-

!ble 'fie

10\\'

ste-

F ng~

off •Lil· nly

1or the

and ttu· I b ·er r.

r· 5;eE

of !or·

JD~ ead i:k·

to ur

'tel on

!all ·e-:~

reb Jell St. llld «

roSTMAST&II If undell..-ullble '•• Any lluaon,

notifY ~Jidl'r, lUI~ l"f'I>OOn. on Form 3547, pon&ae for which Ia .,,.ran~

State C..n.Mrvat iOft Cotnt'I''UIItOft

lOth ano M ulberry Ita . Oel MOtfM'I 8 . taw•

VOLUME 5 APRIL 15, 1946 NUMBER 4

Iowa Trappers Net Two and One-Half Million Dollars IOWA HAD A COAT OF MANY COLORS

By A dn. H ftyden

A HUNDRED years ago Iowa had a coal of many colors.

The coat was ma mly a g rassy one; for Iowa is a part of the g reat Grassland which reaches in N or th Amen ca far in to Canada on t he nor th, to t he Mexican highlands on the south, and to the broad­leaved forest of the east, and be­yond t he Rocky Mountains on the

I west Yet 10 th1s vast domain. Iowa is itself a topographical unit. The northern boundary is defined by a waters hed in wh ich the headwa ters of both Minnesot a and Iowa streams a rise. Near the southern border, a less pronotmced watershed separat es the sou rce waters of Missoun st reams from the ch ief Iowa watercourses. A major highla nd. somet imes re­fe r·r ed to fa r ther nor t h as the Coutea u de Pra iries, runs diagonal­ly across the west th1rd of the slate separating the waters of t he Mis­sissippi from t he waters of tht! M1ssouri r ivers.

Forests border t he main rtver 1

valleys in broad zones, but diminish to fringes a long the minor streams and lake borders. The remainmg area. which comprises five-sixths of the s tate. was prairie The somber broy,rns and grays of the haze­sh rouded forest contrast during the '"''m ler with the whtle expanse of .-;now-covered grassland, or m spring and autumn wilh the red­dish-brown bluestem grasses. Thn t raveller m the fores t sees the sky through its thatch of branches; but the t raveller on the pra1rie beholds lhe a rchmg sky blue, g ray, or cloud-flecked as il merges al the horizon with the endless grass· land. T he pratric is, in part, an expression of t he climate. The sweeping winds, the blinding bliz­

(Contlnucrl on p11ge 31)

1-1945 •46 T . S p d WILDLIFE NURSERIES - rapp1ng eason ro uces

Second Most Valuable Fur Crop J OWA TRAPPERS harvested the manded Lbe highest average price

second most valuable fur crop in ever recorded < $28.16 l with indi­the history of the state durmg the vidual pelts r·eacb.ing the almost 1945-46 trapping season. Dunng unbelievable maximum of $40 00 the 30 day musk rat and mink, and each. Only two fur bearers, red fox 60 day open season on other p ro- and coyote, decreased in value m tected fur bearing animals, a total 1946, the rest increased. Except of 624,565 f urs valued at $2.630,- for beaver which increased from 655.71 were taken. 22.00 to 35 73 and mink whtch

There were 13,537 licensed trap- increased from S16.:15 to ~28 16 the pers during the season, plus ap- price raises were slight. The total proximately an equal numbet who number of ammals trapped de· trapped on the1r own land, where creased during the cmrent season no license is required. some 30,4 77 individuals. Decreases

Mink, for th e first time, exceeded were recorded for opossum. musk­in total value Lhe muskrat, which rat, sk unk and badger; increases in lhe past has been the numbet for raccoon, mink, civet, red fox, one fur bear ing animal :Mink com- weasel, coyote and beaver

(C'ouliuuo•u <•11 png,, "~l

~ .... ,,. ....

B~· E JJis A. W ck s ( unftt'rnth c Rt>"'t•nrc h ( ' nlt

WHT•~Rm and bow do fledgling birds and baby mammals live?

We say that birds live in nests and mammals in dens, but where are these homes to be found and how are they prepared ? Il is fairly easy for one to answer these ques­tlOns for himself as far as birds are concerned by using a little patient observation. Bul getting similar mformation about mam­mals is more difficult because they are usually secretive m preparing the1r dens They do not offer such good observation targets as do birds.

There are many other interesting aspects of a wildlife nursery. What and how do the parents feed their young? Do the parents share fam­ily cares? What means of protec­tion do I ht>y have? Do lhe young receive any training ft·om their parents? Anything can happen from murder and fratricide to a well·ot'dercd gracious family life.

Fledgling birds when they first emer·gc from the shell may be one of two gt!neral types. If they are naked, weak, blind or generally helpless they are known as an altri­cial type of bird On the other band, if a fledgling upon emergmg

1 from it~ shell bas a coat of down and is able to run about after be­coming dry, it is a precoctal bird .

Good <'X~mples of precocial birds are the ducks, geese, shore and up­land game birds. Young quail. newly-hatched, are able to run about alter their down becomes dry. How fortunate thev are, for . . if they were helpless and bad to remam m the nest for several days or wcekR, many of theDI would be caught ttnd killed by snakes, weasel:-l and other enemies When

lower's policy of live lrappinq bocner ln "nuisa:nc:o locations" and tra:n~~plantin9'

1

a brood of young is disturbed. they the m to areas where th@re is no danqor of aop dcunaqe, baa bequn to pay off. and l , · 11 d' t' . t h'd althouqh only 600 were trapped for pelts duriDq lho paal season, this valuable sea tcr lll a tree IOns O 1 e. fur-bearer is now firmly nt-established in all walersbcda of tho state. (Continued on pnge 32)

Paqc 26 IO W A CONSE RV ATIONIS T

Iowa Conservationist Publishod Monthly by

THE lOW A STATE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

lOth and Mulberry - Des Moines, Iowa

JAMF.S R. HARLAN, Editor

f. T. SCIIWOB, Director (No Rlghte Res~>rvE>d)

ME'M13ERS OF THE CO MMISSION

r. W MA'ITES Chairman .. .. .Odebolt MRS. ADDISON PARKER ........ Des Mo ines e B. GA UNITZ... ... .. .... ... •.•.. .. Lansing R F.. S1'EW A HT. ..... .. .... ..... ..... Ollumwo E G TROST... • .. .... ....... .... . Fort Dodqe I C JENSON. .......... . .Counc•l B!Jffs r J, POYNf:ER .. , .. • ... , Q.odor Rap1ds

IR JLATION TH IS ISSUE. .25 750 Subscription Rote.. . ........... - ... ·Hlc per yew

3 years for Sl .00

Subec:npllons :ecetved at Cons<JJVollon Commlss on, lOth and Mulb<>rry, Des Motne a, Iowa Sl'nd coin, chQck or mon~y order. Unless our peoplo team to play, fish, hunt c;conp, lUke and enJOY musu: and drama.

labor savmq dovtces and tho forty -hour w eok may be disa:sttous to our dttvelopment as a natJon of c:ulture and charoc:ter.-hm Sherman photo.

~- HONOR ROLL * ALI.'X ANOf:lt t:OW

* A LD< ANOCR C It

* BAKCR MI LFO RD

* H I!RRY It££ M

* OAt:lt K I!NA R O

*OJ OR NSON , It,

*OOOO ilSS, N R

* BRI LL, J OS. W

* OUT l i!R , VAN

* C HR ISTEN S EN , C

* COL OY, II U BCIRT

* COOPER RO B' T

* COOPER WI L 'io ON

* f'A8(;11 l(S T£11

* f'AII IS, LYNDEN

* f'INK, LAVERNE •

* f'L I CKI N C (R, V. W

* OI: f:, RIC HARD

* O RAV I:S, ltiiOY

* OII A(SI NG, H,

* HA RVn', W ALT

It HAUGSf:, J O HN

* HEI'TY, ALBCRT

*HOI'~MAN , C

* HOI'f'MAN, M

I * H UO HU. OAVIO

* H UOHI!&. DO N

*HUSTO N , TAY LO R

* J AilO, I!A R L

* J O HN SO N, W A

* JOHNSO N , H C

• f(tllt•tl 1n fll"OQO

* t(I:NNI:OY WI\Y"'E

* KESTE R C E O

* L£PL CY CHAS

* MAOOEN , K M

* MAG N USSO N, H K

* Mc MAH O N A E

*MOEN, T HOS.

* MOII F, W J

* OLSO N , HERMAN

* PA RT RID GE . W I'

* PULV E R ROO' T

* R£CTO R HARR Y

* RE CTOR , JAS

* RIPPERGE R H

* ROKCNB ROOT f'

* RUS H W A

* SCVt:RSON 8

* SIME NSON H

* SJOSTROM 8 ,

* SLY C I:O W

* STA RR FRAN K

* STI:M P LE, E

* STUFF L E BE AM . 0

* SWEEN EY, RO B T

* U NTI! RBE RO ER RITA

* W HALEN JOHN

* W ILO E MILT O N

* WILSON DON

* YOU NCOLOOO, M.

* YOU NO£RIWAN , W .

-·-- -

TRUE! HOW TRUE

S UDDENLY ouJ" nnlwn has had lhmsl upon it n wealth of

leisure tune ncveJ" lwfm•t• d renmccJ of As a result of our mcchnn1zell era and techno logy has c'ome one of the g 1ca.Lest npporl\Ulltlc~ out· people have ever known. and para­doxically there has come one of lhe most cnllcal probh•ms of modet n times. The no\\i com rnon forl) -hotu· week and vncntions with pay h<l\'e g'J\'I'n us an unpr ece­dented amount uf lt•isurc.

This great leisure, if 11 is to be used con:,;ttuclively, must b c plannecl for wath much erne. H1gh

: speed, mechanizalton and urbnmza­uon caJI for wholt•somc leisure time pur~lllls. Unle:-s mu· people. youlh and oldm pet ~ons dc.vt>lop

TR \' 1'1' \ ~I) ~·II<: I·~

Allhough earthworms may be mar keted 01 ust'd f r·esh ly tlug from the ground, lhey nn• muc·h more desirable. w tll live longe r on Lhe hook, and wil l lHI«• mor·e fish tf well •·scoured" befor·1• usc 'l'hts

U. S l•'mt•st 1 y Set vice may facl1s Wf'll known ln a !.I skilled batt lrntll veler uns fr11 any post lion or fishermen, anti tl 1s prohnble the type" of work fot v.htch lhe service knowi ng ones would h~ willing to ts l'f'S})(Instblc, nccordmg to an pa)' a premiUm fot such worms. agH•cnH•nl bel ween the Depart- ThiS scotu mg proct:ss hn!> been m~nt nf Agnl'ulturc and the Vet- known tor· hunchcds ot year'! and erans Ac.lmintstt·utton was well desc•nhl•d hv lzaak \\'alton

~

lJndf'!r the ngr t'ement. regional in 1653. To carry out Uus "sl.our­\' .\ rnanagt•rs ap• 1 eqtured to list mg" process a quant tty of sphag­thc nnture and locatton of all for- num moss such as """d by nursery­t 'l'll y ltnmtng opporl umties in the1r men 111 packing plnnt~ tor shtprncnt dtstt tel~ so that \'elerans may be is put mto a stoncwa r ,. c·r cwk 01 tn·nct•ssed I 01 t r·ainmg m each dis- tight woodl'n bnx Thts m(}ss, 1 r-iel. which grows m shacly, swampy

The prngt·am contemplates gen- \YOods, should be well mo1stened t•t-al tr·aimng lor non-disabled but the excess watl•r· should hl' \'l'terans nnd specialtzed traming wrung out hcfOJt• the muss 1s fot disabled Vl'lernns in accordance placed 1n lhe conlattwr. Tht wonns with Public Lawl-i 31li and 16 should he placed in th<' mosl> fo1 al

"Vt•lt•rans may lN\111 of training least two dnys, nn<l Jl l'efc t ably oppoJ·tuuitt~s m lhe I<'orestry Serv- three or foUl, und l<epl in a cool ke hy I'Onlncting the elosest VA place. Al lhl: end of this perwd, Rt·gional Ofllce to their homes," they should hu nlmust transpat cnt \A said. , tough and hvely

I hobbies. learn to play, have an opportunity to fish, to hunt, to camp, to hike. to enJoy music nnd drama, to see om grent scena resources, to study nat urc, tlus great boon to mankmd wi ll bC' disastrous. We can, however, make it a greal opportunity JM lht• developmen t of cu lturl:' a nd cllaru.c­ter, of brains and brawn o f a better a n d stronger people

The oppor tunities fot tonsl rul'­ttve recreational and lttsur e l1nw pursuits are abundant in our stalt' and m our commumlies Some slt•ps ha\·e been taken to ut thzt .. these opportunities To realize lbc nccdl't..l results it 1s necessary to multtply these efforts many ma ny tunes. ll is toward trus objecllve that the Tennessee State Park Progrnm ts constantly d irected

Tf·nu< -<s( (' t n11 • 1' \ '.tttoni s t

sKUN" R IVE:R

E:"oote:.S

I guess about the on ly pnvile~e I am·r ne\'er seen abused 1S t ht• privilege lo go home wht!n lhe fish am't bitin'

It's a sign o' nearly pl'rft•C'' self control when a feller kin keep f rom batlin" a turtles head lmck u ndt't' water w'ith the ltp o' Jus 11sh pole, er from kickm over a hunch o' load stools.

Andy Gillam says if them btg wbile cranes over ther·e a in 'L havin' no better luck than I a m, it's no wonder tbey arn'l got no nHWt on lhetr legs.

IH '\'1'1::\(i \XD F I HING U( l•,X"'E.., E~PrRED .)L\.R(;H il l

All htcn!'es tssued by the Stall:' < 'onservation Commission . fishmg, hunlt ng, trapping. and twelve other ktnds of miscellaneous licenses, in­cludtng game breeders. bait deale rs, 1m dealers, etc expired ~la rch 31. Thfl Ponservat10n Comm1ssron has p111 t'hasetl some 600,000 licenses for 19 16, and they were m th e hands of about a thousan d agencies mr thtHrzetl to sell them April 1 'rhc licenses themselves will bt I he same t:> pe as used in 1945.

OUV 'Y OUR LICE N SE F I RST!-

t<;\'t: H \'ONE DOES

r always get a big bang out of l hese ad\·er tr!'ements of fishmg tackle where they show a good­lookmg dame with a shck pat r o f gams all togged out in a very ab­bn•viated swtm smt She is usually holding a fishing rod somewhat m tlw -.arne "'av her grandfath e r hclc.l n crank on the old coffee mill and ~be pwbably knows nothing nl all about catching fish unless 1t JS tlw two-legged H omo sapiens. And too. I have often wondered what the deer fhes. black flies. no­see ums 'lnd mosquitoes would think to see such an enticing ban ­que( righl in their front yar d.

Frank rowt•r

DUY YOU R LICE NSE FI RS T!-

li' \Hi\1 U UCI( S IDT CEILING

T he Spot tsmen's Service Bur eau rulnys Lh is one from \Viscons m's DeptH tmcnt of Conservation . When M rs Bell, who dtspenses informa­l wn for the Dl\'lSion of Game and !<'ish, answered her furiously ring­tog phone one day, dunng t he duck ~eason. an ob\'iously agitated man asked, "If a fellow shoots a fnrnwr·~ duck by mistake doe~ he ha vc to pay the ceiling pnce ?''

~lt s Bell infor med the anx10us ont that lhts was out of the Divi ­swn's Jill isdictton but she believed lhal h ts worst fears would be rt!ahzecl

8UY YOU R LICE NS E F I RST!-

~(' U{EDHEN

'l'h c "'F'ox Hu n t" organized at lhe Coun ty Sent, has nothing on ou r Jit llC' commu ni ty. W e have "Coon ll unle r·s." rt seems, on e night la.<;t week. t here was a commotiOn tn

Nt•llie's ch1cken house. So brave Nellie nntl Ptnk armed with a flash­light p roceeded to the hen house and m \\ alk ing mto i t one of th e ladtt·:s stepped on the coon's tail. :\l r Coon, in protest, hissed al them It wa~ a tie as to wbtch one (lady 1 got to the house first. T he n tght ' ' a tC'h was called a nd a :;earch \\,1s made. only to find t hat tht pel t.oon of Dale Yarner wa" pulltng the tatl feathers from a few Jwns There were a ilock of ehtckcns a nd two hens quite badly fl'ig h lent;>d.

Washta J•,urnul.

BUY YOU R L IC ENS E FI RS'Tl-

'l'h• "••Ill ul' tht ltth toad I!< ~··u­•·• nil) '''lltl'!hlcr"d as a r>rOJ'Iht•l"\' Clf 1.1!11 Sum,. llllth in this, but nul tll•· 1\"hlllt• I ruth \\ :trm. n1P1st .tlr. \\ h kh USIICllly pfl•( f'dl'S rain, l't!il"ll"t'" 1111 111.tln trolul's lll<Hing urgQ, !<II hu

lUJ:tti I

D

tin SUCI Ill at 1931 rat Gf an! to

ar nl)

~1 St~ h du

tlo~ gan: ere, alar

'f' lll r

-• ~

:I 31

of ling )od.

a b­ally

iher inill m:g SIt

ens •red no­)Uld an-

G eau .. Ill>

beD

~-and J!g• the .ted 58 he

~ J\'l·

ved be

1.!16 our OOD .ast ill

a1'e fb• JSt.

·he .1111. at

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o! IJl)'

IO W A CONSERVATION I ST Page 27

- TIMBER and GAME ... Twin Crops B y J J;t rold Tit .u,

T HE MACK I NAC ISLAND traders lived largely on the

C'ountry, but until well toward the western extremity of this great mland sea they ate fish almost ex­clusively. T he pineries, swamps and hardwood stands which cloaked the shore were silent places. Repeat­edly in accounts of those treks we find nolalions of daily fish catches and then, indicating the unusual, comes the entry stating that deer ot moose were seen.

An occasional moose and a stray deer then, was found in that wil­d~t ness in 1800. But since the 1890's that same Lake Superior

loggt>d, edge appeared where no edge had been ; m lime the few deer in the v1cmity found those edges, established themselves and began to mult1ply, no doubt far faster than they had in lhe scattered natural openings

" BottollU u p" is o faYonte pastime for w aterfow l cill o ver the million acres of shore has been a stamping ground ma:rsh de veloped by the MOJUtoba Government CIS a fur p rod uc:tion project. for thousands of deer hunters an-

Next, the great pines which grew in hardwood stands were taken. Th is made innumerable smaller openings, which spread lhe deer fnt· in small nodules of seed stock­mg. Following this came need for hemlock and the number of clear­mgs mcreased Lastly, uses were found for the birch maple and beech but it was not so steady a demand. Il fluctuated wtth the fortunes of the indusllies using Lhost! woods . The pine and hem­lock had built homes, barns. fac­tories, the hardwoods wenl into equipm~nt and implements. were not used in such bulk and were sub­ject to a rno1·e variable need An operator m1ght cul a dozen forties one winter, tw1ce or thrice as many the next and thereafter be down to small or no production whatever for several years. The harvest of swamp limber followed similar ups and downs.

I nually. "'1thout interruption it bas

FURS PAY FOR DUCKS PLAY ~~~:~~n.i~~mt~n:e~~n;e~:~~;, sC:~~ less, but always enough to entice hunters back.

DURING the past len years the of the waterfowl Just how clear-ly Manitoba Government's fur that has been the case can be

rehabilitation pr OJects have won gathered from a closer look at the commendation of conservation- Manitoba's experiences. ists th roughout the North Amer i- By the mid-thirties. depressiOn can continent. The romantic story bad swept over Canada and the of t hat rehabilitation can be fil- Un ited States. Money was scarce tingly lold al another time. The in provincial and stale treasuries. success of t he effort can be sum- Drough t was prevalent and jobs marized by pointi ng out Lha l in were hard t o find. 1934 records relating to t he musk - Based on recommendatiOns of rat population of a n area southeast the officials of the Depa1lment of of The P as disclosed that these M ines and Natural Resources the animals were "almost depleted due :Manitoba Gover nment dec1ded to to drought and over-trappmg." tackle the problem. In J anuary,

B y 1945 the same area was sus- 1935, money was obtained to enable taining almost one thousand trap- surveyors to proceed to The Pas pers. Th1s year they harvested a area crop of 242,157 pelts from wh1ch 1 Two survey parties with a na­the proceeds were more than half turalist attached to one p·1rty to a million dollars. explore feed conditions. were soon

Going back to 1934 again, the at work. s tartling news was presented that As a result of these surveys lhe only 30 million ducks m1g rated Manitoba Government t1ec1ded lo southward from Canada to thetr develop the area A lracl of 134,000 Win ter habitats in the United acres was set astde as a fur re· S ta tes. Cont rasted wi th figures habilitation area, declared a game showing that In 1900, 200 million sanctuary and closed to lrappmg ducks had made l hal same migra- Development commenced and the t ion. it was not s urp risin g that work accomplished m the Rummers game officials s hould view the de- of 1936 and 1937 mcludecl four crease in duel< population with miles of canals of various widllu~; alarm. sixteen earth-filled dams of various

The story of the mu~:;krats, then, designs and widlhs I L1tlle F'tsh in many ways has been the story Lake dam 470 feel long 1; three and

one-half miles of earth-filled dikes; five control dams: five patrol cabins; clearing log jams: Widening creeks; and other tasks too nu­merous to mention m detail.

Ninety thousand dollars was spent; but in 1940 \Vhen -tOO trap-

• pers were placed in the area they netted a crop valued at $161 ,903 . Under government control the area ts still producing large c:rops of muskrats.

Rea.lisUccrlly ma n y Canadian provinces have constructed Lur producinq marshes on wosto land w hore thousands of Ca:no­dlan Natlona.la share in tho p rofit from lhe fu rs produced..

Nov: the original area of 13·1,000 acres has been mcreased to mclude Connolly, Two Island and Corndo1 areas. all in productwn.

Three other blocks compr ising approximately 600,000 acres have been developed in other pnr ts of th e P rovince. These include lhe Fisher River fur rehabilitation block which came into production

1l was not happenstance that d~er moved into this region when they did Il is happenstance, how­ever, that they have persisted. The deer appeared when loggers made openi ngs in tbose virgin timber stands and deer have continued in more or less abundance because lbe timber· harvest followed a distinc­tive pa t tern.

T he variety of forest types has been mentioned. The pineries were the first to fall, and considerably later than those to the south be­cause they were remote from mar­kets. As a forty or a sect1oo was

As u. result, lhc region was in timber production far longer than most others 1L is still producing. Demand for the land for agricul­tural or other mtcns1ve uses was not un1form Some of it is excel­lent for spec1alty crops but large outlets nevet· wet c near, the season

Studies ol the ruffed qrou.se in JowCI reveCilt>d thot maturt> unpastured forest with 120 to 130 la:rqe trees per acre with 1ts accompanylnq dense undercover is seldom used by c;rouse. This fine qame bird prefers marqms and socond qrowth cleo:rinqs.

rn Lhe spring of 1944, and the Net­ley and Delta blocks also in produc­tion.

All are proven duck and fur taising projects-a million acres for waterfowl and fur!

-Kt>~ s i OII<'.

is shot t and consequently clearing lor plows was spot I y and relatively lunlted.

Because of these circumstances what. tn 1900, say, was a pine chopping bordered by vargin hard­

tt'•lll li n u {·cl (Ill pagt• 3 0 )

Paqc 28 IOWA CO NSERVATIONIST

Iowa Trappers • • • t I lll(ol ll 1111\ >,o t '' I

-,a '11-HI:R \ N U \ \ Ll'E OF Fl RS 'I' \IU; '\ ll\ TO\\\ I 9-!5-46 . t_;, \ SO '

( ""t'a,on XO\ . 1 0-,J:III . Ill ) ( t : ' (' (>pt )Ju._J,ral and )Jml< '-'u\ . ICI- UI'(', lfl )

h . hul .. r I u r I' 'u ll , l.ll.

~I ut~krn t ,\lluk ~It II Ilk ('t\'tl ••

•

11• c1 1:ux .. t~r a\ 1 :-u~ ••

" .' ·' I I \\•olf l'o,loft ...

'"mb~·r ~J ':\ ,,. ._ . ..

. . H, '> l .!2,- 01

.41S,41 7 • 45,145

30, 7: • ., 4 1.~ 2i ll,UFit

2,3r.n

\ \(•IH&:.4 ' \ nltu•

c;

5 2.1"

2 1 •• 2.24 1 77 3,1tl, :! ll\ I 7 I 3. 1 (\

l"inl

\ n ""' $ 3.! 7•·

ll,IJ.!J G I ''12,1411 ur.

1.:u; ,7Ga .:o t,l',,!o.:ll 20 7•t,343 .... l;),t,:tS.3~) ),123.(111 •i.27G , I ~ I ,202,lirJ

U : ll<· I !I 'HI I I ~31 ' .... !1:!2-33

l~:t:'.-34 931-3i 98 ·-31,

1"3'··37 1 137-3 Ill~'> 3<i • 193<~-4n• •..• ltllu-n lflll-42 1!112-13 l'll:i-11 •• l!IH - 1:1

. . I !Hfi-lli '

•

..

:'\11 "J I( 'unlll('l'

f 'al..t-n G I

1:1 f "" 2r.:ao.$ 17, 1 I 't 21,77r, 'l1,Cl a '3!,337 ~1.43 ?" - 3 -'.' Z, 77 :t s, 1 7 3:1 tjf,ol ., ') '>117 .. u .....

"i2t7t;u li,IJII! p,,ll (o

1 ;to.\ Vl'l • !l.t.Ju,l •••

. • 3,lit17 :J!)S 62:~ 31 I

• • :Hi,7:l :!. 117

... , .,~ ,, 7 .. ~ ... ,_,. o. I oJ 'rOT;\L .. o, ..... ~~ ••.•• 0~·2t,f,jt; ..

$ J ~2

fj ~~· .!• • op(•Jl season onh "" \11""11'' lppl T:h, 1 ••au day sPa:<on ,,ith·. 'l'ltTAI.

in the Commission Officl•s s tnu' U n l(' 1931. The r ecords are taken 11om 1 • o .n . . . .

- lbe rcpur ls of fur dealer::; v.lw all' 1 ~··11 "62 1~•32-33 •..••

-requirt'd, unrter the stat u lt.!, to re- 1'•33-31 •..••••

• port at tb' cud ot thl! sl'a son nil 1 ~·34-S:i I '135-3ti

furs pUt chased. \\'hc>n• a t u r buye r l!i3i>-3i - purchases fur from a second dcnlct. 1~37-3~

th I t . c r . I J.•3b-:l ·' ....••

Thl' muskrat. fo r the first time in history, relinquished first p lact> in valut> to the hiCJh priced mink dunnq the 1945-46 t:r<IP­ptnq season.

e s<•cont rnns te1 o ur·s 1s nul 1 :~:l!'-111 included. F'ut ~ that arc sold bv I 1'•4•1-41

• .. 1!141-4" t r·appcrs to dl•nlers outsrdc of the 1'!42-43

state are mcludcd 10 the totnl Th{· 19-13-11 . . l '1 14-45

statute r cquucs a specra l permrl 1 :•Hi--16 and r epor-t ut number and ktn<.l of I furs in each out of state t r a nsac- TOT • .\ L

tion .

..

••

..

SJH'~ I ' tiiHhf'r

I n l..t•u I.. .s- I ; -; t

41 ,!> 1 t 10~.77•~

.•. 7:i,~OO . 6~,231

.. 1;;3,197 1112,!!12 1!! 1,3!!2

91, S3' 71,25 I 138, S HI 32,437 Ci3, 19!.l 35, ';37 30,i5;;

1 21'>,52'<

C l\ 1-~1' 'un ll>t• r

l ' n l. ' ' " It is lwlicvcd by the Conservation

Comml!;sion lhnl the table flgun':-t The accompanying lables have reprcl3cnt n.l l en~t a 95 percent <·or·

heetl com p1led from records kepL ree l lola! for· the pns l fifteen ycnt·s·

U : tl.-193tl-:H 1!1:11-32 1'132-:l:i 11t33-:i1 193 t -:~r. 1!i:lri-3G I !l!lt\-3'i' 1!13i-3ll 19:1 ·ll!l 1:13'1-10 19'110-11 1 !l4J-i2 1'•42-13 1.•'113-4 I 1'11§-4 "; 1'•4\.-HI

......... • ' o I • o I o e '" ' " • ,, !t:l\

NUl\lll.fl~lt \ N H V \l,U.E OF FURS T t\1\ll;N IN row \ n u ru G FUVJ'EEN-YE,\Jt Pt<; IUO U

J)lJ tt· 'llU · ~

_!1'1-..;;! . . . . .

1 !132-3:{ 11t33-3 1 1~31-35 •• 1:.13ri-31i 1!1 31:-37 Hl37 -:l!i

I t t I •

1 !I :1!)- :1:1 I !139-·10 • , 1910-11 1911--12 1942-43 l tH3-1 1 · ~·44-45 1!•45- llo

'J'I t'l' \ I .

.... . . .... ...

. ....... .

... . . I ) ;a h'

I ~130 31 1!131 :t2 19:12-:J:l I !1:!3-:11 l !1:1-l-:!r. 19 :1:.-30 1!136-37 1(137-:18 t!f:Jll-39 1!1311 - 10 l!t-10- 11 1[11 1-12 1!142-13 11'13- 14 1 'IH -15 1 11Hi-4 ti

. . . . ..

U :t H • 1930-:H t!l:U-32 l !132-33 193:1-31 1934-36 1!135-36 11.)36-37 1937-38 Ht:l!i-39 • 193!1-40" • 111411-11 1!111-12 l~H:!-1 3 . 1 'I 13- I I I :1 t o! - I r. .• 10 1&-411 ...

..

..

. .

...

RACCOO ..

. .....

'nmher 1'nk e n 11 7 if' 12.9:01 10,41~S 15,447 14,71, 19,353 15,037 13,21>7 15,011 lt., 165 l!l,tGG 22,51:! 20,12 38,3tl3 3ii, '<113 H ,O 4

I I o I I I •

~23 01 I

OPO C l\l

• ••

'Hulth c r T -:tkt' ll 2G,2!iU 37 .r.~.s 42,-!l;i sa, oz:.

. . .. .

..

5-t,ozr. 39,961 ·•o '1 8"' W f., ol

I1.7a5 23.:10:'! 3!1,0f>U 30,131 33.~3!1 29,1iGI

. • 35, ;79 2i,513 22,51\1

:i58 l(il

~lU l.UtA'l' 'uruhc r '.l"n 1..<' n

Jl<l ,:; J , 29Jt.! I l

.... 1 1,1138 3 (l,:!';'<i 113,SSH

••• 351,!l•·S 212.352 176,";'59

. 30S,Olti 4G,Ott3

. aou, 1011 • 262,(107

262,56:! ~2? ···u •• ( ~. v b

••••• 157,Cl7!i •..•• 118,417

• • -1,!!1~,863 'l'OT \I... . • Oilcn scn:;ou <lilly o11

u30 dny Ftn 011 01\l~ l\llfl i. !'lltJli P.lvl'r,

\ ~t · I'll~('

\ nlue )

10 2 I]Q

3.·Hi 3.50 3.'•5 4.00 3.115 2.b0 ::j 1r. 3 71 1.90 3, tj ... 7.26 2.7G 2.s••

$ 3.r.r.

\' t> rll~ .. \ HIIH '

I 7 11

•• 1 0 11o

. 41>

.32 • HI .30 .:Ill .2r. .2~ .2': 42

,65 .50 \i I

\\ t~ ru).:t• \ n ltu•

I '

.3(1

.&2 7Cl <t

1 2G

·' 0 .7G 1 (I r. 1.21 I.J2 I 17 :.!.2fi 2.03 2. t b

$ J.Ol

r .. cui \ n lut•

IO OQ l ' 10

27,21C. II 63,292.15 til,li 16 !'iO 76,141.35 1:11,118 t)Q 18,1!17 6& I ;!,03(1 211 -tu,3:Ht 2 , 73,2!11.71;

11 0,311l!, II

73,tt172o 277,G••ti.7) 1 01,2u8 2ti I U,732 7 t~

$ t , 2G4,UI u.72

' l ulnl \ fl lll l'

$ 12,3211 10 I ,,:1:111 (~ 1 "- ~ n u .·1 o :17,031.25 2 t ,:ll1.2rt ) 2, 787 .rill

,3!H.tlll a,r;zG.!"tU li,!HIO, 'ill tt,7fj!!,Grt !!, l :lG ti tt,l36 53

12,17ft 22 23, l.!G,35 13,7ut; r.o l i ,G2G r. I

$ .!27,1162 13

' l u C:ol \ n lu t•

$ I 1, r ' I I 12 I"·:!, d.! 6t,:lll.40

197,7 13.(111 711,'122 30

344.!'2 64 2•J6,4 IU i)U 1 Oli,tlfj I I 0 231,011 !J•,

oi <t,3113 IS 12 I, .1 I 7, 0 0 311i,Bil1.2J 3j)ti,!l1ill,l I

1,62'i,:llO ou 92S,:'I73 1:1 !112,1 l!l,tJ(; --

$ ll,2GZ,81 C07 1

o • 0 o e o I . . . . . . .

TOT.\1 •.

Uat c )'I 11-11 11• ... 1 J_ I :•32-!13 1 ·•:.c3-:u 1'•34-ar; 1935-31> J •a•;-:r; 1!13';'-3 1!•3S-3!l 1~•3!•·411 l'•lfl-1 1 1'1 11 -1:! I ~~ I :! - I 3 11! 1:1-14 Jll ll -·la I !I I f1 • I 6

. . . . . . . . .

. .. . . . . .. .......... 'POTAI.

Ua t e > I 1

1 •1 I -1 '13!!-33 1933-31 1 •• :14-85 1'•3;;-aG l l131o·3i lt•::i -3~ I !l:l\-'1!1 1 ' 1;1'1 - j(t I !lolll-11 l!•oll-4:! 11•42-!3 1913~1 11• H-45 194'i-1f)

..

'1'1 ITAL

1):.. h '

1 ••:.:o-at IH31-:~!! 1 · · :;:!-3~ I fl :t:l-31 I !IIJ4-3a I :1:15-:11; 1 ~· :lt-.~3; 11137-3~

1 '•38-3"

. .. . . . .. .. .. . . " • o I . . . . ..

.. ..

...

....

... ...

JU<;D l''OX

o o ' o I o • o o

o o o o I o o o

'umh('r J' n kt' ll

2 ,.,o 3,7 .3 ~. ;-,r; 1), ,07 !i,OI)i:i G,!!l' '1,133 7,111 i, 4(13 5,7111; 6,505 6,137 ti, 5 G 0 8,6!1!) 9,785

ll,flfi I

l ll:o,7(1j

G RAY Ji'OX

..

'11111 h e r .... ~~. ""-~ ..

1'>J l(l I"

l~li II 7 . . . 1711

l,l> , ,; 1. 'l(ltl 1,11~~

'· 730 1 ,91i7 l,S:!3 ~,5 It, !!.3~~:! :!,3Gtt

\\ EASEL

. ...

' u mlo t• r ' l ' ;a ~ . . ..

2,11llS 'lUI :! r; (j

I , !G l\ 1,14 11 :l.fiO!! 7. 1!1(1 1,1 5~·

4.:,~~

'' ('rn~t' \ aluf'

;j ;; 0 ... loll ~.uu 1. 10 -4 . 10 !i.ll3 9.01\ li.t)O 7 2r; ll.:!r• 7.30 ... 7 5 11, I!>

12.r;u lli,!ifl 2S. t ti

~ II 1 J

\ ' •• ruj.:;l' \ IIIII(' < II

.u ••

• 7 tl

' • 'tl .91

l Ill 95

t.r.o 1. :1 r, I . 70 I 'II 1. I o II :i I f, 2 1 :l

!t I 4 7

\ ~ t-rll.t.;"t" \ IIIII I' t I ''

.II) .l:J • :i 2 :tu :II ··­.. ,

•• t 'l . 'i 11 3U t.J fl

\3 Si

l.611 1.20 1. 77

li .. , . ..

\ H•rtl~C \ n lll t'

ti' 4 ,!)0 3.!?6 1.611 " on z tt5 3.00 3 VII :J :;n z.r.o ~ 70 I -~u

5 10 10.00

I. 75 3.95

,\' (•ru~t­\ n lut'

$ 2,00 :t:!O 2 I)!)

2 IJII I. {ill 2.1111 I.~ r. .• •t­--, 2. ,..,u 1.7a 3 011 2 ou 2, lli

\ ' t'rl.l ~t' \ ll lllt'

$ • f r. • j s . HI .r.r. • fi (I .35

.40

'l'otn I \ ul o.-

~ 128,!Jiillll 121,1;n .no

75,!Ht9,(111 207,323.•;u

!15, 10.00 1 ':',lll5 O!l 2~ 1,033.00 1 ~·~.or.!! ~~" ::!Ul, 1:!G, ; ,

17,9 1.26 2 :!,31;4 ,10 ~~7.•~rt.r.,, I.J 3,2iG ~r. G5!t,ioMt on 77G,1un 1111

1,3:>5,71:'\ 1111

'J o tnl \ nJu,.

$ 11••••1~• • u 11~ :•l f33o !!9,057 ':U ,r;,;~~ ' 1111, j 2 0 011 •• 2,0!10. 21

h', to:;, ;o !t7,101.1U

1 :SI;,-1 'J.UII L2:l,!.\)l l.3U I eC,22 t' 'ifl 123, :•12.011 al.'''~'.l!O

1 ~ ••• ;ti.~ .• 71],119 lll 6 · "91 20

l 'uC n I \ tllot'

~ :!3 tn!IG 15,ti01i.CO 3,8:!5 G!;

28.3 !!0 21 14,002 su I l,ll87 77 J 3,5;,:uo

!.1, 124.1\11 21,9 5 !ill J7,0l2. 1ll 37,!lo3.•io !iu,'i 3 G2 33,fo0UI!t !11),35i.Ort -1 !1, 4 82 t)(J ';'!1,3 1 3.7~1

' l' olul \- nl u t'

i 17. 1ti';' '" lli ;:.3 ::.u ~.!'53 ;:;

311,631.511 :!0,2ijQ,IJII 1!<,3 43.111 2i,3t'l!l.l10 21,333.(10 21i,!l 10.50 1-1.,265 no 17,5ti3.iQ :!7' ,lll6.fifl l!i, l:! 1.00 SG,!1!iO.Oil 46,478 .71i 1 !>, 1~:18 . :10

'J 'oCnl "\nlut:

. s 70.1111 l.Ut1!l.2•t ~3 1 .110

.. ........ ' 3 10.011

~.7b9,00 :I,M)Il,Oil 2,6 1 t .O"; :t,X9:!,!iu tJ,'iJ 7 .(.(1 3,1 ~111.2& 7,54 8 0\1 "',iJti 1,00 i1,123 Oo

'1'uu1 l \ nlu t'

•

~ ur; 2n 711 1.1;1 5 17. \li

l ,!lb l . lt) :l.69r,.ou l.lfifo.lili l,bll . OU

-

,, It I I I I

-1

.84

1

t )3.96 16.60 IS.65 .0.~4 1!.8~ li.71 u~

1UO 5.56

.!.H

H.~o •• .. IL96 ,; 04 I! 00 LW --'U9

I ~ j;,50 ;3i0 iJ. ·s u.: ~10 ,,,oo 13. 0 ro.;o ,, 00 ~-o 'l3.~ 6.50

u.oo so.oo i8.75 )S.30 ;.-­;7.9

II e

•' t 0 I I I

IOWA CONSERVATIONIST

Tho opossum bas declined 1n numbers taken from a hlqh of 80,000 ln 1932·33 io 20,000 durinq the current trappinq soason.

U u h · 1 nu .11 1'1:1 I :l:! I !1:1:!-:ITI 1 ~-.13-:1•1 I !l;tl-,1:; 1 !11r.-ar. I ~•3tl-:J7 1!•3i-3!\ }!I:J)\-3~ J!.I:W-Iu• )~IJ(}.JJ lltll-12 I !112-~:t I !I I !1- I I I !I I 1- I ", I !I I 'i Hi • •

TOT \ L \ LL fi'P R

• • • • • • "' • t ••••

. . . . . . .. . . . ...

....... . . . . .... . . ••

••

. . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... ' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ' . o ' o o o o o o I I I o o I o o I ........

1\"u tllh t"r ' l ' nJ,eu hltl.';lj , .!2. o•• 1 aaa.2u1 7:12,76:! :;3:l,).\22 t57',:1""·!! ~:•U,215 :llit1,21ft ,-;"';ti,'\ 11 2Hi,i:!l li !t2, I t:li 4!tli,l21 4l~.l:i1 !li!J,31 •• GG1,921 62•1,6G.-,

TUT.\L .. . ... , .. . .. .. .. . ..... li,idi,!J!II ~Ju,..kntl awl mini• ~ea!<<>ll u11IY on ~1l);~<ls:;ippl. \Ju•ltt"ll and mink l"ea>'Oll 30 dn~s u11ly.

OUY YOUR LICENSE FIRST!

DUCK STAMPS REACH NEW SALES HIGH

$

Page z~

'l'otal Ynlue-534.4o9.S3 Hl7.26!1.51 zu, o~· •i r. •·<>3,29!1.i l :11 ,S32.411 j 1 ,330.30 , 42,6\iG.lO 112,361.10 i23,U911.111 :!";7,;,19.9~ !t7:l,l'~2.09 !•U3,1)';' 4.0!.! 741,621.52

2,%1,462.55 2,110~.004.4 ij ~.n~u.Gil5.71

$1 !i, H~.G!l8.17

1U3!l-40 ••••••••••••••.••• ' I I o I I 0 0 0 0 0 I I I

I I I I I I o o I o o 0 o o o I I

1!140-41 •• 1!141-·1~ 1912-U 19<1 3-·l l 1!141 - -1 !'·

I I I ' I

I I I I I .. ,, 692 11,290 4,440 2,9~2 :!,9 G G 2.906 :l,ll07

.30

.I U 45

.40

:!,1107 Gfl 2,516 ou 1,9118.0'0 J,l!l2.SO 6,3•11).6(1 4,067.00 6,27 6.16

"Duck stamps," costing $1 each, which mtgralory waterfowl hunters ovct 16 are required to buy e~ch year reached a new sales high of $1,540,!68 for the period from July 1 to December 1, 1945. This record­breaking tolal represents an in­crease of 257,002 over the corre­spondmg period in 1944 when 1,283,466 stamps were purchased by waterfowl bunters, conserva­l!onisls, and philatelists.

Brush wolves or coyotes, were take.o ln oxactly tho sam& number ln 1945-46 as the year previous, but declined almost two-thirds in number from the all-time hlgh oJ 1943·44. - Harold Morgan photo.

I I I I I I o o 1 o o o o 0 I 0 I I 0

f I I I I I I 0 I 0 0 o I 0 0 I 0 I I • I I f . . . I I 0 I 0 0 I 0 I I I I

1 !I 1",- 1 G o o 0 o I I o I 0 o I I I I I I I

'j''(J 'I',.\ 1.4 •• I ••••• ' ••• "•61154

1.60 1 40 1. 74

$ .G8 31,!i83. t2

H UNTI NG LICEN ES SOLD IN lJNlTED TATES LA T YEAR

JuJy J , L!Hol t o JunP 30, 1945

WOLF COYOTE

U n f (' 1 i l 0 I 1!1J1-J:! ] :+32-33 1!133-31 lll31 -!l!i 1!13!i-!IG l:t:iti-3i l!1:n -:Is 1938-:l!• 1339-111 1 !1-lU-41 l!IH-4:! l!ll:! - 13 l!!t:I-H 1!t4t --1u 1 !14G·ll~

I I o o o o o o o I '"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... . o o I I o I I 6 o I I I o I I . . . ' . . . . . . . .. . . . . .

I o I t . . ....... . ••• Ill • • • • • • • • •• ..... . . . . . . . . .. .

. . . . . . . . TOT.\ 1. ..•.••. ••

'nntber 'I nken

" 1 I • I o

141; 162 P•:l 2;)~ :!O!! :!0, 1•:!6 :Ill 1\ :JSS

2. •.t 1';

BEAVER

Ou I <' 1\130-:!1 o I 0 I • I 0 I I I 0 0 I t I I I I 0 0 I

'11111 h er ' l 'u J, (•n

I '.l ',''I-. '12 J •••••••••••••••••• , •••••

I !132 !I:J .. 1933-at 1!13 ·1-35

I I I o o I I o I I I t I o I o o o ' o . . . . . ...... . ' o o o I o I I I I

1 !J:t5-3fj 1 o o 0 1 Ito t 0 . . . . . . . . . . . .. .... 1!13ti-3i •• 1937-:!S 1:13&-3!1 1939- • 11 liH0-11 .. 1!111 -4:! 194:!-13 1 !143-H 1,H·H• H<lfi I 1;

....... . . . . . . . . . . .

•

. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .......... ········· ..... . . . . . . . .

. ..

. . . . . • • ...

23:\ 25 !I G:.!3

l 117

BADGER

\ xerugf' Yalue:-

$ J.OO 2.-:r.

2.05 3.~.() :1.011 2.5fl :!.60 •) -.. -., .. :ur. 4. :!5

1 0,1)0 ,u-,7 3,10

$ 3. j 1

\ \ 4:'rllA t• \nlut•

.... . . . . .... . . . . . ... . ... . .. . • •

. . . $24.00

:! :!.:i u 3r.. 7 3

':!7.41

t •

Totul \ al u e

9.00 !L75 . . . ..... ........

;uo 77.00

13 .00 1115.011 Ji:\.0(1 .. 1 2.2:, l);io; ('iu ~ 8 r..25

~,2tl0.00 I .~ ))<l ,5f. 1,202.&0

' l' u lnl \ II hH'

. ..... . . ...... . . ..... I I I I I I 0 1

I I I I I 0 o . ..... . . . .. . ...... . ...... . .. . . . .

5,ti40.1JO :;,,27.50

..... 1'\r: !l 7'1 ...,_,_,,, .. 33 7 ''7 .,., . - •""•

-.eaH· .\lat.. mn .\ rh:ona

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,\ t kansas . . . . . . . . . «-.LIIfurnill •••.••••.• Culot·ndo • , • ....•... I'OIIlll'l'tiCUl

IJclaw.ll•' .......... Jo'lt~ridn .• (~t·uJ gia

l•laho llllnu1s .. ftuli :um •. . . . I' ansa!-' .. K ••fit ucky l.oul:-:lan.t :Ita in•· •.. l\J.u·yl;o ntl :\Lt ~:·wl'h111H.'lts i\l1l•h1~o~an .•... MilllWSIII(l .••.••••..

,\fi:->Nh•!li Jl Ill • • • • . :llls!:WUI'i :'\1 oll1llna

~~·hnlsk.t

........

:->t•\nrlu ••••• :->t•w 11a mt•~h Ire ....

"'" .J .. rsey ~ • " .\1 p" ico "•·\\ Yorl\ . • • .. :->ualh l'an.Jinn :->cH'Ih llnl,otn ... Clluu •• 1 I Ida hum a . , ••......

'•unher \' <'rll~t· 'l' otnl Ornr;on ...•. Uuf t" 'J'nl..e-n \ nloH• \ nlut- t•tlnnS\'l\'nnln

1930-31 . • • -. 1931-32 .. . ::::::, ~6 : I Hltorle lt<lnull ..••.• 1!13!!-33 .. • .. .. 1i $ 4011 , 61>.00 ~oulh r•,uolw.t . . 1 '133-3~ ... ... 22'i 375 S51.2fi ~outh J)llknta .. , .1~31·31i . . • . . . • 20i 5.511 1,13S.SO I.,. . 1935-31; • • • • • • IOJ 1 :;,1:! 3.12S,32 o>nnc:sts••e · · • · ·

Hi~:i;.·~ :_ .· ... · ·... SIAn .. : ·.L .. U.3 RARitiY COMMi~I~~"ION Of ij3 ·~tW'.o·.~~~ ·,r·,~~s .... :::.. · · · I!J',II,I.IO . ' · :J '!J') •ttnont .......... . l!H 0- 11 • .. .. .. .. .. . • .. .. Hj~•orical a·"lt!j). \ tP·inlll .. .. . . .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. f~ UHitng 1,1 'ifi.OO .... l~l ·ll - 12 .................... D£·~ M€)JNES IQ~ 1,758.00_ \V;uhlugtun .. , ... . 19 12- , :1 -a so~, o a· G 9

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ,, • 1

·' \\'~>• 1 \ 'in:inin 1!11:1-lt . .. • .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. ~.as t uo · ~o · 1 !I H - I li . • • • • . • • • • • . , • • • • • • . .l!;4 1 a:. i9£!1'\ 9 11 \\ I ~c·u11:<1 n • • • • • 194 5--tt: . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. 31t 2.!17 , {)'Ill• S \\"yomln~ .. .. ..

·ro·r.\J., . . . . . s,tH< $'3.!!j . - - 1!1,306.50 I u.:-.:I'l'l~I> STATES

R~-.iclent

lOi,l'tS 39,12' 61,5411

3H,IS63 223,671

33,5:11 1~ •• o 11 ti7,G11 5G,:lt;,

t25.u"G 291).4 H l'!S 06 tl 2:4 9.'1 1Ul,r.!!5

jt;,l!ll 1-:!1, 7G7 tni,:li!l 80,0 13 8:1,767

77 (i, ti:l 7 327,Hi0

95,12ti 2:.!8,011!1

99,4 72 138,41311

12,:!6S 5ti,'il3

l24,0,S ~2,327

540,3:19 113,;;;; ~ 51,S31

r.21,!Hi 1 120,:!\10 137,01:.! 5~13, t !!3

., 00" ., .. G:I.O!!s !tl,9~4

1311,31' 1 H> • .; 1>:!

t;, !ttl!' H,!!!l{;

H!l,ISS 2SI:,!IU:l lil>,lOJ ·>a~ ao•• - f. ~

40,01:1

S,036,53S

'011-H t·'<hll• u I

Gi!l !• .; 7'

.:!,99!• 2,517 3.2~~

32S 239 7i!! 7:![·

1 ••. , 3 ·--1, 71 0

1,1 ~s 3:?7 5!11

2,i 1 s s. l 12 ~L077 J ,:toll 7 ,!lti7

!197 S73

l,fl27

2,h:.!O 4,:!41 :.. 133 J ,;Gs :!,ti 13 ! ,!.IOU

2, t24 t ,tt72 I ,O lltl

!II S I.!•ri:.!

1:1,973 10!!

:!,311 l'•,ffii

~ .. ' 4 It r,

3,1.tll 3,rif)2

:!.li:! ti

1 :! 1 'i' 1,16!1 2,!Hil

'l'ut n l I , IC't"ll'l''

to- s;, 4tt ,O!I ... 64,61;;

3l~•.llu ~2tJ,!tG3

33,1Su!l 15,25t; 68,366 57.0~ 1

J:!t;,so!l 311(1,141 3 9)), !1113 226,113 lOl,Sfi:: 76,785

124,1'5 115,S21 ~3.090 s.),n7.)

7!s 1,60 I 3!l8,0fi7

9G,99!l :!:!H,O~HJ

100,291 Hl,IIIIS

16,1109 1;5,Ht>

125, ,.; 35,1ir1

fo .f 5,!! fo!}

115,97ll fiG,M.!

fi23,<11 0

1~1.:!7" 13 ,!Jf.l tl(l7,0!!ti

9,151 tiG,3tHI

13i,739 131,112 Hu,U'

UO,titl.! 17,i!fi

151,!.>11 :!87,167 17!t,tHi1 :!!l li,l71i

-43,HI(I

8,190,901

f•'.-e-" Paid b~ Hunters

191,20~ 104,729 13!1,644 !113,30i 5lO.S88 10:;,4il

20,492 230,681 1 :!l,G'i I 1 t>!•.ll2ti -! i :l, 33 9 311!.!,640 2111,026 Ho;,!Jjll 139,:)$3 1"3!1,42i 2H.Oi3 2:111,22-l 160,!!G<

l,19S,437 41l8.!01 2011, 7a4 3-l.b, 791i 182,003 Jti1,40ii ~!l,.f 3$

135,21 !I 250,351 1 iS,640 :SI'i4,S27 2:l S,231 I :ll,5t;­t;t)~l.2;iti

17~ •• ;2:) 41);;,9';'11

1,3!15,841 ~l,S~tS

137,312 10<-t•l'>

• • ... l. - ....

13l!,5bi 304,3lS2 3•12.098

tj•) ll79 . -· 233,ti0!1 511,2tiS 191,249 617.857 216.252

Page 30 IOWA CONSERVATIONIST

Tht' Commission has authorized use of a plane ownt>d by one of thc.> consNvatJoo olfic:€'rs and w a!Ju•lalkies for special enlorc:ement potrolr; . The comb•naiJon hos already proved hiqhly effective on the spnnq qoo,.e lliqht pa troi.-Counc:il BluHs Nonpa:roil Photo

COMMISSION ACTION FEBRUARY, 1946

'f' Hlt; F'I•:Bll.U A HY meeting of the Stale t ' onser valion Commission

WR.:'l hlld at the central office at I >cs MowN~. B'eb r uary 26 M embers present wore : T~ B Gaumlz, Lan­sing; James C .Jenson, Council Blun s; 1•'. \-\'. J\l alles, Odebolt M rs. Addison P ut kcr, Des Moines, F. J . Poyntoer , < 'eciat· l{aptds: R. E . S tcw<u t, Ollumwa: and Ewald G. 'ft ost of Fort Dodg~.

The Conumsston: By admJnrstl'all\'e order opened

t.'t>rlam lakes to wmter fishmg be­cause of oxygen defictency. Ten :.brtllow lakt•s tn northwest Iowa were alt('Ctt•d

.\ppt on•d contract for drillmg three wells at Lake ~1anawa

Apptovt>d contribulmg member­s lup on u ppct· MJssts::;ippi Conserva­tion Conm11t lt!(' and named com­nut tee mem bl•t·s.

Named CommiH:.;ioner Jenson lo ~ervc on tlrninnge committee of Lhe Stale Sorl l'onservallon Ad­vJsory C'omrmllcc

Approved slaH members atten­dance al meelmg with \'Vtsconsin ConservatiOn department at La­Cro~sL, \Vtscunsm. lo discuss :&Iis­sissippi Htvct· pt oblems.

A pprm•ed t encwal of ~Iemoran­dum of Undc t s tanding wilb Iowa Stal\! Colll.'gt>, Ftsb and Wildlife Scr \'tee and Wildlife Inslttute for wtldhtt• 1 esenrch and appt oved allo­<'ntton of "1),000 toward the project.

A pptn\'t•tl 1 cnewal of tishenes re­search utt•mmattdum with Iowa Slate College wtlh allocatton of .. 6,000 tnwatd tmnncmg the project

Approved ftv~> Y•!ar cxtens10n of P1ll man Holll' r I son prl)grum co­npt•rnlwn .

A ppruvl'd rt•pntt'S on dwelling at Huml.mldl Hatchery.

Appl'ovul w~e of plane owned by <'mlst•n n lt<m oflicer I<ny Setchell on spuctal law l'nforccment pa­ln>ls.

Authorized pu rchase of ~IX ~u r­plus army walkte-talkil'S fo t spectal enforcemen t \\'(Hk .

Aulhouzcd publiculion of t•csume of Commission nci H>ll in the " lowa Conservalrom Ht •·

Aulhorrzed cuns ll'llelton of new restdence al lhe Game f<'nrm nt•nr Ledges S lale Par k

Aulbonzed study of possibility of diverti ng trout nm to tltmmish silt 10 Stewers Sprmg trout hatch­er)

Allocated 2,000 l<n· complctton of r iprap wot k on Luke W a pt>llo.

Authorized cunsl t uct wn ot !ish­way in the DL .Mornes River dam at F ort Dodge

AuthotJZNi :-tah•-wade s p 1 r n g pheasant census.

Aut bot izt.td exchange of .69 acres of land adjacent to Wall Lake in \\'right cou nty for .fi9 a(' I ~s of land contiguous, to facilitate res­toration \\or k at Lha.t lake

Aulbortzcd tnvcsllgation of pro­posed dramagc dttch nd)A.cent to Wall Lal<e In Wrig ht cotmly

Denied requcsl o f Boy Scouts to build cabin on Rice Lnl<e lteHerve

Accepted thc gifl of an inhoal'd patrol boat from the city of Storm Laln•, and aulhonzcd a,ppo1nlment of lake custodtan fo r Slotm Lake

D ented tcqucst of t tty of Rlmm Lake for permission lo <.>red tem­porary housmg faciliti<>s on s late land along the shol£• of Sturm Lake

Approved "Plum Crovt• ' as otli­cial name ol the Gon•t·nor Lucas monument {Hca

Approved bid tor prmt mg ·Ill 000 copies of " fowu Outdoot :\lap

Accepted rcstgnatron of Assist­ant Slate Fot e:-tt•r Harold BJorn­son.

Authonzed n~puu· on lht• two state owned hydnlllhc d rt'dges and resumpliou of d t Pdging nt Storm Lake an<l Lnkc ( 'ornclln .

Authorized npprovul of ~<J tl con­servation su·Vlct• ugr·ccmcnts on state owned to r eHl lnndH 111 Alln­makee counly.

Adjoumed.

Timber and Game • • • ,,,.1 n

w ood couJd, i1 it escapcd 111 e, he a lhr ifly young pinery m 19:l!"> when the hardwood \\'a:,; cornsng down At no t ime smce loggmg began has the area been without many !'>tuntl s o f ttmber suffictenlly dl'nsc and ex tenstve to afford retreat from deer and al!'O adru·enl to lho~c openings where thetr other de­mands may be mel

Deer populalion hns r hnnged and shifted as thts cornbinnlion ot edge and forest c rept fn>tn ht>t'e t o thet e In petw<.l s, local deer abundan ce has d w 1 n d I ('<I hut they've always been somcwhet e m the vtc1n:ity. w1th <.banges m num­bers, true, but ne\'el' so low that they faded to lure hunlets.

D eer then . followed the axe in the Lake Superior country but the story doesn't end there. l'erhnp~

nowhere else is there an atca 01

comparable size and wtth suc•h a 1 ange of forest specie:; where the pace of lumbet ing ha!' s hown so many changes. \\"e'll be coming back lo it when \-\'e gel to lhts matler of managmg forests so lbat yield m ay be perpetual, and Lhe effects such practtce can h!LVt>

on game supphes Qua il Pre ff' rs Op«'n S pu c<•..,

lL was not only big gam\! and not mammals alone Lha l were spread about and increased in mJmbet·s by lhe clea rmg of fores ts 'l'al<e tlw case of the btggesl yielth.•t of nil our native game l.nrds the bob­white quail.

Today. on the north ern purlwns of his range we ngbUy cl11ss thts bird as a farm-type rather than a fo rest-type specres Ongmally, he was a woods tnhab1tant but the edge h e reqmred consist ed ot many and very definite types Some old records seem to mdtcate lbnl thl• more ngorous the cluna te. the more exacting be was nboul hts edge specificatiOns So. m what are now the central and not! hern slates, lbose combmn.ltons were r·elalively rare until lhe while ma n took over. Pionee r agricultlll'C wns right up bobwhite's s treet lo n happy home. Its grains lUted his diet list nicely. Tanglt·s of low growth along rail fences mt\de ex ­actly just the biding and nt•sttng places he liked best Bl'usby pas­tures with closely gtazPd gmss plots between clumps of husht.>S were another made-to-ot det purl of his environment

S o \\' h en g rea t-grandfnthet· backed out h is bome:.tead nt·ar an established quail popula llon, thal populatw n swelled because the habttat could carry more mdn'Jd ­

"\tals And when other s t.•tllers came to !'lel up m or e farm:- the co\'OY!; spread over the land a nd the ycnr:-; unlll they seem ed to be ewty­where.

The change came when agncul­tur·e became m ore efficient and tool< on lhe first ma.nifeslallnns oi str eamlining. The rail fence gave way to wire and the br·ond band of rank vegetation whtch had bordered earHer fiel<.l!i ~hranl< to a

tluu trhhon Bu:-bes were npped It om pa~ture~ S('l more forage planL-: could gro\\· W oodlots were t•hmmal(•d or el--e the ground cover m them wa~ reduced by pasturing. The grams and bugs man bad hwught tn the wilderness \VPr e l h••r P rn cve1 increasing quanttltes, but without other necessary fac­tor'~> quail pa~sed the peak of their abundance m many section~ and dwmdlcu as the last square yardl' of negleNecl acres were put lo man's rather Lban the bird's uses 'l'hct·c will be more to say about quail in lht> deep South a lillie far ·thct on.

l!. i l cleat , then, that tbe manner. m wbtt.h man handles his forests hn "' much to do wHb the quantity and dastnbut10n of those game spcctcs which depend, in part un I ore.st..;-: Then· populations can be stepped up a nd given \.ndt-r rangl" 11 lo rests are managed with at least patt of an eye to game values.

(Con· u>~ .. x onth)

IUY YOUR LICE: ... SE F IRST-

a ·o~ Ot,('Ll~E ~ )UCHIGA ~ Ht:PORTED

N e\\'S from :&Itchigan mdtcates the possibility that the f ox cycle hn.s passed 1ts peak at least in lhal stale. the Sportsmen's Service B urN\.\1 a::;se rls W ord from Con­liCI'VlLlton Deparlment personnel in lhe Mto-Gaylord District and in Ost•oda counly is that foxe!; in sonw areas unlrapped last fall, arc flO p~r cent under recent high ll•vt•ls, and that in other areas. whet e tt·appers have operated , ani­mals taken have been in poor con­dalton .

- IUY YOUR LIC:EHSE FIRST'-

The best kmd of figh propagation admuustratwn, in our opm1on, is one which remams open-minded and nc\'er comes to the conclusion that rt know s all the answers. The subJect 1s relattvely new in lht: :-;cienlihc tield, and ten years from now we may know a lot more about 1t It ts important that we keep pubhc opinion as free from formmg premnlu rc conc lus ions as we do ou t paid conscrvaltonis ts- tbat the lat­ter may be free from public pres­sun• lo purs ue their· research and l'Xpcr•imental work.

st .. r·m JJat~ .. Pilot Tt•ilturw.

BUY YOUR LICEN SE FIRST'-

Ol' CK STA.,lPS TO B E \ \' . .\JLABLE .J ULY l~T

D1.:s1gn for the 1946 migratory lnnl huntmg stan1p , commonly callt.td " Duck Stamp." was taken 1 rmn a s k etch executed by Robert \.\'. limes. arltst for the Ohw Con­s~r \'alton Department. The ongi­nalts a black and wbtte wash dra\\­rng show111g four redhead ducks, three m·tle~ a.nd a female. Tbrrteen 111 lht• serte.s, the new duck stamp wtll be ava1lable to duck bunters in nil first and second class post oflkes on July 1st.

' L'Iw stamp series, which was s tarted 111 1934 with a J N "Dmg" Dut ling design, has mcreased from n s alt• of 635.000 in lbal year to a nt•w all lime record in 1945 when 1,5 10,000 were sold.

-

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IOWA CONSE RVATI ONIS T Page 31

blnzmg ~tars, and pra1r1e clovers. of tune. under varying conditions and genl1ans enhance the grass- of topography. land wtth their_ color. and dying 1. Typ~ specimens of virgin soils do":'11 make the1r _seasona~ conln- m vnnous Soil Associations of the but1o_n to the soil as dtd their state should be preserved for study relatives for centuries. and compari:-;on with the same

But Iowa's coat is tattered now, kinds of sur t·ouudmg soils which remaining only in patches here have now been cultivated for many and there where a few pioneer yeat·s families h ave protected and The state of Iowa fortunately guarded a cherished fragment of now owns one such preserve or this magic cover. The b reaking of lype spedmen ol virgin soil and the prairie is vividly portrayed by plant life, cons1sling of two hun­Herbert Quick. drecl ncrcs of g 1·assland near Lime

"The plow itself was long, low, Springs in Howard county. The nnd yacht-like in form; a curved lrncl lies m lhe district where blade of polished steel. The plow- p1·ai rle chickens were formerly man walked beh,i nd it in a cle::tn abuntlanl in Iowa and was pur­new path, sheared as smooth as a chased fm its significance as a concrete pavement, with not a lump game presNve.

Original Iowa prairie Ia exc:e.dinqly rare and its pristine becruty has almost ~c:omo 1!-r:!c:apHeere rAedd:!ooH I. odr Newh Jon~ey tea. the plow-breaker of the pioneer briqhlena

• - cry en p oto.

?f crumbled earth under his feel I ,Such. area" have great value as .1 cool, mo1st. black path of rich- l) pe sper.tmcns of native flora. ne~s. The furrow-slice was a long. fauna. and soils. Selected areas almost unbroken ribbon of wrf, rep1·esenta ti ve of each virgin soil each one laid smoothly against tbl! type should therefore be set aside former st rand. and under it lay to safl'gunru the future of agri­c r umpled and crushed the layer of cul~ure as well as for other edu­gras:; and flowers. The plowpoint catlonal purposes. The Centennial was long and tapering, like lhe of Iowa's entrance into statehood

Iowa Had ...

~ards, lhe torrential rains, the in­erml llent drouth, the 1ce-bound

.vinlers, the humid heal of S\.lmmer,

.he long breezy sunlil days, the ?land autumn, and the long-de­·erred spring all leave their im­:>r inl on the llfe within the prairie.

With the greening of the hills :md plains m spnngtime, hosts of 1ative plants lend color lo the :>rairie. Almost before a spear of ~een is seen, the downy-headed :>asque flower pushes from the sod unong the w1thered red-brown ~urlmg leaves of grass Soon its 1ood-like floral sheath has burst md the wide-open bluish flowers 1re ready to serve the newly awak­"ned bee a lunch of yellow pollen. Heralded by the pasque 'lower, red mall> of ground palms :>righten upon the gravelly hilltops. \long with lawny sedge and pale {ellow paintbrush. False dandelion o the mornings spreads its flowers lnd the prim lhimblefiower• with )early buds a nd scarcely open 'lowers stands high a bove its ;preadmg leaves.

Rising from lhe short g reen ~rass of May, tht' birdfool violet, vith myriads of pansy-like faces, mrrors the blue of sky on slopes ind knolls Nearby, pale yellow >pikes of betony wtlh fe~therv eaves appear in groups with ,lender, blue-eyed stargrass. Jn ~oisler sotl among the grasses. . anada anemone. its globular wh1te mds poised on slender ~tems, is !lready b u r s t 1 n g mlo flower. ~preading tufts of red phlox are ·C~tlered through the grasses w1th ;tiff clusters of lemon and orange­l~wered puccoon This low-growing nlltop commumly. thriving on the ~ravelly outwash left by the glacier '? long ago, recurrently crowns the ulltops of the undulating ice-ridden >lains.

L_evel or rolling stretches of wet >ratrle are laced m springtime

with shining ponds threaded to- prow of a clipper. and ran far out would he an appropnate time for gether in a waterway of wmdmg under the beam. and above it was nny pubhc-mtnded citizen to pre­streamlets. When the g 1 ass grows the rollmg colter, a circular blade sent for slate protection gifts of taller, lhe waterways are shielded of steel, which cut the edge of the prairie sod. from the eye. It is then that lll"'Y furrow as cleanly as cheese. The ._ OUV YOUR LICEN SE FIRST!-

fUl'niSh sheltered avenues for the lay of the plow, filed sharp at web-footed traveller. Encircling every round lay fiat, and clove the the ponds are masses of yellow- slice neatly from the bosom of the .flowe~ed, purple-stemmed, pungent- earth where it had lain from the smelling marsh-marigolds with bcgmning of time. As the team conspicuous ruffled green leaves steadt ly pulled tbe machine along, Cut-leaved buttercups nnd c risp, T heard a curious thrilling sound as white-spiked cress stand upon the the kmfe went through the roots, sedge-formed hummock~. Vary- a sort of murmuring as of protest ing the pattern of the flat wet at this violat1on-and once 10 a meadow, heart-leaved purple vio- whtle, the whole engine, and the lets mingle with strawberry and arms of the plowman also, fell a golden squav;'Wort, and her£' and JO.r, like that of a sh1p striking a there groups of wb1te moccasin hidden rock. as the share cut flower border the ponds The floral through a red-root- a stout root pattern of the many-colored naltve of \\.OOd. hke red cedar or mahog­cover, just described, is but one of any, sometimes as large as one's the variations found in Iowa arm, topped with a clump of rough prairie. With the advancing season, twigs and v.'it.h clusters of pretty lhe aspect changes. The tall, while blossoms. supple grasses, fanned by the ev<'r- "As I looked back at the results active wind, rise and fall in wave- of my day's work, my s pirits rose, like rhythm like a green mland fo r in the east a man might have sea beneath the expanse of gray or worked all summer long to clear as blue above it. The dazzling light much land as I bad prepared for ~etiected fror.1 the mass of leaves a c rop on that first day. This morn­~ s sometimes softened by the float- ing it had been wilderness; now 1l mg cloud~ which progress1vely was a field a field in which . assemble m formation from the one could plant ... corn. by the far horizon, or merely fleck the simple process of cutting through c~opy with bars and patches the sods w1lh an ax, and dropping which ~lay a ~bile in space. or m each opening thus made three lose thetr form m mounting haze. kernels of corn "

NJ<; W 11' 1~11 AN D W ILDLIFE S I!JRVIOli.: ('HJEF

£J ere is a thumb-nail sketch of A lbe1·t M Day, who will become director of lhe U. S. F1sh and Wild­life Service on April 1

Born tn Humboldt. Nebraska in 1897, m~ving to Wyoming m 1900, where h1s fam1ly became ranchers. Gradu_a.t<' of Umver:-;ity of V\~yom­mg w1th B S degree. maJoring in ammal husbandry and biological sctences. Entered the government servtce in 1 q19 as temporary field assistant in \.<\ voming. followmg :-;erv1ce wtth the signal corps during World War I In 1920 took charge of rodent control in Wyoming. and 1n 1928 wns placed in charge of slaft of professional hunters to protect Wyoming livestock and game from wolves, coyotes and bobcats Trnnsfened to Washing­ton in 1930, and Ill 1938, upon pas­sage of Pillman-Robertson act, was pln.ced in Ch"\rge of the admin­istratiOn or thiS legislation. Since 1912 has been in general ch'lrge of all th~· ld admimstralton for the U S. F1sh and Wlldlite Service

Day has a splendid background for the work which he will shortly under take. Jf he can enlist the aid of sportsmen, who are prone to shy away from this pa1 ttcular govern­m£>ntal agency, much will be ac­complished.

Dt•IIIOl'lll t

- euV YOUR LIC:E N '>E FIRST'-

In tbe eastern meadows the pur- • In Iowa, man has steadily trans­phsb or white shooting star::;, the !orme<.l the rich prairie sml, in the rose-flowered pratrie smoke th\! cour:;e of a hundred years, into v.,ld heliotrope and the saxtfrage farmland. Through his limited wave their banners On th£' rough knowledge of conservation, much or sandy western borders, the great of lhe rich top soil has slipped peotstemon gives the slope a pmk- away while he was not looking. and ISh glow and bayonet-leaved now lies m considerable quantJl\' white spiked Yuc ta d ' \\'htlt h.II'JIPII~> to th•• .111th•rs ,,·J1ir·l1

- · cas s n upri 17hl at the bottom of lO"'a lakes 0'1• 1 k 1 th 1 "' "" ' 1~C 1 • ,., •• 1111\llllll~· sh"d hits ion'-!

on e oess cliffs and ndges, clogging lhe channels of formerly '" ,... ·' o;u hJt·c·t fnl· •h•hn l•• ntnou•· where fra<rile creamy flo r lb . I!Jinr·tslllllll Sni!H! Ill'•' ··al<'ll lov lllic·:: o~ wers o o navigable slrean1s. The pr·1·celess t I I • ~. Pl · lit 1 ' '" 1111<1 JHIJ'c•uplnr's Jnr their

ams Mentzelia open wide as the :~oil was formed through the cen- otlll .. rnl •·null•ut. otlwrt~ rtb:integrate mid-day light gi'OW c]i t 1 llll :tl•• do Ill ht•ll Into I ht• rJ·otJncl

s m ut ics under grassland vegelalion · Throughout the state al t 1 b 1 1 ouv vouR Lie: I! bel h 1c y t 1c ncorporation of parent ma- . J>jS£ FIRST!-

g t of the growing Heason or lel'lals (glacial till), plant and ani- :-;.," .. tlttlt';""" )<'ll a1-.o, "he11

aS the end draWS neal', lhC S\ln mal l'CSIUUeS (OrganiC t ' ) r :"• )\\ f(tl hint~ t•~g t•nllt•('!OI'l< W••n• flowers aster ld I ma erla l. II t ,. II' l~t•~ • .J,.,., thll ••g.;- .. r the <'all-' · go enrod, roRcs, nnd by weathering through perwds t'.!''ula ••nu•loa· h: .. t a rnal'kct \aJ 1;,. .-.r

~, 5u cudt.

Paqe 32 IOWA CONSERVAT I ONIST

Tho soli libre lined nest of the Redstart. is dellly concealed at a moderate heiqht in some qwet tblcket.

Wildlife . . . (I I I I Uti! I Jn llo\~P 25)

Their col01 aiiords a natural pro­tectwn, and when they 1 emain per­fectly st11l, as is usually true they are most difficult to find. In in­stancl'S whe1 e an accident ba<; be­fallen the fc male, the male bas been kno\\.n to as~ume all the respotlStbllilies of raising h1s fam­ily

As soon as ducklings hatch they ate able to leave the nest and follow the mother The ~fallard drakP. takes little interest in his family so lhe problems of feeding and protN.ling the ducklings fall to the mother She lakes them into lht• water where they soon learn to puddle and forage for themselves.

Although most of our wild ducks build nest.-; on the ground close to lai<E>s and marshes, the wood duc!t prefi'J I' t n bmld ils nest in hollow trees that may be a surprising dis lane P from water. Usually, how­ever. tlw nest is located in a tree OJ' .stuh overhanging walet or situ­ated close to it. How do the young get into the water'! Tl ts thought. where possible, l hat they drop in, or else lhey fall to I he ground through encour:.tgemenl of the mothe1 and follow bet to the water A wood tluclt's ne"l has been found m a hay loft. How lhe mother planned to gel her ducklings lo the walct i!:l nol known .

Om• ni the most unusual bird nurse ry nl'rangements is that of tht: phalaropes, known also as "swmumng sandp1pe1·s." The fe­male 1s s lightly larget· and more gaudtly colored than thf> male. B\'ery yt•at" 1s leap yt-ar to her for sh<• IS tht' more nggn•sstve during llw t·ourtlllg season. The male pre­pares the n<'sl which 1S a slight dep1 cssion in I he ground and lined wllh gt aSSl'.S. Unfm tuna tely rt is not ton good a job, bul it ts the best hu can do. TIH· I em ale does lay llh.' eggs, but 1t is t ht. male who puUcnly sit~ and rncubates lht•m 11 he ts flushed from the nest he mtty return shot tly w1th a nasal plamtlvc ct y heggmg lhr> mlruder to lcrn·e before th~ w1fe dbcover~

his p1 cdicamcnt. lfe is a perfect example of the hen-pecked male. \\"hen the young hatch it ts he \Vhu leads them to lhe shallow-\vall:r· feeding grounds and dutifully cares for them \\'hat is the lcmale domg all th1s tune? Ran·ly does she help her malt with incubation and eat­ing for the young. Most of Uw time she spends gndllmg about in the company of other temah>s, puddling in the ftals nml shallowli, and talking about the uclvanla.ges of ladies' day

The nest of the turkey vulture is located in a hollo\v tree, rock cavity or other natural receptacle

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The oqrets crnd horonn nest ln colonies. whore they place their massive stick·like p!aUorms in the crowns ol tall trees. qen· orally In non·accessibl<' locations.

where the eggs cnn be dcpos1tecl \\'tlhuut having to usc any nest bUJ!dmg matet ials. When hatched, the young are nnl<ctl nnd exceed­mgly ugly. Howevcl', they ~;non

acqutrP a coat of down us well ag a very had odor. Tlw parents feed them by regurg1tutmg carrion, whidt makes th~ ousting cavity smell like a well agt•d gat bage can. To protect lhc1r young about all lht> ar!ults can do is vonHl, which 1;

so met imcs most t>fl ~c:t ive for th e odot i~ fatal to a \\'eak .stomach.

The location of a mArsh hawk's nest d epends lnt·g(•ly upon th" amount uf good hunttng raur~ • avmlahle for lht• JHU cnls Tht•y ate purliculat about Lhc11' hunllng tern lor~ and Lry Lo p1 l'vent other marsh hawks It om t'our~in~; over 1t. Sometimes the fe111111~ Jays the last

Oll<' ot· two of her eggs after a as the young birds feed Sprtng one day inlermtssic•n. Smcc lhcn• and summer .slurms destroy negts. may be as many as ntl1l eggs tn a eggs and young by blov.;ng them nest there is naturally a lag in out of trees. hatching of some of the eggs. The cedar waxwing 1s another Usu•11ly the titsl hatched hawks hu·d th-It feP.ds 1ts young by legur­nt·<' large and strong enough when gtlating food. \\'bile the fledglings the last laid eggs hatch that they 1 ar·e only a few days old they a r e may devour the la tP comers l•}vPO nmong those that hatched at the :-.a me ttme. one nr l wo ot t ht•m outstnp the others m s1ze and we1ght because they are qUIC'lH•t in rrrnbbmg lhe fooci b1 ought by tln· parPnts. \iVben lhe fledglings HIP

young lhey are fNI on prepared meat. This is flesh mintls bones. feathers or fur. As the young grow larger. howevet·, they lNun lo swa'low mict; <tnd other prey whull~. The bones and other indtge~t lble substances ate formed into pellets and ejected by th~ young bml through its mouth. The parents keep lhe nest clean by can yiug away these pellets and by relining the nest at mlervals with grass. Thts pracl1ce of nest sani tat 10n ts fairly common among most of out· bu·ds Notable exceptions are lhc turkey vulture and lhe screech owl. The nest of the latter becomes very lillhy from an accumulation of pellets and excrement.

Some b1rds construct very sub­slanltal nests that withstand wincl, ram and bail and afford good pt o I eet10n for the youn~ Others nre very poor house bUilders and ~an produce only a ftims~ n ~st that is easily demolished by a high wind or beatmg rain

The moutning dove ts m the latter group Its nest 1s usually a saucet·ed platform of sticks and rootlets somehm~s so flimsily con­structed that one can see through it ~1aybe the btrd does not ha\'c the proper tools, lor 1ts btll and ft•et are ralhc r weak and nut adapted for can vmg and arrangmg nestmg matenals. It has a most pl'culiar way of feeding its young By a series of muscular conlJac­tions of the crop and throat the parent regwgtlales partially th­gested food known as "plgt•on's mill< ." The young dove insert:-; 1ts bill mto the mouth of the paren t and literally drinks the fluid U nltlw other birds, the dtlve does not have to lilt its head lo allow liqutd lo l11ckle down 1l.s lh1·oat :F'eC'dmg aclton can be rccogmzed easily, for the parent bm.l bobs tls head and body and twttehes 1ts wmgs

F'lo~>ida GallinuJo. along with many of lhe other ma:rsh birds, nest either on the ground. or at low ohwations in well pro­teeced rusb patches. Tom Scott photo.

fed on ft ml juices or soft-bodied msects whH:h lhe parents cullPct and carry in their rhroats A fle r several day~ the young arc fed \\hole bet'l ies and other fi1Jits that in c ludc slons pul!'J. se3ds a nd julf'e l:<'ew young birds are as well he­haved as those of the waxwing. C'tnnpared Wllh young robms, fttck­l'rs and hawks lhey are quiet, re­~erved. and well-behaved. The adult waxwing ts socially correct and has even been seen feedmg the young of other spectes that were calling for food. The btrd world doe..; have 1ts relief workers.

We do not ordinarily think of u bird':: nest as being good to eat. Our common chimney swift has relatives in China whose nests are considered very good food by the

You.nk turkey vultures. w hen hatched. cue nak!.'d and exceedingly uqly. They soon ac:quirt' a eoat of white down and a very bad odor that may be trac:ed lo the fact that their parents w hen feeding them. regurq1tate carrion in and around their qapinq mouths.-Tom Scott Photo.

Chmese The swift bas well devel· oped salivary glands which secret<' a substant(; u~ed as a mucilage in huldmg stit~ks together. It 1s this mucilage wluch permits the swift to attach its nest to chimney walls. Lls sticlnng qualities are ve ry gooo in ordet to support the nest. parent and from four to six young bmb.

Anothet famous b1rd nesl 1s that ot the ct e ted flycatcher Part of thE> nestmg malenal used is a piece of cast off sn'lke skin. Somet1mes the skin. tf long enough. entt rely enctrcles the ue~t or is mixed in with the gra ;ses. rootlets and other matertals. \\~y is this <h)ne? No one knows yet.

(Continued n••xt month)

DUY YOUA L I CENSE F IASTI-

\Vc want to offer our handsha)(c and pat on the back for fra N Gabrtelson, t ecently relired chief of the U S F1sh and \Yildlife St; rv­ICe, for a good job well done by a fA.ithful set \'ant. Our be~l wishes to you, "Gabe ...

BU V YOUR LICEN SE F' IA6T!

N.tturull t~ haH• t<Stlmato rl I h.• I IIH pritlllll\'!l (IOJllllatiOit of btlh\'l'l'S 111 ;>.:oJ'th .\m~rkn, In Y"ar:; uf nltun­tlnu cc, was t}O,OIJO,• IJU.

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