Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-01-31
SpOrtsmen Of State
Discuss Wild Life
Conservation

Discussing plans which will aid
in maintaining Montana's prestige as
a paradise for hunters and fishermen,
members of the Montana State
Sportsmens association met in SEES
sion at the Placer hotel, says the
Helena Record Herald. Glen A. Smith
of Missoula, chairman of the board,
presided at the morning session.
The morning session was featured
Eby addresses by representative Ben
Nelson of Phillips county, chairman
of the fish and game committee of
the house who told of fish and game
legislation and by Fred M. Rose, su-
perintendent of the federal bison
range at Moiese, who told of activ-
tiles in banding ducks at the traps
maintained by the federal biological
survey there. J. J. Harper, of Ana
conda, read paper in which it was
recommended that all forest and
mountain land in the state be &C.
quired by the federal government as
an aid in protection of wild life. A
committee was appointed to draft
a resolution asking for continued sup
port Of the duck banding operations
at Moiese.
The chief problem of the duck
hunter in the state is conservation of
ducks destroyed by other methods
than the gun, asserted Mr.. Rose. The
survey conducted for the last three
years at the game preserve at Moiese
shows that hunters kill Sc per cent
male ducks and that SIS Per cent Of
/ the ducks coming to the. banding
traps are males, hence the enemy to
! the duck is that which decreases
! the number Of females during the
nesting season.
Only one third Of the ducks handed
are reported killed by hunters and
the story of the disappearance of the
other two thirds will result in action
which may increase the number Of
ducks without decreasing the amount
of shooting, Mr.. Rose said.
More than 1000 ducks were banded
this year at the preserve. About 1000
were banded last year. A study Of
tine flight of those killed and re-
ported show that ducks west of the
continental divide do not mingle with
those on the east side, having their
own Matching grounds and routes of
| flight. About 10 per cent Of the
ducks killed are in western states.
The survey will Show definitely the
migration routes, the concentration
points and the mortality rate Of
ducks when it has been continued for
few years, Mr.. Rose believes.
Half the ducks reported killed are
/ from Montana points which shows
that they stay in the state a few
weeks eacB autumn and if protected
areas are established the shooting
season will be heightened
Activities at the banding station
the last few years has shown that
there are always about the same num-
| Der Of ducks, even though shooting
may be poorer some years. Poor
shooting in Montana this year was
due to weather conditions and not
to a decreased supply of ducks.
: Records at the station show that
the same ducks often return to the
: traps several times durings season
: One duck handed during The south
5 flight was killed week later in Can
S ada 200 miles north of the station
q Others banded the same day have
!, been killed in California, Oregon
az Washington, Montana and othel
!, western states, showing, Mr.. Rosl
g said, that habits of mallards are no
similar.
j More than SO per cent of the duck
/ caught in the traps are mallards
z Others are pin tail, teal bald plat
= and spoonbills.
v Chairman Thomas N. Marlowe 0
/ the state fish and game commission
outlined a program for the sportsme'
: of the state which, if funds could b
/ secured for it's administration, woul
10 assure to posterity an ample suppl
y Of fish and game in Montana, h
said.
n can increased program of propage
y ton is necessary he said The stat
n should not wait until the wild life
.. exhausted before attempting TO RI