The Nespelem tribune. [volume] (Nespelem, Wash.) 1934-1936, 1935-09-18
State Will Retain
Many Game Birds
Will Hold $4,000 Pheasants Dur
ing Winter Under Novel
Plan

for its novel plan of retaining a
huge flock of $4,000 pheasants
through the coming winter and re-
leasing the birds next spring.
The washington game commits
sion has no record of this plan be-
ing employed elsewhere.
Winter homes for the pheasants,
mostly ringneck Chinas, will be at
Kennewick, where a new 40-acre
retaining farm is nearly ready for
occupation by $500 birds. and at
EllenSburg, where a new game farm
put in operation last spring has
been enlarged to care for the other
$500 pheasantS.
Pick Brood Stock
From the great flock of pheasants
the game department. will select
5000 choice birds for 1886 brood
stock. The others will be released
next spring at carefully selected
sectors where their species have
been thinned by heavy hunting,
severe winter, killing by predators,
or other causes.
Despite the novelty and expense
of the retaining farm idea, the game
commission is confident that it will
be successful. The commissioners
have calculated that the program
will be very much a success if each
bird retained rearS on am average
five chicks to maturity next year.
Hens and cocks will be retained at
a ratio of five to one.
Prevent Escape
The two retaining farms are en-
circled by seven-foot wire mesh
fence. They are not covered. The
pheasants will be kept in captivity
by means of the brailing system
The brazil is a soft leather thong
which when attached to one wing
of bird will prevent flight.
Highly important in choice of re-
tanning farm sites was the fact that
both the Ellensburg and Kennewick
districts enjoy early springs. The
latter section is conceded ito have
spring about Is days earlier than
other districts in Washington. The
game commission eyes this with
satisfaction as it means as early a
start as possible in rearing the 1896
upland game bird crop. Eggs for
all eight state game farms will be
produced at KenneWick and EllenS-
burg.
No Doe Season
{ Only male deer and elk with fork
ed antlers will be eligible targets of
ninrods in Washington during the
r3oor coo coy, o,,oy,i,,r notol,o,, On oyod
closing November l, and during the
elk season dating November 3-15
inclusive in six counties.
Lone exception to this action
taken by the state game commits
sion at it's September meeting pro-
vides that elk regardless of sex or
size may be taken in open season in
small sections of Garfield and Co.
lunbia counties.
Earlier this year the game COM
mission had decided to allow spike
bucks to be taken by deer and elk
hunters. The action was rescinded
after study revealed that the fork
ed horn law would involve fewer
technicalities and could be enforced
more easily by the game protectors.
Dropped Former Plan
Other September meeting action
saw the game commission cancel
part of regulation providing for
hunting of doe deer in a small sec
ton of Chelan county. A substitute
regulation makes it unlawful to take
female deer anywhere in Washing
ton. The original doe hunting
arrangement was made to appeaSe
farmers in the area involved, where
deer have become SO thick as to be
semi predatory. The plan was dis
carded this month, the game de-
partment planning to live trap the
troublesome deer, If possible, and
move them somewhere else.
Elk season will be opened this fall
only in Asotil, Columbia, Garfield,
Kittitas, Walla Walla and Yakima
counties.
Test Uniform Season
Aftermath of this falls shooting
will determine whether or not the
game commission in
seasons over the entire state, as
the future will set uniform hunting
established this year.
The uniform dates system was
adopted by the game commission for
1895 after strong advocation by
sportsmen. Last year the commits
sion listed three deer seasons in
different districts determined by
conditions. Many later
protested that game hogs were
moving about with the open season
and taking more than their right
ful share of big game.
This seasons shooting opens
October 20 and closes November 1.
1t is known that some oppose this