RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES OF GAME, FORESTATION AND PARKS COMMISSION YEAR OF 1940

A TRUE FISH STORY

I shall have to lay the foundation of this incident, by saying that I reside in the largest legislative district of the State of Nebraska, the "Big Fortieth," that consists of the counties of Cherry, Sheridan and Brown. We have the best lakes and finest streams, that have in the past, been the anglers' paradise of the state. I like to fish. I represented this section of the state in the Legislature in the sessions of 1933-35-37, and incidentally to canvass and campaign this district prior to the primaries and general election is no small task. I generally made a pretty thorough canvass of the district prior to those elections, and that required that I travel by car, not only meeting up with the constituency in the cities and villages, but also through the sand hills and country districts to the ranches and farms.

Incidentally I mixed pleasure with business, and never did I take a trip out campaigning, but that I carried along my fishing tackle, rod and reel, bait and creel.

One bright autumn morning as I was traveling over a slightly used dim trail in northwestern Brown County, I suddenly came upon a beautiful little stream that looked to have all the possibilities of the home of that beautiful fish, the trout. I brought the old flivver up short, several rods back from the small wooden bridge that spanned the creek. Right now I began to cautiously investigate, and found several deeper poo's with shady banks. Hurried back to the car, secured my rod and the right kind of a fly, and

RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES OF GAME, FORESTATION AND PARKS COMMISSION YEAR OF 1941 RECEIPTS

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quietly cast it over into a promising spot. No sooner had the fly hit the surface of the water than there was a grab, and OH BOY, did I land a beautiful rainbow. He must have been fully fifteen inches long. Fine; I repeated the operation, and again thrilled with another strike. This one was larger than the first. Now I was thoroughly excited and since it was so easy, I tossed in again and immediately the third one was landed, and each and every one was larger and longer than the one before.

I repeated this performance seven times in succession. Never had I been so successful and on such short notice.

Politics and the Legislature were for the time entirely forgotten.

I was just in the act of going back for the eighth time, when to my consternation, a group of noisy school children appeared coming down the slope at a pretty good rate of speed, shouting and cavorting as only a tribe of farmer boys and girls can do, on their way to school. I held up my hand to them to quiet down and approach cautiously, but it had no effect. On the other hand they ran faster and were louder. I tried to wave them back with my hand without saying anything, but to no avail. I made one last desperate effort to stem their advance and violently raised my hand with a powerful backward motion, with the result that I skinned my knuckles on the bed post; and my wife says, "What on earth are you trying to do?" and I answered by saying, "Oh, Heck."

Soil Conservation Service and Game Management

On February 15, 1942, a new Pittman-Robertson Project was initiated by the State Game and Parks Commission. This project is intended as an addition to the "Upland Game Restoration" project and is entirely a "farmer cooperative" program carried on in conjunction with the District Soil Conservation Service program in each county.

To date, there are conservation districts in some thirty-four counties of Nebraska. In some cases, the district includes the entire area of the county and in others, only parts of the county. The organization of these districts is entirely up to the farmers and landowners and the supervision of the district is under the control of a District Supervisory body composed of farmer-landowners. The Soil Conservation Service, a division of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, furnishes each district the assistance of a technical staff.

Each farm which is brought under cooperation by the request of the owner or operator is thoroughly .surveyed by members of the technical staff and definite plans in the form of land-use and conservation survey maps are drawn up and submitted to the landowner for his approval. In all cases, each part of the farm is placed in a land-use category for which it is best suited and through which it will be most productive, with the least amount of soil deterioration and loss through erosion and water run-off.

In every farm plan, an attempt is made at establishing farm windbreaks, garden plots, woodlands, and in many cases, wildlife areas. These wildlife areas usually consist of gullies, field windbreaks, woodlands, land vegetated with grass, farm ponds, and waste areas. In order to protect plant growth, both natural and planted, these areas must be fenced to exclude livestock at all times. The plant growth of trees, shrubs and grasses in these areas provide both feed and shelter for wildlife at all times of the year.

The part of the Game Commission in this cooperative project is to further increase the interest of farmers in participating in Soil Conservation work and in the establishing and planting of wildlife areas on their farms. Such practices carried on in wide areas such as Soil Conservation Districts will result in a large increase in the amount of available cover and feed for upland game.

To accomplish its part of the program, the Game Commission has recently signed agreements with the supervisory bodies of six districts in Pawnee, Richardson, Nemaha, Otoe, Lancaster, and Cass counties, and expects to sign with two more districts this spring: the Papio District at Blair and the Douglas County District at Elkhorn. By signing agreements with the district body, it is possible for the Game Commission to furnish wire for fencing, planting stock, seed, and signs for posting each farm whose owner or operator wishes to cooperate in the game management program sponsored by the District.

As progress is made on the program in the aforementioned districts, it is expected that the project will be enlarged to permit participation of other districts in

Beaver On Trial

THE judge took his place at the bench. He spoke, "I find the defendant—not guilty!"

The true defendants of the case were not in court to hear their acquittal, but when word of the court's decision reached Jtie wilds of the State of Oregon in the late evening, it might be imagined that the nocturnal silence of the wilderness exploded with the thunderous report of beaver tails slapping the dark waters in celebration. The beavers had been on trial and they had been set free!

This figuratively interpreted but actual court case was tried in Oregon in October, 1939. Since then, requests have come from various parts of the country for full light on the probably unparalleled litigation involving the right of the flat-tails to live and work and enjoy their watery homes. Meanwhile, the beavers whose fate hung in the balance before the Oregon court have thrived and multiplied —but that is a bit ahead of the story.

Actually, the right of a landowner to protect his land from the ravages of soil erosion with the assistance of a colony of beavers was subjected to court decision. The history of this unique case takes us back to the year 1884, when title to the land was acquired by a pioneer conservationist, C. W. Carey, through homestead from the Government. Carey sold the place to Paul C. Stewart in 1924, and Stewart later bought adjoining range lands. Part of this land was in meadow subirrigated by Crane Creek, a stream that coursed through flats of stirrup-high native grasses. Subirrigation was aided by.several families of industrious beavers that had built numerous dams across the stream to form ponds for their homes. It was a productive ranch.

Forty years later, this picture suddenly changed. In 1924, Stewart left his farm for a year and, upon returning, found that poachers had trapped the beavers from his stream. The dams, no longer attended, had washed out. The unchecked stream ran wild. The washing out of the unattended beaver dams was not a remarkable phenomenon in itself, but more startling events followed in rapid order:

In 1925 flood waters raged through the meadow lands, cutting into the non-stabilized stream channel, and erosion began.

By 1930 the stream channel had cut to a depth of 10 feet. Sloughing banks ate farther and farther into valuable crop land.

In 1935 the stream was flowing 15 feet below its original level. The water table in the adjoining meadows was dropping correspondingly.

By 1936 the valuable hay lands had been nearly destroyed.

One morning Paul Stewart stood at the edge of the stream gazing into a miniature canyon. It was a discouraging sight. Twenty feet below him, a small stream found its way around huge blocks of soil that had fallen from the banks. Only 11 years before, he had been able to drive his team across this waterway—protected then by beaver dams.

Stewart turned toward his meadow lands. More desolation. Dust, stirred by the hoofs of a few range cows, rose and settled over a near-barren waste broken only by clumps of encroaching sagebrush and sparse remnants of the original grasses. Other cattle stood at a tank, drinking the last water that a pump had been able to raise from the once abundant supply of the well.

Something had to be done! Engineering assistance was needed. Paul Stewart reasoned that if beavers had protected his land once, they could do it again. He sent an emergency call to the Oregon State Game Commission. Later that year, 1936, 16 of nature's best hydraulic engineers—the beavers—were placed on the farm at Stewart's request.

The beavers began their reclamation work at once. They erected strong dams almost overnight; they sent cottonwoods and aspen crashing into the gully; they built more and more dams. When the heavy spring run-off came, water that for the past 12 years had rushed through the stream channel to be lost in the river below was caught behind the beaver dams and held in large ponds. The ponds acted as settling basins for the silt-laden waters and at each flood stage inches of soil were added to the bottom of the deepened channel. As the ponds filled, excess water filtered through the dams and continued down the stream. The average summer stream-flow of the preceding 12 years was increased considerably by the water escaping from storage. Water from the ponds percolated into the edges of the adjacent fields. In only two years, the picture of desolation bagan to change. Hay production in the meadows increased. The well again supplied ample stock water. The ugly erosion scar through the meadow was healing.

Spring and summer rains in 1939 were not plentiful in Harney County, Oregon. The high range lands were not as green as they had been in previous years.

EDITORIAL

Today the people of the North and South American Continents and their allies are united in a common defense program designed to give them supremacy over a degenerated enemy. Men and women from every walk of life are being called to serve their country. Every patriotic citizen, both men and women alike, should welcome the opportunity to do their bit in combating this enemy from across the seas and those that are undermining from within.

In the present emergency the importance of unity and cooperation is being driven home to us all. Thank God that we are fortunate enough to have the privilege of being an American and that we have a voice in the forming of our policies and the right to think for ourselves.

During World War No. 1 many phases of our natural resources suffered. Shall we now profit by our experience during that war or shall we lose sight of the gains we have made since that time and let our conservation program suffer? Conservation like all other essential activities must be continued through the present emergency. The wildlife that affords the recreation and sport which is so essentially part of our way of life must be protected. If some of*our men that are engaged in this work are called to the service, then those that are left behind must put forth a greater effort to carry on and hold high the torch of conservation, so that when it is all over and the boys return to their homeland, they will not return to a land devoid of the liberties of a free nation and their natural heritage of wildlife. Wildlife is definitely in the war.

With every acre of our land drafted for production and our conservation force reduced we must work and plan wisely. We who are not permitted to join up with the war service must be on the alert to head off any attempt to exploit our wildlife resources under the guise of national defense. Unless we are alert to these things we can expect damage to the wildlife resources of Nebraska with no adequate compensation to the public in return.

Let us all put our shoulders to the wheel and work harder than ever before at his or her particular task, whatever it may be, during this national emergency and make Nebraska a land worth fighting for, and as Daniel Webster said:

"Let our object be our country, our whole country, and nothing but our country. And, by the blessing of God, may that country itself become a vast and splendid monument not of oppression' and terror, but of wisdom, of peace, and of liberty, upon which the world may gaze with admiration forever."

NOTE: This is the last issue of "Outdoor Nebraska" by your present editor. On June 1, with regrets, I will leave the service of the Commission after fifteen years in the field and office. The secretaryship will be taken over by Paul Gilbert of McCook, recently appointed by the Commission. Mr. Gilbert is well qualified for the position and will carry on in an efficient manner.

My sincere wish is that the sportsmen of Nebraska will give him the same loyal support that they have given me.

This month's cover depicts the results of a day's fishing on the upper North Platte River in Wyoming.

For this cover we wish to thank Dr. Clarence Emerson of Lincoln, Nebraska, who cast the fly that took these beauties.

With Nebraska Sportsmen's Organization
IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE PLEDGED TO EIGHTEEN-POINT PROGRAM

The Nebraska division of the Izaak Walton League is composed of public spirited citizens organized to promote the development of the State's natural resources such as soil, water, native plant life, and wild animal life. However, its major objectives are to sustain the fish and game population, develop recreational areas, public parks, true sportsmanship and good fishing and hunting in Nebraska.

Since the days of the open prairie, natural brushlands, woodlands, streams, lakes and marshes, we have made it nearly impossible for wildlife to survive in Nebraska. First, we destroyed the natural living conditions of fish, birds, mammals, and other forms. Second, as "sportsmen, we killed most of the surviving stock," and third, we are now trying to "conserve" the remaining wildlife for fishing and hunting, knowing as we must that the way to save this life is by re-establishing their habitats under which it can live and reproduce.

The destruction of brushlands and forests, the burning and overgrazing of prairies and marshes, the turning of native sod, the draining of marshes and lakes, have destroyed the habitat relations of wild flowers and wild fruits and the home and food relations of the native songbirds, game birds, fish, furbearing animals, and other forms, and changed the migration ways of the avian fauna.

Consequently, the thing to do now is to restore suitable habitats. This means, for example, that if they survive there must be permanent water suitable for fish, brush'and for protection and feed for quail, trees and shrubs for songbirds, prairie and natural feed for grouse and prairie chickens, water and food for ducks, coots, and shore birds, and refuge areas for the breeding and migrant wildlife.

The Nebraska division of the Izaak Walton League is pledged to the support of the following eighteen-point program for the State:

The Nebraska Game, Forestation and Parks Commission activities relating to fish, game, furbearing animals, recreational areas, and parks.

The Conservation and Survey Division of the University of Nebraska in its study of the geology, soil, water, prairie, forest and wildlife of the State, whereby factual information is obtained for use in shaping the development and conservation of our resources.

State Soil and Water Conservation Committee which recognizes the natural vegetative cover and wildlife as important features of land and water use.

Agencies engaged in the dissemination of knowledge regarding our soils, lakes, streams, groundwater, native grasses, wild flowers, wild fruits, trees, shrubs, fish, birds, reptiles, and mammals.

Study of the conservation problems of Nebraska and the solution of these problems.

Improve wildlife habitat on private and publicly-owned lands.

Increase plantings of trees and shrubs for shade, shelter, windbreak, erosion control, recreational purposes and economic use, and the proper maintenance of these plantings.

Greater production of fish for stocking purposes; more complete rescue of fish from lowering streams, declining lakes and deeply frozen lakes; closer regulation of commercial fishing on the Missouri River, and the control of fish in the reservoirs and canals of irrigation and power projects.

Rehabilitation of the quail, grouse, prairie chicken, curlew, raccoon, muskrat, antelope and deer, and the establishment and maintenance of more game sanctuaries.

Cooperation with farmers in production of fish and game and in the practice of good sportsmanship.

Strict and impartial enforcement of the laws regulating fishing, hunting and trapping.

Use of retrievers in the recovery of crippled or lost birds, and the raising and training of bird dogs for this purpose.

Flood-water storage for irrigation and power development, but the non-irrigation use of lakes developed primarily for recreational purposes.

Extension of pump irrigation where possible and economically feasible.

Building of dams for stock water storage and their favorable relation to wildlife.

Elimination of controllable pollution of streams, lakes, and groundwater.

Location and development of rural and municipal well water supplies on ground free from pollution.

The Legislative Committee of the Nebraska division of the Izaak Walton League to assist in furthering such State legislation as may be needed to:

Conserve our soil, water supplies, prairie, forest and wildlife.

Develop good sportsmanship.

Develop our recreational areas, and public parks.

Encourage better use of our land and water resources.

Cooperate with the National officers of the League in securing the enactment of necessary Federal legislation along these lines.

Trees, like the native and cultivated grasses, have an important though neglected role in the management and use of land. For very obvious reasons, we should grow more trees and shrubs on our farms, ranches, and rural school grounds. This will require an agricultural forestry program for Nebraska and the bordering states as an integral part of the conservation program. It would constitute an important physical and social contribution toward the maintenance and improvement of agriculture within a vast, nationally important agricultural area.

For the past thirty years the Federal Government has carried on a forestry program for the conservation of timber and other resources, mostly on Federally-owned land where forests occur naturally. However, the time has come when both agriculturists and foresters must realize that there is another phase of forestry which has to do with the proper management of agricultural lands, where the problems involved concern the relationship of trees to the maintenance and improvement of soil, the conservation of water, wildlife, livestock, and those intangible social benefits relating to human comfort and the increased happiness of living.

Agricultural or farm forestry in Nebraska must cover a wide area with variations in climate, topography, groundwater, soil, population, and types of agriculture. Therefore, it is necessary that a sound program be provided not only for different types of planting, but also for different methods of application. For these reasons, such a program should be organized by that service of the government which concerns itself with the Nation's forest problems in general. Then, too, primarily from the standpoint of water conservation,

Natural Distribution and Adaptation of Grouse and their Relatives

Why doesn't such-and-such a game bird do well in Nebraska? This is a question which is often asked field workers for the game department. The answer to such an inquiry varies with the bird in question, but in general the following applies: Since climate* topography, and natural foods vary so much from place to place, and since most individual species are not highly adaptable, nature has through the' centuries evolved many species or kinds of birds, each species adapted to meet certain conditions. Some of these have extensive ranges; others are limited in their distribution. The conditions suited to one species of bird are complicated, and usually not readily evident to man, but nevertheless they definitely limit the distribution of the species.

Birds do not have the power to change their surroundings and simply do not live where the necessary conditions are lacking. Thus it may be seen that a bird, placed in an area different from that to which nature has fitted it to live, has a poor chance of surviving. In general, if a bird is not native to a particular set of conditions it is not likely to thrive under those conditions.

There have been, however, noteable examples of exotic, or introduced, birds doing well. Our common pheasant is such an example. But for every case of this kind there are many cases in which the attempt to introduce game birds has ended in failure. In New York state, for example, at least twenty-one kinds of birds have been introduced, yet the pheasant is the only one which has met any great degree of success. Nature seemingly resents meddling with her system of biological distribution which has taken centuries to perfect, and obvious failures in stocking non-native species are but evidence that natural production of native species is, after all, the simpler method of producing game birds.

To complicate matters still further man himself changes conditions to such an extent that native species may be reduced in numbers, or even evicted entirely. The grouse family in Nebraska, which includes the prairie chicken or pinnated grouse and the prairie sharp-tailed grouse, provides an excellent example of how man may change conditions to such an extent as to make large areas unattractive to even the native species. The original range of both the prairie chicken and the sharp-tailed grouse included essentially all of Nebraska. Today both are found in the northern and western parts of the state where cultivation has disturbed a relatively small part of the land, while southern and eastern Nebraska, largely under cultivation and with no extensive undisturbed areas, have practically no prairie chickens and grouse.

The grouse family in the United States shows very clearly the geographic limitations of various species and sub-species, and Nebraskans will find in a review of the species of grouse that Nebraska's two species are simply a part of a large family, whose many species and subspecies are suited to a great variety of natural conditions.

To the west, on the arid plains where sagebrush grows, as in Wyoming, northwestern Colorado, Utah and Idaho, the sage grouse or sage hen is found. It was formerly present, but rare, in Nebraska, and is probably absent now. Reports in Nebraska for this species usually have confused it with the sharp-tailed grouse, and sometimes even the prairie chicken.

Southwest, in the southern Great Plains from Kansas and Colorado to Texas and New Mexico, is the lesser prairie chicken, a near relative of the Nebraska prairie chicken. Farther south, in southwestern Louisiana and eastern Texas, small numbers of Attwater's prairie chicken remain. Another member of this family present in Colorado and other mountainous sections is the white-tailed ptarmigan. This is the bird sometimes seen above timberline by Nebraskans on vacations in the mountains. Colorado also has another grouse which mountain visitors sometimes see. This is the dusky grouse, which lives mostly in the dense evergreen forests. Further west, in the coast mountain ranges from California north, is the sooty grouse.

Going east from Nebraska's prairie chicken and grouse country the ruffed grouse is found in the timber country of the northeast and lake states, where it is an important game bird. It is also called partridge, or "patridge," and is to the wooded parts of the country what our prairie chicken is to the prairie. The ruffed grouse was formerly found in Nebraska, in the timber along the Missouri river. The timber country of northeastern Iowa is still populated by ruffed grouse.

Still another timber grouse is the spruce grouse, or "fool hen," of the New England states and northern parts of the lake states. The western counterpart of the eastern spruce grouse is Franklin's grouse, which occurs in the four northwestern states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.

When the ranges of these several species of grouse are mapped it may be seen that the southern part of the United States is practically without grouse. However, in this "grouseless" southern area there are quail, and in some states wild turkeys. Both of these last two belong to bird families most closely related to the grouse family. Thus nature has given the Country complete coverage of related birds, each with its own peculiarities and requirements,—a nationwide distribution of native game birds.

In the information which follows, answers are given to some of the questions which are often brought up when the prairie chicken and sharp-tailed grouse are discussed.

Both are members of the grouse family, but there are many differences. Some of these are: (a) Color and markings of breast. The grouse has a white breast with V-shaped dark markings on individual feathers, which makes the breast appear spotted". The prairie chicken's breast is plainly barred, the bars running crosswise. The prairie chicken is dark, the grouse light, in general color, (b) The grouse has no neck tufts. The prairie

Fishing on Niobrara Improved by Maintenance of Dam Commission Assists by Stocking River Above Dam

On July 1, 1927, there was placed in operation a hydro-electric plant located on the Niobrara River near the village of Spencer, Nebraska. The power generated by this plant is supplied by an interconnected system of transmission lines to the cities and towns located in the northern tier of counties of Nebraska, also extending into South Dakota as far' as Winner,

The origin of the Niobrara River is near Lusk, Wyoming, giving a drainage area of approximately 10,400 square miles above the Spencer dam. The drainage basin of this river is approximately 300 miles- in length and varies from fifteen miles in width at the western end of the state to sixty miles in width at Valentine, Nebraska.

Referring to the Third Annual Report of the United States Reclamation Service, dated 1903-04, we find the following:

"The drainage area of the River (Niobrara) consists largely of sandhills which fact no doubt is responsible for the marked constancy of flow of this stream and its tiibutaries, since a large percentage of the water precipitated into the basin is immediately absorbed by the sand passing downward to appear again in the form of springs."

The above report also calls attention to the fact that the average fall of the river through the State of Nebraska is nine feet per mile.

The foregoing statement regarding the constancy of flow in the Niobrara River is, however, only partially correct, there being two periods of the year when a reduced' flow of water occurs. The most severe of the two periods is the extreme cold weather period when ice is being formed on the entire river and its tributaries.

On referring to the stream flow records for November, 1940, which records are maintained by "The United States Department of the Interior," it will be noted that the discharge on November 9, 1940, was 1,152 cubic second feet, which is very near the mean average flow in the river, and that the temperature for that day at Valentine, Nebraska ranged from a high of 39 degrees to a low of 31 degrees.

Following the cold spell of November 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th, 1940, when the temperature dropped to 16 below zero, the flow of the river was reduced to as low as 5 cubic second feet on the 14th and gradually increased to normal flow on the 19th.

Extremely hot weather in the months of July and August also seriously affects the flow which is due to evaporation, but this reduction in flow is not as severe as when an extremely cold period occurs.

During the periods of the year when the flow in the river has been reduced due to extremely cold or hot weather, the standby plants, which are located in the larger towns and which normally receive power from the transmission system, are operated in synchronism with the Spencer plant and the plants of the Loup River Power District. During these periods, the Spencer hydro plant utilizes what water is available during the peak hour periods. During the off-peak hours, when water is again being stored for peakhour operation, one generator at the plant is operated as a synchronous generator, thereby maintaining uniform voltage on the transmission system normally supplied by it.

When a normal flow of water exists the units are operated continuously, allowing water to flow through the turbines at all times.

Tests reveal that by abruptly closing the water supply to the wheels there exists a possibility of trapping fish on the shale bars located in the river below the plant. We also learn that in years past, it was uncommon for the fishermen to wait until after midnight when the water was shut off, to catch fish should any be stranded.

Since the reconstruction of the plant (the first dam failed in 1936) an entirely different method of operation has been adopted.

First, it has been found that by gradually reducing the flow of water through the units, the fish of all sizes, from minnows up, recede with the water and locate in the deeper holes in the river channel. Where pockets exist in the shale, outlets were dug so that as the water lowered the fish could swim into deeper water. To make sure that no fish are stranded, the plant operators with the use of flashlights and boots carefully traverse the river bottom in the area below the plant to where the deeper river channel exists.

In order to further protect fish life, it was found that by partially opening the gates on the unit not utilized as a synchronous generator, thereby allowing a moderate flow of water during the hours when water was being stored, sufficient fresh water was supplied to the fish at all times.

By following this method of operation, namely, that of shutting off the water supply slowly, taking approximately thirty minutes to shut down a wheel, and allowing a small amount of water to pass through one of the units, it was a rare occurrence to find fish that had been stranded.

At present, there exists a provision that all dams should be equipped with a fish ladder. Most neighboring states have a similar provision. In Wisconsin the question of a fish ladder dates back to 1907. As a result, extensive tests were carried out to determine what species of fish would traverse a fish ladder or utilize a fish elevator in cases where a fish elevator was used.

From a total of five tests made by the Wisconsin Conservation Commission during the period of April 25 to June 15 in 1933, it was found that a total of 11,066 suckers and 550 red horse as compared to 2,775 black bass, green bass, rock bass, sunfish, bluegills, crappies, pike, pickerel, perch, and bullheads used the fish ladders.

The proportion of rough fish to game fish is disappointing. It should always be borne in mind that fishways will operate for undesirable fish as readily as for game fish and that every precaution should be taken to guard against the passage of rough fish from the main streams to the lake districts.

Your Commission is well acquainted with these and other tests which have been conducted.

It is generally accepted that fishing in the river above the dam would be considerably improved if the river could be rid of all carp and other rough fish. This being the first dam on the river above its mouth, all types of fish .are allowed to migrate from the Missouri River to the dam. As the migratory fish can go no further, it provides excellent fishing below the dam during certain times of the year.

In order to provide good fishing above the dam, your Commission has stocked the river and its tributaries with thousands of game fish of all sizes. By restricting the migration of carp and other rough fish from the . Missouri River up as far as the dam, the game fish planted above the dam are not molested or eaten by them.

In conclusion, it appears that your Commissioners and those employees of the state engaged in the promotion of better fishing have provided an excellent fishing place in the area immediately below the dam. The best proof of this is the presence of from ten to seventy cars in that vicinity on days during the spring fishing period.

NEBR. SPORTSMEN ORGANIZATION

there is a direct relationship between the Nation's large forest areas and general agriculture.

National, State, and industrial interests would be affected directly by such a program, and therefore the program should be on a truly cooperative basis: first, in the various Federal departments involved in conservation; second, with the state to which the program applies and where in most cases individual programs are now in operation through the College of Agriculture and State Departments of Forestry; and third, the commercial nurseries which are now and have been for years interested in this type of development and improvement work.

The program should be on both a project and educational basis—on a project basis where necessary to improve the physical resources and stabilize agriculture on areas solely in need of such work, and where deterioration should be checked at the earliest possible moment; on an educational basis because neither the National government nor the State can carry a program of this kind through to completion without the support and assistance of the individual landowners. We cannot overlook some fundamentals in human nature which experience has proved will not be changed. The farmer owning the land where tree planting is done must feel the personal responsibility in the project, be a party to the general planting procedure and share the costs.

Much has been learned during recent years regarding the kinds of trees and shrubs that grow and survive under the Nebraska conditions. This means that in the future only those species that are adapted to the soils, climate, and water supply should be planted in Nebraska.

The recent drouths killed many of our trees, which are being cut for firewood. Unfortunately, however, the tree-cutting program is being carried on rather carelessly, including valuable trees which should be preserved.

Cooperating with State and Federal departments, the Biological Survey of the Conservation and Survey Division is making close studies of the wildlife habitats of the State. The results of this survey are to be used by the State Fish, Game and Parks Commission in the protection and conservation of wildlife resources.

FOR OUTDOOR NEBRASKA DICK WAIT

Spring is here again and another fishing season is well under way. Most of us are still trying to catch that big one. However, most of us won't get him, but the thrill of thinking about it is worth quite a lot to us.

The Nebraska Better Fishing Association is also well under way. At the present time we can boast of chapters at Hastings, Beatrice, Fremont and Lincoln, and there will be more to come.

We have received many requests for information regarding our Association and would like to quote the purposes of the Nebraska Better Fishing Association:

"The purpose of this Association shall be to unite the fishermen of the State of Nebraska; to improve and encourage better fishing throughout the State; to promote the propagation and distribution of all species of game fish; to spread the gospel of good sportsmanship and promote conservation of fish life; to promote adherence to Nebraska fishing laws; to cooperate with the Nebraska Game Commission in ascertaining likely locations for propagation sites in addition to the existing hatcheries; to promote a better understanding between farmers and landowners and members of this Association for the protection of farmers and landowners property; to promote generally an educational program with respect to the propagation and conservation of fish life; to do each and everything necessary, suitable, or proper for the accomplishment of the purposes or the attainment of the objects herein enumerated."

Here is the pledge that each member must take: I hereby pledge upon my honor as a sportsman to observe and abide by the constitution and by-laws of the Nebraska Better Fishing Association and the fishing laws of the State of Nebraska, and of any other State in which I may be fishing. I further pledge: that before entering upon private property I will obtain proper permission; I will not deface, damage or destroy property, nor permit it to be destroyed. To do each and everything necessary which will tend to improve fishing in Nebraska. This pledge appears on the reverse side of all our membership cards.

The Nebraska Better Fishing Association shall at all times cooperate with all other sportsmens organizations and is always open to suggestions.

We are striving to do one job, and that of course, is to better fishing in Nebraska.

The Nebraska Better Fishing Association will have a legislative program and we welcome any suggestions by our outstate fishermen. You don't need to be a member to make suggestions.

At the present time we are working for an aquatic biologist for the State Game Commission. We need a man who knows something about the food that is of such vital importance to our fish. We also need a man who knows something of fish life. We have requested that such a man be employed by our Game Commission and believe that the Commission is going to seriously consider this proposition.

We have employed Max Kier, a Lincoln attorney, to represent not only the Nebraska Better Fishing Association in the lawsuit which would take our fish and game funds away from us, but also for all the fisherman in the State of Nebraska. We are going to do everything in our power to keep these funds where they belong.

We are glad to answer questions concerning the Nebraska Better Fishing Association. Direct communications to Dick. Wait, Secretary Nebraska Better Fishing Association, 914 K. Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.

SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE

northeast and north central Nebraska. The prospects of such work are tremendous in that Soil Conservation Districts embrace large areas of the State and the landowners already have a conservation attitude instilled in them through using such practices on their own lands voluntarily. Much of the ground work in these large territories has already been laid through demonstrations, field work of Soil Conservation Service technicians, and educational work by the District body.

By making wildlife conservation a part of the Districts' program, added importance is given to small areas of the farm which are otherwise classed as unproductive. If these areas provide the farm with additional value of a yearly crop of wildlife, especially birds, they will also aid materially in insect control on the farm. It is well known that birds are the most effective natural control of farm insects known today.

The cooperating farms will be posted under the new "Game Management Plan," which is entirely different and separate from the old "Refuge" system of posting. Under this new plan, the entire farm is posted with signs designating it as a "Game Management Area," and informing the reader that he must secure permission of the farmer before he can hunt. Within the farm, the small areas which have been fenced out and planted to trees, shrubs, and grasses will be designated as "Wildlife Areas" and will be posted with "Game Refuge" signs. It will be "unlawful" to hunt on these small refuges even though the farmer does grant permission to hunt on the farm. In this way, the control of the hunters on the land is vested legally with the farmer. He may allow hunting or he may not allow hunting, he can control the "take" of game on his farm, and he can control the time of hunting. If he has livestock pasturing at certain times, he can refuse the right to hunt and thus safeguard his livestock.

The ultimate results of a project such as this will be the creation of additional

NATURAL DISTRIBUTION AND ADAPTATION OF GROUSE

chicken has a tuft of stiff feathers on each side of the neck. These feathers may be erected and for that reason are sometimes referred to as "horns" or "ears." (c) The prairie chicken has a broad, dark, rather short tail, rounded at the end,— some people call the chicken a "square-tail." The grouse has a largely white, pointed tail, giving rise to the common names "pintail" and "sharptail." (d) Both species have feathers on the lower legs. The prairie chicken loses this leg feathering in the spring, apparently largely by wear. Pinfeathers come in again in late summer and by early winter the legs are again well feathered.

There are a few records of hybrids occurring between the prairie chicken and sharp-tailed grouse, but such cases are comparatively rare. Hybrids among birds and mammals ordinarily do not reproduce, hence we do not get lines of crossbred individuals occurring in nature. In many localities of Nebraska the local residents are uncertain which of the species they have. Characters described above will usually clear up these questions of species.

Prairie chickens are more widely distributed in the state than are the grouse. Both are found chiefly in the. sandhill and sandhill bordering counties because this is the only part of the state which has enough undisturbed grasslands to suit these birds. Grouse are common in the northern third of the state and are very rarely seen south of the Platte River, while the prairie chicken range extends into the southwestern counties of Dundy, Chase, Hayes and Lincoln, with smaller numbers in adjoining southern counties.

Ranges of the two species overlap somewhat, but the habitat requirements actually differ considerably. The prairie chicken requires open grassland, with cultivated fields, especially corn, for winter use. Extensive areas of tall, mixed prairie grasses are found today only in or near the sandhills, hence the sandhills are our present prairie chicken country. In winter the chickens tend to concentrate at cultivated areas in counties containing fields near grass, as in Dundy, Chase, Keith, Lincoln, Logan, Custer, Valley, Greeley, Wheeler, Boone, Antelope, Holt, Brown, Rock and Keya Paha, and at the isolated cornfields in the sandhills. Most of the land south and east of these mixed sandhill and cultivated counties in Nebraska is lacking in tall grass areas suitable for night roosting and nesting of prairie chickens. Most of the land north and west of these counties has abundant roosting and nesting cover but lacks fields for winter feeding.

The grouse prefers undisturbed lands with some brush or woody growth. An area changing from prairie to timber ceases to be good prairie chicken habitat and becomes more suited to grouse. It is often said that cultivation pushed the grouse back and carried the chicken along with the farming. There are considerable areas in Nebraska which were practically untouched by farming activities as the state became peopled. These areas kept, and still have, the grouse. And, similarly, cultivation developed in southern and eastern Nebraska to the point where the grassland practically ceased to exist, with the natural eviction of the prairie chicken.

Prairie chickens in western and southwestern Nebraska use sage cover to some extent, but studies in Chase County indicate that areas of tall grasses are preferred to thick stands of sage. In general, the sagebrush country of Nebraska is near the western limit of the range of the prairie chicken. In typical sagebrush country, as in northwestern Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho, the sage grouse, or sage hen, a relative of our grouse and prairie chicken, uses such cover. This sage grouse was formerly a resident of western Nebraska, but it is doubtful if any exist in Nebraska today.

There are almost no prairie chickens in south-central Nebraska today, where the species was formerly abundant because this part of the state is mostly under cultivation, and the grassland areas are small and 61osely grazed, and are not now suited to the use of the prairie chickens. When more than 50 per cent of a large area becomes cultivated, it usually ceases to be prairie chicken country. In Nebraska, residents of southern counties (excepting in the southwest) usually see prairie chickens or grouse only as winter migrants.

Prairie chickens and grouse populations decreasing so markedly in some years is a characteristic of members of this family of birds and has never been satisfactorily explained. The population goes up and down rather regularly regardless of local conditions. Recognizing the characteristics of this cyclic fluctuation is the basis of sound prairie chicken and grouse management, insofar as regulation of hunting seasons is concerned. Hunting at the low point in the cycle might be disastrous in many areas, while properly regulated hunting at or near the peak should not be detrimental. Investigation areas now under observation will show us what trends the population is taking from year to year. The increase of prairie chickens during the past two or three years is merely the visible evidence of. the upswing of the cycle.

The cycle operates •wherever these species occur. The last low was probably within the period 1934-1936. We are now either at or slightly past the population peak. There is already some indication that we are beginning the next downward trend. Continued field work will shed more light on this phenomenon under Nebraska conditions.

Almost without exception, experiments to rear these birds under artificial conditions have ended in failure. This has been due largely to the very nature of this species. Our best immediate opportunity towards furthering an increase in these species consists of managing our grassland in such a way as to provide and maintain the habitats which they require. Studies carried on in Nebraska during the past two years show a definite relation between wise grazing practices and use of land by prairie chickens.

The middle '30's in Nebraska saw drought striking at a time when these species were at a low in numbers because of the natural operation of the cycle. The drought seriously depleted nesting and roosting cover and in some areas may have caused a food shortage.

Both prairie chickens and grouse feed largely upon grasshoppers and other insects from April 1 to October, or during the warmer part of the year.

SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE

cover, feed and nesting sites on large areas of land, coupled with the establishment of many small refuges for the protection of game birds and animals. It wi]l also be the introduction for controlled "hunting" or "harvest" of game annually and it will aid in securing the voluntary participation of farmers and landowners in game management work. When all of these are added together it is thought that it will materially increase the number and distribution of our wildlife and promote a better sporting relationship between the hunter and the farmer.

Nebraska Fishing Regulations for 1942

These Regulations are effective to December 1,1942, only. Do not follow after that date.

There are Special Regulations on state-owned lakes. Watch for these

Special Regulations which are also posted at the lakes.

Special Fishing Regulations are in effect at the following state-owned lakes:

The following Regulations are in effect on state-owned lakes only:

Open daily from 4 A.M. to 10 P.M. from April 1 to November 30, inclusive.

Daily bag and possession limit: 15 game fish, 5 of which may be bass, and 5 of which may be trout.

Fishing devices other than regular lines attached to poles are prohibited.

Each person is permitted to use not more than two lines with two hooks per line.

Throw lines or floats are prohibited.

Motor boats are not permitted.

Digging or seining for bait on grounds is prohibited.

General Information on Lakes and Streams

ft shall be unlawful, except in the Missouri River under proper commercial permit, to take a daily bag of more than 25 game fish or to have more than 25 game fish of all species combined in possession at any one time.

Where entire state is open, this does not include private lakes closed to the public or areas closed by any Federal or State Law or City Ordinance.

"Daily Limit" means fish taken from midnight to midnight.

"Possession Limit" means fish in possession of any person at any time.

All fish caught that are under the legal size limits specified must be returned to the water at once with as little injury as possible, ft is your duty to always wet your hands before removing fish from hooks.

The only legal method of taking fish is with hook and line with the following exceptions:

Carp, buffalo, suckers, and other non-game fish may be taken with hook and line at any time without limit on size, bag or possession. They may be speared between sunrise and sunset from April 1 to December 1. Catfish of legal size may be taken from the Missouri River with seines, hoop nets, or trammel nets under special regulations with proper commercial permit.

ft is unlawful for anyone to angle with a line having more than five hooks there- on or to angle in any inland stream with more than fifteen hooks in the aggregate or with artificial bait having thereon more than three triple gang hooks.

Snagging fish externally with hook and line is declared unlawful.

All persons 16 years of age or older must have a fishing permit for the current year.

ft is unlawful for any person to borrow or use the permit of another or to lend or transfer his permit to another.

It is POSITIVELY FORBIDDEN to take the legal bag of fish and return to fishing waters and take another bag the same day. Fishermen are warned that persons so doing will be prosecuted and full damages of $5.00 per fish will be assessed.

VACATION TIME IS HERE/ CHADRON STATE PARK

Nebraska's Forest Playgrounds'

Cabins in the Woods, Swimming, Horseback Riding, Skyline Hiking, Picnic Shelters

You will find hundreds of acres of pine forests where the nights are cool and exhilarating. Camp in your own tent or rent a cabin. Eight miles south of Chadron on State Highway No. 19.

VACATION TIME WILL SOON BE GONE/

IT IS TIME for you to relax—to get out-of-doors for a few days.

WHY NOT GO to Nebraska's Own Great Park—CHADRON PARK—this year?

PERHAPS YOU DO NOT KNOW that you can enjoy yourself right in your own state park. Beautiful Pine Ridge scenery, excellent water, comfortable cabins, swimming, skyline hiking or horseback riding, rustic picnic shelters, playgrounds, restaurant, store—everything to please the visitor.

THERE ARE 800 acres of pine forests ready for you. Cabins (some with fireplaces) off in the woods away from the crowds. Good roads and trails where you can go by car or afoot.

KEEP YOUR VACATION MONEY in your own state where it will come right back to you! See the Pine Ridge country this year! Rates are reasonable.

See Nebraska This Year I

MAKE CHADRON STATE PARK YOUR NORTHWEST HEADQUARTERS Write Now for Rates and Reservations Chadron State Park MR. D. C. SHORT, Supt. Chadron, Nebraska