Arizona republican., 1917-09-26
PLANS TOFREE
 AR|zONAF
 ANIMAL DAMAGE

In a campaign of eXtermination of 1 predatory animales, Dr. A. K Fisher, in charge of economic investigations, biological survey of the department of agriculture, is making a tour of Ari- zona. A great deal of work has al- ready been done in this state and in some of the northern states within the last three years. Since the campaign was begun great areas have been cleared of destructive animals to the great saving of the stockmen.
 Hunters are employed, organized and instructed by men trained to the work All are paid salaries and are forbidden to accept bounties in any form from stockmen or states. The hides of the animals killed by them are turned over | to the government. From this source last year, $35,000 was turned into the fund for the support of this work.
 An illustration of the results to stockmen is shown in the effect of the campaign in New Mexico. More than | 400 wolves were destroyed and 11S mountain lions, beside coyotes Ac- | cording to the estimates agreed upon | by stockmen as to the destructive ca ! paclty Of the various animals, there was more than a million dollars saved l the stockmen of that region for the ensuing year.
 East of Socorro there was a rene gade wolf which within a compara- lively short period had killed IS steers, 53 sheep and valuable shepherd dog, l all the property of a single stockman He sent in cry for relief and one of 1 the men of the survey was sent In three days he had killed this wolf In an area in Colorado which the sur vey had cleared of predatory animals. a large band of sheep was being moved | to grazing allotment in a national | forest. When near the destination it was found that a number of the sheep l were missing, a count showed 2S3 ewes. When they had disappeared 1 from the flock was not known. The owner afterward telling Dr. Fisher about 1t said that under the old con- dltlonS he would not have thought it worth while to hunt for them The 1 wolves and mountain lions would not have left enough Of them to warrant the expense of hunt.
 But the other sheep having been placed, a search was made for the missing ewes. There was first dis covered where they had "bedded down. the first night. They were traced to the second stopping place and the next day they were found There were 2S5 of them, the flock having picked up two strays.
 In the destruction of predatory ami mais and birds, said Dr. Fisher. the work of exterminating rabbits and rodents must go hand in hand with it or an equilibrium will be destroyed that Will result in great damage to stockmen and farmers.
 In illustration of this pr. Fisher de- scribed situation in Virginia in the vicinity Of Winchester. There a svs- temdtlc campaign had been carried on py the farmers against hawks and owls with the result that the country fad been practically cleared of them. another result was a plague of field hhce and rabbits which had denuded the country of orchards at a loss of several hundred thousand dollars. If these predatory birds had been allowed to survive they would have kept this pest down and they might have de- Foured hundred dollars worth of poultry as their fee. And the payment or this fee independently of the ser vice of the hawks and owls would have performed in ridding the country of m melie rodents would have been earned. me birds could have killed only sickIv or weak chickens thus contributing to the survival of the fittest among the poultry. '4ie
 The survey includes the study of olrds and animals which are beneficial to stockmen and farmers For in stance not long ago the alfalfa weevil was doing great damage in places in clah. There had been an indiscrim- mate Killing of birds there. among them the lark and a kind of blower. a seml-game bird. The survey ascer- tained that 98 per cent of the feed of these birds consisted of insects chiefly alfalfa Weevil. These birds are now being protected
 Another work of the survey is to as certain and plat the habitat of every mammal, whether known to he in Jurlous or not. Some time it may he and then it will be known where to campaign for it's extermination. These investigations are conducted with sci ehtl1lc precision. For instance, in a mapped area it was discovered that ~ per cent Of the forage had been de- stroyed by rodents, or that but for the rodents there would have been greater amount of forage oy zo per cent. With that saved. that area would have supported 900 GOO more head of livestock. And inst now, the government is interested in finding the greatest possible area for live stock
 The work of the survey in the ehS ChllSu oldleS IS divided into nine districts. The western district. con sistng of the Pacific coast states. the IhterInountain states and Texas. is un- der the direction of Dr. Fisher. In three or these states, Washington. Nevada ana Utah, the survey works in co. operation of the states, all of which make appropriations to supplement tnose of the federal government pr fIsher IS hopeful that the legislature, 0r Iexas, Arizona, New Mexico anf wyoming may provide for the CO., operation of those states.
 Three hundred and fifty men ar, employed in the campaign aeains predatory and destructive animals One of them, MT. Gilchrist. has bee, operating in the northern part of thi, state against prairie dogs with tb, most satisfactory results. Others ar engaged Tn hunting and trapping bi, game Tn the north and when the snow
 come they will be moved into tn, southern part of the state, to operot esPeclaily in Cochise county.
 Ihls work has been going on fo . only three years. The first year ther : was an appropriation of only SEQ cor Ihe appropriation has since bee, greatly increased, but it is still ia rom adequate considering the bene neal results that are possible JTnti quite recently the campaign was car red on only on the public domair put latterly assistance through th
 states Relations bureau has been af Iorded to farmers and stockmen n, flsher left last night for Tuosor