The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-07-29
GAME BIRDS
ON INCREASE,
SURVEY SHOWS
Prohibition Of Bird Dog Fav.
vOrabIy Affects Grouse
and Chicken
BY W. e. TAYLOR
President, North Dakota Game and


Commission
LaNourc. n d.. July ga fairly
complete survey Of the state, luol
made by the North Dakota Game and
Fish department, gives assurance that
the tribe of Nimrnd will find plenti-
full harvcgt of grouse and prairie
chicken AWAITING them when they take
to the fields in September. Generally
speaking. the spring hatch vas sur.
ccssful ~ Al parts OF the state. while
in the Red River valley the hlr Is VIII
be found IN greater abundance than
for good many years
Members Of the Game and Fish de
partmcn.. almost without exception.
are agreed that this favorable condl-
ton is due IN large part TO the tact
that the use Of bird dogs is prohibited
by law And this view is supported
bv the equally significant fact that in
those states in which the use Of hunt-
ing dogs is permitted, such game birds
las prairie chicken, ruffcd grouse,
quail and woodcock arc disappearing
with alarming rapdity The comhlna-
ton Of automobiles, dogs. pump guns
aud automatics is too much for the
birds.
Birds Plentiful
Sportsmcn who in their youth en-
joycd the peculiar pleasure of hunting
cartridges truffed grouse) in the
woods of Minnesota, Wisconsin and
other states east Of us. now have an
opportunity Of renewing their youth
in most delightful way. These birds
are plentiful in the Turtle mountains.
and they become lawful prey Of the
hunter from October 7th to October
18Th inclusive. in the counties OF
Cavalier, Pcmbina and Rolcttc.
niven favorable weather. nothing
can be more delightful than few
days Of partridge hunting in October
Then the woods are riot Of gorgeous
cnlors: the Turtle mountains are
thickly dotted with beautiful lakes;
plums, cranbcrries and other wild
fruit everywhere abound; thou.
sand deer hide in the coverts Of The
wood; in short. the setting IS perfect
But the ruffed grouse hunter mus
needs be alert and quick on Tho
trigger" for at any moment one o.
these interesting birds may roar VI
under his feet and lose no time II
disappearing in a thickct.
''Ring- Nccks" and cartridges
Unusually successful matches oi
Chinese pheasanst are reported from
the state game farms at Grafton AM
Bottincau. A general distribution Q
eggs and young birds have been mad
throughout the state. and report
from these paintings" are highl.
salts factory.
At the same time, it must be admit
ted that there is a good deal Of preJu
dice against these handsome birds
not only on the part Of sportsmen, bu
of farmers as we'll Sportsmcn d
not regard the "ring-neck" favorabl
es game bird. while farmers clan
that they interfere with domcsti
chickens and that they are harmful
growing crops. 4 farmer residin
Near Washington. S. d., filed claii
against the Fish and Game depar
ment of that state of $1,000 for dan
age alleged Ia have been inflicted b
"ring-nccks" to his corn crop. II
claimed these birds dug up the corn q
fast rs he could sow it on field {
12O acres.
Whatever may be the merits of tn
general indictment against the Oh
nese pheasants. the writer is of tn
opinion that they are not attractiy
rs ! game bird. and that they shout
be cultivated in North Dakota
show birds only. We are likely
have plenty Of them in the wild stat
ing northward from South Dakot
mnd arc now quite plentiful in tn
southern tier Of counties in Mort
! Dukota.
Quite different is the attitude {
our sportsmen toward the Hungaria
partridge. Here is "a game bird in tf
best sense of the word, --dainty. qult
on the wing, elusive in it's flight, an
highly edible withal
The department commenced to IN
port these birds from Hungary thrt
years ago and to distribute them
oil sections of the state. Both u
climate and the topography Of Mort
Dakota is said to be very like those
Hungary. so there was every reast
TO believe that these birds would I
well here. Experience thus far HI
shown that this belief is well founde
Reports from various sections
which Hungarian cartridges we
placed indicate that they are thrivl
and multiplying rapidly.
Congestion Of Ducks
When it comes to wild ducks:-n
SO good. In large areas of the sta
practically all sloughs have gone DIR
Crops were sOwn last spring IN u
bed Of Lake Irwin. north Of Churc
Ferry: Lake Hester and Smokey la
1 lin McHenry county are bone dry, al
/ similar reports come from other sc
4 lions. The result is that our loo
4 ducks have become congested in 7
Il Hions where water is still availab
4 IN the Turtle mountains. for cxamp
\ every lake and pond is fairly swarl
4 ing with ducks and ducklings--ms
lards. redheads, canvasbacks, pintai
greenwingcd teal and other varicti'
4 hut most Of US will have to tray
4 long distances for our duck shootl
this fall.
Fish Culture
That there are many bodies of wat
In North Dakota capable of suppol
4 Ing large stocks of game fish the
\ need be no doubt. Fish culture h
been largely neglected. however. I
the reason that the Fish and Gan
dopartment has no funds with viii
to prosecute that work. No fish
license fee has been authorized by II
In this state, and such money rs I
l41h and Game department uses
fiph culture is arbitrarily taken frt
funds derived from the sale Of hui
Ing and trapping licenses. It shoy
always be remembered that the Fl
and Game department is maintain
solely by funds arising from the >,
of licenses Of one kind and anoth
EsSAS