The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-07-26
Commissioner
Favors 6O-Day
Hunting Season
Bag Limit of 10 Ducks Per Day
Is Recommended BY
Thoralf Swenson

The state game and fish depart
ment Is advocating a hunting season
OF not to exceed 60 days and q bag
limit Of 10 birds per day, according to
a statement by Thoralf Swenson, state
game and fish commissioner, follow
ing q survey Of migratory waterfowl
breeding conditions in North Dakota.
On the whole, Swenson reported,
water conditions in North Dakota
this year have been favorable and
continue 50: adequate water Is avail
able In most localities, indicating q
reasonably successful breeding season
may be expected.
waterfowl breeding conditions are
spotted, being very good in some To-
calities and very poor in others, he
said, "but cross-section Of the entire
state indicates conditions are some
what better than last year.
However, the alarming thing in
the waterfowl breeding conditions in
North Dakota, is that our stock Of
nesting mallards is apparently below
that Of the past season. Since the
mallard Is "the backbone Of migratory
waterfowl shooting In the state"
Swenson felt that even though some
considerable increase Is shown in
other species. breeding conditions in
1888 merit grave consideration.
Migration Below Normal
"Substantiating the findings Of our
investigation" the commissioner
pointed out" Is the fact that the mall
lard migration this spring was uni
formally reported as being below nor
NAL
I'm the past, Investigations con-
Quoted by the U. 8. Bureau Of Biolog-
ical Survey and by private organiza-
tons have indicated conditions in
Canadian provinces have been much
on par with those in North Dakota,
and If this be true, in 1888. we feel
We have not yet reached the point
where long seasons and large bag
limits are warranted. or even possible
iii we are to maintain our present
stock Of breeding birds. We believe
our 1888 season should be regulated
by federal proclamation and the sea-
son should be at least as short as that
Of 1892.
Further restrictions must be put
into force If we are to maintain oul
stock Of birds at somewhere near it,
former level" 5wenson said, adding
there can be no good reason for the
continuance Of q 15-bird-a-day bas
limit.
The commissioner reported precipi.
tation to be normal or above norma
in the northern and western section.
Of the state, but below normal In thu
southern and southeastern sections
water levels are very low In that
area Immediately east OF the Missouri
river and south Of the main line o.
the Northern Pacific railway. Thi,
condition also is found In the south
eastern part Of the state, but not *
such an extent.
ION the other hand, the termina
morraine, or range Of hills between
these tow areas, seems to have had 6
good run-off and water levels are ap.
parently adequate to insure q success.
full breeding season there" he said.
"In the northern and northwestern
part Of the state. water levels are uni
for1nly good. However, in the ares
lying in the northcentral part Of thu
state, east Of Des Laos and west o.
the Turtle mountains, water level!
are quite low.
1--WE believe that with the exception
Of the three areas mennaned. wAte1