The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-04-21
Will DEVELOP
GAME RESOURCES
NEW GAME WARDEN OUTLINES
POLICIES STOCK STREAMS
AND FORESTS.

Boise, April 1.-The state fish
and game department will adopt de-
finite program, having for its aim
more attention to the propagation and
development Of our fish and game re-
sources" it was announced by State
Game Warden r. E. Thomas, Satur-
day afternoon, following conference
with Governor G. G. Moore, IN which
plans for the departments work dur
ing the coming .biennium were dis
cussed More money spent in per-
manent improvements and in the pur-
chase of game birds, game animals
and their propagations and less money
spent in salaries and travelling ex-
penses is the aim of the governor
and in that l fully concur" he con-
tinued
"The biennial report of the fish
and game department for the years
1921 and 1922 show $330,918.25 was
expended. OF this amount $l44,673.
was expended, for salaries in field
supervision and approximately $40
900 was spent for expenses OF the
field force. The records of the game
department indicate that in the years
1921 and 1922, of the revenue re-
ceived during those years $4,000 was
expended in improvements, approx1-
ment and $4,000 for supplies which
latter items include the purchase OF
game birds, fish eggs, and other sup
plies We believe that more econo-
mic administration of the affairs OF
this department will permit us to ex-
pend or put into permanent improve
ments between $4,000 and $4,000
during the coming biennium with
similar increases in the amounts for
birds, fish and other game,
Plan Permanent Improvements
During the biennium just ended
an average of 48 field men were en-
ployed. These of course did not in
clude hatchery superintendent and
assistant superintendents and those
Immediately connected with the oper-
alton of the four fish hatcheries.
Carrying out the program of economy
in salaries and expense with more
attention to permanent improvements
and game propagation we propose to
reduce. the number of field men to
not more than thirty-three, includ-
ing the eight assistant chief deputy
game wardens This reduction on
basis Of the revenue derived from the |
sale Of licenses and other sources dur
ing the last biennium will mean a
saving of approximately $4,000 in |
salaries for the biennium. The item !
of travelling expenses for local de-
putfes is also quite a factor. On a |
basis of the field men employed dur
ing 1921 and 1922 this would amount |
to- $500 per annum per man. A re- |
duction of the field force will mean |
a similar reduction in this expense |
and we estimate that the saving on |
this account should be approximately |
= 80. H. IL &. ,scs rfor,e
alone being sufficient to build one ad- /
ditional hatchery
When the republican administra
tion took over the game department /
in 1918 matters generally were found |
in rather a deplorable condition, our
hatcheries, for instance, were in a
bad state of repair. The COeur
d'Alene hatchery had been closed or
its operation discontinued. There
had been, or was, very little attempt I
made to actively patrol the state, in
consequence of which violations of
the fish and game laws were common
and particularly little respect was
had for that feature of the fish and /
game law requiring that every hunter
and fisherman must secure license
1t was apparent therefore that a
strenuous effort must be made to pro-
was accomplished, as can be readily
shown, by increasing the number of
field men at that time and also de-
manding increased efficiency.
1t was very evident also, from
thorough investigation that on ac-
count of the very few fish planted by
the former administration and the
manner in which the same were
planted, that our streams in many
Instances had become almost entirely
depleted. The demand for more fish
seemed to be the crying need The
revenue of the department duringJ
1919 1920, 1921. and 1922 was ex-
pended largely in supervision, which :
doubled the revenue along
all lines and greatly restocked the
streams as well as bringing greater
respect for the law on the part of
the sportsman and public in general {
These results having been accomp- I
lished it would seem that the time is
now ripe to expend less money in
supervision or field work and devote
a larger part of our revenue to per-
improvements, the building
Of additional fish hatcheries and
larger investment in the planting of
game birds. 1t may have been neces-
sary during the past four years to
retain the large force of field men
but experience has also indicated that
by using care in the placing of these
men at strategic points. this force {
can be considerable reduced. /
Continue Active Supervision. G
In no sense should 1T be under 9
stood that acive supervision is go
ng to be discontinued. With the or {
sanization of various gun clubs and 2
'portsmens' associations and the CO. t
operation Of the farmers and public c
n general with the department, we
should be able to carry on this work k
With considerable reduction in the i
lctive force t
It is planned this year to expend G
IS large an amount as is possible in