Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-07-12
HOUSE HEARING CALLED
Shooting Over Ducks to Start Early
BY WHEELER JOHNSON
Outdoor Editor

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shooting may start before the
first one flies south.
\ The opening gun is being
aimed by Representative T. A.
Thompson, Democrat Of Loui-
siana, who is unhappy over the
tight regulations and bag limits
imposed the last several
seasons.
He is joined by many hunters
who feel that they have been
given little consideration in the
matter Of setting bag limits
and short seasons. despite the
fact that they pay heavily for
their sport through special
licenses and duck stamps.
Hearing Opens Thursday
Thompson is chairman Of q
House subcommittee on fish
and wildlife conservation and
he Is opening q hearing Thurs
day to see whether duck hunt
ers have been given full con-
sideration in the matter Of bag
limits and hunting dates.
The Louisianan said he re-
ceived many complaints from
duck hunters and from my
own knowledge as q duck hunter
I believe that the resources
would not be harmed by giving
the hunters q reasonable imi-
tation on bag and season."
Last seasons stringent regu-
lations were no doubt based
on duck population estimates
that were proven to be grossly
erroneous" he said.
II intend to use every effort
to see that bag and seasonal
limitations for the 1864 sea-
son are more realistic" he said.
He said no duck hunter wants
to deplete the waterfowl re-
source but that he believed the
Fish and Wildlife Service
should give more weight to
qualified public opinion.
Future Depends ON Habitat
The future Of the wildfowl
resource depends much more on
the conditions Of the habitat
than on gun pressure by hunt
ers along the flyways, Thomp-
son said he believes. :
Meanwhile, mildly encourag-
ing news was embodied in the
Ducks Unlimited early prairie
report. It said habitat condi-
tions improved over all. but
were extremely variable. The
season was early and pintail
and mallard broods were re-
corded in volume Q week earlier
than normal.
Its surveys showed most of
the increase to be In Sas-
katchewan with little change
In Alberta or Manitoba.
The heavy rains Of last Au-
gust and the quick early spring
this year were credited for Inn
provement Of habitat condi-
tons In Northern Alberta,
Northwestern and Southwest
ern Saskatchewan.
Early Summer Rains
Early summer rains were seen
as q key to this years duck
production and heavy rains fell
early last month. Much above
normal rainfall In April also
helped general conditions.
In the United States one de-
velopment was under way that
could offer long-range aid In
improving duck pre- uction. The
II. srior Department is strongly
supporting O plan before Con-
gress to increase shared
revenue payments to counties
where National Wildlife Ref
ugeS are located.
The department says pro-
posed legislation. If modified,
could remove one Of the serious
stnr ling blocks for waterfowl
habitat preservation by setting
up a new formula for distribut-
ing revenue payments on o
more equitable basis. The rev.
enues come from sales of hay,
grass, timber and other prod
uets Of the refugees.
In 1861 Congress authorized
the Bureau of Sports Fisheries ,
and Wildlife to spend sos mil
lion In seven years to buy
3,F20,0O0 acres Of waterfowl
habitat. Most Of the money was
armerked for 80 "wetlands"
counties in Minnesota and ,
North and South Dakota.
Little Progress Made
But at the end Of the second
year Of the program only 47,050
acres Of small wetlands have
been acquired within q proposed
goal Of 100000 acres. There are ,
easements on only 14.756 acres
Of wetlands from the proposed
7syear total Of 1.l5O,000 acres. 4
And less than 1000 acres for
waterfowl refugees have been
approved for purchase, leaving
24S,855 acres still to be APP
proved and purchased, accord
ing to q report by John Mad
san and Ed Koziky Of the DIN
Mathieson Chemical Corp. con-
servation department.
The trouble Is that the pro-
gram has met strong opposition
from taxpayers and public off.
Gals who don't want the wet