Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-01-11
Mistaken Aid
Can Be Fatal
To WiIdIife

The Maryland Game and In
land Fish Commission is point
ing to Missouri's experience in
warning that poorly planned
efforts to aid wildlife during
the winter can be fatal to the
birds and animals.
In other words, it is possible
to kill wildlife with kindness.
First off, the well-intentioned
naturally get concerned about
the fate of wildlife when storms
arrive. On the other hand, quail
and rabbits can survive unusu-
ally severe weather If they are
adequately nourished and If
they have some shelter. Both
have existed for centuries and
managed to get through a lot
of winters.
In 1860 the Missouri Conser-
walton Commission and sports
men spent thousands of dollars
on food for wildlife. In some
cases. the commission says, it
did more harm than good.
Sportsmen would venture out
to scatter feed, but travel was
difficult over country roads and
deep drifts barred walking. The
tendency was to scatter feed
where 1t was easiest, with little
thought of what it might do to
the birds. Often this was along
the road, where quail were easy
prey to predators and vehicular
traffic.
Another killer was the fair
weather feeder" who brought
feed to a station once or twice
and then lost interest. Quail
became dependent on the feed
and persisted when the supply
ran out.
All this, the commission says,
points up the dangers in win
ter feeding Of quail, songbirds
or any wildlife. If emergency
feeding seems really necessary,
select a good site which has
protection from both weather
and predators. Keep the snow
cleared away and put out
enough food at a time to last
until you return with the next
supply.
Once you start feeding, don't
stop until the natural food sup
plies are again available. Don't
let the birds get dependent on
your handouts, only to perish
when you get tired and aban-
don the feeding.
50
Along the same line, some
interesting experiments with
wild turkeys have been con-
Quoted in Pennsylvania.
Arnold Hayden, Game Com
mission biologist, and Gene
Nelson, assistant superintend-
ent of the commissions game
farm in Lycoming County, are
convinced wild turkeys can take
winter in stride even when
their stomachs are periodically
empty.
Last winter they subjected so
adult hens to two complete
starvation periods. Starting
January IL, the birds were fed
half their normal rations for
IL days. They were then given
no food for two weeks, followed
by another 18 day period or
half rations.
The second starvation period
ran from February % to March
8. followed by IL more days on
half rations.
Before the experiment, the
hens weighed an average of
1853 pounds. During it, they
withstood a loss of 2.23 pounds
without succumbing. They were
kept in the open during the en-
tire winter in temperatures as
low as Is below zero and in
SNOW reaching a depth of 8
inches.
Perry B. Van Week of Silver
Spring is captaining the Allan
tic Coast team in the Big
-Four fishing tournament which
opened yesterday at Cabo
Blanco, Peru, and continues
until February 6.
Other team members are Gill
bert w. Keech OF WeStmoreland
Hills and DR.. John w. Cham
bers of Baltimore. All are mem
bers of the ocean City Light
Tackle Club.
The Atlantic Coast team is
defending the Challenge Cup in
the tournament. Anglers are
seeking swordfish, marlin and
tuna. -COVELL