend toward an nn overall reduction in all nIl types of firearms accidents during 1960 as opposed to 1959 1939 Included in this figure is an approximate 50 per percent percent percent cent reduction in fatal hunting accidents and a 75 per cent drop in accidents involving handguns Shotgun accidents were also noted to be down by nearly one- one third over reported figures from last year As mentioned the above figures figures figures fig fig- ures include all hunters hunte s not just juveniles indicating perhaps that the principals of hunter safety studied by junior have in practice practice practice tice rubbed off on elder members of the family creating an nn overall overall overall over over- all safer attitude toward firearms throughout the state On the only juvenile-only side of the ledger a reduction in hunting hunting hunting hunt hunt- ing accidents of nearly 50 per percent percent percent cent was noted The trend i in this in preliminary accounting of 1960 hunting bunting ac ac- ac I mm m G i r lr w was termed encouraging I by department of fish and game officials However they hasten hasten- hastened ed to remind hunters parents and instructors that much remains to be done Estimates from the State Board of Education Education tion note that more than juveniles will become 14 years of age during 1961 with like numbers coming of or hunting age each year thereafter Parents of or these youngsters especially were reminded that winter is an ideal time to enroll youngsters for a n course in hunter safety and survival training Lists of instructors are available through most sporting goods dealers throughout the state or from your local conservation of of- of Department of fish and game management personnel scored another first last week as ns Utah's sixth planting of wild Merriam l turkeys was completed Ann a m n B Ma I The planting of these largest of North American game birds was i I Imade made on Old Woman Mountain 1 on the Fishlake National Forest in n Utah and was the he first planting of these birdso birds to o have been wild trapped from existing Utah turkey stocks Previous Pre Pre- Previous pre pre-I i releases of wild turkeys I I have lave been procured through trade rade agreement w with wIt 1 t Ii h sister i I western states The newly planted birds six I II I hens and four toms were trapped trapped trapped trap trap- ped from the reproduction resulting re resulting resulting re- re from Utah's first introduction introduction introduction intro intro- of wild turkeys on the LaSal Mountains l in the Southeastern Southeastern Southeastern South South- eastern part of or the state Sixteen Six Six- teen een birds were originally plant plant- planted ed on those mountains in 1952 Other plantings of f turkeys in include include include in- in clude 15 birds on the Abajo Mountains 1 in 1956 15 birds on the Boulder Mountain fountain in 1957 10 birds on Elk Ridge in 1958 and 34 birds in the ZIon Park area between 1958 and 1960 Turkeys have lave also been reported from the Henr Henry Mountains l probably as a result of oC migration from nearly release areas According to reports from hunters and department personnel personnel personnel per per- all plants are yielding good results w wit with i t h increased numbers of oC the big birds reported re reported reported re- re ported each ench year This years year's pheasant hunt appeared ap appeared ap- ap to be one of the most successful hunts conducted during during dur- dur ing ng the past five years according accord accord- ing ng to a preliminary report coming coming com com- ing ng from department of fish and game offices The report compiled from early hunter questionnaire returns returns re- re turns urns shows this years year's average bag rated higher than in any previous previous previous pre pre- year with the exception of 1957 when hunters bagged an average of 35 birds each At present returns show the average average aver aver- age bag for 1960 running in ex ex- ex cess of 28 birds per hunter I Exact figures will not be available avail 1 able until final tallies of harvest questionnaires are made avail avail- 1 able I Department spokesmen I 1 n making the report known urged j I those people who have received I any type of questionnaire from the department to return them promptly if they have not yet done so I Information taken from these questionnaires it was pointed I out are used in formulating future fu future future fu- fu ture management practices seasons seasons seasons sea sea- sons and bag limits I Utah's final upland game bird hunt of the year will get under underway underway underway way this Saturday Dec 24 as the western portion of Washing Washing- Washington ton County in southwestern Utah i J is opened to the taking of or the Gambol Gambel quail I Reports from conservation of officers officers officers of- of in in this section indicate that the bird population is probably I at an nn all nIl time high with birds in excellent numbers scattered throughout the desert areas bordering bordering bordering bor bor- dering the Beaver Benver Dam Wash Vash inthe in inthe the extreme southwest section of the state j i This hunt last of the year forthe for I J the upland game hunter will ex extend extend extend ex- ex tend through Dec 31 Hunting I hours bag and possession limits will be the same as were in ef effect effect effect ef- ef during the regular upland game season The Biennial Report to the Governor from the department depart depart- I ment of fish and game will soon be ready for distribution As has hns been the pattern in the past this report will be submitted to the Governor preceding the scheduled scheduled scheduled sched sched- session of the Legislature The biennial report which has become a valuable historical and resource reference covers the I period from July 1 1958 through II I June 30 1960 and details the departments department's operation In the the I management of the states state's fish and game gable resources The current report details the departments department's progress in such i management facets as browse re- re vegetation constructions programs programs pro pro- i grams to expand hatchery 1 tes provide new man-made man fishing fishing fishing fish fish- i ing waters and construct and i improve new and existing waterfowl waterfowl waterfowl water water- fowl marshes Also noted in the report is the progress in lake and stream surveys and the rehabilitation rehabilitation tation of ot fishing waters through chemical treatment as ns well as ns other management and research activities The first report was made to th the Governor and Territorial Legislature prior to statehood and since then has increased in volume indicating that every effort ef effort effort ef- ef fort is being made by the de department department department de- de to keep pace with the ever increasing demands on the states state's resources The activities progress and achievements of the department of fish and game as shown by bythe bythe the Biennial Report will be added to the previous 33 reports to serve as another important document in the history of management management management man man- of our states state's wildlife resources Copies pies of this report will be available to all interested parties parties parties par par- ties in early January A total of five bills relating to fish and game are proposed bythe by bythe bythe the Utah Wildlife e Federation for introduction before the Legislature Legislature Legisla Legisla- ture as they convene next month department of fish and game spokesmen noted as they ex explained explained explained ex- ex the effect these measures measures measures meas meas- ures if adopted will have ORish on OR fish ish and game management Foremost among these probably probably ably is the proposed increase in fish and game license fees an action that has been widely ac acclaimed acclaimed acclaimed ac- ac claimed in some quarters and just as widely condemned in oth- oth oth-I oth ers In summarizing the need for this increase in revenue department depart depart- depart i I ment director Harold S S. S Crane j today pointed out the fallacy of expecting a modern day business organization to operate on the I same budget under which that business was operating eight years ago Costs of living Crane noted have continually I increased as ns have those of personal personal personal per per- services and other costs I attendant to operating a busi busi- ness If the department of fish and game is to continue to serve the public through the development development develop develop- develop 1 I i ment of ot new hunting areas construction construction construction con con- of fishing waters and the continued planting of fish and new species of game an increase in increase in- in crease in the fish ish and game license li license license li- li cense fee tee is a vital necessity Other proposed legislation to tobe tobe tobe I be introduced before the state i i making law-making body are holdover bills from the session of two years ago ngo These include an in increase increase increase in- in crease of five cents in fee paid to each license agent for issuing a fish and game license bringing this fee to fifteen cents per li 11 i cense This is considered to be beI bej I j necessary in view of increased I II I expenses attending the sale of these licenses another reflection of the increased cost of living A bill to change several definitions definitions definitions defini defini- dealing with fish and game designations and nd the length of residency in the state will also be introduced In the main this bill would reduce the period of I residency required for the purI purchase purchase pur pur- I chase of resident hunting and fishing licenses from one year to to six months This action isa is isa I a necessary one in in view of the influx of new people into the state each year and would bring Utah's requirements more in line with those of other states Also proposed is legislation to establish a minimum fine for to fish and game violations of 50 s such fine to be used im aril 1 i as a guide to justices of Ut til tJi peace I I Another change is also pr pr i posed in licensing this propose t to give all aliens except Japa Japanese Japanese nese citizens allowed resident resident privileges under state and fed f oral cral laws enacted in 1952 th th opportunity of purchasing huning hunt hun hunting i ing and fishing licenses on t thi tl same terms as a nonresident w Poetry is the music of though thought j 1 conveyed to us in the music C language Paul o. o T I t |