The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1944-01-27
Big Growth
In Libby
Industry



Local Enterprises.
PLANS ALREADY MADE
FOR POSTWAR ERA
a goodly number of men gath
cred Friday night in the Communi
ty room for the first meeting of the
Libby Commercial club in severa
weeks. President Max Sturm pre-.
sided in an efficient manner. The
secretary, Dexter Shaurette sub.
mitted brief report that was CON
else and to the point. The club now
has 81 members, he said. High num-
Der last year was Ill. Taking into
consideration those who had left the
community, it would leave a mem
bership Of 81, which shows that the
club is holding up well from the
standpoint of numbers. Something
over $500 is in the treasury.
President Sturm stated the club
had received many requests for do
nations but in. view OF the scarcity
OF funds, the directors had decided
70 refuse all such requests III the
future and confine expenditures to
club matters only.
Heavy Loss OF Deer
E. NJ. Boyes was called on to speak
on fish and game matters. He gave
an interesting and comprehensive
report covering the past year or two.
He said there had been heavy
loss OF deer in the. '42-'43 winter.
estimated as high as IS per cent,
mostly among the young deer and
lawns. He said it would probably
take five years to regain the loss.
(The forest service estimates the
loss as 5000 deer during that win
teri.
Boyes said the club had helped in
blocking the attempt to create a
closed area in the mountains south
west OF Libby, and also had blocked
q proposed open season on does and
lawns in the Fisher river district.
He favored open seasons on bear
N the spring and fall and men3ipped
briefly the big horn sheep prob
lem here. He regretted the slaughter
OF elk OF few years ago and said
the comeback would be slow.
Boyes advocated holding out for
a Today open season OH upland
birds, saying that there are lot Of
them in the district now, especially
OF ruff grouse.
Ducks Are Increasing
He spoke at some length on the
comeback OF the duck population.
He recalled that few years ago
ducks of the United States and Con
ada were placed at 200 million.
Then because of various causes
duck numbers began to decrease and
many authorities feared that ducks
faced determination, the number
dropping to as low as Is million in
1882. An association known as
Ducks Unlimited was formed and
a program started to save the
ducks. This has been SO successful
that in 1910 the duck population
was estimated at $50 million. Boyes
called attention to the survey Of
local lakes and streams made by
the U. S. biological survey. Its re-
port tells what kinds OF duck feed
can be grown in local waters. He
suggested that this survey be stu
died and that its recommendations
be followed.
he spoke encouragingly Of the
fish situation, remarking that dur
ing the past year fishing had been
the best in 10 years. This was due,
ne said, to the planting Of larger
fish by the local hatchery, many Of
them being 6-inch fish at time Of
planting. He paid a fine compi-
ment to the ability Of the present
superintendent OF the state fish
hatchery, George Ripley, remarking
that he was known as an author
lty in such matters and had always
been most cooperative. He said that |
in a recent conversation with Elmer
Phillips, superintendent Of state
fisheries, he was assured that plans |
for the hatchery contemplated many
after the war.
Tells OF Accomplishments
Boyes looked back" for a few
minutes and enumerated SOME Of
the things the club had accom-
phshed, such as adjustment Of the
Wolf creek game preserve consid-
cred no longer necessary; reduction
Of the creel limit; the buck law;
planting of sockeye salmon in the
kootenai and many other accom-
plishments.
The speaker paid a fine tribute to
the Libby Rod and Gun club, said
they were Wideawake group of
sportsmen and urged the giving of
the fullest support to theft. He sug-
sested the club name a committee
70 study post war activities.
4. A. Klehm stated that the dis
.rict possessed an oddly in a pinto
ELK on Dunn creek. Albino elk were
not infrequent, he said, but he had
1ever before heard of a pinto elk.
This animal Is strongly marked in
! pinto mixture Of white and brown.
Highway Outlook
Walter Neils spoke on highway ac-
.ivities He said that after a uraat