The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1930-10-23
SCAR|TY OF WILD
DUCKS is GENERAL

has many bodies of water suitable
for ducks and other waterfowl but
our present waters are inadequate
to insure good duck hunting in all
years, and it possibly offers the
most popular shooting," according
to statement by B. F. Gerry,
Secretary of the Montana Sports
mems Association.
"The sportsmen throughout the
State should be giving considerable
thought to the construction of
dams which will provide ponds and
| lakes for private and public hun
ting as well as refugees for ducks.
The planting of suitable food in
such waters is very important.
Many of our present ponds and
lakes are full of water during the
spring months but completely dry
during the summer and fall mon
tbs. Under such conditions the
mother birds leave and the young
birds starve or are destroyed by
! pradatory animals and birds in
their quest for food and water. If
they are fortunate enough to sur
vive, they usually find some suit
able body of water many miles
distant and the hunters have to de-
pend entirely upon the northern
ducks for their hunting.
duck hunting is very poor in
Montana this season and there is
a general scarcity of ducks, but
many States having numerous DO.
dies of water and refugees are re-
porting fairly god hunting. The
Biological Survey is making very
thorough investigation of the pre-
sent duck shortage and will UNI
doubtedly issue a statement in the
near future.
I'm many locations the cost of
constructing these dams would be
very small and the returns very
large. A great number or series of
such waters would naturally in
sure more local ducks and also
bring more northern ducks into
Montana and cause them to stay
for longer period of time. Any
sportsmen's club or organization
constructing such ponds and lakes
for private or public shooting and
also as refugees will accomplish
something that will be of real ben
eft to themselves and their COM
munities."
Mr.. Gerry also stated that the
State Fish and Game Commission
have furnished duck food for plant
as their funds would permit.
"Sportsmen going afield this
season to take daily and seasonal
bags of wild ducks and other game
birds may find occasionally a num-
bered aluminium band on one leg
of the bird. Bird banding cooper
ators of the Bureau of Biological
Survey of the U. S. Department
of Agriculture, in advancing their
studies of North American water
fowl, have banded game birds at
more than so stations in the United
! States and Canada, from Louisi-
ana and Georgia and from Maine
to California. The Biological Sur
vey desires report on every band
ed bird that is recovered, and re-
quests the cooperation of all sp-
ortsmen." B. F. Gerry, Secretary
of the Montana Sportsmen's Asso-
citation, also stated that this infor-
nation is very important as it will
help to great extent in solving
some of the many problems con.
fronting the sportsmen in Montana
to-day.
"The report should state the
number on the band (including any
series designation, such as A, B or
c. and the date and locality Where
the bird was obtained. In return
the Biological Survey will tell the
person rendering the report where
and when the bird was banded, and
send interesting information on
the application of the banding me-
thod to bird study.
bird banding, as conducted by
the Biological Survey and its l.
700 co-operators, furnishes a me-
ans of obtaining information re-
garding conservation measures.
The banding records Of the Bureau
have furnished much information
on hunting and conservation prob
lens, such as showing the regions
that are visited by particular con-
centrations of birds. The solution
of these problems means much to
the perpetuation of the sport of
wild lfowling, and sportsmen are
accordingly urged to examine the
ducks and other wild fowl in their
bags and report banded birds to
the Biological Survey"
Mr.. Gerry also stated that such
information may be sent to the
Montana Sportsmen's Association
and that it will be forwarded to
the Biological Survey.