Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-09

ATJr. a. REDINoTON, chief Of
the Biological Survey. q. 9. De-
uartment Of Agriculture, in his
radio address for Rod and
stream over station WMAL ap-
pealed 70 the duck hunters Of the
Country to keep under the bag limit Of
is ducks and four geese day when .
lesser number viii serve their purpose,
and said from reports received by his
bureau the population OF ducks mas
materially decreased from that OF last
year.
"The duck season having opened on
November /, Mr.. Miller has asked me
to give his radio audience Information
concerning the waterfowl situation all
over the country. To be perfectly
frank. according TO the information
given us from Canada and from our
reporting agencies throughout the
United States, the population OF ducks
has decreased materially from that Of
last year, which also was not Q wild
fowl season which could be optimisti-
cally described. The hatch of ducks In
the great prairie breeding grounds Of
Alberta and Saskatchewan was much
less than the hatch Of 1929. and this
fact Is made evident from the reports
Of our Federal game protectors and
other qualified reporters throughout the
United States.
"The recent serious drought in many
States has resulted in greatly reducing
available for the ducks on their south
ward migration, and testimony comes
from many regions that ducks are con-
centrattng on much lesser water
acreage than o year ago. Naturally,
those who live near and shoot over
these concentration areas may see q
large number OF ducks. They may even
see more birds than they observed last
year and perhaps conclude that the
ducks are just as plentiful Is they were
In years past, but IN sizing up this situ-
know that this reasoning is not sound,
because of the great construction
through drought Of areas available to
the waterfowl.
stTN view Of this situation, have the
i following suggestions to make:
I'D That the now existing daily
bag limits Of IS on ducks and on
geese, recommended by the Secretary Of
Agriculture and promulgated by the
President, be scrupulously observed by
hunters. It should be remembered that
the Federal regulations constitute the law
Of the land in reference to the taking
Of ducks, except as some States have
limits and seasons more restrictive than
the present Federal regulations. To
put It In another way; where q State
under present laws permits q larger
daily bag Limit of waterfowl than do
present Federal regulations, the Fed
eral regulations should be observed.
Cd That hunters keep under the bag
limit when q lesser number than Is win
serve their purpose.
CD That they use their discretion in
shooting baited birds.
(D That they make every endeavor
TO pick up crippled birds.
go That they familarize themselves
with and not fail to observe the regu-
lations In reference to the opening and
closing hours of shooting each day.
COZ That ell real sportsmen report
cases Of violation of the State and Fed.
eral laws and regulations which come
to their attention.
Redington said that not far from the
Capital Of the United States ducks are
still being shot 1T night and illegally
trapped In large numbers. These mall
practices. he pointed out, by reason Of
inadeQ1acy of enforcement personnel,
are annually levying very heavy toll
on waterfowl.
HONCERNING the numbers of water-
~ fowl along the Atlantic Coast he
said:
II am advised that our October %
census on the Potomac River between
washington and tidewater showed 8
total Of approximately $4,000 ducks.
These included nearly all species ex-
cept redheads and canvasbacks, which
Of course had not yet arrived In NUM-
bers. Another reporter, from Back
Bay, Vairginia, states that q large
number Of bluebills Cor scaup ducks)
usually early for them In that region.
'1.he State game warden Of Mary
land reports, &c OF october ~, that
there are many thousands Of ducks ON
Chesapeake Bay. IN Dorchester, TAlbot