The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1941-02-06
MANY WATERFOWL WINTER
ON WHITE RIVER REFUGE

ON WHITE RIVER REFUGE
About one and a half million
migratory waterfowl, principal
ly wild ducks, are wintering on
the White River National Wild
life refuge in Arkansas this year,
according to a fish and wildlife
service report to Secretary of
the Interior Harold L. Ickes.
Most of the birds are staying
on the ITO lakes within the ref
uge boundary, but many are
also found on the White River,
which winds through the IT,
000-acre wildlife sanctuary be-
for merging with the Mississippi
river.
Service officials estimate that
about 80 per cent of the birds
are mallards, 5 per cent pitfalls,
and the remainder ring-aecked
ducks, baldpates, green-winged
teals, wood ducks, black ducks,
blue bills, and Canada geese.
"The Delta section of Arkan-
sas is a favorite wintering spot
with the migratory waterfowl
in the Mississippi Flyway route"
said Burton S. Webster, assist
ant to Refuge Manager Howard
A. Miller. The assistant refuge
manager pointed out that the
Arkansas area is at the bottom
of the funnel" of the Mississ-
ippi Flyway. The migratory wa
terfowl coming from Canada
and the northern United States
in this flight lane converge to-
wards the mouth of the "fun-
nel' and then spread out again
farther south.
Observers have noted an in
crease in the number of Canada
geese wintering on the White
River refuge this year.
"The increase in the number
OF geese in Arkansas this year is
remarkable" D. N. Graves, di-
rector of the Arkansas fish and
game commission reported to
service officials. "And the ducks
have also increased substantial
ly. It is evident that the Fish
and Wildlife service refuge pro-
gram is bearing fruit. The ref
uges, together with the program
of waterfowl hunting regula-
lions and law enforcement
should be given credit for the
increase of waterfowl - at least
in Arkansas"
Commenting about the win
tering population of wild ducks
and geese on the White River
refuge, the state official said:
Il have seen more ducks on
the White river this year than I
have ever seen in my life, and I
hunted over what is now the
refuge for many, many years."
Though the wildlife refuge
has a large number of wintering
waterfowl, Manager Miller hopes
to be able to increase the total
population of wild ducks and
geese many times. Increasing
the food supply will enable the
refuge to support many more
birds, the service official said,
and that is the principal prob
lem to be solved now. The ref
uge is composed of fertile bot
tom land. It has been built up
by the silt and clay deposited
here when the White river
floods the area.
The area is entirely forested,
being a mixture of overcup oak,
red oak, pecan, ash, red gum,
sycamore, elm. blackberry and
other bottom land trees. Be-
cause wild ducks are fond of
the acorns of willow oak or
pin oak" as it is commonly
called, the service will attempt
to reestablish large stands of
that tree on the White river
area. Already thousands of will
low oak seedlings are being
raised on a large nursery on the
sanctuary. These seedlings will
be transplanted throughout the
refuge.
MANY individuals are sur
prised when they see $4,000 wild
ducks and geese rising off one
OF our lakes" Miller said, "but
that's nothing compared to
what this refuge could sustain
If the pin oak" stands are de-
veloped here. The birds almost
darken the sky now - they
should blacken it later"
MAKES ANNUAL REPORT
The state hail insurance