The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01

Wild game Is tangible asset. That
the asset is thoroughly tangible think
no one will attempt to deny, even though
there are certain technical difficulties at
tending; for instance. an attempt TO put
salt on the tails OF wild geese in order
that we may count them and study their
| condition from year to year.
Nevertheless, In spite of such technical
difficulties. which there has sometimes
been disposition to magnify, feel that
| sportsmen appreciate the great impor-
lance of having precise and dependable
Information about the wild life resources
| OF the State.
All OF us who are charged with the
administration OF wild life protective
\ laws, and in general with the wen being
and increase OF wild life, have had fire.
quent and tragic experience with the at
tempts OF all sorts of visionary people
to get their ideas enacted into legisla-
ton and their pet hobbies worked out in
the field.
L believe, In fact, that in many leg
islatures the number OF bills introduced
at each session to amend the game laws
considerably exceed in number the bills
upon all other subjects.
Certain II IL that In every State the
status Of wild life does not change
anything like the rate at which attempts
are made to modify the laws affecting
that wild life.
Among the explanations that may be
advanced for this instability of the game
laws are that the general public, the
commissions and the members OF the
| legislatures have altogether Inadequate
| Information regarding game conditions,
and no means of obtaining information
other than sporadic reports of unframed
| observers.
New York State until comparatively
recently was in this category, and It was
not until 1915 that a definite attempt
was made here to develop a method for
Keeping check upon the game resources
of the State.
| wild Life Tangible Asset.
felt at that time that wild life is In
deed an asset that is tangible; that. in
fact. everything with which conservation
deals Is tangible, so that II may be
handled. examined and studied In its va
\ rious relations TO its environment, IL we
are able to devise proper methods for
that examination.
Accordingly in 1915 I Instituted what
we have called in the Conservation Com
mission the game census. It Is a con-
tinuous running check upon the condition
OF the States Wild life made by the
| Perhaps should say at the outset
! that the idea OF game census has fur
nished considerable amusement for many
| people, some OF whom have depicted us
| In the act of counting the noses OF the
bears. and that IL has been the occasion
| OF many trials and tribulations in our
own office and among the game pro-
| tectorS in the field.
| But out of all the effort involved in
an endeavor to obtain genuinely accu-
rate data regarding such elusive things
as game We have actually Obtained in
formation which stands the acid test OF
careful analysis and has proved our
| bulwark on several occasions against
vigorous attacks upon certain features
OF the conservation law.
l should say further that this census
Is not an actual count and that IL has
! made no attempt at count except In
the single instance OF deer. These ami
mails lend themselves to an exact
| inventory during the deep SHOWS OF
winter, when they are yarded. but no
others in this State do.
The census is designed, on the con-
trary. to record such important facts as
can be ascertained with definiteness, and
Ileaves out OF consideration improbable
| assertions or estimates that must be
based upon guesswork or the unreliable
method OF averaging.
Census Gives Deer Inventory.
The census IS however. intended 10
| give US definite knowledge regarding the
general abundance OF different species
in different sections and the fluctuations
in their condition from season to season.
In addition to being directed to the
m tinNN NF, Co.
sus has had as one OF it's important
aims the development OF the knowledge
| Of the local protectors regarding the
p, wild life which it is their business to
protect.
| You can Imagine our own surprise in
the beginning when we discovered men
| among our own field force who were
actually unable to tell us anything OF
Importance about the condition OF that
wild life in their districts which It was
their work to guard.
II Is surely no unimportant factor OF
three years consistent work upon the
study of wild life that our l40 field men
have been required to report to us upon
cards every week all of the game that
they have seen and the conditions I'M
der which that game was existing dur
ing that week. They surely are better
As a simple matter OF psychology the
game conditions Of their districts have
become much better organized in their
minds and their work better opganized
as a natural result.
Card Index on Game.
The method adopted by the Conser.
walton Commission in August, 1915, was
that OF supplying to all OF the game pro-
tectors small cards OF different colors
printed and ruled so that the men can
report with the least clerical efforts all
OF the facts regarding game that came
under their observation during a single
week. At the end OF the week the
cards are transmitted TO the office and
the protectors start In upon a fresh set
One card provides for recording the
number of deer seen each day, with
spaces for dlfferentiatlng between those
whose sex Is not determined. the bucks
tho does without observed fawns, the
Der OF fawns.
The deer card further gives space for
report on damage to crops or property
distribution OF the deer by locality, ply
steal condition, food supply, conclusion
as to number of barren does, &c, II
other words. in addition to nuplerica
count OF tho deer seen and the kind OF
deer space is provided upon the card fol
every sort OF observation which the
protector has ability to mako and record
Other cards provide for data regard
ing game birds and water fowl, fun
bearing animals and predatory animal:
ana birds, with appropriate remarks
! Another card Is for general remarks or