The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-02-08
PUBLIC FORUM
 RECOMMENDS FOR
 GAME COMMISSION


 Some forty persons to whom Alaska game provides material for their profession or hobby accepted the invitation to speak thelr minds freely for the benefit of the Alaska Game Commission before it's meeting next week.
 They gathered last evening in the City Council Chambers for the public forum" meeting arranged by the U. s. Fish and Wildlife Service, to make suggestions or recommendation regarding F.W.S. game regulations for the coming season.
 Jack O'Connor, F.W.S. law en- forcement agent for the Juneau district, presided.
 Sportsmen, registered guides and trappers made up the audience. They went down the list of regu- lations regarding season and bag for each category of game, argued each one, then made recommen- dations for consideration of the Game Commission.
 While it was obvious that each hunter and trapper was citing his own experience and desires, in most instances, the meeting was notable in the emphasis, by on-organized group, on a long-range program of conservation and restocking.
 In Attendance
 Among these participating act lively were Oscar Oberg, Red Will jams, Ed Sweeney, Henry Harmon, Kinky Beyers, Bill Byington, Jack Manery, Ed ziegler, Leonard Ber- lin. Lewis Mcdonald, Joe Trocana Trevor Davis, John Harris, Lyman Reynoldson, Vic Power, Joe Reidi Ava Blackerby, Ray Westfall, Hal Sheldon, A.W. Boddy, s. P. White lev and Bernia Hulk.
 Two FWS. officials, Dan Ral- ston, law enforcement supervisor and acting director in the absence of Clarence J. Rhode, and Urban (Pete) Nelson, biologist, attended and answered questions. Carleton Smith, F.W.S., also was there
 Among the motions by which the group went on record were these recommendations:
 To leave "as is" for the 1949 season, the deer, moose, goat, large brown, grizzly and black bear sea- sons, with the recommendation that the Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm areas tclosed during the war) be reopened for goat.
 Trapping
 As to trapping, the group went on record as wishing to leave the m.nk, otter. weasel, fox and lynx season to the Game Commission, but on beaver the vote favored keeping Taku Valley open each year until the beaver population there has been cut to point where further regulation is needed.
 In the matter of game birds, the recommendation was to change the grouse opening from August 20 to September l, the season to end February 28. It also was voted to recommend there be no open spring season on hooters (blue grouse), an action opposed to one taken at Petersburg. The pres ent daily bag on grouse and ptar- migan was satisfactory to the ma jOrity present.
 After a great deal of discussion. the gathering recommended in- creasing the limit on game fish from 20 to 25 day. with two days bag as possession limit.
 Restocking
 It was voted to restock Admiralty Island with mountain goat pro- ject which, O'Connor reminded the game enthusiasts, would come un- der the Wildlife Management pro- gram but is not within the pro- vince of the Game Commission. It also was voted to recommend the stocking of streams contiguous to Juneau with trout and /or grayling, and feed.
 Asked about the F.W.S. program Urban (Pete) Nelson mentioned the plan to tD restock animals to their native areas and (2) stock areas similar to native ones, such as the plan to restock mountain goat this year.
 The annual meeting of the