OFFlClAU:»PUBLICATIOIT OF TH^

'ONTANA STATE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION

Comparison and Contrast

A 'Rhymed Editorial
%

John C. Boardman j»

Secretary ^utte Anglers Club '^

^

THE SPORTSMAN

One who pursues the sports of
fields, or oth{er pleasures nature
yields; who's on the square with
bird and beast, or other humans in
the least, will so conduct his pleasure
quest that he alone comes second
best.

By him are game laws now re-
spected. In laws alone his love's
protected. He does not kill a beast
or fish, except to fill his plate or
dish; or predatory creatures slay,
and then in quick and painless way.

To hi{im a fawn or song-bird's nest
is sacred from the hunter's quest.
The farmer's field is holy ground if
any trespass sign is found. He would
not break a blade of grass, or set has
foot upon a pass where others' rights
he might infringe, or cause some one
to cry or cringe.

To him a roadside sign, or hand,
is respected as a clear command to
help all men along the way by light
or dark or night or day, and always
with his axe or gun, he blazes trails,
or has his fun.

He never puts his name or face
on any sacred public place. His
deeds alone give him renown in
county, state and old home town.
His souvenirs are very few, for mem-
ory keen of places new, is all he
needs to call a bluff — his words alone
are proof enough.

He learns to be a handy man and
when the ranger comes to scan, his
campf ire's neat and small and trim;
just like a home a camp to him.

THE VANDAL

A loanderer of hostile mien to all
that's pretty, sweet or clean; ivho
finds his fun in breaking up all
treasures rare, of book or cup; his
selfish greed alone demands attention
of his eyes and hands.

To him a law is merely passed to
hang up in a frame of glass. His
only consciousness of crime is being
caught within th6 time the law pro-
vides, for such as he, to post a bo7id
or pay a fee. He murders every liv-
ing thing, in summer, fall or boun-
teous spring.

The suckling babe of woodland
creature may starve and die without
a feature showing any sign of pain
for all he counts its loss or gain.
He rambles through the field or pas-
ture with trail of blood and crop
disaster. He hesitates not to dis-
parage a noble character or carriage.

He bangs away at danger signs
and shoots the guideposts clear of
lines. He kills the trees and shoots
hiis bullets in farmers' cows and pigs
and pullets. One never knows — when
he's about — whether safety lies in-
side or out.

His hated name and ugly face is
found in many a public place. He
cuts and carves and breaks and
cracks, and every public treasure
sacks. He kills the trees and birds
and bees; his very breath pollutes
the breeze. To follow him along the
path fills everyone with righteous
wrath.

The ranger dreads his presence in
the forest, glade or hilltop's rim;
lohen at his camp he takes a peep,
he spends the night in fitful sleep;
because of coals of glowing hue the
vandal's sure to leave a few.

£' Envoi

The sportsman's character and mind are like pure gems of rarest kind.

The vandal and the mean coyote are classed as one by every vote.

Pray tell me, sir, which of these two in some respect applies to you.

And if perchance a word or line has found its mark in deed of thine,

Will you but see it as it's meant — no thought of malice or intent

To hurt or mar your keenest pleasure in field or stream or woodland treasure.

\

b^=-£-zr

MONTANA WILD LIFE

Official Magazine of The Montana State Fish and Game Commission

VOL. I.

HELENA, MONTANA, JULY, 1928.

No. 2.

Montana's Upland Birds

By W. K. MOORE of Billings
Member Montana State Fish and Game Commission

W. K. Moore

FEW sportsmen
in the state
realize the in-
creasing number of
upland birds in
Montana. I wish
some way could be
devised by which
they could be
counted, as are the
elk herds, so that
sportsmen who do
not travel over the
state to a great ex-
tent could know.
There are a few
counties where the
sage grouse are
thick — so thick, in
fact, that the farm-
ers are complain-
ing. One reason for sage grouse being
in such large coveys has been caused
by not creating an early open season.
They seem to mature earlier than the
pintail grouse, and the open season on
grouse being in September, very few
sage hens are shot. So many sports-
men believe sage grouse are not pal-
atable when old. An earlier open sea-
son for just a few days will help scat-
ter these birds iuto smaller flocks, and
in time will put them over the state
more generally.

Some counties have but few native
pintail grouse, and there are several
places where they are thick. Our up-
land birds and sage grouse have in-
creased wonderfully in the last few
years. No doubt, the drive we have
conducted on predatory animals and
birds has been a great help.

The large blue grouse, one of our
finest birds, seems to be decreasing
in numbers. Where we used to see
large numbers there are now but a
few. They are not a prairie bird, and
are found mostly in the mountains.
With the research work we are doing
now at the biological station we may
be able to discover the trouble.

The Chinese pheasant and Hungarian
partridge which we have imported and
planted are thriving and multiplying
rapidly. There are places where they
are thick. In watching the different
plantings I found only one place where
it was reported they did not thrive, but
this spring the sportsmen in that vicin-
itv said they were mistaken, for they
discovered these birds were not satis-

MK. SPORTSMAN!

Do you realize-
That you provide the funds avaii-
able for use in wild life conservation
by the IVIontana State Fish and Game
Commission?

That money derived from the saie
of hunting and fishing licenses is ex-
pended for the protection and propa-
gation of game and game fish?

That members of the State Com-
mission, wardens, deputy wardens
and ail employes are working dili-
gently to provide better hunting and
fishing for you?

That If it were not for your whole-
some cooperation In this work of the
Commission that there would soon be
neither hunting nor fishing?

That sportsmen In eastern states
now looking to Montana for their
vacations buy licenses In home states
which permit them to hunt for a
place to hunt?

That the man who violates the
closed season law, takes more than
the limit or breaks any of the rules
of the good sportsman, Is deliberately
cheating YOU?

fled with the place in which they had
been liberated and had moved about six
miles to a brushy place. There they
had increased.

THE HUNGARIAN
Feathered Fox of the Fields

A few farmers complain about game
birds injuring their crops. If they
would give the birds credit for the
worms and bugs they catch while the
crops are growing, they would be well
paid for the small amount of grain the
birds eat.

In the eastern part of the state we
have found a few small coveys of east-
ern yellow-legged prairie chicken. They
no doubt have come from the Dakotas.
A few years ago they were plentiful
in that state.

In the near future we shall be able
to devise a way of trapping game birds
where they are plentiful and moving
them to parts of the state where they
are scarce.

The best time of day to see any of
these game birds is early in the morn-
ing or about sundown.

We have a few California quail in
the state, but they have not Increased
materially.

In 1914 Billings sportsmen shipped
4S pairs of Bob White quail from Iowa.
They increased rapidly until the winter
of 1919, when they were thinned out
by the cold. Last fall I had the pleas-
ure of seeing three nice coveys in one
day, and they were about 30 miles from
where we liberated them.

At the meeting of the State Commis-
sion at Anaconda June 27 it was agreed
that approval be given an early season
on sage grouse in Petroleum, Fergus
and Big Horn counties with the dates
set August 4, 0 and 6, inclusive. If
other counties desire open seasons on
these birds it is necessary that peti-
tions be signed and presented to the
Commission. The early seasons will
provide sportsmen with the opportunity
of getting the birds before they become
scattered and seasoned with sage.

Sportsmen of the state will be given
an opportunity to express their views
on proposed open seasons on Chinese
pheasants. These beautiful birds have
thrived wonderfully well since they
were imported and planted by the Mon-
tana Commission and in some counties
farmers complain that they are causing
damage. They must be given protec-
tion of course, yet the Commission will
receive petitions signed by residents of
counties desiring a short open season.
These petitions will be acted on at the
next regular meeting. They should be
directed to Robert H. Hill, the State
Pish and Game Warden at Helena.

MONTANA WILD LIFE

Montana Protects Trout Waters

By H. B. FOOTE
Sanitary Engineer, State Board of Health

H. B. Foote

WHENEVER
one under-
takes, offici-
ally, to make a sur-
vey of conditions on
any Montana stream
and attempts to
draw conclusions or
to apply remedial
measures to situa-
tions undesirable to
fish life or health
preservation he is
immediately c o n -
fronted with con-
flicting influences
and interests. On
the one hand there
is the person, com-
munity, or corpora-
tion whose best in-
terests seem to be
served by using the stream as a con-
tinuation of a sewer line, while opposed
is the person, community or corpora-
tion below which objects to drawing
a water supply from such a sewer. It
may be a conflict between two indus-
tries or between an industry and the
farmer. The combinations of conflict-
ing interests are many. The investi-
gator must of necessity weigh very
carefully all evidence obtainable which
is pertinent to the particular case.

While certain natural laws are known
to operate in flowing streams tending
to change the chemical, physical and
biological conditions introduced by pol-
lution, time is required for their opera-
tion and this means distance traveled
by the flowing water. Before suffi-
cient time has elapsed to effect the de-
sired changes perhaps the interested
party below the offender has been
reached. It may therefore be necessary
to introduce some structure or opera-
tion into the situation which will hasten
the action of the natural purification
processes or it may be best to eliminate
entirely the sources of pollution.

All this has its financial aspect which
is the base to which it seems we must
all eventually come and from which we
must all start in our attempts to main-
tain the most desirable conditions,
whether we would or not.

The Montana State Board of Health
is by law (Section 2641, R. C. M., 1921)
charged with "the general oversight and
care of all inland waters and of all
streams, lakes and ponds used by any
city, town, or public institution or by
any jvater or ice company in this state
as sources of water supply for domes-
tic use and of all springs, streams, or
water courses tributary thereto."

Under this law and others giving
powers to this board much work has
been done in relation to public water
and ice supplies. While we in Mon-

tana have not yet been confronted with
the very acute conditions which exist
in the more densely populated sections
of the nation, we do have our problems
and it is our study to attempt to be
just to all conflicting interests and to
serve the best interests of the state as
a whole.

In this work we have a mutual in-
terest with other bodies, official or un-
official. The streams of Montana con-
tribute in different ways to the pleas-
ure or business of our residents and
visitors. They are for the most part
beautiful and a joy to the traveler and
fisherman. We are in a position to
keep ahead or at least abreast of prog-
ress or encroachment upon them and in
this we need co-operation of all con-
cerned. There is no desire to inter-
fere with the rights or business de-
mands of any one, nor is there any
intention to impose undue financial bur-
dens upon any industry or community.
Our duties, however, are clearly set
forth and there is no side-stepping
them.

In line with the foregoing the writer
conferred with state officials in Utah
and Colorado and visited sugar beet
factories in the respective states to
ascertain existing conditions, and prac-
tices in that industry. It is' hoped and

MONTANA LEAD.S

SPORTSMEN of Montana who are
students of the great program
of conservation of wild life in
which the State Fish and Game Com-
mission is engaged, are proud of
outstanding achievements which have
brought Montana's foresight national
recognition. While the work of con-
servation is proceeding, financed ex-
clusively by the sale of hunting and
fishing licenses, sales of confiscated
arms and furs, and by fines, leaders
In the work throughout the nation
are turning their attention to ways
and means by which Montana does
things. Three outstanding tasks have
been accomplished by the Commis-
sion:

Montana has the largest spawn-
taking station in the world at the
mouth of Flint creek, Georgetown
Lake, near Anaconda, where more
than 50,000,000 eggs are taken dur-
ing the six-weeks spawning season
to keep 14 state hatcheries operat-
ing.

Montana has the largest warm-
water pond culture station In the
United States, recently established
near Miles City through cooperation
with the Custer County Rod and Gun
Club. The only biological research
station of its kind in the nation has
just been made possible on Flathead
Lake through cooperation of the
State Fish and Game Commission
with leaders of the greater Univer-
sity of Montana. Here science will
aid in conserving Montana's wild life
by solving problems peculiar to dis-
eases, parasites, foods, plant life,
birds of prey, drainage, migration,
water pollution, and similar subjects.

expected that this industry will increase
in extent in Montana and it is very
important that every one interested in
the problems arising from it be awake
to any dangers and obligations involved.
The wastes from these plants are
largely organic in nature and putres-
cible or fermentable. The care neces-
sary in their disposal is therefore
greater than in cases of less concen-
trated wastes.

Fortunately high dilution in a large
stream is adequate for disposal and for
the most part is available. There are,
also fortunately, remedial measures
available which in case of necessity can
be applied within what may be consid-
ered a reasonable cost.

In the case of other industries, other
problems are encountered and must be
met in various ways depending upon
the nature of the wastes. In some
cases it may be necessary because of
volume of waste, extremely high cost
of treatment or practical impossibilities
to give a whole stream over to the
industry. Fortunately such situations
are rare.

Where domestic city sewage is dis-
charged other problems present them-
selves and still other remedies, if pos-
sible, must be applied. Montana is, we
believe, emerging into a more prosper-
ous era, in which money for needed
improvements will be available.

Cheaper and more simple methods of
sewage treatment are being sought and
there is real encouragement in the
prospects. All new information is
eagerly sought in the belief that those
communities and industries involved in
this very important matter are entitled
to all the advantage possible.

For effective activity in the problem
of keeping Montana's wonderful streams
as we want them, an intelligent and
fair-minded constituency is necessary,
for without favorable public sentiment
a law-enforcing body is crippled.

WHISKEY GOOD FOK WORMS

TWO Blackfoot river fishermen were
having no luck with flies. One
suggested that they soak an angle
worm in whiskey and try that. So a
fat worm was obtained, put in the bot-
tom of an old can, and some bootleg
poured over him. The worm, showing
well-known signs of animation, was im-
paled on a hook and cast in the stream.
Immediately the once placid river be-
came violently agitated. Something
churned the waters to their depths.
The rod bent double and the fisherman
in desperation grabbed the line. One
tried to pull it in, but his companion
had to come to his aid. Together they
slowly reeled in, to discover that the
angle worm had seized a big trout by
the throat and was choking it to death.

MONTANA WILD LIFE

Conservation in Other States

•*

MONTANA is keeping- step ivitli tJie
nation in pressing tlie program
for the consenation of wild life
resources. Under the lea^lershlp of
the State Fish and Game Commission
forests and streams of the Treasure
State are being restocked for posterity.
Inroads being made by resident sports-
men and by tlie constantly increasing
number of vacation tourists are being
met by increased activity in replanting
fisli and game. Foresigbted sportsmen
of tlie state appreciate the necessity
for maintaining the supply. They glory
in Montiina's position of prominence as
an outdoor paradise. They are deter-
mined to avoid the mistakes of densely
populated eastern states in permitting
wild life to be wiped out.

GAME FARMS AT INSTITUTIONS

State game farms and fish hatcheries,
to be operated at various Illinois insti-
tutions, at no cost to taxpayers, will
result from plans outlined in the meet-
ing of representatives of the leading
conservation association of Illinois,
called by Governor Len Small.

A survey, to commence immediately,
will show which of the state institu-
tions offer best advantages for the
propagation of fish, and as game farms.
From the leaders in conservation move-
ments volunteer committees will visit
each state institution to investigate
conditions with this end in view.

GAME REFUGES IN JIKHIGAN

The department of conservation of
Michigan has six major standard game
refuges in operation, covering approxi-
mately 60,000 acres. Surrounding all
the newer refuge units are public hunt-

ing grounds which add up to about
75,000 acres. For the most part this
land was obtained by the state through
tax delinquency, the balance having
been purchased by money from the
game fund at or below the valuations
as assessed for taxation.

children so a love for all things con-
nected with the great out-of-doors will
be a part of their daily training.

SANCTUARY IN NOVA SCOTIA

A new game sanctuary of 200 square
miles has been established by the gov-
ernment of Nova Scotia, according to
a bulletin of the American Game Pro-
tective Association. The area is well
defined by natural boundaries, includ-
ing the chief waterways of that coun-
try, such as Lake Resignol, the Shel-
burne River, the Roseway River, west
branch of the Jordan River, the Jordan
Lakes and Fifth and Sixth Lakes.

The area set aside is particularly
adapted to the conservation of game in
as much as it is a natural breeding
ground already inhabited by a large
number of game animals.

WOMEN IN WALTON LEAGUE

Many women, especially the lovers of
outdoor life, are becoming greatly in-
terested in the organization of Wal-
tonian women, which, in a way, might
be considered the woman's auxiliary of
the Izaak Walton League. Many have
a mistaken idea about the purpose of
the Izaak Walton League and think it
is only for fishermen, who delight in
meeting for dinner and exchanging
fishermen's yarns. The women are
anxious to have that impression cor-
rected as their main purpose in becom-
ing Women Waltonians is to develop
in time an educational program for

GERMANY'S GAME BAG

Despite an area less than one-seven-
teenth as great as that of the United
States and a density of population ten
times greater, Germany's fields and for-
ests yield each year an amount of game
that probably exceeds the total bag
here. The total number of deer of all
kinds shot yearly is estimated at about
250.000, equivalent to more than 5,000
head for each of the 4S states of the
Union. Nearly 1,000,000 hares and rab-
bits are shot each year in Prussia alone.
Germany places the food value of its
annual game bag at $13,000,000.

ANIMALS FOR EXPORT

Fur farming, now a well-established
industry In the United States, Canada,
and Alaska, is not confined to the
North American continent, according to
the Biological Survey of the United
States Department of Agriculture, but
has extended to European countries.
When the Hamburg-American liner
Cleveland sailed out of New York har-
bor on one of its December trips It
carried a large consignment of fur-
bearing animals, valued at $150,000.
They were destined for fur farms in
Austria, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Hol-
land, Lithuania. Poland, Belgium and
Switzerland. The live cargo consisted
of 1.200 minks, 150 silver foxes, 12 rac-
coons and 42 muskrats. The export of
live animals from American fur farms
is a new development in the fur in-
dustry.

FISH AND GAME OFFICIALS IN SESSION AT HELENA

— Photo by Badgely, Helena.

MONTANA WILD LIFE

+._..

Big Game in Montana Forests

By WILL a BARNES
Assistant Forester, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

-..—4.

MONTANA ranks fifth in tlie 48
states in the number of deer
ranging on her national forests,
according to the annual report for 1927
of the Forest Service, United Slates De-
partment of Agriculture. The total in
the states and Alaska shows 700,586
deer in national forests. California
leads with 238,645. Oregon has 71,586;
Arizona, 59,009; Idaho. 57,613, and Mon-
tana 52,368. Estimates show only 20
in West Virginia, 48 in Virginia. 85 in
Tennessee, 50 in Nebraska and 225 in
Michigan.

The annual census of the number of
big game animals on national forests
is made up of estimates made by forest
officers — close observers, constantly in
the field, and always on the lookout
for game animals and birds. The cen-
.sus covers only the animals found on
national forest areas, and does not take
into consideration any wild life out-
side the forest boundaries, on the pub-
lic domain, in national parks, Indian
or military reservations, or on private
lands.

The totals show a slight increase in
antelope, the number reported being
about 10 per cent higher than last year.
With the exception of the few herds in
captivity, the antelope seem to be
thrifty and because of well-enforced
protective laws are increasing gradu-
ally. For reasons not yet clear these
animals do not appear to thrive under
fenced conditions. The little herd on
the Wichita game preserve in Okla-
homa has not prospered during the lUst
four years, in spite of everything pos-
sible in the way of care and attention.
On the other hand, several rather large
herds in the Northwest, running on the
open ranges and competing more or less
with grazing stock, are increasing in
numbers. One or two herds have grown

to such a size that they have become
a public burden because of their dep-
redations in the winter upon the farm-
ers' fields and hay stacks.

The plan of raising young antelope
on the bottle for distribution to parks
and zoos has proved a great success
and makes possible a wide distribution
of the species. The little ones, being
(ame and used to handling, can be
shipped without danger of injury.

Black and brown bear show about a
10 per cent increase over 1926. due
possibly to closer estimates. Making a
game animal of this species has con-
tributed greatly to its increase. It will
be a surprise to many to learn that
660 bear were killed in the state of
Pennsylvania during the season of 1926.

The Alaska report shows a heavy de-
crease in the number of the giant
Alaska brown bear, classified with the
grizzly in this census. This is due to
better estimates by forest officers in
Alaska who made a special study of
the bear during the season. Outside of
I hat territory there are but 880 mem-
Iiers of the famous grizzly species in
all the forests, of which nearly 50 per
cent are in Montana. The record shows
not a single grizzly in any national
forest in California — a state in which
these animals were once found in large
numbers. The buffalo was never half
as near total extinction as is the
grizzly today.

In spite of liberal open seasons on
deer, there is a steady increase, amount-
ing to about 5 per cent each season,
in the number of deer in every forest.
Reports indicate that the number taken
by hunters each season is about 10
per cent of the total. As in past sea-
.sons, there appear to have been about
three or four hunters for each deer
killed. In spite of their numbers, deer

evidently are not an easy animal to
approach in the hills. Perhaps the new
crop of hunters is not as expert as the
old-timers.

The problem of the Kaibab herd in
northern Arizona is still unsolved. The
present situation is far from satisfac-
tory. Arizona ob.1ects seriously to a
large reduction in numbers, either by
increasing the bag limits or through
a general killing of males by hunters
employed by the government for that
purpose, with such disposition of the
meat as may be possible. The herd,
which now contains approximately
28,000 head, is not holding its own.
The winter losses for the last two
years have taken a large percentage
of the previous year's fawn crop.

In California, on the Stanislaus for-
est, where some 22,000 deer were killed
by government hunters in 1925 to stop
the spread of foot-and-mouth disease,
the recovery in numbers has been un-
expectedly rapid.

Elk herds all over the country have
made excellent increases since the un-
fortunate spring of 1920. The winters
since that year have been compara-
tively mild and the forage growth dur-
ing the summers rather above the aver-
age. Not only have the calf crops been
good, but the winter losses among the
calves much below the average. For
these reasons the elk herds are in-
creasing with each year until some of
them are approaching the point above
which further increases in numbers are
fraught with danger to the animals.

About 1,000 head were killed by
hunters out of the Jackson Hole herd
during the 1927 hunting season, which
is about the usual number. Approxi-
mately 1.500 head were taken from the
Yellowstone or Park herd — not enough
to offset the season's increase. The

Forest Service Census of Montana's Big Game Animals

Forest

AntelopB

Bear

Black or

brown

Grizzly

Deer

Elk

Moose

Mt. Goats Mt. Sheep

300
105
218
200
345
910

94

439
475
242
170
700
135
340
290
470

5,433

35
2

1,260

905

1,490

1,550

4,050

9,240

558

1,320

2,655

1,970

2.285

3.725

11,500

750

3,840

2,070

3,200

52.368

489
26

500

580

18

300

1.050

1.407

307

524

141

45

4.200

215

368

757

92
10

378
80
58

120

8

75

6

513
1,000

42
190

450
625

41

2

27
37

60

Blackfeet ..

Cabinet

860

70

Deer Lodge
Flathead

2

149
16

130

48

105

85

Gallatin .. ..

248

102

4
45
48

8
13
45

433

1

34

3

108

121

1,168

275
380

75

Clark

340

Lolo

6

530
4,005

520

Missoula

240

Montana .. .

976

Total for

10,927

1.880

MONTANA WILD LIFE

history of both these large elk herds
shows that whenever they number above
20,000 the possibility of winter losses is
but a matter of time.

The several elk plants throughout the
west are all prospering. Some states
very wisely have announced open sea-
sons for these animals in order to keep
the number down to the proper limits
of the available range.

Mountain goats and mountain sheep
show small increases, while moose have
seemingly become scarce on most of
the national forests.

Beaver continue to increase in every
part of the west. Their value to the
irrigationists of the Intermountain
states has been well established, while
the income from pelts taken from sur-
plus animals promises to be a perma-
nent source of income to state game
funds.

For several years the claim has been
made that the scarcity of grouse
throughout the mountains of the west
was due to damage done by grazing
sheep which trampled upon the nests,
destroying either the eggs or the help-
less young birds. For the last two
years forest officers have been taking
notes on this matter. Reports for both
seasons indicate clearly that the sheep
are not responsible for the shortage
of these birds. Forest officers have
established the fact that the eggs of
grouse are laid and hatched and the
young have left the nests long before
the sheep reach the grazing grounds
in the high ranges where the grouse
are found. There is a feeling that this
scarcity of grouse is due to other
causes — perhaps some unknown disease,
or, what is considered as more likely.

GAME REFUGES ON MONTANA
FORESTS

OFFICIAL statistics supplied to MON-
TANA WILD LIFE by the Forest
Service at Washington, D. C, show
that in 15 national forests within the state
the total area set aside as game refuges
reaches 1,203,713 acres. Four of the 15
national forests within the state have no
game preserves. The area in Montana's
forests grazed by domestic stock totals
377,694 acres. The following statistics are
interesting:

Forest

Acreage
Total grazed
acreage by
inside domestic
forest stock

Cattle

and
horses

Sheep
and
goats

Beartooth

70.000

. 39,688

71,485

94,720

'. 216,700
89,235

57,676

10.016

20,000

8,000

■ 2,600
21,760

1.085
105
200
300

476
125

"5;322

10,046

Beaverhead

Bitter Root ----

Blackfeet

450
5,000

Deer Lodge

Gallatin

. 226,953

190,562

18,136

. 219,452

64,000

. 109.800

7.680

.1.203.713

12,680

2.000

53.000

377.694

800

20

2,238

Lolo . .. .

400

M issoula

Total

10.671

34.032

raids upon the nests and young by
some of the smaller fur-bearing ani-
mals.

In certain regions magpies are
charged wi;h excessive damage to birds
and in some states bounties are now
paid on the heads of these handsome
but undoubtedly predatory birds.

Taking the country over, an awakened
public sentiment for the preservation of
wild life of all kinds and a stringent
enforcement of all game laws are
mainly responsible for the general in-
crease in numbers of game animals.

KEEP FLSHIN'

Hi Somers was the durndest cuss

Fer ketchin' fish — he sure was great!
He never used to make no fuss

About the kind of pole er bait,
Er weather, neither, he'd just say:
"I got to ketch a mess today."

An' towards the creek you'd see him

slide,
A-whistlin' soft and walkin' wide.
I says one day to Hi, says I,
"How do you always ketch 'em. Hi?"
He give his bait another swish in
An' chucklin", says, "I jest keep
fishin'."

Hi took to readin' law at night
An', pretty soon, the first we knowed.

He had a lawsuit, won his fight.
An' was a lawyer! I'll be blowed!

He knowed more law than Squire Mc-
Knab!

An' tho he had no "gift o' gab"
To brag about, somehow he made
A sober sort of talk that played

The mischief with the other side.

One day when someone asked if Hi'd
Explain how he got in condishin',
He laughed an' said, "I jest kept
fishin'!"

Well. Hi is Gov'nor Somers now,

A big man 'round the State, you bet!
To me the same old Hi somehow.

The same old champeen fisher yet.
It wa'nt so much the bait er pole,
It wa'nt so much the fishin' hole.
That won for Hi his big success;
'Twas jest his fishin' on. I guess.
A cheerful, stiddy, hopeful kind
Of keepin' at it — don't you mind?
An' that is why I can't help wishin'
That more of us would just keep
fishin'!

— R. C. Rose.

Deer, Elk and Bear Thrive in Montana's Forests

Montana has more grizzly bear In her national forests than any other state in the Union, according to estimates of
the United States Forest Service. Of the total grizzlies listed in the United States and Alaska, Montana has 433. Alaska
is credited with 2.500. including the Alaska brown bear. Montana has 52,368 deer of a total in the nation of 700,586.
The Treasure State has 10.927 elk of a total of 74,179 In the 48 states and 1,168 moose in a total of 7,950. The following
summary by states of big game animals in national forests at the close of 1927 has been compiled by the Forest Service
at Washington, D. C:

Antelope

Bear

Black or

brown

Grizzly

Deer

Elk

Moose

Mt. Goats

Mt. Sheep

Alaska

6,100

2,500

59,300

125

59,009

1 .450

238.645

27.757

650

57,613

225

7.300

52.368

50

3.000

35.831

5.455

4,120

300

71,508

1,175

2,946

85

32,147

48

27,668

20

11.791

9

2,055

9,500

2,006

Alabama

Arizona

2,157

595

20

841

262

California

612

10.303
2.641
25
5,728
31
1,385
5,433

126
8,519

682

Colorado

114

19

■ 142

3.835

Florida

Idaho

2,065

7,965

639

3,246

1,403

1,850
1,168

Montana

976

433

10,927

4,005

1,880

700

964

■ 135

3

1,047

21

200

177

170

90

2

6,911

150

35

350

5,785

18

856

20

29

1

40

2

27

435

450
7,130

200
1,717

13

2,090

75

9,712

177

98

2

2,583

10

466

133
3,380

26,736

2,233

2.583

7,665

Total all States

51,017

700,585

74,179

7,950

19,334

13,248

MONTANA WILD LIFE

MONTANA STATE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION

COMMISSIONERS.
Thomas N. Marlowe, Missoula, Chairman.
G. T. Boyd, Great Falls. .
Joseph L. Kelly, Anaconda.
W. K. Moore, Billings.
E. A. Wilson, Livingston.

ROBERT H. HILL, Helena

State Fish and Gam© Warden.

Secretary.

MONTANA WILD LIFE

Official Publication of the Montana State

Fish and Game Department.

Published Monthly at Helena, Montana.

Application filed for entrance to the mails at the post-
office at Helena as second class matter under the Act of
March 3, 1879.

FLOYD L. SMITH, Editor.

Introductory Subscription Rates

15 Cents per Copy — 50 Cents per Year

Advertising Rates on Application

Copy for advertisements subject to approval of State
Commission and must be in the hands of the editor at the
State Capitol building, Helena, on the 15th of the month
preceding publication date.

VOLUME L

JULY, 1928.

NUMBER n.

FISH AND GAME EDUCATION

TEACHING old dogs new tricks is a tough task. It's
difficult to explain to an aged Indian, for instance,
just why he should respect closed seasons on wild
life. In his younger years he killed his meat when and
where he desired. His white brother who slaughtered the
buffalo, brought in deer by the wagon load and blue grouse
by the gunny sack, now looks back to those days while in
reminiscent mood, and wonders what has become of the
herds and coveys. Education is an important factor in
wild life conservation. Men and women who love the open
must know, appreciate and realize the necessity for game
guardianship. Western sportsmen perusing their favorite
eastern sport magazines scoff at such problems as stream
pollution, continuous closed seasons on deer, upland birds
and native big game. Montana's magnificent distances
have, in many cases, caused them to feel that problems
that come with congested population are foreign to Mon-
tana consideration. Statistics tell a different story. The
east is more and more looking westward for its vacation
joys. Montana's fish and game are an asset that means
millions of dollars to the railroads, the mercantile man,
the hotel keeper, the banker, the resort owner, the hard-
ware dealer, the stockman, the mining man. the newspaper
editor, the farmer and men and women in all walks of
life. It is a heritage that must be conserved. The gospel
of sane conservation must be taught to boys and girls
Specialists of the fish and game department, clubs of
sportsmen and other organizations should deem it a duty
to impress the message upon minds of young men and
old. Education may come in many ways. Montana's com-
mission has instructed every deputv warden to conduct him-
self in such manner that arrests for game law violations
shall be considered fundamentally educational. When a
violator is arrested and prosecuted, that's education of the
impressive variety. In some cases it may not "take" with
the individual, but he has learned something, nevertheless.
and his experience has a wholesome effect on others. It
has been comparatively few years ago since a deputy game
warden was looked upon as a sort of necessary evil, to be
tolerated but shunned. Today, through straightforward ef-
forts of the Montana Commission, the deputy game warden
is welcomed bv enthusiastic sportsmen who greet him as
friend, counsellor, benefactor, and guardian of their inter-
ests.

TRAPSHOOTING AND SPORTSMANSHIP

IN EVERY business, sect, social realm, commercial ac-
tivity or sport, human nature and modern conditions
have combined to mark qualified leaders who, through
their zeal and enthusiasm, have schooled themselves in
higher, better, nobler lines of thought in their chosen hobby
or endeavor. As long as the world wags on there will be
a distinct line of cleavage. There will be the man who
elects to pursue his business or sport for mercenary or
ulterior motives. Then there will be the man who digni-
fies his profession and his sport by electing to glorify it
through honest endeavor. There's a vast difference between
a hunter and a sportsman. There are hunters who delib-
erately violate man-made laws, yet no man honored by the
term sportsman will permit animal instincts to lead him
into the quagmire of wanton destruction of the heritage
of wild life that must remain for posterity. That's one of
the big reasons why enthusiastic sportsmen blessed with
the trapshooting hobby have ever been listed among the
strongest supporters of rules of fair play, the honor and
distinction of being capable of winning graciously and los-
ing without a whimper. They are among the staunch ex-
ponents of the conservation program of the State Commis-
sion. They are gentlemen at home, office, club, at the
traps, in the field, in the stream. They have been schooled
in the finer things of sportsmanship. It's not a piker's
game. The poor loser, the whiner, the game hog may at-
tempt to break into the ranks of men who make up the
trapshooting fraternity, but time and experience will
quickly eliminate them. There's no more effective place
to discover unsavory attributes of a companion than at
the traps, in forest, in stream or in camp. Montana is
fortunate in listing among its leading sportsmen such men
as will compete in the state trapshootin.g tournament at
Butte July 13-14-15. They are four-square.

POLITICS GETS THE GATE

MONTANA'S State Fish and Game Commission, as well
as commissions in every other state, has constantly
been harassed by the perennial threat of political in-
terference in the work of preserving and propagating wild
life. Continual appeals are being made by political hench-
men for appointments for favored associates, for open sea-
sons, for closed seasons, for preference in every activity
of the department, yet, because of the tact that efficiency
has been made the paramount consideration by the Mon-
tana Commission, the Treasure State has attained a posi-
tion of enviable prominence throughout the nation in the
vast program of wild life conservation.

"In some states where politics has controlled the sports-
men's fund, contributed for the purpose of protecting and
propagating wild life, the lives of the beasts and birds
have too often been traded for votes," said President Ross
L. Leffler of the Pennsylvania Game Commission in a re-
cent communication to employes of the commission.

"The Game Commission and all its employes are and
must continue to keep out of politics," continued President
Leffler, who makes it plain that it is immaterial to the
game and fish whether the game warden is a Democrat
or a Republican. All employes are forbidden to engage in
any political activity beyond casting their own ballots on
election day. Should any employe desire to seek an elective
office he must first secure a leave of absence without pay
for the duration of the campaign.

The question as to how game and fish departments can
be kept out of politics has agitated sportsmen's organiza-
tions for a long time. The Montana and Pennsylvania
Commissions '..re demonstrating one way that it can be
answered.

MONTANA WILD LIFE

BIGGER AND BETTER TROUT

MONTANA sportsmen who have for years diligently
opposed the activities of anglers who persist in fill-
ing their baskets with small trout, just over the
legal limit, have been given additional oratorical fuel in
an interesting editorial in the current issue of FIELD AND
STREAM. Read it:

"Was there ever a fisherman who would rather catch
a 6-inch trout than a 10-inch speckled beauty? Such a
fellow doesn't exist. Then why. In the name of good
sport, do most states legalize the taking of 6- and 7-inch
fish? Perhaps a 10-inch limit would be too high, but most
certainly 6 inches is too small.

"Frequently you hear men say they prefer the smaller
fish for eating. Possibly so. but then there are smelt and
sardines. And you can safely wager that the man who
likes to eat the 6-inch trout will get some slight satisfac-
tion from a fish a little larger.

"The advocates of the short limit argue that small fish
will strike and probably be killed in being removed from
the hook and that therefore it should be legal to take them.
Some even advocate eliminating the size restriction en-
tirely. Their argument is that the fisherman should be
made to keep every fish he catches and quit when he
reaches a prescribed bag limit.

"If the angler uses a certain amount of care, he'll never
harm a trout in taking a fly from its mouth. Seldom is it
necessary In removing a fly to take a small trout from the
water. If you must take him from the water, wet your
hands and with thumb and finger take him by the upper
jaw. Or. for that matter, if your hands are wet, you do
not harm him by grasping him around the body, so long
as you do not squeeze him unnecessarily.

"The bait fisherman is not so fortunate, as often the
fish will swallow the hook. It's seldom such a fish can
be returned to the water unharmed. But then there are
large hooks.

"The answer to the whole thing is to stop fishing in
the smaller streams. Let them act as feeder brooks tor
deeper waters, and each will furnish its quota of fish for
the fishing stream below.

"New Jersey set the pace by stocking with mature trout.
Other states are following this example with results ap-
parent to the most skeptical. Why, then, in the name of
all that's right and just, should the angler be permitted
to dabble a hook in a two-foot stream in the hope of catch-
ing a 6- or 7-inch fish while he sacrifices a dozen or more
smaller ones?

"It is not unusual the early part of the season, when
the trout are taking worms, to see a full-grown, able-
bodied man slipping along the edge of a stream that will
hardly wet your feet. Such a fellow should buy a bowl of
goldfish and take his sport at home."

THIS MONTH'S COVER

ONE of the finest bits of wild life photography pro-
duced in many a day is presented to readers of MON-
TANA WILD LIFE on this month's cover. The close-
up photograph of the nesting grouse, awaiting motherhood,
is an actual photograph secured after much strenuous en-
deavor on the part of the amateur photographer bv use
of all the wiles and cunning available. The original pho-
tograph was taken by D. N. Reynolds of Butte near Tarkio,
Montana, during the nesting season. It was taken w^ith a
small camera, 3%x4%, and then enlarged by using the
same camera with which the original was taken. It was
given one-fifth of a second exposure on a bright day and
every detail of the nesting grouse is plainly discernible
in the reproduction. The photograph was prepared for
display at the Montana State Fair. It's a study in wild
life that is unusual.

THE MADISON CALLS

Oh, for a day with the talking waters.

Waters that murmur and gurgle and play;

Waters that snarl and quarrel and thunder,

And crash on the boulders that bar their way!

LONG LIVE THE DUCKS!

WE AMERICANS are an excitable people. With eyes
fixed on the heavens we stroll in blissful unconcern
up to the very edge of the precipice, then with one
foot poised over eternity we execute a neat 'bout face and
cheat the world of a shuddery thrill. One after another
our natural resources have been abused to the point where
the prophetic statistician could write down the day and
hour when thev would exist no more, and always at the
last second of the last possible minute we have pulled up
short and begun rebuilding what we have torn down.
Probably this proves something or other to the psychology
sharks, but whether it does or not, sundry thousands of
nerve-wrecked propagandists will testify that it is a fact.

The editor of the New Mexico Conservationist comments
in the current issue on this situation, which is of particu-
lar interest to Montana sportsmen who are students of the
migratory water fowl situation.

Our suddenly acquired interest in the waterfowl of
this continent is an excellent case in point. Since the first
white man landed on these shores and trained his match-
lock scatter gun on the nearest ducks, the birds have been
steadily decreasing in numbers. All of us have realized
this, and most of us have admitted it. For years experts
have told us that the time when the last duck would come
hurtling down in answer to the roar of a shotgun was
imminent, tl is a matter of exhaustive record that the toll
of the gunner has been augmented by the preventable
poisoning of millions of birds on the alkali marshes of
the west. Volumes of highly accurate reports have been
prepared showing that the feeding and resting grounds
along the migration routes are being rapidly either drained
or monopolized by gunners, with the result that the har-
assed birds must largely keep flying once they get within
the confines of our inhospitable land.

Nevertheless, we paid but scant heed to the handwrit-
ing on the wall. It is true that we were more or less
pushed into a treaty with Canada looking forward to the
protection of waterfowl, and we have officially banned
market hunting and spring shooting. But for years bills
have been introduced in Congress with a view to doing
something positive for the benefit of the birds, and have
invariably failed to pass.

But observe the 'bout face. With hardly any quibbling
the Senate has passed a migratory bird refuge bill, appro-
priating a million dollars a year for the purchase of
marshlands. A measure has passed appropriating an ad-
ditional $350,000 for the reflooding of the Bear River
marshes, where it is estimated that some ten million ducks
have died of disease caused by low water during the past
few years. There seems to be prospects for the passage
of a bill furnishing money for the flooding of the Chey-
enne Bottoms, in Kansas, while there is more than a
possibility that a measure appropriating funds for similar
work in California will eventuallv get by.

So the villain is slain, and the ducks will live happily
ever after. Not upon the money appropriated this year,
of course, but the ice being broken, no succeeding session
of Congress will be complete without a good deed done for
the birds. We will yet .get the ducks back to the point
where the federal bag limit will represent a restriction
rather than a challenge.

Rlngnecked pheasants have increased at such a rate in
South Dakota that Oscar H. Johnson, Director of Game
and Fish for that state, estimates upward of 2,000,000 were
shot during the last open season.

INDIANS AND THE ANTELOPE

FEDERAL usurpation of state rights with respect, par-
ticularly, to the protection and propagation of fish
and game, has long been fightin' talk with fair-
minded men. Another .glaring example of these misguided
activities has been indelibly impressed upon Montana
sportsmen during the last year in the wanton destruction
of antelope on Indian reservations. The federal govern-
ment says the redskin may fish and hunt when and where
he pleases on his own reservation regardless of protective
laws that must be observed by white men anxious to con-
serve the supply of wild life. An antelope on an Indian
reservation is, under prevailing federal laws, the red man's
meat. When the antelope crosses the reservation into
the white man's territory, the fleet little animal that is
nearing extinction is fully shielded and protected by the
white man's law. It this coddling of the Indian, who has
accepted civilization made possible by the white man in
every other particular, is to be continued, then the noble
warrior should be governed by laws enforced by state
game guardianship.

10

MONTANA WILD LIFE

Montana Scientists Study Wild Life

By MORTON J. ELROD
Professor of Biology, State University of Montana

M

rONTANA'S bio-
logical re-
search station
on Flathead Lake,
the only station of
its kind in the na-
tion, established and
operated through co-
operation of the
State Pish and
Game Commission
and leaders of the
greater University of
Montana, has started
functioning.

At a general con-
ference of the staff
of workers the gen-
e r a 1 problem of
work for the season
has been perfected.
M. J. Elrod will be
the responsible head for the work.
Dr. R. T. Young will have as his part
of the study the work dealing with
the microscopic animals, with the num-
ber and distribution of fish in the
lake, and with the general problem of
the animal life of the lake.

J. E. Kirkwood, professor of botany,
will conduct investigations into the
minute plant life, the ultimate source
of food of the animals, which in turn
are us«i by minnows; in fact, the ulti-
mate source of fish food.

J. W. Howard, professor of chemistry,
will do the chemical work, analyses of

M. J. Elrod

water, the absorbed gases in the water,
and all other studies dealing with the
chemical content of the lake water.

G. D. Shallenberger, professor of
physics, will make investigations deal-
ing with light and other rays and their
penetration and with the temperature
of the water, and the effect of light,
other rays, and temperature in the
plant and animal life of the lake. If
possible he will also take sonic sound-
ings of the lake.

The supervising committee will con-
sist of M. J. Elrod, professor of biology
in the state university, who will have
general supervision; R. T. Young, pro-
fessor of biology, who will be in imme-
diate charge of the investigations; M.
A. Brannon, chancellor of the univer-
sity; C. H. Clapp, president of the state
university; T. N. Marlowe, chairman of
the State Fish and Game Commission;
and Dr. I. H. Treece of Anaconda, fish
culturist.

Ramifications of the possible studies
were presented; relative to fish the
following topics were suggested as af-
fording opportunity for investigation:

The food of species of fish in the
lake will be investigated. Mr. Elrod
has a report in manuscript dealing with
the examination of about 500 stomachs.
A copy of this report will be given to
the staff and to the State Fish and
Game Commission. Other sub,1ects are:
The time of spawning of the different
species, distribution and migration, deep

water fishing, the problem of the white-
fish, fish diseases and parasites, intro-
duced fish and their relation to game
fish, and results of netting fish for
commercial purposes.

It was agreed that during the summer
it will be possible to extend the study
on the food of fishes, determine the
quantity of fish food as related to the
number of fish the lake may support,
and learn something about the abun-
dance, kinds, distribution, and migration
of commercial and game fishes, their
inter-relations, increase or decrease in
numbers, as related to sport fishing and
commercial netting.

The microscopic life of the lake is an
important factor in fish study, as to it
one must ultimately go in determining
the food of fish, and consequently the
relative numbers which any body of
water can support. This food consists
of bacteria, diatoms, desmids, and algae
among plants, and protozoa, rotifers,
entomostraca, hydra, worms and insect
larvae among animals. The collecting
and study of these is slow, tedious,
and difficult work. Some of it has been
done. For the most part It is as yet
undone.

The plants of the swamps and
marshes make hiding places for min-
nows and small fish, and abound in
microscopic life. The plants of such
places have not been extensively stud-
ied, and have an important bearing on
the problem of fish food and fish. The

Biological and Research Station on the shore of Flathead Lake now being operated by the State Fish and Game Commission
in cooperation with leaders of the University of Montana in solving problems of disease and propagation of wild life. It is the
only station of its kind in the United States.

MONTANA WILD LIFE

11

plants of the lake shore should also be
included, for they encroach on the
water, or supply hiding places tor birds
and animals that prey upon fish.

These swamps and marshes are of
importance in another way, as they are
the places for the introduction of plants
which produce food for game birds.
There seems to be good reason for the
introduction of such plants, as the lake
is a resting place for large numbers
of migratory birds.

Mollusks make a large portion of the
food of the whitefish in the Great
Lakes. To what extent the whitefish
of Flathead Lake use small clams and
snails as food is not known. The
lake and its swamps are relatively poor
in molluscan fauna, but it will be in-
teresting to know what mollusks are
present, in what abundance, and to what
extent they are eaten by fish. It may
be possible to introduce clams for the
pearls they will produce, although it
is hardly likely such introduction would
have any effect on the supply of desir-
able fish food.

Concerning the water of the lake
there are many features that affect the
food and the lives of fish. Fish are
animals, and must have oxygen. The
contamination or pollution of the water,
its chemical content, its oxygen content
at different levels or depths, its tem-
perature at different seasons and at
different depths, have much influence
on the presence or absence of fish.
These chemical and physical features,
together with the presence or absence
of plankton (microscopic organisms),
are very closely related to the growth,
development, and distribution of fish.

*J»i^— M^— ■■— ■■ ll^— ll,^!!^— «l^— ■■*— M^— ll^— •■«,— M^— Mv-

Every animal and plant makes demands
upon the environment for existence.
These demands vary with the plant or
animal, and, within limits, must be met,
or the organism will not thrive, and
will disappear. Many items combine
to make a suitable home for fish, in
which they will thrive. To determine
these items, and their relation to fish,
is a very complex problem, which must
be attacked from as many points as
possible.

To indicate more clearly the complex-
ity of the problem, we may ask the
question, to what extent is the chemical
material, brought into the lake from
the surrounding country, related to the
microscopic life of the lake, which life
is the ultimate food of fish? The an-
swer is important, far reaching, and
difficult to obtain. It is clear, how-
ever, that an answer is desirable. To
get it involves a well prepared pro-
gram, which may, perhaps, need to be
followed through several seasons for
proper verification before an answer
can be given.

It is now known that light does not
penetrate water to great depth. It is
also known that plants depend upon
light for their growth and development.
It is known that the various rays,
which, combined, make sunlight, affect
plant and animal life in different ways.
To what extent light penetrates the
water of Flathead Lake is unknown.
During fall and winter the water is
quite clear, and penetration deeper than
during the active growing season of
June, July, and August, when the flood
waters contain great quantities of sedi-
ment.

Then there are heat rays, and other
rays. Cosmic rays, recently discussed,
have great influence on life and growth.
The water grows colder as it becomes
deeper. What temperatures are neces-
sary for plant growth, and for fish life
at its best, have not been determined.
The physicist may be able to determine
some valuable data, as has been the
case in investigations in other lakes.

Other problems naturally arise. Men-
tion has been made of the desirability
of finding places where food for aquatic
game birds may be cultivated and de-
veloped. Many birds prey upon fish,
but their importance in relation to fish
abundance has been only guessed at.
It is quite likely their influence has
been greatly overestimated. The num-
ber of birds, period of time during
which they are present and operating,
and the kinds and number of fish taken
are items as yet unknown.

Much work has already been done on
the summer birds. P. M. Silloway, now
at Geyser, Montana, spent some five
summers at Flathead Lake at the Bio-
logical Station. The results of his
study are included in two state uni-
versity bulletins, "Summer Birds of
Flathead Lake," and "Additional Notes
to Summer Birds of Flathead Lake."
However, there is much more that may
be added relative to the ducks, geese,
plover, gulls, snipe, and other wafer
birds, as related to the waters of Flat-
head Lake, and the life thereof. No
observations have been made concern-
ing the introduced birds, the bob white
or quail, the Cl-inese pheasant or the
Hungarian partridge as related to na-
tive birds, to agriculture, or to sports.

Jimmy Robinson — Wizard

w

fONTANA trap-
shooting en-
thusiasts who
will gather at the
annual state tour-
nament at Butte,
July 13-14-15, to de-
cide state cham-
pionships, are listed
among the most
^ealous supporters
of the great pro-
gram of conserva-
tion of fish and
game in which the
State Comm.ission
is engaged. The
rery fundamentals
of trapshooting eti-
quette are based
upon principles of
good sportsmanship. Hence, whether
in the field or angling for Montana
trout, these enthusiastic sportsmen are
ever on the alert in supporting con-
structive activities of the Commission.

Montana has been given added rec-
ognition in national trapshooting cir-
cles by the selection of James M. Rob-
inson, former Montana resident, as of-
ficial statistician of the Amateur Trap-

M. Robinson

shooting Association of America, with
headquarters at Vandalia, Ohio. There
the national association has its own
home — the only sport in America which
owns its own home. Robinson is well
known to shooters of larger Montana
centers and has relatives residing in
Sheridan county.

How would you like the job of keep-
ing the averages of over 10,000 trap-
shooters in North America? Quite a
task most of us will admit. And not
only must these figures be compiled as
often as they are received at head-
quarters of the A'.nateur Trapshooting
Association at Va'jdalia. but they must
be absolutely right even to the smallest
fraction. For be it known that shoot-
ers treasure their hitting marks with
fully as much pride as do the baseball
performers.

We all know what a rumble and roar
would be forthcoming if a diamond
player were robbed of a smash. Con-
sider then just what an ardent expert
of the clays would say in the event
that the compiler of the percentages
missed one. There is an old proverb
that reads: "Figures count," and as far
as trapshooting goes that is true.

And now about the hero of this story.
Jimmy Robinson is the lad entrusted
with collecting the trapshooting figures
and Jimmy keeps them right. He's the
official statistician of the A. T. A. and
a wizard in figures. Jimmy has the
records of each shooter in the country
in his files and he's likewise got them
locked in his brain. He can tell you
offhand the average of about every
marksman in North America and there's
a heap of them.

Jimmy is a live wire, with a magnetic
personality and enthusiasm that is
never quenched. He's an all-round ath-
lete, but next to trapshooting, baseball
and hocke" are his favorite sports. In
1921 Robinson managed the Walhalla,
N. D., team. This aggregation was one
of the best semi-pro clubs in the north-
west. In addition to directing the play
of the team, Jimmy did the receiving
and a lot of hitting.

Robinson served four years with the
44th Canadian infantry battalion, where
he performed with his usual efficiency
and received a medal for bravery, as
well as several battle scars. And now
he's on another firing line for there
are a lot of guns and shells around
where he works, but it's not quite as
hot or dangerous in this dugout.

12

MONTANA WILD LIFE

The Montana Grayling

I

( Thymallus Montanus)
By John W. Schofield, Field Assistant in Charge of Hatcheries

J. W. Schofield

THE Montana
grayling orig-
inally existed
only in the tribu-
taries of the Mis-
souri river above
Great Falls and
was noticed by
Lewis and Clark
during their jour-
ney to the Pacific
Coast. Lewis and
Clark alluded to it
as a new kind of
white or silvery
trout. In 1S72
James W. Milner of
the U. S. Fish Com-
mission discovered
this same specie in
a tributary of the

Missouri near Camp Baker, Montana,
and after describing same named it
Th.\mallus montanus. While it is
closely related to the Arctic grayling
(T. signitier), there is enough differ-
ence between the two so that each is
now given a specific rank.

It is probable that the Arctic gray-
ling was the parent stock from which
the Michigan and the Montana grayling
descended, and from the fact that the
habitats of the three species are so
widely separated it is not unreasonable
to suppose that the Michigan and Mon-
tana forms were conveyed thence from
the Arctic regions during the Glacial
period. This theory is strengthened by
the fact that Elk Lake, a half mile
from the Montana grayling station, is
abundantly inhabited by both grayling
and lake trout fCrestivomer namay-
cush), which latter fish is found no-
where else west of Lake Michigan.

HOW MANY KGGS IN A FISH J

PISCATORIAL experts in the em-
ploy of the State Fish and Game
Commission have found a solu-
tion for the problem: How many
eggs are contained in the annual
spawn of a Montana native trout?
Sportsmen have asked the question
countless times. They have made
varied guesses. To settle the argu-
ment, scientific tests were made by
Kenneth Macdonald, foreman of the
Anaconda hatchery, under supervi-
sion of Dr. I. H. Treece, field as-
sistant in charge of hatcheries. The
tests were made at the Flint Creek
spawning station at Georgetown
Lake, which is conceded to be the
largest in the world. The spawning
crew kept count and 539 female
native trout produced a total of
984,312 eggs or an average of 1,830
eggs each. A similar test was made
on Montana grayling. Of the 16
females stripped a total of 203,088
egos was secured or an average of
12,693 to the grayling. The gray-
linq eggs average 750 to 850 to the
fluid ounce while the average trout
eggs number 260 to 300 to the fluid
ounce.

There are few places where the gray-
ling are abundant and where they
thrive and do well. To a certain ex-
tent they are found in streams in Mich-
igan.

The Arctic grayling is found from
the Mackenzie river westward through
Alaska and north to the Arctic Ocean.

In Montana they are abundant in
Georgetown Lake, the largest spawning
field in the United States. They are
also found in several otiier streams
and lakes in Montana, but not in as
large numbers as at Georgetown Lake.

The Montana State Fish and Game
Commission has the world's largest
spawning station at Georgetown Lake.
This lake is IS miles from Anaconda,
between that city and Philipsburg. This
station produces eastern brook trout
eggs, native, or black-spotted trout
eggs, rainbow trout eggs and grayling
eggs. The total egg production of the
four species each season runs from 35
to 50 million eggs.

From 15 to 20 million grayling eggs
are taken, but I venture to say this
amount is not one-twentieth of the
grayling eggs that could be taken.

Each day when the spawning crew
starts to work at this station it is nec-
essary to spend two or three hours
putting grayling above the head rack
in order to reach the native trout to
spawn them.

In data supplied by Foreman Ken-
neth Macdonald of the Georgetown sta-
tion this year, his figures show, from
careful check and count of sixteen
grayling spawned, that 12,693 eggs per
grayling, or 203,0SS, were produced.
This may be hard to realize, yet when
one stops and considers that these
eggs are just about one-seventh of an
inch in diameter and run from 750
to 850 to the fluid ounce, it becomes
clear to one that these figures are not
so staggering as they seem at the
first glance. The average trout egg
runs from 260 to 300 per fluid ounce.

Grayling eggs can not be handled the
same as trout eggs in incubating. When
first taken, the eggs are of a rich
amber color, owing to the presence of
a large oil drop, which renders them
almost semi-buoyant. This makes it
imperative that they be eyed in hatch-
ing jars with a good pressure of water
in order that all danger from bunch-
ing and fungus may be checked. If
they are placed on ordinary trays,
touching each other, and exposed to a
lateral current of water, they adhere
in bunches, fungus appears and the loss
would be tremendous. After the eggs
are eyed and just about ready to hatch
they may be placed on ordinary hatch-
ing trays, as the eggs are heavier by
this time and not likely to float.

The grayling when hatched has a
very small yolk sack and the fry Is
slender and delicate. Due to the minute
size of the fry it is hard to feed them
with artificial food, though in some in-
stances this is being done, but the loss
under artificial feeding of grayling is
from 50 to 70 per cent.

Montana's brooks, streams and lakes, her
pools and play places, are beckoning to
vacationists. Here's a catch of beauties
laid out on the rocks for display purposes
after filling the creel with fightin' fools.

MONTANA FISH

ARRANGEMENTS have been com-
pleted for the preparation of a
series of educational articles for
MONTANA WILD LIFE, explaining
from a scientific standpoint, and
likewise in terms that will be undei'-
stood by every angler, the origin,
habits and history of Montana's
game fish. The first of these arti-
cles is presented herewith on the
Montana grayling, from the pen of
John W. Schofield of Big Timber,
field assistant in charge of hatch-
eries. In succeeding issues other ar-
ticles will appear on the native
tr ut, the eastern brook, the bull
trout, Flathead Lake whitefish, the
rainbow trout, the carp, sucker,
squawfish, sunfish, bass and other
varieties. These articles are being
prepared by Montana men who know
Montana fish.

MONTANA WILD LIFE

13

■■+

1
I

Trapshooting History in Montana

By a H. SMITH
Secretary Montana State Sportsmen's Association

H. Smith

BACK in 1894,
just 34 years
ago, trapshoot-
ers of Montana or-
ganized the Mon-
tana State Sports-
men's Association
and for more than
a third of a cen-
tury the organiza-
tion has continued
to function. The an-
n u a I state trap-
shooting tournament
to be held at Butte
this year, July 13,
14 and 15, serves
to bring to mind
memories of bygone
days when trap-
shooting, as in mod-
ern times, brought
together the finest sportsmen of the
state. Since those days the original
nucleus of 1894 continues to govern
the sport of clay target competition in
Montana as recognized by the Amateur
Trapshooting Association of America.
Names of men who have been dominant
factors in the upbuilding of Montana
appear among the honored winners of
historic trapshooting trophies. They
were hardy fellows, those old-time lead-
ers, and devotees of the sport today
have taken up the cudgels of sports-
manship in their places.

The Montana State Sportsmen's Asso-
ciation was organized in April, 1894,
with John P. Cowan as president, C. A.
Tuttle of Anaconda secretary, and A. J.
Fisk of Helena vice-president, and the
first tournament under the management
of the association was held in Helena
in July, 1894. C. H. Smith of Butte
was elected secretary the following
year, 1895, and has served continuously
since. There are now 40 clubs in the
state association with about one-third
of that number active.

Helena donated a team cup and won
it in 1S94. The Helena club also do-
nated an individual cup which was won
by Dr. Pleasants of Helena.

The live bird medal was won by John
F. Cowan. The association quit shoot-
ing live birds in 1901 at Great Palls,
D. D. Twohy winning that year.

The team cup was finally won by
Billings in 1913, that club having won
it three times.

Cup Winners

The individual cup winners,
ing to my records, were:
1894— Dr. Pleasant, Helena.
1895 — Jim Conley, Deer Lodge.
1896— D. D. Twohy, Anaconda.
1897— C. H. Smith, Butte.
1898— Dan Jaeger, Butte.
1899— P. J. McGowan, Butte.

accord-

1900— Dan Jaeger, Butte.

1901— J. W. Huse, Fort Benton.

1902— Matt Orr, Dillon.

1903— J. W. Huse, Fort Benton.

1904— D. D. Twohy, Anaconda.

1905— F. Moseley, Idaho Palls (then in

the Montana association).
1906— C. E. Owan, Chinook.
1907— E. K. Preuitt, Helena.
1908— John P. Cowan, Butte.
1909 — Reynolds Prosser, Helena.
1910— Tom Rowe, Butte.
1911 — C. L. Parsons, Moore.
1912— John F. Cowan, Butte.
1913— J. C. Norris, Hardin.
1914— Bill Harker, Billings.
1915— W. R. Tarrant, Buffalo, Wyoming

(then in the association).
1916 — 0. L. Parsons, Moore.
1917— P. H. O'Brien, Butte.
191S— E. W. Rentro, Butte.
1919— P. H. O'Brien. Butte. Pinal win.

Higli Average

The state association general average
medal contest dates back to 1898. This
medal is given each year by the state
association to the high average for the
state tournament, except doubles, all
other events to count. The winners:
1898— J. F. Cowan, Butte.
1899- C. H. Smith, Butte.
1900— Dan Jaeger, Butte.
1901— H. L. Nolbach, Great Palls.
1902— W. A. Hillis, Libby.
1903— E. F. Confarr, Livingston.
1904— J. W. Huse, Fort Benton.
1905 — James Drumgoole, Anaconda.

r. H. SMITH. GENTLEMAN

FEW sportsmen of America occupy
the position of merited esteem
in the hearts of their associates
such as that of C. H. Smith of Butte,
secretary of the IVIontana State
Sportsmen's Association. He's the
daddy of them ali in the trapshoot-
ing game. For 33 years he has
served faithfully and diligently as
secretary of the state organization.
Way back In 1894, just after the
lean years, the organization was
formed. In 1895, when the state
association was only a year old. C.
H. Smith was elected secretary and
he has served continuously since.
Silver threads now streal< their way
across his thatch. He dusts a clay
target occasionally that never got
away a few years ago, but C. H.
Smith continues to be the life of
every registered tournament within
the state. And he manages to at-
tend the majority of them. He's the
best loved and admired exponent of
the sport In the west. He's a thor-
ough sportsman at the traps and in
the field. He casts a wicked fly
and wields a dangerous fowling piece.
Montana sportsmen are proud of him.
Hundreds of them are his pupils.
He glories in their achievements.
They glory in the knowledge that
C. H. Smith has been their teacher.

1906— F. Moseley, Idaho Falls.

1907 — A. W. Woodworth, Missoula (now
at Spokane).

1908 — Reynolds Prosser, Helena.

1909— C. C. Goddard, Butte.

1910— Neal McMillan, Idaho Palls.

1911 — Frank Weatherhead, Laurel.

1912— Frank Weatherhead, Laurel.

1913— J. C. Norris, Hardin.

1914 — Prank Weatherhead, Laurel.

1915— Frank Weatherhead (now at Bil-
lings).

1916 — Lee Williams, Deer Lodge.

1917— Mendenhall, Billings.

1918— E. W. Renfro, Butte.

1919— E. W. Renfro, Butte.

1920— P. H. O'Brien, Butte.

1921— E. W. Renfro, Butte.

1922— E. W. Renfro, Butte.

1923— E. W. Renfro, Butte.

1924— Record lost— Think it was Lee
Kimmel of Kalispell.

1925— P. H. O'Brien, Butte.

1926— W. R. Wilcoxson, Great Palls.

1927— E. W. Renfro, Butte.

A. T. A. MEDAL

Prom 1914, when put in competition,
the state singles championship winners
are:

1914-
1915-
1916-
1917-
1918-
1919-
1920-
1921-
1922-
1923-
1924-
1925-
1926-
1927-
1928-

-Lee Williams, Deer Lodge.
-C. L. Parsons, Moore.
-Bill Tilzy, Moore.
-H. Schnack, Forsyth.
~E, W. Renfro, Butte.
-E. Robbins, Billings.
-P. H. O'Brien, Butte.
-E. W. Renfro, Butte.
-N. J. Birrer, Dell.
-E. W, Renfro, Butte.
-Lee Kimmel, Kalispell.
-P. H. O'Brien, Butte.
-Prank G. Knight, Great Falls.
-W. R. Wilcoxson, Great Falls.
-(?) — To be named at Butte in
July.

OUT IN THE FIELDS WITH GOD

The little cares that fretted me,

I lost them yesterday.
Among the fields above the sea
Among the winds at play

Among the lowing of the herds.
The rustling of the trees.

Among the singing of the birds.
The humming of the bees.
The foolish fears of what may happen

I cast them all away.
Among the clover-scented grass,
Among the new-mown hay.

Among the husking of the corn
Where drowsy posies nod.

Where ill thoughts die and good are
born,
Out in the fields with God.

14

MONTANA WILD LIFE

Western Game Wardens to Meet

4

TTENTION of
fish and game
conserva-
tionists of the west
will be turned to-
ward Seattle in
August when the
Western Association
of State Game Com-
missioners meets in
eighth annual ses-
sion in conjunction
with the Interna-
tional Association of
Game, Fish and
Conservation Com-
missioners in their
22nd annual ses-
sion. Montana has
been signally hon-
ored this year in
the selection of Robert H. Hill. State
Fish and Game Warden, as president
of the western association. It covers
11 western states and Its functions
are of vast importance to the welfare
of wild life in this area. The joint
meetings of the two associations will
be held August 27-2S at the Olympic
Hotel at Seattle..

Courtesy committees will be main-
tained in Victoria and Vancouver B. C,

R. H. Hill

Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles
and Seattle to look after the comfort
of delegates enroute to the western
convention.

Thirty accredited representatives of
foreign countries stationed at Seattle
are expected to participate in the con-
ference. A series of luncheons and
banquets has been arranged.

Robert H. Hill, Montana's State Game
Warden, is president of the associa-
tion. D. E. Pettis, State Game Warden
of Arizona, with headquarters at Phoe-
nix, is vice-president, and Clinton W.
Rowley of Seattle is secretary.

State game wardens in the associa-
tion are as follows:

Arizona — D. E. Pettis, Phoenix.

California — F. M. Newbert, Sacra-
mento.

Colorado — R. G. Parvin, Denver.

Idaho — Richard E. Thomas. Boise.

Montana — Robert H. Hill, Helena.

Nevada — State Game Warden, Reno.

New Mexico — State Game Warden.
Santa Fe.

Oregon — Harold Clifford, Portland.

Utah— Dave H. Madsen, Salt Lake
City.

Washington— S. F. Rathbun, Seattle.

Wyoming — J. T. Scott, Cheyenne.

lOO.WIO.OOO DICKS A>"1> GEESE

According to an estimate by Dr. Harry
C. Oberholser, head biologist of the Bio-
logical Survey, United States Depart-
ment of Agriculture, there are 100,-
000,000 wild ducks and geese in the
United States, Southern Canada, Alaska
and Mexico. Approximately 700 obser-
vation stations are being maintained
under the direction of the bureau.

JUNE SETS RECORD

FINANCIAL receipts from hunting
and fishing licenses have estab-
lished a new record for June in
the history of the State Fish and
Game Department, according to fig-
ures compiled by Cashier Dave
Marks at press time. Total receipts
for the month up to June 30 touched
the high mark of $44,896. Receipts
from resident hunting and fishing
licenses at $2 each reached $39,374;
non-resident licenses at $3.50 hit
$1,333.50; general non-resident $60.
and alien fishing licenses $1,080.
From these receipts the sportsmen
turned over 25 cents out of every
license or $5,039 to the biological
fund for the destruction of predatory
animals for the protection of live-
stock and big game.

TOO POINTED

Disgruntled Amateur to guide: "You
must think I am a perfect fool."

Patient (?) Guide: "Wall, no, nobody
is perfect."

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Y'oung Harold was late for Sunday
school, and the minister inquired the
cause.

"I was going fishing, but father
wouldn't let me," announced the lad.

"That's the right kind of a father
to have," replied the reverend gentle-
man. "Did he explain the reason why
he did not let you go?"

"Yes, sir. He said there wasn't
bait enough for two."

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MONTANA WILD LIFE

15

DUCKS

A SCHOOL BOY assigned to prepare
an essay on ducks, submitted the
following: "The duck is a low
heavy-set bird, composed mostly ot meat
and feathers. He is a mighty poor
singer, having a hoarse voice, caused
by getting so many frogs in his throat.
He likes the water, and carries a toy
balloon in his stomach to keep him
from sinking. The duck has only two
legs and they are set so far back on
his running gear by nature that they
came pretty near missing his body.
Some ducks when they get big have
curls on their tails and are called
drakes. Drakes don't have to set and
hatch, but just loaf and go in swimming
and eat everything in sight. If I was
a duck I would rather be a drake."

As the little chorus girl said to her
sweetie, as she kissed him good night:
"So long, I'll sue you later."

RE5IARKABLE FLIGHT OF BIRDS

The astonishing power of sustained
flight of some birds is shown in the
returns of _birds banded under permit
from the Bureau of Biological Survey.
An Arctic tern banded when newly
hatched on July 22, 1927, at Turnevick,
Labrador, by Oliver L. Austin of Tucka-
hoe, N. Y., was taken at LaRochelle,
France, on October 1, 1927, by M. Robert
Pradier. This young bird had probably
made a non-stop trans-Atlantic flight
of over 4,000 miles to reach the place
where taken, an aerial exploit equal to
Lindbergh's.

The Wife: Henry, baby has swal-
lowed the ink. What shall I do?

Professor: Write with the pencil,
my dear.

Hunting & Fishing

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THE

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Fur and Wool House, Inc.

One of the Largest Direct
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1040 Helena Avenue

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Have You Mailed Your Subscription?

MR. SPORTSMAN: ^ ., - - w . ^^ ,— , . -

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interested in keeping in tench State Capitol Building,

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MONTANA WILD LIFE

Official Publication of tfie Montana State Fisfi and Game Department

16

MONTANA WILD LIFE

What the Other Fellers Think About Us

Helena Independent, Helena, Mont. —
As recent as fifteen years ago, fore-
sighted men who realized that some-
thing must be done to conserve the
wild life of Montana, found it difficult
to convince, not only residents but vis-
itors, that steps must be taken to pro-
tect and conserve the game if the state
was to continue, as it had been, one
of the few sections where the term
"sportsmen's paradise" meant some-
thing. The game had been so plenti-
ful that there had been little account
taken of the future. There were game
laws which provided for closed sea-
sons, all too short, and there were
game wardens, few in number, and
there were sportsmen who appreciated
that the brakes must be applied. They
did their best to impress their views
upon the public but did not receive
sympathetic response.

Gradually improvement in the situa-
tion became noticeable. The late Jake
DeHart, state game warden, did a great
deal to start the movement for better-
ment. He was backed by a State Fish
and Game Commission whose members
were sportsmen in the full sense of
the word. Two of these men, Chair-
man Thomas N. Marlowe and Joseph
L. Kelly, the latter of Anaconda, are
still members of the Commission of
five.

Robert H. Hill, who is now warden,
served for eight years under DeHart
and held the position of chief deputy
straight through until the Erlckson ad-
ministration was inaugurated, when he
became head of the department. He
has faithfully carried out the policy of
game protection and game conservation
started perhaps fifteen or twenty years
ago by the old Commission and ad-
vanced more rapidly year by year, as
sportsmen rallied in support of the de-
partment.

It has taken a lot of work to educate
the public along the lines of game con-
servation. Much remains to be done.
To aid in the campaign to keep Mon-
tana to the fore as one of the best
hunting and fishing sections in the
United States, MONTANA WILD LIFE,
a monthly official publication of the
State Fish and Game Commission has
been established. It is edited by Floyd
L. Smith, an experienced newspaper
man and an ardent sportsman, who will
give the public accurate and authentic
information regarding the activities of
the game department in its program of
conserving wild life and at the same
time maintaining the supply of fish
and game to the maximum point.

The June issue of MONTANA WILD
LIFE, just off the press, is a most cred-
itable publication. It contains articles of
great interest to sportsmen and to the
public in general. It is well illustrated
witli pictures of scenes in Montana
forests, along its streams and in the
hunting fields. Best of all, only accu-
rate and authentic information is pub-
lished.

E. E. Cruger, secretary The Watson
Boat Works, Spokane, Wash. — "The
much looked for first issue of MON-
TANA WILD LIFE has arrived and
the State Department is to be congrat-
ulated on its 'grown-up' appearance.
Having lived for many years in Mon-
tana I am glad to see this effort put
forth to aid in conserving its great
game resources."

Game Department are to be congratu-
lated in giving sportsmen of this state
the kind of a magazine they want."

Charles L. Sheely, Spokane — "Sure
wish to congratulate the Montana De-
partment on the classiness of the new
magazine and am enclosing check for
two subscriptions."

Attorney D. H. Morgan, Anaconda —
"After reading the articles contained in
the first issue of MONTANA WILD
LIFE, which afforded me genuine
pleasure, I feel that I cannot be with-
out future copies, hence I'm enclosing
subscriptions for myself and a group
of friends."

Spokane Daily Chronicle, Spokane,
Wash. — "Montana's State Fish and
Game Department has just issued the
first edition of its official publication,
MONTANA WILD LIFE, under direc-
tion of Floyd L. Smith, who is well
remembered as former sports editor of
The Spokesman-Review. The publica-
tion is nicely illustrated, well arranged
and merits attention."

Butte Miner, Butte, Mont.— With 16
large pages filled with newsy, well-
written articles relative to Montana
fishing and hunting, MONTANA WILD
LIFE, official publication of the Mon-
tana State Fish and Game Department,
has made its appearance. The excel-
lent magazine is profusely illustrated
and the feature article is by Tom
Marlowe, chairman of the Commission,
entitled "Montana Fights to Save Wild
Life."

Daily New Northwest, Missoula,
Mont. — A magazine devoted to the con-
servation of the game that abounds in
Montana, fittingly called MONTANA
WILD LIFE, has been received by Mis-
soula sportsmen and is attracting more
than a little afvorable comment. The
magazine is published by the Montana
State Fish and Game Commission, of
which Thomas N. Marlowe, Missoula
attorney, is chairman.

Attractive in design, with a number
of well-chosen cuts decorating its
pages; filled with material interesting
to any sportsman and primarily to
Montana sportsmen, the magazine bids
fair to fill a much-needed place in
Montana publications. Floyd L. Smith,
newspaper man of Helena, is editor.

Great Palls Tribune — With an edi-
torial policy calling for the dissemina-
tion of authoritative, accurate and au-
thentic information regarding activities
of the Montana Fish and Game Depart-
ment, statistics of an educational value
and reports and information as to ac-
tivities of Montana sportsmen, MON-
TANA WILD LIFE, official publication
of the Fish and Game Department, was
welcomed by Great Falls sportsmen.

Choteau Acantha, Choteau, Mont. —
Volume 1 Number 1 of MONTANA WILD
LIFE, official publication of the Mon-
tana State Fish and Game Commis-
sion, a creditable and valuable publi-
cation, has made its debut into Mon-
tana journalism. Judging from the
selection of material, the editorials,
and the general makeup of the publi-
cation, the editor, Floyd L. Smith, is a
man of capability and taste, coupled
with an ardent love of wild life — a
love which prompts him to sense its
value to the commonwealth of Mon-
tana and to champion its cause. The
Acantha is pleased to endorse the ob-
jects of "Montana Wild Life" and to
commend it to local people.

W. F. Aldrich, Publisher The Inde-
pendent-Observer, Conrad, Montana —
"MONTANA WILD LIFE will fill a
much-needed want among sportsmen of
the state. The first edition was splen-
didly done and I hope the good work
continues."

Carlos Avery, Secretary-Treasurer
American Game Protective Association,
New York — "We are delighted with
MONTANA WILD LIFE. Nothing con-
tributes more to development of whole-
some public sentiment and correct un-
derstanding of game problems of a
state than such a splendid publication."

Webb Rice, General Counsel Izaak
Walton League of America for Ne-
breska, Norfolk, Neb. — "Here's my sub-
scription and I wish to thank you for
mailing the first edition. We expect
to get many valuable pointers for Ne-
braska from the work you are doing in
Montana."

Edward M. Dott, Harlowton Times —
"Officers of the Montana Fish and

H. J. Denney, National Director Izaak
Walton League of America, Duluth,
Minn. — "I wish to take this opportunity
to congratulate the Montana Depart-
ment of Fish and Game upon the
splendid introductory edition of MON-
TANA WILD LIFE. I read it from
cover to cover. This kind of publicity
should be backed up by every Montana
citizen for the preservation of wild life
means a great deal more to the welfare
of the state than the average person
realizes. We in Minnesota are now
waging some merry battles in behalf of
our remaining wilderness areas and it
is hoped we can save a little for those
who come after."