Evening star., 1932-07-03
WILL URGE LONGER
SEASON ON DUCKS
Bureau of Biological Survey
Finds Breeding Areas in
Canada Restored.

The Bureau of Biological Survey is
prepared to recommend to the Secretary
Of Agriculture and President Hoover
that the sportsmen of the country be
given two weeks or a month more duck
and goose shooting than was allowed
last year. it was learned here yesterday
from an authoritative source close to
the bureau.
The recommendation will be made at
a meeting of the bureaus advisory
board, composed of outstanding conser-
vationistS from all parts of the country,
next Friday, and it is probable that the
recommendation will be perfunctorily
accepted by the advisory board, Secre-
tary Hyde and the President as have
the recommendations Of the bureau in
past years.
Breeding Areas Restored.
1t was learned yesterday that exten-
sive studies of the duck breeding areas
in Canada show them to have been re-
stored, to a large extent, and that the
Biological Survey feels that with the
drought cycle in the breeding area
coming to an end, the conditions which
caused the drastic curtailment Of the
duck hunting season last year from
three months to one month have been
practically abated.
A movement to return to individual
State option all hunting regulations
about open seasons or waterfowl also is
expected to come before the meeting Of
the advisory board with the experts of
the Biological Survey next Friday, but
is not expected to get the sanction Of
Secretary Hyde, in whose hands the en-
forcement Of the United States Canada
migratory game bird treaty and the
fixing of the open season limits rest.
Biologists of the Department of Agri-
culture, who have made extensive
studies Of the habits Of the ducks which
annually migrate down the Atlantic
Coast by the millions, and on whose
information the season was curtailed
last year, have been in the great breed
ing areas of Southwestern Canada and
Northwestern United States for some
time and report conditions in the great
Sloughs and ponds wnere the ducks
breed to be greatly improved over last
year, when the prolonged drought had
dried up about 98 per cent Of the water.
Rains last Fall and Winter and this
Spring have given the ducks nesting
places, and q crop Of young birds, well
above the number which came down
last year, is expected to migrate next
Fall.
That there is definite pressure being
brought on Secretary Hyde to turn over
to State option the fixing Of open sea-
sons on ducks, was admitted at the
Bureau Of Biological Survey yesterday.
Deplores Option Demand.
william r Hornaday, director Of the
Permanent Wild Life Fund of Stam-
ford, Conn, one Of the foremost con-
servationists Of the country, wired The
Star yesterday:
IT am informed from Washington
that great pressure is now being
brought to bear upon Secretary Hyde
to compel him to leave to individual
State option all hunting regulations for
killing duck and geese All local option
demands from States of water fowl con-
centration should Immediately and
strongly be denounced and opposed by
every honest friend Of game and sport
Federal control Of the killing or not
killing Of Federal game is absolutely es-
sential to sound conservation. In State
control lies quick determination.
Shown this, officials of the Biological
Survey expressed the opinion that since
REIMBURSEMENT Of Federal control of
migratory game birds would be in di-
rect opposition to the intent of Con-
gress in establishing Federal control of
waterfowl shooting, there is little likeh-
hood OF Secretary Hyde yielding to the
pressure.