The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1941-11-27

the goal we nave set before |
DR.. Severy is chairman Of the
state fish and game commission and
he had cone to Libby in response
to the request Of E. M. Boyes, chair
man of the fish and game commit
tee OF the Libby Commercial club.
DR.. Severy spoke for several min
ntes In an explanation of plans and
policies governing his important
commission. When he had conclud-
ed his hearers possessed q much
greater fund of information regard
ing fish and game problems. Among
the many points touched on, the
following stand out in greater i'm
pOrtance.
Touching on the open bird sea
son here, DR.. SeveTy said the COM
mission understood birds to be fair
~ plentiful here. Mineral and
Sanders counties were against IN
open season, rlatheAdA sportsmen
were divided on the matter. Hence
an open season was given here and
closed elsewhere.
Nunber q Fish Licenses Doablsd
In respect to ice fishing in
Thonpson lakes, DR.. Severy gave
some interesting information tol,oh-
ms "a general fishing condjEieos.
HI I'D the pressure aeain1t ~ d1h
rss.1ce ~ tncrsaaed epaa1 ~
MN Y r. r. - lI1
wiI1dn tae tist ~ Is Il ye1.3. L. =
n0ns time = eiyee 70 fishing by
each license hooker, he said. This
increased pressare requires care
ful Management; I possible limit
ing Of the season and shortening Of
hours. He said no one would deny
that the fi1h resources are very
much worth protecting. He conclud-
ed that il the commission can be
convinced that ice fishing In Thomp-
son lakes will not harm trout fish
ing, the lakes might be opened to
ice fishing.
Touching further on managing
fish and game resources, DR.. Severy
said, in effect: We are managing
these resources for two groups. The
first group Is the sportsniefi OF
Montana. The second group are
those sportsmen from outside the
state who would come here 10 en-
JOY few days of sport"
Meets Opposition
Here we come in contact with
certain opposition" continued DR..
Severy. I'VE find there are some
men who object to the outsider.
They would put a fence around
Montana fish and game and keep
them for Montana people only. We
OF the commission do not like that
philosophy. EN-
I'VE are convinced that these
great resources Of fish and game
are two of the most valuable in the
state. Montana is not what might
be called wealthy state. We need
to develop every resource we have.
Great sums of money are being
brought into the state by outside
sportsmen. This can be increased
and developed by wise program Of
publicity and game management.
Such an industry can be established
and made to mean very much to
the people of the state, and for
years to come. The commission is
deeply convinced in this matter and
this is the policy we intend to fol-
low If any of my hearers are con-
WINGED to the contrary, they had
better set about getting a new COM
mission because we intend to con-
tinue inviting the outside sports
men to come here and to manage
the game resources with that idea
in mind would rather reduce the
amount of fish and game allowed
me by half ii such action would be
necessary to take care of the out
side sportsmen,' said DR.. Severy.
DR.. Severy enumerated some of
the things the commission is trying
to do. He said it is as wasteful to
undergraduate game range as it is
to overpopulate one. Therefore,
wise management requires that
game should often be moved from
one district to another. Regulation
against too great killing is poor
management If that is all one does,
he said. Game population must Of
ten be increased.
To aid in this management, a sur
vey of upland and exotic birds is
being made throughout the state
under funds derived from the Pitt
mani Robertson act This survey
has been made in 35 counties and
he said the commission hopes to
have crew in Lincoln county next
summer.
Other matters touched on by DR..