EDITORIAL Corn Field Soliloquy

Paul T. Gilbert Executive Secretary

With yellow pumpkins gleaming in the autumn sunlight and cornhusks crackling in frosty air, two things naturally stir our imagination and memories. One is husking time and the other hunting time. These two fields of endeavor are far from being unrelated, for at this time the golden ears of corn waiting in the dry husks bring together the farmer, his cattle, the hunter and the pheasant.

Of course, in the case of the farmer who receives no monthly salary check, the golden ears represent his year's work and potential pay check. The cattle feeding on the picked field represent one other source of farm income. To the farmer, for the most part, the pheasant is a by-product of the corn and the hunter a by-product of the pheasant. The average farmer riding his tractor, watching the golden ears pile up in the wagon, is usually in a rather happy philosophical frame of mind as he contemplates the result of his year's labors. He contemplates his house and barn upon the hill—to him his estate. He contemplates his land as probably his only possession. He contemplates the money the corn will bring, the bills the money will pay. Indeed, he contemplates more than these things. He contemplates you. From his lofty seat on the tractor, he watches you enter his little farm area, he watches you as you see the wily cock pheasant who is probably contemplating you from a distance as you put up the less secretive hen. Often as not, the farmer will chuckle at your futile efforts of overtaking a rooster pheasant and will commend you to himself for a good safe clean shot. But this pleasant human on his tractor is going to classify you far more rapidly and expertly in his mind than you would even expect. By your actions shall he know you.

It is psychologically a perfect time to approach the farmer and benefit from his usual amiable disposition. It is, if you are man enough, yes, honest enough to first realize that you are about to "go visiting" upon the property of another, which in all good human relationships, first indicates permission or consent. This, for the most part, will be readily forthcoming if honestly and properly requested. His further opinion of you and all like you will be forthcoming, as from his tractor seat he watches your safe or unsafe gun-handling, your gentlemanly conduct, your appreciation of the location of his cattle and a subsequent avoidance of this location. A kind invitation or a polite approval of a request always calls for a genuine thanks, and the man on the tractor keeps on winding up and down the corn rows in philosophic contemplation of a swell bunch of fellows from the city who had a swell time on his place and didn't hurt a thing.

Shall we all help each other as well as ourselves to make the above episode traditional in Nebraska.

COVER PICTURE—The Two rooster pheasants and one hen find a permanent home in the heart of all sportsmen. The beautiful water color painting is the fine work of staff artist C. C. Pritchard.

Beaver Trapping in Nebraska

By J. Henry Sather Fur Investigations

IN the early history of the United States, the beaver was the king of fur-bearing animals. The search for beaver was the most important factor leading to the early exploration of large sections of the U.S. The demand for their pelts was unbelievably great, and as a result beaver were subjected to extremely heavy trapping pressure. Despite this heavy trapping pressure they managed to escape being placed on our list of extinct species; however, only remnant populations existed in much of their former range.

In Nebraska the remnant populations slowly increased and spread under complete protection. By 1921 complaints of beaver damage made it necessary to pass legislation that would enable land owners to harvest beaver that were causing property damage. Under this system of partial control, beaver continued to increase and spread until now they apparently occupy all areas in the state that are capable of supporting beaver. Damage complaints increased steadily and have reached the point where it is a physical impossibility for our conservation agents to issue all of the permits requested. There was little doubt that we needed an open season on beaver during the winter of 1952-53.

There are special regulations pertaining to the trapping of beaver. The trapper must have a beaver trapping permit which he can purchase for $5.00. Each pelt requires a seal that can be purchased for $2.00. All beaver pelts held in possession by any trapper must be stamped by the Game Commission before they are sold, shipped or otherwise transported outside the state of Nebraska. The trapper can legally have beaver pelts in his possession only during the open season and ten days immediately thereafter.

For a great many trappers this will be their first attempt to take beaver in Nebraska. They will not only find that beaver are not the easiest animals in the world to trap, but they will also find that fur buyers are very particular about the way in which beaver pelts are handled.

It is easy even for the inexperienced to read beaver signs. The most familiar of these are felled trees and beaver stumps. Dams, island and bank lodges, trails, slides, canals, scent and tracks also indicate the presence of beaver. In the ''Nebraska Trappers' Guide" the following recommendations are made relative to making beaver sets:

"Although many devices have been dreamed up and recommended for the trapping of beaver, probably the best sets are made in den entrances, and at landing places and slides. All sets for beaver are   are made under water, with the traps staked toward the deeper water.

"It is necessary to drown the beaver in the trap. This is done with the so-called 'running' wire. A smooth wire, about the size of ordinary telephone line, is fastened near the top end of a heavy stake which is driven in the stream bottom (near the trap) so that the top of the stake is under the mud or sand; this assures the trap chain not becoming wound about the stake and holding the beaver in shallow water where he can escape. The wire is long enough to fasten to a good-sized rock and to reach to about three to four feet of water. At a distance from the rock equal to the depth of water the rock is to lie in, a dock' is placed on the running wire by tightly winding another piece of wire about it, allowing a free end or 'wing' to extend about six inches and at an angle to the running wire: this wing must extend upstream. The deep end of the running wire and its rock anchor should be slightly downstream from the trap. The tight running wire runs through the ring of the trap chain. This ring should be fairly large; the ring of a neck-yoke is sometimes used. The length of the chain must be adjusted to allow the beaver to swim to deep water—that is, to just beyond the wire lock—without being pulled below the surface. The trap ring follows the wire, slides over the lock, the wing of which keeps the ring from being pulled back to shallow water. The trapped beaver is held in deep water.

"Many Nebraska streams will 'sand in' a rock anchor, making it impossible to pull the rock out after a few hours in the stream. It is for this reason that the lock must be as far from the rock as the water is deep at the rock. This allows the trapper to lift the drowned beaver and the trap to the surface, and to cut the running wire and release the trap without moving the anchor.

"A bait set can be made at an eddy in a stream where beaver are active, especially in streams with strong current. In moving upstream a beaver will take advantage of these back currents because of the easier swimming. Landing places are sometimes found associated with such eddy currents. Place two traps under four to six inches of water and stick a few fresh branches or twigs of cottonwood into the mud between the traps and the shore line.

"As little disturbance as possible in the area of the beaver colony is advisable. Beaver are easily "spooked* by careless trapping methods.''

Insofar as the trap size is concerned, a number three or four is recommended for beaver.

A beaver pelt demands special care. The pelts are open-handled and stretched round. The first operation is to cut the feet off at the fur line. This can be accomplished easily with the aid of a hatchet or meat cleaver. Only one cut is made during skinning, and this cut is made from the fur line on the-underside of the tail to the tip of the chin. After making this cut, the tail can be removed at the fur line. No cuts are made along the legs—they are skinned out and pulled in through the skin. This is necessary in order to obtain a round pelt. (Cont'd on page 20)

NEBRASKA TRAPPING REGULATIONS 1952-53 SPECIES MUSKRAT, MINK and BEAVER Zone No. ! MUSKRAT. MINK and BEAVER Zone No. 2 RACCOON. OPOSSUM. BADGER. SKUNK. CIVET and FOX OPEN SEASON AREA OPEN BAG LIMIT HOURS OPEN Dee. 15-Mar. 15 Restricted Area No Limit Zone No. 1 includes: Arthur. Banner. Blaine. Box Butte. Brown. Chase. Cherry. Cheyenne. Dawes, Deuel, Dundy. Garden. Garfield, Grant. Hooker. Keith. Kimball. Lincoln. Logan. Loup, McPherson. Morrill. Perkins. Seotts BlufT. Sheridan. Sioux and Thomas counties except for State-owned lakes or marshes or areas closed bv Federal. State or Municipal law. All hours Nov. 15-Jan. 15 Restricted Area No Limit Zone No. 2 includes: Adams, Antelope, Boone. Boyd. Buffalo, Burt. Butler. Cass. Cedar. Claw Colfax, Cuming. Custer. Dakota. Dawson, Dixon. Dodge. Douglas. Fillmore. Franklin. Frontier. Furnas. Gage. Gosper. Greeley. Hall. Hamilton. Harlan. Hayes. Hitchcock. Holt. Howard. Jefferson, Johnson, Kearney. Keya Paha. Knox. Lancaster. Madison. Merrick. Nance. Nemaha, Nuckolls. Otoe. Pawnee. Phelps. Pierce. Platte. Polk. Red Willow. Richardson. Rock. Saline. Sarpy. Saunders. Seward. Sherman. Stanton. Thayer. Thurston. Valley, Washington. Wayne. Webster. Wheeler and York counties except for State-owned lakes or marshes or areas closed by Federal. State or Municipal law. Jan. 1-Dec. 31 Entire State except for State-owned lakes or marshes or areas closed by Federal. State or Municipal law. No Limit All hours Ali hours 4 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

A Reporter's Report

(This OUTDOOR NEBRASKA reporter interviewed a number of prominent sportsmen and game authorities throughout the state on different subjects pertaining to pheasant hunting. It is hoped this presentation of information may help make your pheasant hunting trips more enjoyable and successful.)

What do you consider the most comfortable and practical hunting clothes for pheasant hunting?

Howard Wolff, Omaha (Field and Stream editor of the Omaha World-Herald)—"Comfort has always been our main object. And what is more comfortable than overall jeans? Also, the overall pockets are deep and tough.

"Foot gear in our case means only a pair of the ordinary pacs with the rubber bottoms and leather uppers. Short ones, that is; the long boots bind. The all leather kneelengthers are fit only for magazine illustrations in my book.

"I like to take a regular hunting coat for the early morning shooting (when it is apt to be chilly) and a light windbreaker jacket for the later shooting at mid-day or later.

"I like a loose, woolen shirt, and have an old army sweater of the sleeveless type that can be shucked easily when it warms up. As for a carrier, three or four hunks of two-foot baling wire will do the job.

"The wire fastened to the belt carries the birds admirably—and the wire can be switched from side to side whereas two or three pheasants in the back of a hunting coat will make an old man older; a young man labor.

What is the easiest and safest way to cross a barbed wire fence without damage to self or fence?

William J. Ahern, Basset (Conservation officer)—"The average person in height, or taller person, can cross many of the fences by taking hold of the top wire in both hands, pressing it down and stepping over it sidewise. To do this, choose a spot where footing is good at both starting point and where the crossing is to be completed. Also choose a spot as near midway between posts as possible as the wire will press down farther and easier there than nearer the posts.

"In the case of a higher fence, or shorter person, the same procedure is followed on a lower strand of the wire, the person doing the crossing being in as near a parallel position to the strands of wire as possible while passing between the wires. This type of crossing can be simplified if two or more people are together, one of the party pressing the lower strand of wire down with his foot and holding the upper strand with his hands while other members of the party complete their crossing.

"Some prefer to get down 'on all fours and crawl under the lower strand which is not too had a method where the wire is very tightly drawn and too high, or the strands too close to pass between. In this method a spot should be picked that is free of burs or cactus.

"In all of the above methods, a hunting coat or two wrapped around the wires where the crossing is to be made will give protection from tearing clothes or flesh if one should come in contact with the wire. A mat from the floor of the car, a magazine or a number of thicknesses of newspaper could be used in the same way.

"DON'T climb the fence like a ladder; this is bad for the fence and usually worse for the climber. DON'T drag the gun through the fence after you. Clear the chamber and either put it on the other side at the next post beyond where the crossing is to be made, or better yet, slide it under the fence and leave it on the ground— muzzle pointed in opposite direction of the crossing operation several rods away.

"DON'T cut wire to get through it. DON'T leave any gates open that you found closed; DON'T leave any fence unrepaired that you might break in crossing.

"DO ask permission to hunt or cross the land and the owner will tell you where the gates or other crossings are located."

Where are pheasants more likely to be during the different times of the day?

Levi Mohler, Lincoln (Game Commission biologist and one of top authorities on upland game birds)—"There isn't any hard or fast rule about where a pheasant will be when the hunter gets out. That's another thing that makes pheasant hunting interesting. But knowing something about the bird's habits often leads to better results afield. Pheasants feed during the first hour or two after sunset—so good feeding places are apt to yield returns in the morning hours. A cornfield, a cane patch, or a tangle of sunflowers—any of these are places where birds are likely to be located in the early forenoon. The same places are also good bets toward evening.

"In mid-day pheasants commonly loaf in some place which affords good protection from the wind—perhaps a spot where they can sun themselves while idling away the time. An old tree claim, an ungrazed slope in the pasture adjacent to a field, a weedy ditch—to mention a few places FALL ISSUE 5   worth investigating in early afternoon. And in many localities a walking trip down a plain ordinary fencerow or hedgerow will turn out enough birds to fill a bag in short order. There will be enough birds in the unexpected places to keep the gunner on his toes at any time of day.

"And it might be well to remember that pheasants flush wilder in late season than in early season. This wildness which develops as the season wears on isn't caused entirely by the birds' experiences during the hunting season. It seems to be nature's way of protecting birds in late fall and winter whether hunting is going on or not. Cover becomes more open and gives less protection and larger numbers of birds use the better locations as winter approaches. The wild flush makes up in part for the advantage which sulking habits and heavy cover gave in early season. Hunting in late season often makes a man dig into his finer hunting skills to approach the quarry—but that's half the fun to a real outdoorsman."

What type of gun do you use for pheasant hunting and why? How do you check your gun for proper plugging?

Keith Neville, North Platte (former governor and well known fisherman and hunter)—"I shoot a Remington over and under Model T.C. 32 at pheasants and also other game birds. With bag limits the way they are, two shells seem to me to be plenty. I also like to shoot live pigeons, the oldest and most fascinating competitive sport there is. The tendency is to decrease the size of the pigeon rings and since the pump gun in the hands of the great majority of shooters is slower than the over and under or side by side double, its use places the competitor at a disadvantage."

As to proper plugging, "I think it would be safe to say that if you can get more than two shells in the magazine, the gun is not properly plugged."

Have you tried to coordinate the solunar cycle with pheasant hunting?

Henry Reider, Lincoln (past president Nebraska Better Fishing Association and long-time sportsman)—"In all my hunting days I have never hunted by cycle or coordinated any solar system of the universe."

NEBRASKA HUNTING REGULATIONS 1952-1953

SPECIES OPEN SEASON AREA OPEN BAG LIMIT Daily Possession SHOOTING HOURS DOVES Sept. 1-Sept. 30 Entire State 10 10 One-half lV2) hour before sunrise to sunset. DUCKS Oct. 11-Dec. 9 Entire State 10 Mergansers (Fish clucks) may be taken up to twenty-five (25) per day. There is no possession limit on mergansers. The bag limit of five ducks may include one wood duck. The possession limit of ducks may include one wood duck. GEESE COOT (Mudhen) Oct. 11-Dec. 9 I Entire State I 5 5 Daily bag and possession limit of geese and brants is five (5) including in such limit either two (2) Canada geese (including Hutchin's or cackling geese) or two (2) white-fronted geese, or one (1) of each. Oct. 11-Dec. 9 COCK PHEASANTS Zone No. 2 COCK PHEASANTS Zone No. 1 Oct. 17-Oct. 26 Entire State Restricted Area 10 10 2 Zone No. 2 consists of: Boyd, Blaine. Brown, Cherry, Garfield, Grant, Holt, Hooker, Key a Paha, Loup, Rock, Thomas and Wheeler counties except Federal and State sanctuaries and refuges and all areas posted as "Pheasant Restocking Areas." QUAIL Oct. 17-Nov. 23 Restricted Area One-half (l,2) hour be- fore sunrise to one (1 > hour before sunset ex- cept first day of season the hour of opening shall be twelve (12) o'clock noon. Sunrise to sunset. Zone No. 1 consists of all other counties in state not listed in Zone No. 2 except Federal and State sanctuaries and refuges and all areas posted as "Pheasant Restocking Areas." Nov. 1-Nov. 23 Restricted Area Sunrise to sunset. The following counties or parts thereof are open to quail hunting: Those parts of Washington, Dodge, Colfax, Platte, and Merrick south of Highway 30 and all of Douglas, Saunders. Butler. Polk, Sarpy. Cass. York. Lancaster. Seward, Hamilton, Hall, Buffalo, Phelps. Kearney. Adams. Clay, Fillmore, Saline, Otoe, Gage, Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson, Jefferson, Thayer, Nuckolls, Webster. Franklin and Harlan, except Federal and State sanctuaries and refuges. All other counties are closed. Sunrise to one (1) hour before sunset. GROUSE (Prairie Chicken and Sharp-tailed Grouse) Oct. 11-Oct. 15 Restricted Area 3 The following counties are open to grouse hunting: Arthur, Brown, Box Butte, Cherry. Dawes. Grant, Hooker. Keya Paha, McPherson, Rock and Sheridan counties except Federal and State sanctuaries and refuges. All other counties closed. RABBITS SQUIRRELS RACCOON and OPOSSUM DEER, BUCK Jan. 1-Jan. 31 and Apr. 1-Dec. 31 Oct. 1-Dec. 31 Entire State Entire State 10 10 5 Jan. 1-Dec. 31 except! Entire State No Limil between April 1 and August 1 when hunting these species with dogs is prohibited. Dec. 1-Dec. 7 Restricted Area DEER, DOE The following counties are open to hunting bucks by 1.500 special permittees only: Banner, Morrill, Scotts Bluff. Sheridan and Dawes, except Wildcat Hills Game reserve in Banner and Scotts Bluff counties. Chadron State Park in Dawes county, Walgren lake in Sheridan county and federal refuge areas in all open counties. Dec. 8-Dec. 14 Restricted Area The following counties are open to hunting does by 1.000 special permittees only: Banner, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, Sioux and Dawes, except Wildcat Hills Game reserve in Banner and Scotts Bluff counties. Chadron State Park in Dawes county and federal refuge areas in all open counties. One (1) male with fork on antler. an tie red deer at least one One (1) antlerless female. One-half (>2) hour be- fore sunrise to one (1) hour before sunset except on opening day when hunting starts at noon. Sunrise to sunset. Sunrise to sunset. All hours One-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to one-half (*2) hour after sunset. 6 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

The Borkle in Wyoming

Origination Puzzles Scientists By ROBERT C. BURKHOLDER Reprinted from Wyoming Wild Life This report is guaranteed to produce convulsions in anyone who has tried to read scientific bafflegab in the raw. Surprisingly, the author is not a game man—or is he?

The author lias recently completed a comprehensive study of Wyoming's newly discovered mammal—the Cascade mountain borkle (Onots Louisiana). The purpose of this manuscript is to acquaint zoologists, wildlife technicians, college students, ladies' clubs, professors, sportsmen, the D.A.R., nature lovers, and the general public with this rare and interesting specimen of Northern American fauna. . . .

Borkles are found in Wyoming in the Rocky mountains, hence the name Cascade mountain borkle. The scientific name Onots louisiana was given to this animal by Dr. Schlegelhof of Georgia who is famous in Texas for his work on the California approach.

How the borkles got to Wyoming is a puzzle to scientists, but there are four likely possibilities: (1) they may have moved east from Idaho, (2) south from Montana, (3) west from South Dakota and Nebraska, or (4) north from Colorado. As everyone knows, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska never had any borkles. We doubt if borkles could have migrated from these states. There are certain people who claim that Colorado borkles would never have migrated to Wyoming, but we doubt if borkles ever lived as far south as Colorado in the first place. We must consequently let the reader form his own opinion as to where borkles came from originally. We scientists are still debating this weighty question.

Since we all know that the Rocky mountain borkle is found only in the Cascade mountains, the question now arises—where in the Rocky mountains do we find the Cascade mountain borkle? The author and his assistant found borkles only on the 10,000 foot contour of the mountains in western Wyoming. Why these animals are not found on the 9,900 foot or the 10,100 foot contours is a matter for further study. . . .

The author has had the opportunity of studying several borkles in their natural habitat. The data presented below is of scientific interest and should add greatly to our storehouse of knowledge in the field of natural history.

I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION Most borkles are . . . well, all borkles closely resemble the . . . that is, some borkles look very much like to go on with our report.

II. EARS—TWO Length of ears (inches) -f 3 + 3 — 6 + 1— 5 - — 6 Borkle eating pine cones on a stump. . . but Average length of ear -6 4 + 2 -1

(The above data was partly responsible for our assumption that borkles, at least in Wyoming, have no ears. We cannot otherwise explain an ear —1 inch in length.)

III. LEGS—THREE After thorough study it was determined that all borkles have three legs of equal length: that is, the distance from the body to the feet is the same for all legs. The borkles always use their shortest leg on the uphill side of the mountain.

IV. TAILS The study of borkle tails proved to be very confusing to the author. Measurements of numerous borkle tails varied from 3/16 inch to 2 feet in length. It must be assumed therefore, for obvious reasons, that borkles have no tails. It would be unthinkable to allow such discrepancies to creep into a scientific report of this kind. The question of borkle tails is a matter for further study.

V. WEIGHT Unfortunately the author and his assistants did not have scales available for.weighing borkles and, consequently, had to resort to crude and primitive measurements. As each borkle was captured, it was casually tossed into the nearest creek. The volume of water displaced by the borkle was then care fully measured in gallons. The gallons were then converted to cubic feet and the cubic feet converted to pounds. (One of our calculations resulted in a figure of 7.48 bushels per gallon. Obviously, a slide-rule error.) On the basis of the above measurements, statistically calculated, we have accurately determined that an average borkle weighs 904 pounds—plus or minus 401 pounds. For a scientific report, this figure is plenty close enough. . . .

VI. COLOR For the purpose of this study we will have to assume that all borkles are dull grey in color and spotted with black dots which float from left to right. It was only after completing this study that the author and his entire staff FALL ISSUE 7   were found to need glasses and to be color blind. Borkle color is another matter for further study.

SEX LIFE

The mating season for borkles runs from January 15 to January 16. This is, we admit, a very short mating season, but there seem to be plenty of borkles . . . anyway.

Borkles generally come in the usual two sexes. There are also some females. There are usually, on an average, 3V3 female borkles to every male borkle, but occasionally the females outnumber the males.

Unlike other mammals, which mate by pairs, borkles mate by threes. This is also a matter for further study. Young borkles resemble old borkles— only young borkles are younger and smaller than the large, older borkles.

An average litter of borkles contains 34 1/3 very young borkles. Most of these are born on January 17.

Borkle eggs are considered to be a delicacy—especially before hatching.

MANAGEMENT

The author and his assistants recommended that the borkle herd be conserved and perpetuated by initiating the following regulations:

(1) Extend the length of the mating season.

(2) Allow no legal hunting for borkles.

(3) Restrict the killing of borkles by poachers to no more than two borkles per poacher. This may be accomplished in one of three ways: (1) issue permits to all poachers, (2) construct poacher-borkle fences on all 10.000 foot contours to keep the borkles in and most of the poachers out, or (3) declare an open season on poachers.

By following these recommendations we feel that there will either be plenty of borkles and no poachers or plenty of poachers and no borkles. In any event, the legal hunter should not be allowed to take borkles. This would only confuse the issue and add to the job of record keeping.

SUMMARY

This completes our study of the Cascade mountain borkle in the Rocky mountains. We have tried to present the results of this study in clear, concise scientific language and hope that it will have a profound effect.

NEBRASKA HUNTING FORECAST

PHEASANTS

Statewide outlook: Good. More birds than last year. Local changes: Larger gains in west; local gains and losses nearly balanced in much of remainder of state, but some gain generally indicated.

Hunting conditions: Cover will be heavy, especially in early season.

Use of dogs: Pheasant hunting usually results in many lost birds. Using a good dog will mean fewer lost birds.

Hunt on private lands only after first receiving permission.

QUAIL

General outlook: Good. Summer check indicates population slightly below that of 1951, but higher than in 1950.

Local changes: The northern and western parts of the open zone seem to have more quail than a year ago while the southeastern counties have less. The population is apparently more evenly distributed within the open zone than a year ago.

Use of dogs: Quail hunting with dogs is almost a "must." Hunting with dogs keeps lost birds at a minimum and adds to the sport of quail hunting.

GROUSE

General outlook: Good. More birds than last year.

Larger open area: Eleven counties are open, or six more than last year.

Hunting conditions: The season will be nearly a month earlier than last year. Grouse hunting is usually better in early fall because the birds are not so wild then.

Chickens generally protected: Grouse shooting is aimed primarily at sharp-tailed grouse. Much of the better prairie chicken country is closed to give chickens protection. Both species of birds are legal game in the 11 open counties.

Fire hazard: Prairie fires are a real danger in the ranch country. Hunters are urged to do everything possible to prevent fire and to hunt only after obtaining local permission.

Watch the tails: Both prairie chickens and sharptailed grouse have short tails. Brown, long-tailed birds are hen pheasants. There is no open season on hen pheasants and the entire state is closed to all pheasant hunting during the grouse season.

8 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

Wing Shooting

By Loron Bunny Conservation Officer

Volumes have been written on the art of Wing Shooting, yet actual experience is by far the best teacher. We might carry charts giving velocity of a shot charge, speed flight of the different game birds, the proper lead for all the various angles, yet what good would it do after a bird flushed? By the time you could consult your chart the bird would be in the next county. However, I am fully convinced that a big percentage of hunters do not realize that proper lead is by far the most important factor in successful Wing Shooting.

It is very seldom that we flush a bird that requires an absolute point-blank aim. In duck shooting either pass or over decoys 90 per cent of them must be led in order to place them in the center of your shot circle.

Now to give the novice an idea of what this lead business is all about let me quote a few figures, for example a duck passing parallel to the hunter at 100 feet distance and moving at the conservative rate of 30 miles per hour will travel approximately 4 ¥2 feet in 1/10 of a second. Our ballistic experts tell us the muzzle velocity of the average shot charge is around 1,000 feet per second or 100 feet in 1/10 of a second. Therefore, it may be plainly seen that the duck travels 41/2 feet in the same length of time it takes the shot charge to travel 100 feet—thus the lead required to center your bird provided your gun was fired from a stationary position. Most shooters agree that the swing of the gun offsets a part of the lead. Quartering shots require less lead and on the other hand longer distance or speedier birds require more lead. The whole thing in a nutshell is that actual experience in the field is the only possible way to learn the game, and believe me, it takes a lot of time and ammunition.

Now a little about the proper ammunition. Most beginners are handicapped by using the wrong size shot. I expect to get a "raise" out of many shooters but nevertheless the following is based on over thirty years of actual experience in the field, plus the opinion of many of the world's greatest wing shots with whom I've had the pleasure of discussing the subject during my ten years in the trap shooting game.

THE AUTHOR "Recognized as one of the better game shots of the state. (In trapshooting) Nebraska double target champion 1923. World's record for continuous breaks in shooting off tie, 200 straight in 1923. (This record was broken a few years later.) Professional champion at double targets in Prairie Zone 1924. Professional champion, single targets Nebraska State Shoot 1924. Winner of official high average of Nebraska, 1925. Nebraska double target champion 1926. Runnerup on singles. Nebraska OPEN championship, 1942." (The above shooting is all recorded in the files of the Amateur Trapshooiing Association of Dayton, Ohio.)

Wing shooting in Nebraska at the present time is confined to ducks and pheasants with an occasional goose for dessert. My firm belief is that only three sizes of shot should ever be used on ducks and pheasants for more clean kills and less cripples, and that is 6s, 7s and 7V2s. Nothing heavier than 6s for large ducks and 7s or 71//2S on medium ducks and pheasants. The average pheasant shooter, many of whom have had little or no experience in the field, tramps around all day and shoots at every pheasant that gets up regardless of distance and occasionally kills a bird at 80 yards with his 4s and then gets the mistaken idea that he should kill all his birds at that distance. The modern gun companies have the science of boring guns down to a mighty fine degree, but no 12-gauge gun has ever been built that will kill consistently at 70 or 80 yards. The reason for so many crippled birds, or birds wounded that fly away and die, and do no one any good, is because of poor judgment of distance. You may wonder what I consider the maximum distance for consistent killing. I place the 12 gauge at 55 yards, 16 gauge 50 yards, and the 20 at 45 yards with the proper balanced load. Five yards might be added FALL ISSUE 9   by the use of maximum loads which were placed on the market a few years ago. I favor the old reliable standard load for a 12 gauge of 3^-1 Vs and would insist that beginners use nothing heavier. My reason for the use of small shot is very simple. A game bird must be hit in a vital spot to make a clean kill and the vital spot is very little larger than a baseball on the above birds with head excluded. Either of the three favorite sizes have ample penetration at the above distances to make clean kills, and the number of pellets are so much greater that everything is in favor of the small shot. Do you realize that a load of 5s has only half as many pellets as does a load of 7V2S and that your chances of hitting a vital spot is considerably less with the 5s?

If nothing else will convince you, back off 55 yards and take a shot at the side of the barn or a large paper target, trying 4s. See how easy it is to throw a baseball through your pattern of 4s and I think you'll find a place or two you can throw a football through also. Now try a load of 7V2S and let your conscience be your guide.

Learn to judge distance and never shoot at a bird over 50 or 60 yards, and bear in mind that from 30 to 45 yards is the proper distance for clean killing.

All modern guns are factory tested at a 30-inch circle at 40 yards, and a bore that will place 80 per cent of the pellets in the 30-inch circle is some gun. Most of them run about 65 per cent, which is a very good killing circle. And when the fellow tells you he has a gun that will put all the shot in the size of his hat at 50 yards, tell him you are from Missouri for it just can't be done.

I sincerely hope that you beginners, and also many others who in the past have shot up two or three boxes of shells getting the limit or less, will try the small shot idea, also practice distance judging, give your birds plenty of lead, and by all means shoot with both eyes open if possible, and watch the old game bag fill up.

Troui Fishing io Close in 35 Counties On Friday, October 31, the fishing for trout in 34 counties and part of another ends. These counties are Burt, Cuming, Stanton, Madison, Boone, Greeley, Valley, Custer, Logan, McPherson, Grant, Sheridan, Box Butte, Sioux (north of and including the Niobrara river and tributaries), Dawes, Cherry, Hooker, Thomas, Blaine, Brown, Keya Paha, Rock, Loup, Garfield, Wheeler, Holt, Boyd, Knox, Antelope, Cedar, Pierce, Dixon, Wayne, Dakota and Thurston. Trout fishing in all other counties continues throughout the year.

FOCUS THE PICTURE

FFOLLOWING are characteristics of a migratory species which frequents the state. How many of these descriptive and informative sentences must you read before you can bring the picture into focus? The name and picture of the migratory species appear on page 24.

1. Regulations governing the harvest of this species are set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service.

2. Its length is about 16 inches. Its bill is stout and nearly as long as its head.

3. Favorite haunts are shallow ponds or bogs where reeds or rushes grow from the water. Here it makes its nests which are platforms of dead stems woven together in a sort of wicker-basket fashion, piled up from the bottom of the water and partly supported by the stems of aquatic plants.

4. Its feet are not webbed straight across, but each toe has a sort of scallop of lobes.

5. It is notably versatile with its feet. It can run, walk, swim and "skitter" with marked ability.

6. Its eggs—anywhere from seven or eight to 14 or 16 are distinguishable by the small "pepper-spot" markings evenly sprinkled over them. One egg is laid each day and incubation begins with the first egg.

7. This species is rather tame but is known to make a rather too free use of its sharp bill.

8. Its prevailing color is slate; dark above and light below.

9. This species is often mistaken for a duck as it is usually seen swimming.

10. It is also called water chicken, shuffler, splatter, water hen, marsh hen and mud hen.

Careless Sportsmen Are Public Menace

Always remember that your rifle or shotgun are lethal weapons, capable of killing not only game, but also human beings.

The first responsibility of a hunter is to exercise the utmost caution when handling any firearm. To fail in this is inexcusable criminal negligence.

Any hunter who endangers human life is not a sportsman, but a public menace.

One short second of precaution while you are hunting may spare you a lifetime of regrets.

New Commissioners The Nebraska Game Commission has three new members—Don F. Robertson of North Platte, Frank P. Button of Ogallala and Bennett Davis of Omaha, replacing the late B. Frank Butler of Cambridge, Frank Brady of Atkinson and Dr. Herbert B. Kennedy of Omaha respectively.

If You Ever Lose Your Permit . . . In case of a lost or destroyed permit, contact the permit vendor from whom you purchased the permit and ask him to send a verification—kind of permit, date issued and number—to the Lincoln office of the Nebraska Game Commission. Then send 25 cents in coin to the Game Commission office and a statement will be sent you.

Duck Seasons in Neighboring Slates South Dakota (Oct. 3 to Dec. 1), Iowa (Oct. 8 to Dec. 1), Missouri (Oct. 20 to Dec. 13), Kansas (Oct. 12 to Dec. 10), Colorado (Oct. 20 to Dec. 18) and Wyoming (Oct. 17 to Dec. 15). Nebraska's waterfowl season runs from Oct. 11 to Dec. 9.

Length of seasons granted fly ways: Atlantic Flyway States (55-day open season or split season of 22 days); Mississippi Flyway States (55-day open season); Central Flyway States (60-day straight season or two periods of 24 consecutive days); Pacific Flyway States (70-day straight season).

10 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

AREA FENCING, GROUND PREPARATION ON AGENDA

Third of a Series of Articles on "Home for Wildlife" By Jim Ager Habitat Restoration Leader

PERHAPS we should start this article with a very brief review of its two predecessors which appeared in the Spring and Summer issues of this magazine.

Nebraska's game population coming into the breeding season is determined of course by the number of each species which successfully survived the winter. Nebraska winters are apt to be severe and our game, particularly pheasants and quail, are often hard put to last them out. If they are to be successful, they must be assured of adequate food and protection. Food is seldom a problem as thousands of bushels of waste grain and weed seeds cover our good Nebraska soil. If these are covered too deeply by snow, there are still thousands of bushels of seeds still fastened to their parent plants which are emerging from the snow. All of this is there for our game if it has sufficient protection from the weather to utilize it. This protection is offered in the form of cover—either native or man produced. Our native cover, plum brush, etc., is rapidly diminishing and it is necessary that man replace it.

The Game Commission will furnish this cover in the form of free planting stock to those persons or organizations who will see that it is planted and maintained. The main requirement is that it be adjacent to cropland so that the birds need not expose themselves to the weather while feeding.

In the previous issues we have discussed site selection and are now ready for the next step in the construction of a "Home for Wildlife."

Any spot on any farm on which we hope to have game birds wintering, loafing or nesting must be undisturbed by outside influences. To prevent these interferences, the area must be fenced. Fencing is the most important single item in the construction of a "Home for Wildlife." Livestock in such an area will make it worthless as a cover area. It also spoils it for any other purpose it might serve. Our pheasants and quail are ground roosting birds. As a result, any home we build for them must be on the ground—not one, two or five feet above the ground. All of us know of at least one shelterbelt in our community where the cattle or sheep have had free access. In these belts, there is no cover at the ground level. Grass is cropped off short. Weeds are trampled down and most important, there FALL 11   are no limbs on the trees to a height which the livestock can browse or rub them off. Such a belt might make a good picnic spot for birds on a warm, sunny day, but it certainly would not help them when they need help as on a cold wintry day. Nor does it offer any protection to the fields, farmstead or livestock which might be on the lee side. The soil in such a belt is trampled and packed. The soil structure is broken down and rainfall cannot enter as readily. This means less moisture for the trees and more runoff and erosion in the planting.

So we see that a grazed planting is a worthless planting regardless of the purpose for which it was planted. This means that fencing is a must in tree planting and is a requirement in our "Homes for Wildlife" project. Part of the planting stock furnished you will include sufficient rosa multiflora to make a living fence around your area. However, this will take from three to five years to reach proper size and it must have a temporary fence around it.

I shall not attempt to tell you how to build a fence. I will only say the fence is extremely important and it must be such as to exclude whatever livestock you have which might otherwise have access to the area. Usually a three or four strand barbed wire fence is sufficient. If hogs or sheep will have access there, it must be a fence which will exclude them.

The only other item which we can discuss at this time of the year is that of ground preparation. Now is the time to get this out of the way. It is an important part of the project if we are to expect a good percentage of survival.

If your planting site has been in cropland the previous year, your ground preparation is simple. Remove as much of the trash as possible and plow the area as deep as possible. Then leave it rough for the winter.

However, if your site is in grass, it will take more time. In order for trees to survive, the roots must be firmly packed in the soil. This is not possible if chunks of sod are turned under and then left to discompose. They form air pockets around roots and they resist packing. In addition, many pieces of sod will start growing again the next spring and thus make cultivation much more difficult. These cites should be plowed deep and on the contour or erosion will become a problem. After plowing comes the tedious task of discing and discing until the pieces of sod are completely broken up. Then, it is well to wait a few weeks until the surface is very dry and disc some more to kill those pieces of sod which have started to grow. After the ground is well pulverized, you may wish to plow once more and leave it rough to prevent blowing.

With the fencing and ground preparation out of the way, we are now ready to sit back and wait for spring and the planting season. We may even use some of the long winter nights to read up on trees and planting and as the wind rattles the windows, we have that pleasant feeling of knowing that you are doing something so the game on your farm will be protected for a better harvest in the fall.

Here's the solution to your Christmas shopping troubles. Send your friends, fellow sportsmen and farmers on whose land you hunted gift subscriptions to OUTDOOR NEBRASKA. Only 50 cents for 1 year, $1 for 2 years and $2 for 5 years.

Just send the names and addresses and we'll do the rest. We will send Xmas letters to your friends, notifying them that an OUTDOOR NEBRASKA gift subscription will be coming to them with Christmas greetings from you.

OUTDOOR NEBRASKA State Capitol Lincoln, Nebraska Send sub to: Yrs. (Name) (Address) Yrs. (Name) (Address) Yrs. (Name) (Address) Enclosed find $ to cover subscriptions. Sent in by: 12 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

Let's Get Acquainted With...

Warden George R. Weidman

CURLY haired George R. Weidman, massive 6-foot ¥2-inch, 230-pound game warden from the heart of the panhandle, ranks as one of Nebraska's busiest big game hunters. Though most of George's big game hunting is confined to Nebraska, he still hunts buffalo, elk and antelope—with considerable success. And—he also gets in a few licks at deer. One such hunt over a two-day period netted him 38 deer. There's just one catch—it's his official duty. George is oftentimes called upon to destroy big game guilty of depredation. He will assure you that it isn't a pleasant task.

Headquartering at Gering, George serves as conservation officer over Banner, Kimball, Scotts Bluff and the southern half of Sioux counties. There the normal population is seasonally supplemented by large numbers of transient labor — chiefly Mexican nationals. He probably encounters more mixed nationalities than any other warden in the state and as might be expected, this constitutes quite a problem. Though he has learned by experience to speak and understand a few words of each language, he relies almost exclusively on pantomime to communicate with the people of the mixed nationalities.

His panhandle district, one of the state's most blessed outdoor areas, has more lineal miles of trout streams than any other district in Nebraska. Two of the larger reservoirs — Minatare and Kimball—provide diversified and productive angling. Pheasants, ducks, geese and deer inhabit the area as do most species of fur-bearers.

George's first association with the Nebraska Game Commission pages back to September 1, 1940, when he was employed as conservation officer. His first headquarters were at St. Paul, followed by Kearney and finally Gering. He has at some time or other served in most of Nebraska.

George's law enforcement duties were interrupted during World War II when he served as a gunner on dive bombers with the U.S. Naval Air Corps. His shooting knack apparently carried over as he is one of the top marksmen among Game Commission personnel.

In addition to the problem created by the mixture of nationalities, George is also confronted with another problem, that of being bounded by both Colorado and Wyoming. He has to be constantly on the alert to catch non-residents slipping over the border into Nebraska. His law enforcement authority combined with his tremendous size and forcefulness command respect.

One of the biggest mass arrests on record is credited to Weidman. Three years ago, while working north and r0 east of Gering, he came upon 12 tran- $k'i sient laborers who had just shot a deer |gg. and were in the process of dressing it. They not only lacked deer permits and were ineligible for but also killed the deer out Each of the laborers carried a rifle and a knife. After considerable hesitation on part of the laborers, they accompanied Weidman to court.

Each of the 12 laborers was fined and assessed liquidated damages in the amount of about $450. Though they were employed at the time, they lacked the money to cover the fine and liquidated damages. The court ordered that the assessed amount be impounded from their wages. When this was completed, they were deported to their native country where they legally resided.

George has fished and hunted since he "was big enough to dig worms and carry a gun." He is a native of Plainview, Nebraska, and is a graduate of the University of Nebraska. He was married on June 1, 1937 and has three children—Fred, Jerry and Charlene.

  WILDLIFE IN ONE REEL  

Snake Myths

By Dick Schaffer Editor

WHILE last minute preparations were being made on the Game Commission's live exhibit at the Fair grounds in late August, one employee politely but affirmatively informed me that the exhibit wasn't big enough for both himself and the incoming snakes. He threatened to walk off the job unless he received assurance that the snakes would be withheld until the exhibit was completed and he had left the building.

At first we thought he was joking. However, as time passed, we realized his seriousness and agreed to his terms. He then explained that this fear of snakes dated back to his childhood.

"And even today," he said, "when I drive down the highway and see a snake on the road or moving on to the shoulder, I begin trembling. I can't help myself. Goose pimples bump into each other while popping out. I get the chills and begin perspiring."

This employee doesn't have to feel bad about this fright. He isn't alone. There are countless thousands of people who fear snakes—many in lesser degrees while in others this fear is even more pronounced. What, then, is the basis or reason for this horror of snakes?

It may possibly be that snakes are poisonous and that death is possible after being bitten. Consequently, all snakes are dreaded. Actually, using Nebraska as an example, the big majority of snakes are non-poisonous. The only poisonous snakes known to inhabit parts of Nebraska are the timber rattlesnake, prairie rattlesnake, western massauga and northern copperhead.

Or—this panic may be attributed to the fact that snakes are so different from their relatives in the animal kingdom and are among the lowest forms of vertebrate animal life on this earth today. Another possibility is the many fables handed down generation after generation which are accepted as being true without any doubt or hesitation whatsoever.

It is with this subject—snake lore—that this article is devoted. The writer has interviewed Dr. S. B. Shively, head of Nebraska Wesleyan University's biology department. The following myths and information are based largely upon my conversation with Mr. Shively.

One popular story concerns the swallowing of young snakes by the parent for protection when in danger. There has been no dependable authority who has observed such an act. A lady residing in Harlan county wrote Dr. Shively —in good faith—telling about a garter snake she killed several years ago. She said she was herding cattle at the time and was accompanied by her dog. The dog found a garter snake and began barking. She killed the snake and found a bump on the snake's body. She opened the snake and found 20 active little garter snakes. Dr. Shively's explanation is that young snakes found in the garter were actually hatched in the body and were about to be born.

Garter snakes are one of the viviparous species of snakes found in Nebraska—those producing living young from within the body instead of releasing eggs. About two months ago two employees of the Game Commission drove over a plains garter snake in the sand hills. They opened the body cavity and found 126 small snakes—about ready to be born. The snakes were in the body cavity. A partly digested salamander was found in the stomach.

No known snakes gives any parental care to its young. They are not equipped for such. The viviparous species release live young and desert them. The other snakes-oviparous (producing eggs that hatch after exclusion from the body)—lay the eggs and then depart. There are some exceptions. Some snakes will coil about the eggs until hatched. The others—left deserted—are sometimes incubated by the sun or decaying organic matter.

Snakes are reported to look for victims and then take pursuit. This superstition has no foundation. Actually, snakes are retiring in nature. They hear a noise—vibrations detected by the tongue—and flee, oftentimes in the direction of the disturbance; generally, however, in the opposite direction.

How many times have you heard that though a snake has been killed, its tail doesn't die until sunset? The truth is that the tail sometimes shows reflex action for some time after the snake is killed. It isn't actually still alive. A turtle is very similar. You can sever the head of a turtle and if you tie the neck to prevent the loss of blood, there is a good possibility that the heart will continue to beat for as many as three or four days.

Snakes have no known supernatural powers and vice versa, neither does man. Neither can hypnotize or charm the other. Snakes can, however, be tamed and taught to be handled.

Have you ever seen milk snakes suck milk from cows? Neither have I, but yet this is a popular myth. A snake's mouth is not equipped for sucking in any way. Cows are occasionally found milked in the morning. Snakes might be seen nearby. The two tie in perfectly and thus the conclusion which is erroneous. Cows do sometimes suck themselves or each other. Even hogs have been observed doing this. Snakes, however, are not guilty.

There is no evidence that a snake can form a hoop and roll in that position. Some people "heard said" that it does 16 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   this by holding its tail in its mouth and then rolls downhill. One possible basis for this misconception could be that racers occasionally hold a portion of their body off the ground when crawling. Seeing a racer moving toward you in this position might give the impression that it is rolling.

Snakes do not sting a person with either tail or tongue. A snake's only dangerous weapon is its fangs. Some have the ability to constrict prey. A large python could cause death by constriction. A rattlesnake or other poisonous species could cause death by injecting poison with its fangs.

That a snake can leap several times its own length is another fallacy. Most snakes are not capable of moving off the ground more than three-fourths their length in any direction. They must keep their body in contact with the ground to move. They cannot actually leap as there isn't enough recoil to carry them. A six-foot bullsnake probably couldn't "leap" more than three or four feet at one time.

Don't put any faith in the story that a second bite by a poisonous snake will cure the first. Not too many people believe this and probably no one has ever chanced it. The blood system in humans still remains just as susceptible to one bite after another. Some animals, however, such as horses and rabbits, become immune to snake venom after receiving occasional small injections.

One caution: Don't attempt to suck rattlesnake venom from a wound if you have a sore mouth. This is another possible way of entry of the venom into the blood stream.

People do not die instantly as a rule after being attacked by a poisonous species. Death may result—if no medication is taken—anywhere from several hours after the bite to several days later. Some people even recover without treatment. This isn't, however, recommended.

During periods of drouth, don't bother to kill a snake and turn it over with the hope of getting rain. There just isn't any connection whatsoever and no apparent explanation for the unsound myth. Just as unsound is the superstition that snake skin is good for rheumatism.

You cannot with any reasonable accuracy tell the age of a rattlesnake by counting the number of rattles. Each time a rattler sheds its skin, it exposes a new rattle. The number of sheddings per year varies and consequently the rattle counting theory is inaccurate. The most efficient method of ageing a rattlesnake is by its size.

Don't put faith in the story that rattlesnakes always warn a person before striking—either by rattling or by striking its victim first without its fangs being erected. Rattlers will often strike with no warning whatsoever.

Another popular misconception is that snakes are slimy. Their outer covering of scales is actually very dry. They have no skin glands that are oily or slimy to touch. And- snakes have no eyelids and cannot close their eyes.

Snakes—though they may be disliked and distrusted— are to an extent beneficial to man. Many of the valuable species are persecuted because of the popular aversion to these animals. Bullsnakes, as an example, are enemies of injurious rodents. Many other snakes, in addition to feeding on rodents, devour a large number of insects and deserve credit. Snakes, however, are also harmful. The poisonous species are capable of killing men. The bullsnake will eat small birds and eggs when the opportunity presents itself, yet in the long run will do more good than harm.

Nebraska Snakes

(The following list of snakes known to be found in Nebraska at present or in the past appeared in "The Amphibians and Reptiles" compiled and written by George E. Hudson, June, 1942.)

Western worm snake (heavily wooded areas in southeast corner of state).

Prairie ring-necked snake (much of eastern half of state).

Eastern hog-nosed snake (widely distributed over state).

Western hog-nosed snake (widely distributed over state).

Western smooth green snake (rare but widely distributed).

Blue racer (throughout state).

Western coachwhip (known to occur only in Hitchcock county along the Republican river).

Prairie rat snake (along southern border of state).

Pilot black snake (southeastern part of state where it is locally common in wooded areas).

Western fox snake (wooded areas in eastern Nebraska).

Faded snake (only one ever found dead two miles southeast of Stratton in Hitchcock county).

Bullsnake — largest species in Nebraska—(abundant throughout state).

Prairie king snake (southeast Nebraska).

Speckled king snake (records too scarce to justify any generalizations. Have been found in Boyd, Buffalo, Johnson, Lancaster and Nemaha counties).

(Cont'd on page 24)

FALL ISSUE 17

40 State Areas

FORTY different areas, all either state-owned or state operated and strategically scattered throughout broad Nebraska, are again extending a big welcome to all Nebraska sportsmen during.the open hunting seasons. The open areas consist of 3 public hunting grounds, the public hunting grounds part of the Sacramento Lake area, 3 combination public shooting grounds-recreation grounds and 33 recreation grounds.

These many diversified areas, together totaling in excess of 26,000 acres—both land and water—are open to the public without charge. And—with but one exception—all areas are devoid of signs keeping hunters out or first requiring them to request permission before entering upon them.

The lone exception is Nebraska's prize Sacramento Lake Public Hunting Grounds and Game Refuge found two and one-half miles west of Wilcox. The Sacramento area, situated in one of Nebraska's largest rain water basins, is divided almost equally for the benefit of both sportsmen and wildlife—1,150 acres as public shooting grounds and 1,190 acres as game refuge. The area is distinctly marked and presents no problem whatsoever for sportsmen to differentiate between the shooting grounds and refuge.

Bekon Hunters

Surrounded by living fence rows of rosa multifiora hedges, the area has shelterbelt plantings, fertile fields of corn, wheat and grass crops, all arranged and planted according to wise land use practices. Pheasants already abound and waterfowl are expected to arrive in larger numbers each year as the rain water lake reaches out to cover as many as 1,000 acres.

Ballards Marsh public shooting grounds beckons the duck hunters. Found 20 miles south of Valentine, this sand hills area eliminates the need of blinds because of its abundant high rushes and reeds. This area, obtained in July, 1930, was the first public shooting grounds established in Nebraska.

Enders and Medicine Creek reservoir areas, combination public shooting grounds and recreation grounds—provide both pheasant and duck hunting. Each reservoir area has a wealth of water surrounded by croplands.

18 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA  

Three areas, Gilbert-Baker (4V2 miles north of Harrison), Metcalf (7 miles north of Hay Springs) and Peterson (5 miles west of Fort Robinson), provide open area for Nebraska's deer hunters.

The remaining areas, all recreation grounds, were originally obtained primarily for fishing but provide some hunting. Some of the areas afford productive hunting. Others lack game populations. All, however, are open to the public for hunting.

A complete list of all state-owned or operated areas which are open to public hunting and their respective locations follow this list of hunting reminders.

IT IS UNLAWFUL—

To construct blinds or other devices on State-owned lakes.

To shoot from any public highway at any protected bird or animal. (Public highway includes all surveyed roads owned and used by the public. The highway is that portion of the roadway lying between property lines which is usually designated by fence lines.)

To hunt, kill, take or attempt to hunt, kill or take any game bird from a vehicle of any kind.

To have or carry any shotgun in or on any vehicle on any public highway unless such shotgun is unloaded. (A loaded gun is any shotgun having live ammunition anywhere in its mechanism, including its magazine and chamber.)

To hunt game birds with any shotgun capable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined (the magazine of which has not been cut off or plugged with a one piece metal or wooden filler which cannot be removed without dissembling the gun so as to reduce the capacity of said gun to not more than three shells).

To hunt game birds with any rifle, pistol or revolver.

To hunt game birds with any swivel gun or shotgun larger than ten (10) gauge.

To ship or mail any game bird or game animal except when it is accompanied by the shipper.

To possess any game bird or game animal or the flesh of any game bird or game animal at any time except during the open season and for ninety days thereafter, except that the flesh of deer legally taken may be possessed until December 31st of the year following the legal taking thereof.

For anyone to hunt upon any private lands without permission of the owner.

To take a bag of game and return to hunt and take another bag the same day. Hunters are warned that persons so doing will be prosecuted and full damages of $25 per bird or animal may be assessed.

One last reminder: All guns while being used illegally shall be seized upon the arrest of the person so using them and, upon conviction, all and every gun so used by such person as a part or element of such violation shall be forfeited to the state and delivered to the Game, Forestation and Parks Commission to be disposed of as provided by law.

PUBLIC HUNTING AREAS

All of the following areas are open to the public during the open hunting seasons. Listed are the names of the areas, size, counties in which found, distance and direction from nearest town and classification such as RG (Recreation Grounds), PHG (Public Hunting Grounds), R-PHG (Refuge-Public Hunting Grounds) and RG-PHG (Recreation Grounds-Public Hunting Grounds).

ARNOLD LAKE, 40 acres (Custer county), 1 mile south of Arnold (RG).

ATKINSON LAKE, 49 acres (Holt county), % mile west of Atkinson (RG).

BALLARDS MARSH, 1583 acres (Cherry county), 20 miles south of Valentine (PHG).

BLUE RIVER, 15 acres (Seward county), 5 miles north of Dorchester (RG).

BOWMAN LAKE, 45 acres (Sherman county), 2 miles west of Loup City (RG).

CHAMPION LAKE, 13 acres (Chase county), V2 mile west of Champion (RG).

COTTONMILL LAKE, 98 acres (Buffalo county), 3 miles west and one-half mile north of Kearney (RG).

COTTONWOOD LAKE, 160 acres (Cherry county), 1 mile east of Merriman (RG).

COTTONWOOD CANYON, 62 acres (Lincoln county), 6 miles south of Maxwell (RG).

CRYSTAL LAKE, 63 acres (Adams county), 1 mile north of Ayr (RG).

CRYSTAL LAKE, 5 acres (Dakota county), 3 miles west of South Sioux City (RG).

DEAD TIMBER, 200 acres (Dodge county), 1 mile east and V2 mile south of Crowell (RG).

ENDERS RESERVOIR, 5800 acres (Chase county), adjacent to Enders (RG-PHG).

FREMONT, 500 acres (Dodge county), 3 miles west of Fremont (RG).

GALLAGHER CANYON, 180 acres (Dawson county), 9 miles south of Cozad (RG).

GILBERT-BAKER, 2400 acres (Sioux county), 4V2 miles north of Harrison (PHG).

GOOSE LAKE, 549 acres (Holt county), 25 miles south of O'Neill (RG).

HAYES CENTER, 144 acres (Hayes county), 12 miles northeast of Hayes Center (RG).

HORD LAKE, 84 acres (Merrick county), 1 mile south and 3 miles east of Central City (RG).

HULL LAKE, 40 acres (Boyd county), 3 miles south and 2 miles west of Butte (RG).

JEFFERSON COUNTY, 95 acres (Jefferson county), 4 miles east of Alexandria (RG).

JOHNSON LAKE, 50 acres (Gosper county), 7 miles southwest of Lexington (RG).

Outdoor Nebraska QuIZ

THE ILLUSTRATIONS at left represent 10 different species of waterfowl found in Nebraska. Listed below are characteristics peculiar to each of the species. Match the characteristics with the illustrations. Score 10 points for each correct matching. A score of 100 is excellent, 90 is very good, 80 is good, 70 is fair and 60 or below is poor. Answers at bottom of page 23.

1. This duck, smallest of our ducks, weighing only about three-fourths of a pound, is probably the swiftest in flight. (........)

2. Wild celery is famed as the food of this duck although it is not available in many places where this bird occurs. (........)

3. One of first ducks to migrate in fall and one of latest to arrive on breeding grounds in spring. (........)

4. This duck selects an old woodpecker hole or a natural hollow in a tree for its nest and is capable of remaining submerged under water for almost half a minute. (........)

5. This duck is distinct among our ducks in having its main breeding grounds west of the Rocky mountains and having a breeding range also in South America. ( )

6. Bluebill, blackhead and broadbill are widelv used common names for this species. (........)

7. Commonly known as "whistler" because of the sound made in flight by its wings. (........)

8. Probably best known of all our ducks because of its wide distribution, large size and table delicacy. (........)

9. The broad and flattened bill having a straining comb of thin plates characterizes this duck. (........)

10. This duck is known as the ringbill or blackjack. (........)

LITCHFIELD, 23 acres (Sherman county), 5 miles northwest of Hazard (RG)

LONG LAKE, 80 acres (Brown county), 25 miles southwest of Ainsworth (RG)

MEDICINE CREEK RESERVOIR, 8700 acres (Frontier county) 2 miles west and 7 miles north of Cambridge (RG-PHG)

MEMPHIS LAKE, 147 acres (Saunders county), adjacent to Memphis (RG).

METCALF, 1,200 acres (Sheridan county), 7 miles north of Hay Springs (PHG)

OXFORD LAKE, 30 acres (Furnas county), 4 miles soutwest of Oxford (RG)

PAWNEE LAKE, 60 acres (Webster county), 2 miles west of Guide Rock (RG)

PIBEL LAKE, 67 acres (Wheeler county), 12 miles northwest of Spalding (RG)

PLATTEVIEW, 192 acres (Cass county), 1/2 mile northwest of Louisville (RG)

PRESSEY, 1140 acres (Custer county), 5 miles north of Oconto (RG-PHG)

RAT & BEAVER, 245 acres (Cherry county), 30 miles southwest of Valentine (RG)

RAVENNA LAKE, 81 acres (Buffalo county), 1 mile east of Ravenna (RG)

ROCK CREEK LAKE, 100 acres (Dundy county), 5 miles north of Parks (RG)

SACRAMENTO LAKE, 2,340 acres (Phelps county), 2 1/2 miles west of Wilcox (R-PHG), The Refuge part of the area is closed to hunting.

SHELL LAKE, 640 acres (Cherry county), 14 miles northwest of Gordon (RG)

SMITH LAKE, 640 acres (Sheridan county), 23 miles soutwest of Rushville (RG)

VERDON LAKE, 55 acres (Richardson county), 1 mile west of Verdon (RG)

WELLFLEET LAKE, 164 acres (Lincoln county), adjacent to Wellfleet (RG)

DEER DRAWING HELD

Ralph Fleming of Sidney and Heather D. Belden of Minatare were the No. 1 recipients of buck and doe permits respectively at the deer drawing held at the state house on September 16. A total of 1,500 buck permits and 1,000 doe permits were drawn. The buck season runs from December 1 to 7 and the doe season from December 8 to 14.

Beaver Trapping in Nebraska

(Continued from page 4)

After the skin has been removed from the animals, it is tacked to a flat surface with the fur side next to the wood. In tacking, the skin is stretched as round and tight as possibe. All excess fat and flesh should then be removed. Care should be taken not to cut the pelts because even small cuts reduce the value of the pelts. When preparing the pelt, it is well to keep the following in mind: The value of a beaver skin is considerably lessened by poor handling -good handling means extra cash when the pelt is sold.

Survival of the Fittest

By Walter Kiener Aquatic Biologist

THERE has occurred for years and years fish kills in lakes and ponds throughout the world that are not directly caused by man and his activities and hence are referred to as "natural" kills or mortalities. These kills are essentially of two kinds although they basically both have the same cause, namely insufficient oxygen.

One known kill is summer kill, which as its name implies, occurs in summer. It usually happens during that part of summer when high temperatures warm water to an unusual degree when at the same time temporarily slowed wind movement reduces wave activities. The combination of these two factors create conditions that tend to reduce the available dissolved oxygen in the water. The amount of dissolved oxygen, oyfree oxygen as it is often called, is never great and is measured in parts of oxygen to one million parts of water. The low threshold for safety of normal fish life in a body of water is usually given as five parts of dissolved oxygen to one million parts of water. Natural, healthy waters contain about eight parts of free oxygen per million parts of water which under very best conditions may go only a few parts higher.

The balance of free oxygen in natural waters is always somewhat precarious with regard to oxygen-consuming fish populations. The precariousness of this balance becomes pronounced when unusual conditions in hot summer time cause a reduction to insufficiency of available oxygen in the water against the amount and volume of an oxygen demanding fish population. The amount of free oxygen is not uniform over a whole body of water. In certain parts it may be more while in others it may be less. The same is true with distribution in depth. Generally the free oxygen becomes less and less the deeper the water becomes with the result that deeper, cooler waters may have less free oxygen.

Neither are the fish always evenly distributed over the whole of a body of water. A school of fish may reach a locality of depth for rest in a lake where the amount of dissolved oxygen is already low. The fish may already feel under stress and therefore do not move away. The consumption further reduces the amount of oxygen to below the danger point, causing many fish to suffocate from lack of oxygen before the school moves on.

The first fish to succumb are those in poorest condition—often weakened by parasites or other diseases. A fish kill of this type happened in McConaughy reservoir, Nebraska's largest lake, in August. In small bodies of water, the conditions may be more uniform and a deficit of free oxygen may kill all kinds of fish whether they bunch in schools or not. But always the kill occurs when the amount of dissolved oxygen decreases to such an extent that it is insufficient to support all fish. From the time this unbalance begins, fish will die from suffocation until the number of fish decreases to a point at which the remaining fish will consume oxygen less than the lowest amount remaining available to them. Seldom are all fish killed in a body of water for lack of oxygen.

The winter kills occur during the hard winter when thick layers of ice lock up quantities of oxygen and reduce the amount of liquid water and its free oxygen to a minimum. In such a situation when no oxygen from the air can enter the water under the ice, the oxygen balance becomes critical. This balance is set against the amount of oxygen demand by the fish—their number and size in such a body of water. When the fish use the amount of free oxygen above the exact balance, they begin dying from suffocation. This continues until the oxygen becomes lower and lower until a zero point is reached or until the ice breaks and new oxygen is admitted to the water from the air. When this new oxygen is admitted, the fish kill stops. Winter kills occur more often in ponds and small lakes and here may represent an error of overstocking.

Whether summer or winter kill, the occurrence of either is nature's method of maintaining a balance. The number of dead fish represents the number of live fish which were too abundant in proportion to the amount of dissolved oxygen available during critical periods of the seasons. The excess in fish populations may be due to natural reproduction or overstocking, or both. In either case, nature eliminates the excess by suffocation, but as a rule does not destroy entire populations. The result is often improved fishing. This seems to illustrate the old adage of "the survival of the fittest."

  22 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   OUTDOOR NEBRASKA QUIZ ANSWERS 1. (f) green-winged teal; 2. (c) canvasback; 3. (j) blue-winged teal; 4. (h) bufflehead; 5. (a) cinnamon teal; 6. (i) scaup; 7. (g) American goldeneye; 8. (b) mallard; 9. (e) shoveller; 10. (d) ring-necked duck. PROTECTED BIRD ANSWERS 1. Chukar partridge; 2. cormorants; 3, 4 and 5. curlew, avocet and godivit; 6. sand piper; 7. falcon sparrow hawk; 8. great horned owl; 9. prairie chicken; 10. sharptailed grouse. FALL ISSUE 23

NEBRASKA SNAKES

(Con'd from page 17)

Western milk snake (throughout state).

Graham's water snake (southeast Nebraska).

Common water snake (common along streams and ponds in parts of eastern and southern Nebraska).

De Kay's snake (widely distributed over wooded areas of southeast Nebraska).

Wandering garter snake (known to occur only in Sioux county).

Plains garter snake (throughout state).

Western ribbon snake (rare and locally distributed).

Red-sided garter snake (throughout Nebraska).

Lined snake (eastern part of state).

Black-headed tantilla (only in Furnas and Red Willow counties along Republican river).

Pit vipers (four species found in state):

Northern copperhead (wooded areas in southeast corner of state).

Western Massasauga (much of southeastern part of Nebraska).

Timber rattlesnake (southeast corner).

Prairie rattlesnake (western half of state except perhaps along northern border).

NOTE: The names of snakes appearing in bold face letters indicates poisonous species.

Minnow Situation Improves

FOR the first time in many years, there were, generally speaking, no shortages of minnows in the fishing centers of Nebraska during the 1952 season, although some exceptions here and there are granted. What happened is that some minnow dealers over the state were seining minnows during the winter months and early spring and kept them in ponds as stock on hand for the season of rush business. From the ample supply of minnows, it became obvious this summer that the business of supplying minnows to the fishermen is beginning to get over the growing-pains and to settle down to a sounder base of procurement and trade relations.

As to the minnow trade itself, some basic concepts are beginning to crystallize. There is a strong sentiment among minnow dealers as well as forward-looking fishermen that the present permit system for bait vendors is insufficient and they are almost unanimous that it should be divided into two parts. Firstly, there should be the license for the wholesaler. This would be the party that seines minnows in streams or raises them in ponds and sells and distributes them to the retailers. The annual fee to permit this wholesaling including seining and raising of minnows should be no less than one hundred dollars.

The other vendor's permit should be only for retailing the minnows and should not allow the holder to do any seining of his own for commercial purposes, nor to entitle him to maintain a minnow hatchery. The fee for the retailing permit has variously been suggested at from $2.50 to $25.00.

The basic motivation of all these suggestions comes from the desire of minnow dealers and sportsmen to put the minnow supply on a solid business basis. The higher fees required would eliminate the present temporary wildcat exploitation by shifting individuals with little or no equipment. The higher fee would protect those dealers who want to make minnow distribution their life occupation. If basic protection is given these steady dealers, they then can afford to invest in ample and necessary equipment to handle minnows efficiently. Efficient handling will be paramount to dealers to obtain a fair return for investment and adequate wages.

It is believed that there are enough minnows produced in Nebraska waters to supply the two natural demands, namely minnows as forage for game fish, and minnows as bait for use by fishermen. Many streams in Nebraska produce only minnows and practically no game fish, and such minnows if not harvested for fishermen's bait, do represent a natural resource wasted. Other streams that do have game fish still have a harvestable amount of minnows due either to an excess of minnow production over that of game fish, or due to the fact that the game fish present in such streams are not predominantly feeding on minnows.

Once the minnow supply is established as a solid business, a continuous source of minnows will be of primary interest to the dealers, hence their activities will be directed by that interest and many malpractices and insufficiencies of today will disappear. There will be still many wrinkles to be ironed out such as diseases and epidemics which may result from bunching too many minnows into too small a place. The Game Commission will have to and is prepared to lend its help cooperatively to the minnow dealers to the end that the natural resource represented by the minnows be adequately, yet conservatively cropped and brought to the fisherman-consumer at a reasonable price, and be available at all times when needed so that there might be peace, order and contentment on the fishing front.

24 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA

NOTES ON NEBRASKA FAUNA

This is the eleventh of a series of articles and drawings depicting Nebraska's small and big game animals, fur-bearing animals, upland game birds, waterfowl and game fish. The article was written by Biologist Harry Miller and the water color painting made by C. C. Pritchard. The Winter Issue of OUTDOOR NEBRASKA will feature the badger.

mallard is the most abundant and popular species of .waterfowl in the Central Fly way. Nearly one-half J- of the ducks bagged are "greenheads," "ringnecks," or "northerns" which are but a few of the names local folks give to the beautiful mallard. Nebraska, in its strategic location within the Flyway, plays a very important part both in the overall history and harvest of this fine game bird.

Though the mallard is migratory, meaning they move from one country and climate for breeding to another for wintering, they may be found in Nebraska at any time of the year. About 20 per cent of the ducks breeding and nesting in the state are mallards and they represent nearly 100 per cent of the wintering population. .

The mallard's year starts with his arrival on the breeding grounds, usually in April or early May. Most of the mating has been completed during the migration northward from the wintering grounds, though late courtship may be observed frequently. The head bobbing, rearing and splashing on the water and the swift erratic flights of the female followed by the two or three males vying for her attentions during this late courtship are indeed thrilling sights tb behold. The birds mate for the current season only, and soon after the nest has been fully established, the male deserts the female entirely.

The mated pairs select their nest site soon after arrival to the nesting area and then the nest itself is started. The nest is generally well concealed, though the surrounding vegetation does not matter much. Mallard nests have been observed in the marshy vegetation surrounding a pond and in pastures and meadows up to two or more miles from the nearest water. A clump of brush, weeds or trash is a common place to find a nest, though one was found in Nebraska this past spring in an abandoned crow's nest fifteen feet from the ground in a cedar tree. It had successfully hatched, too! If a nest is destroyed before incubation begins, the pair will usually start another nearby.

During the time the eggs are being laid, the male selects a nearby water area for mating activities which are continued until the last egg has been laid. He will defend this area—called his territory—vigorously against trespass by all other ducks, especially another mallard drake. All is quiet until the trespasser crosses the imaginary line that is the bounds of the territory, at which time, the defending or territorial male rushes him with flailing wing and angry quacking; a beating and biting awaits those who tarry.

After the nest, which usually contains eight to ten eggs, is completed, the male deserts the territory and female and retires to his moulting grounds. There, in the company of several other drakes, he loses his brilliant breeding plumage and assumes another, known as the eclipse plumage. This plumage very nearly resembles that of the female and during the time that it is worn, the male sulks in the rushes and is seldom seen. This moult is very rapid and for a short time, the bird loses its power to fly. The next moult which brings on the breeding plumage again is gradual, starting in late August and continuing until winter.

The female, left with the household tasks in the meantime, is incubating. The time required for this is about 26 days. Immediately after the last egg is hatched, the family heads to the nearest water. Many times, broods of tiny ducklings have been observed on the hot dusty trails long distances from water. Many persons doubt that these young could ever walk so far, but records show that nearly all succeed.

Here the family remains until the young can fly, unless disturbed or forced out by some unusual circumstances. The young grow rapidly. In three weeks they have their first feathers, in five they have entirely lost their down and are completely feathered and in the short time of about seven and one-half weeks, they are full grown and flying. These first feathers, called the juvenile plumage, are alike in both sexes and resemble the female.

After a short period of practice flying, the young begin to gather in large groups and to congregate in the better feeding lakes. It is at this time that the observer may see the early morning and evening flights of the young, strengthening their wings for the soon-to-begin migration to the wintering grounds. The female, her family duties over for the season, retires to a secluded pond and rapidly goes through her moult into the eclipse plumage, which for her is no change from her breeding plumage.

The mallards start south on their migration about the first of October from the breeding grounds which extend from Nebraska and Colorado to the Arctic Circle. The young and females tend to lead the flight with the older males coming just ahead of the ice. The main bulk of the population goes through Nebraska usually during the first half of November. Generally, they have selected their wintering grounds by mid-December anywhere from South Dakota and Nebraska to the Gulf marshes of Texas and Louisiana where they remain until the first sign of spring to start the cycle over again.

The mallard belongs to the sub-family, Anaiinae, which is the surface-feeding group of ducks. This makes it a relative of the pintail, teal, shoveller and the like, which do not normally dive for their food but rather feed by tipping or dabbling on the surface or in shallow water. Its scientific name is Anasplatyrhynchos platyrhynchos; Anas being Latin for duck and platyrhynchos being Greek for broad beak. It is common throughout the northern hemisphere and nearly all the domestic breed stem from the mallard. For this reason plus its abundance, it is undoubtedly the most important duck to man.

They are one of the larger ducks. The average of well over a thousand weighed in Nebraska during the hunting season was about two and one-half pounds with the maximum being three and five-eighths. It is reported that they reach four pounds, but only very rarely. The so-called big northerns are really just older ducks. The young have FALL ISSUE 25   tended to go south first and also, the big northerns are killed nearly a month later giving them that much more maturity.

Waterfowl research in Nebraska has shown some interesting facts. Bands placed on some of the wintering flocks have been recovered in far northern Saskatchewan and Alberta. Those placed on the young and nesting birds have been recovered in Texas and Louisiana. The mallard also shows some instinct to return to the same breeding grounds each year. An outstanding example of which was the female that returned to the same nest—a box on a barn roof in the Crescent Lake refuge in Garden county—for seven years in succession. She raised over one hundred ducklings during that time.

A great deal of confusion arises over the aforementioned eclipse and juvenile plumages. It may be noted here that all species of ducks found in Nebraska moult into eclipse or have juvenile plumages that in every case resemble that of the female. This plumage is gradually replaced by the breeding plumage, which in some cases, takes well into the winter. For species identification, one must use the wing, which remains the same at all times. A green to purple patch bordered by a white bar on the front and rear, located on the top side of the inner half of the wing, identifies a mallard. To tell the male mallard from the female when in eclipse or juvenile plumage, examine the bill. A yellow-orange or orange bill with black fleets or spots on the side just in front of the head denotes a female. A yellow to greenish bill with no flecks or spots on the side denotes a drake.

Whether he be in eclipse, juvenile or full dress plumage, the mallard has cast a spell over nearly 70,000 Nebraskans who feel their sporting blood race faster every time the winds hint of the "flight" coming, a climax of the fall season.

The Tale of the Wandering Coyote

Ordinarily the shooting of a coyote in Nebraska's spacious sand hills is little cause for concern. Marion Lambley of Ainsworth, however, shot one coyote which created considerable interest.

This particular coyote had a tag on its ear. After extensive checking, it was learned that Dick Mauch and Barney Buell had tagged several coyote pups on the latter's ranch in Loup county about two years ago. They used chicken bands, same as that found on this coyote. A comparison of the recorded band numbers and the number found on the band worn by the coyote proved that this coyote was one of the pups banded in Loup county.

This coyote turned out to be a wide traveler, having covered between 60 and 70 miles from where it was banded in Loup county two years ago to the spot where it was shot about 10 miles northwest of Ainsworth.

Donipahn Hunter Posts Area With Welcome Signs

FOUND tacked aganst a board attached to a weather beaten fence post on the F. L. Adams farm near Doniphan, Nebraska, is an inspiring sign which has established a new and remarkable trend in farmer-sportsman relationship. It is an answer to any sportsman's dream and is in far contrast to many and already too abundant signs carrying disappointing but definite messages.

his hand painted sign, reading "Welcome Hunters," depicts the faith of Mr. Adams in Nebraska sportsmen—their decency, sportsmanship, respect and appreciation—and has won for him the admiration of thousands of hunters. He has renewed the faith and hope of sportsmen throughout the state—aging adults and frecklenoses alike—that privately owned lands which predominate in Nebraska will continue to welcome hunters through the years. And—his faith in sportsmen and initiative—will undoubtedly awaken land owners to the fact and realization that hunters are human beings and can be expected to act as such.

Mr. Adams, in a letter to the editor, writes: "There has been in the past all too much friction and animosity between farmers and the so-called City Dudes over imaginary destruction of property during the short time of the hunting season. In all of my life on the farm, nearly 63 years, I have not known of but one small calf being killed and two gates left open, letting the stock get out. This is a fine record I submit to the sportsmen. Another reason for the sign is why should any American have to humble himself before some Land LORD in order to partake in the sport and the meat of the wild game which IS and ought to remain COMMON property? This is the reason for the sign and it shall remain so as long as common decency and respect for law and order prevails in AMERICA."

For those owners who wish to remain advised at all times of visiting hunters who enter upon their lands, the Nebraska Game Commission has available upon request "Hunting by Permission Only" signs.

Land owners are requested to advise the Game Commission office in the State Capitol in Lincoln if they desire either type of sign and the number of each needed.

  Sec. 34.66 P.L.&R. U. S. POSTAGE PAI D Lincoln, Nebraska PERMIT NO. 369