Outdoor NEBRASKA

All material appearing in this magazine may be reprinted upon request.

Editorial

Any time people want to fight change of any sort they say "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear."

But by the same token why try to make a sow's ear out of a silk purse? No reason? Well, we're doing it, every day, or at least a great number of our more irresponsible citizens are.

Our "silk purse" in this instance is our beautiful outdoors, a heritage that was left to us in trust. No country in the world has more beautiful scenery than America, and no state in the Union has a more varied or soul-stirring vista than Nebraska. And the "sow's ear" we are trying to make of it is the sorry mess of litter that is rapidly accumulating on our land.

By accident, design, or what-have-you the highways and byways of our fair land are being converted into a garbage dump. And almost every one of us is guilty.

We Americans are an odd lot. If anyone told us that it was illegal to use garbage cans, and that the only way to dispose of our accumulating waste paper, bottles and cans was to throw them out the window of a speeding automobile we would fight like demons possessed.

But the reverse finds us curiously apathetic.

"Don't be silly," we say. "This cigarette wrapper is too small to be of any harm. I'll just flip it out the window."

But when you multiply that action by the millions of automobiles in this country you can easily see why the beauty spots of our country are getting to look more and more like somebody's junkyard. It is not a pretty sight.

Almost every youngster, sometime in his growing years, is told by his mother to "wipe the mud off your shoes ... I don't want you to track mud all over the house." But how poorly we learn that lesson!

Because we are tracking mud all over our "house of the outdoors," and it's up to us to stop it. We no longer have a guiding hand to lead us into correct paths of cleanliness.

But the paradox goes on. Here is America, the cleanest nation in the world. We spend billions yearly for soap, hire street cleaners to keep our streets spotless, scrub our children a dozen times a day, and all in all spend a good deal of our time fighting dirt. And yet with the same two hands we turn around and dirty up our most beautiful outdoor scenery with trash, waste paper and garbage.

Yes, it might be true that "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear," but isn't it about time we stopped making a sow's ear out of a silk purse?

Table of Contents

SEINING CREW HEADQUARTERS—This building at North Platte houses the District IV Headquarters and doubles as headquarters for the seining crew. The two-story sections have shop areas, truck storage, seine storage and net repair areas. The building is 40 by 92 feet, with a single-story "L" 32 by 75 feet which is occupied by the district office staff. It is constructed of concrete block with brick veneer.

The Indispensable Tool - Wings

(Pilot-Warden Von Dane is a young man in his early '30s, capable, efficient, with a maximum of technical skill. But he will laugh as he tells of stopping an automobile on a landing field runway to check the hunter's permit.

"I just landed and taxied over to his car and yelled 'pull over.' That was the most surprised man I've ever seen."

All that is needed to get a story is to ask Von Dane if an airplane is an efficient tool of enforcement. So we asked him, and the following story is what he had to say.—Editor.)

It was the week end before pheasant season and we were doing some airground patrol work in an area where we had repeated reports of game law violations.

During the course of the late afternoon and early evening we had contacted about 30 parties and had come up with two "no permit" cases, one "loaded gun in a vehicle" and one "out-of-season" pheasant shooting case.

IT HAD been about 15 minutes since the sun had slipped below the horizon and I was getting ready to notify the three units on the ground working with me that I was returning to the base, when suddenly on the ground below I saw a pair of tail lights light up bright red.

Instinct and experience told me to move, so I broke to the left hard to get there fast. As I was rolling out of the turn I saw a figure step out of the car and an instant later I saw the muzzle blast.

I opened the mike and called. "Two-zero from aircraft, I have a road shooter two east one south of your position."

I orbited in the area until the ground unit made contact, and we had another "out of season" hunting case.

THIS could be called a typical day's work in the apprehension of the minority group who persist in violating the game law and also an excellent example of one of the many uses of the Commission aircraft.

"Why does the Game Commission have an aircraft and to what use is it put?" is a question that I have often been asked. Well, to ferry personnel all over the state for one thing. Measure the airline distance from Falls City to Chadron. It's roughly 425 miles. In a car it's nearly 600 miles. So you can begin to get an idea of the time that is saved by using the aircraft for moving people someplace in a hurry.

Also the airplane is used quite a lot for law enforcement patrol. Add this to the survey work and you have the major uses of the aircraft.

WHEN using the airplane in law enforcement patrol any given area can be covered faster, more thoroughly and with much less manpower. With ground units alone the actual area covered is small, but when the aircraft 4 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   is used in conjunction with the ground units the coverage is 100 per cent.

In, areas of rough country, or where visual obstructions such as timbered areas or in places where ground travel is impossible, like on rivers, is when the aircraft really becomes the eyes of the ground units, guiding them to the scenes of the activitiy.

And in survey work is where the airplane really comes into its own, doing work that could not possibly be done from the ground. Let's take the midwinter waterfowl survey as one example.

HERE a count is made of the ducks and geese that spend the winter in Nebraska. Except for a small percentage the waterfowl that winter here wil be found on the Platte River and on the reservoirs that have open water all winter.

To do this survey from the ground alone would take a majority of the warden force, plus hundreds of miles of driving, and the picture obtained would still not be a true one. With the airplane it takes two men just two days to do the job, with an accurate estimate of the wintering birds resulting from the effort.

During May a survey is made each year of the nesting waterfowl in the Sandhills. This survey consists of roughly 3,000 miles of transects crossing the prime water area of the Sandhills, both east and west. The size of this job alone would take considerable time if done by a ground vehicle, but the type of terrain in the Sandhills makes this absolutely impossible from the ground.

THIS is the type of job that sees the "bucket of bolts" really earn its salt. During the mid-summer this same general area is flown again for the purpose of making a waterfowl brood count, again saving many days of tedious and tiring work.

There are a number of other varied uses of the Commission aircraft—flying fish eggs to the hatcheries where time is an important factor—doing big game surveys from the air—and occasionally an aerial photography job or an inspection tour. The airplane has also been used as an ambulance ship for one more example of the versatility of this piece of equipment.

Yes, the airplane is an indispensable tool in the job of game management and game law enforcement. And from an airman's point of view this is a gratifying need.

How Much Is Boy's Future Worth?

Taking a youngster along on a trip in the outdoors is something like eating baked quail for the first time you wonder why in the world you never tried it before!

The member of the "Little People Tribe" need not be one of your own progeny, although every father should at least give his son a chance to become acquainted with the outdoors-no, any youngster will do.

Take the wee one along whenever your car heads for the country—on a rabbit or pheasant hunting trip—on a fishing trip—on a trip to gather mushrooms in the spring or just to picnic any time of the year.

BUT DON'T do it unless you can stand the sight of young eyes growing bright as diamonds with the wonder of the outdoors, or unless you hate to hear them squeal, "Oh dad, you mean you want me to go with you!"

And be careful.

You may be creating a Frankenstein monster.

After a number of years of preaching this doctrine to an assortment of children-blessed friends I made the discovery this fall that my own $600 deduction had grown to the stage where it would be easier to take him along on hunting trips than to explain why he couldn't go along.

So with a minimum of ceremony and a maximum of shoving and poking to get my 3-year-old bundled into sweaters and snowsuits we headed for the duck blind. I was fortunate this fall to hunt with two good friends and a water-loving German shorthair pointer. Someone forgot to tell the shorthair that he was a land dog and he made the finest retrieving duck dog you ever saw.

SHIVERED enough to darn near shake the blind down, but ready and more than willing to swim for ducks anytime we were lucky enough to lay some on the water.

When the wee one and I came marching into the blind one morning the three sets of eyes glinted at us like six agate marbles.

"Now boys, and dog," I hastily added, "this kid will keep his mouth shut and quietly watch. Give him a break, huh?"

The dog thawed first and wagged a tentative tail, and the kid was accepted. There were a few slighting remarks at first, but soon all settled down to await the ducks we knew would be coming soon.

OPENING time for shooting came and passed, and our appetites were whetted by the faint sound of gunshots coming from a mile or so upwind of us, when out of the north what we first thought was a trail of smoke turned into a string of ducks.

On they came, nearer and nearer, and we turned into a bunch of brown mummies as we waited for them to get within range. And just at that moment, when bated breath filled the blind, the kid bellers "Ducks, daddy!" with a sound like an air-raid siren going off.

I clapped one hand over his mouth and was feeling for his throat with the other when friend Harold stopped me with a choked laugh that was almost a sob.

"Don't feel too bad," he said, "there'll be more."

And there were, luckily.

"FOR AN hour or so we were in a paradise of ducks—from all points of the compass feathered freebooters were doing their darndest to play footsie with our decoys—and for all that time the boy sat quiet as a bigeyed mouse and watched the action with no comment.

But finally the time arrived when there were no more ducks in the air, the sun came up over the bank of clouds in the east, and our shooting was over for the day.

And as we wended our way back to the cars my two companions were in a jovial mood. "Brought us luck," they said, and patted the kid on the head with wide grins. "So he botches up one flight. His luck more than made that up."

But of course our joy was tiny indeed compared to that of the boy. He was quiet about it, but human-type eyes just don't shine that way unless there is something unusual lighting them up from within. And when I took the boy with the jack-o-lantern eyes home to give a report to the woman who darns our socks he acted like someone had made him a present of a big chunk of the world.

SHE HEARD the entire story, from getting up early to the return-friendly red dogs that swam like ducks for ducks—cold wind—hot coffee—the funny smell of gunpowder — sunup when the sun was beet red—and the bold birds flying down to try to land in our decoys.

But hunting trips are the difficult ones to take youngsters on. The easy ones, and the ones on which they have every bit as much fun, are just the ordinary "outings," where the family goes out in the fall to gather bittersweet, or out in the spring to look at flowers blooming.

The point is that it doesn't take a "special deal" for a kid. They can't help but like being outdoors, and probably we aren't being fair unless we give them a chance to like it or not.

But like I say. Don't create a Frankenstein.

MAYBE that's not the correct nomenclature, but now I can't step outside the house without being trailed by a small quivering bundle of impatience. And although there are times when your hunting friends may look at you with little friendship in their hearts, you are more than repaid by the glow in the tad's eye as he tells and retells your trips together.

And after all what could be more rewarding than helping to introduce a youngster and his heritage of the outdoors to one another. Whether the two grow to be lifelong friends is not up to you, but the introductions take little time and effort.

And in the final analysis, how much is a boy's future worth?

Ice Fishing Is 'Silver Lining'

The clouds of this long and cold winter do have a silver lining; this in the form of the winter fishing season which, by the time you read this article, will be already underway in the many natural lakes that dot the Sandhill region of Nebraska.

Normally this increasingly important winter sport gets started about the second week of December and continues until the spring thaw makes it impossible to tread on the ice anymore. Fishing through the ice has been the top winter sport for upper mid-west sportsmen for the past twenty years, but only recently has the Nebraska angler been tempted by the rewarding results so often incurred from a day of ice fishing on one of the Sandhill lakes.

SPECIES of fish commonly taken during the winter fishing season include the black crappie, yellow perch, Northern pike and occasionally the largemouth bass. The most common of these fish caught is the perch, with the ever hungry Northern pike assuming an increasingly important role in the final day's creel.

The Fisheries Division has attempted during the past several years to collect information throughout the winter fishing period in order to forecast which Sandhill lakes should furnish the best possible ice fishing possibilities.

It has often been said that no two bodies of water are the same in their chemical, physical and biological makeup. This statement is very much in the vogue as far as our Sandhill lakes are concerned. Where some lakes seem more adapted for perch and northern pike populations, the harvest of these species is greatly increased through the efforts of winter fishing. Other Sandhill lakes furnish good summer and fall fishing returns but when ice cover prevails, these same lakes often fail to produce good winter fishing.

LATELY the problem of winter kill in many of the shallower lakes has handicapped efforts to manage lakes for such species as the northern pike. The following discussion of winter fishing Sandhill lakes is based from facts obtained from the 1955-56 ice fishing season and the 1956 summer lake survey investigations.

From all indications to date it appears that the ice fishermen will have his best opportunity for a full creel while fishing on Big Alkali Lake in Cherry County. This large Sandhill lake (840 surface acres) is located about 20 miles southeast of Valentine, and can be easily reached this year by a road from the north. The important winter fishing species in this lake are the yellow perch and the northern pike.

A creel census conducted during January of 1956 revealed that 21 perch were being harvested per fisherman hour at this lake. Many of these perch were in the 7-8" class, but some were caught in the jumbo size bracket of 10-14" group. Admittedly this lake contains too many perch thus reflecting slower growth rates for this fish; therefore, the Game Commission has removed the creel limit on this species 8 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   in order to encourage the harvest of the fish not only in Big Alkali, but throughout the Sandhill lake country.

THE NORTHERN pike population in Big Alkali is considered good and during the winter of 1955-56 furnished excellent fishing at times. The Northern pike in this lake are fast growing and within the comparatively short span of five years have reached the 10-12 pound class. It has been observed that the experienced Northern fishermen found little trouble in acquiring three to five pike during a day's fishing on the lake. This winter, for the first time, overnight accommodations may be had at the Big Alkali Fish Camp which is located on the north shore of the lake and in addition, the large number of fishermen who dislike to clean their own fish may take advantage of the fish cleaning service at the camp.

Pelican Lake, which is located on the 70,000 acre National Wildlife Refuge, is by far the best bet for winter fishing success among the six refuge lakes open for fishing. True, this lake did not produce a good winter fishery during the 1955-56 season, but provided that the winter oxygen supply remains good during this winter, Pelican Lake should start furnishing the type of fishing that it once did. Test netting results definitely prove that Pelican Lake is supporting an abundant population of large perch and crappie. This lake (819 surface acres) appears to sustain the most productive winter fishery throughout the eastern third of the lake area.

DEWEY Lake, also located on the National Refuge, will not furnish much winter fishing this year. This lake suffered a drastic reduction in its fish population last winter through winter-kill and has recently been restocked with walleye fingerlings on an experimental basis. The surviving crappie managed to spawn in very good conditions and the resultant hatch has been showing growth throughout the year.

The winter of 1957-58 should find Dewey Lake once more ready for some good crappie fishing, provided of course, that winter-kill conditions do not prevail again. We should mention that the process of winter-kill seldom depletes a lake of its entire fish population but rather it removes only a portion of the lake's existing population. Those adult fish which manage to survive such a winter condition tend to spawn well with an above normal hatch of fry surviving to adulthood and consequently, we hope, ending up in the fishermen's creel.

WATTS LAKE, another Refuge lake, experienced a severe winter-kill last year and is now rebuilding its Northern pike population. A few perch and crappie remain in this lake thus providing only limited fishing this winter. It is expected that this lake will sustain some good Northern fishing in the future. Going into this winter Watts Lake has been reduced in water volume by last year's drought and with a present maximum depth of only four feet we can expect another fish loss, provided the necessary conditions are incurred.

The remaining three lakes located on the Refuge; Willow, Clear and Hackberry, do not offer a winter sport fishery at this time. Future management plans contemplate the reduction or removal of rough fish population from these lakes in order that they may once again become available for sport fishing with the advent of normal water level.

Rat and Beaver Lakes have not been investigated as to their fishery resources by the Fisheries Division, but have for a number of years provided good perch, crappie and bass fishing during the period of ice cover. Last winter many good catches of 10-13" perch were reported taken from this lake. These lakes, actually they form one lake during the present time, are best reached from Highway No. 83, about midway between Thedford and Valentine.

THERE are several lakes located in the southern part of Cherry County which offer possible winter fishing opportunities. Perhaps the best known is Mothers Lake, located about 12 miles north of Ashby. This lake is known to have a sizeable Northern pike population and recently has been producing some jumbo perch catches. There are undoubtedly some pike in this lake that would exceed the 15 pound class; however, the six to eight pound size appears to be the most abundant. Accessibility to this lake is sometimes difficult so that newcomers to the area should inquire at the towns of Ashby or Hyannis for winter travel information.

Round Lake, located 27 miles north of Whitman, was noted for its walleye fishing during the past winter. Several good catches of walleyes were reported, though the catch per fishing hour of this species is very low. This lake also provides limited fishing for perch and crappie.

Round Lake appears to be heavily infested with carp, the end result of this condition can only mean that within a matter of a few years the game fish will be eliminated from the ice fisherman's creel. Egans Lake, southeast of Hyannis, has a booming population of perch and also produces some winter crappie fishing.

THE TWO state owned lakes in Cherry County, Shell and Cottonwood, have a fair potential for Northern and perch fishing this winter. Shell Lake is located northeast of Gordon while Cottonwood is found just east of the town of Merriman. Both of these lakes have been extensively checked last year and were found to have growing populations of pike. The yellow perch that have been checked through gill-netting efforts were found to range between 6-9" in the two lakes. Crappie occur only in limited numbers in Cottonwood and Shell Lakes, both areas WINTER ISSUE 9   are better known for their bass and bluegill fishing during the summer months.

In Brown County there are several lakes which annually furnish fair fishing during the winter period. One of these is Long Lake(155 surface acres), a state lake located about 35 miles southwest of Ainsworth. Recent test netting shows that Long Lake should provide perch and crappie fishing this winter. Crappies here were found to be especially abundant in the 8-10" size class and should supply the ice fishermen some good winter sport.

ENDERS OVERFLOW, (156 surface acres) also located in the same vicinity as Long Lake, has been found to contain an excellent growing population of crappie. Northern pike have been recently introduced into this lake as fingerlings and promise to provide some winter sport next year. By the fall of 1956 these pike had attained growth up to 16" and are expected to reach around 22" by this date next year. It can be expected that they will continue to grow well as an abundant food supply is available in the lake in the form of small fish. The perch population is low in this lake and does not contribute to the sport fishery at this time.

Willow Lake, a privately owned body of water, has not been investigated, but from reports does support populations of yellow perch and black crappie available for winter fishing. This lake is located directly southeast of Enders Overflow.

THE LAKES in Rock County can be summed up with a brief statement reflecting two conditions prevailing in this area which drastically limit winter fishing possibilities. These conditions are extremely low water levels and the presence of high carp populations.

Cameron Lake, 20 miles southeast of Bassett, probably remains the single lake which could offer the ice fisherman an opportunity to catch perch. Fish Lake, which in former years produced a state-wide Northern pike fishing reputation, has now become a highly turbid lake inhabited with carp. As is to be expected under these conditions, the Northern has been almost eliminated from the lake's fishery.

This is not a complete roundup of winter fishing lakes in the Sandhill country of Nebraska, but it is a brief coverage of the more important fishing lakes, especially those lakes that are most accessible to the fishing public.

WILDLIFE AND THE SOIL BANK

Wildlife conservationists, in their profession of managing this valuable resource, would find it difficult to initiate a program with greater potential benefit for wildlife than that afforded by the conservation reserve portion of the soil bank program.

This is the program of land-use that strikes directly at one of wildlife conservationist's most difficult problems, the problem of providing suitable habitat or cover for wildlife throughout the year. All of Nebraska's wildlife, upland game birds in particular, will benefit as participation in the conservation reserve increases.

LAND, regardless of the use in which it is placed, generally has a certain capacity for use. A city block of homes can house just so many people. If we desire to have more people living on that area it is necessary that the homes be replaced by apartment buildings. A pasture can support just so many cattle and if a greater number are to be carried it will be necessary to increase the carrying capacity by fertilization and irrigation.

This same situation prevails with regards to wildlife. A unit of land will provide for just so many wild animals and no more unless we provide the additional requirements for a greater population. There is, of course, a limit beyond which we can not go, but present cover conditions are a long way from this point.

The wild animals we enjoy are tied so closely to the land and so much a product of it that the wildlife conservationist's profession is known as the business of making land produce sustained annual yields of wildlife for recreational use.

BEING a product of land, any program that affects land use will affect wildlife production. The soil bank conservation reserve is a land use program. Under this program, areas of land that are now being used for the production of crops will be retired from use for a certain period of time—a change in land use. Nebraska history offers many interesting examples of the effects of such a change in land use upon wildlife populations.

Prairie chickens were present in relatively abundant numbers at the time Nebraska's settlement began, but their peak in populations actually came after this settlement was underway.

This population change was primarily the result of a change in land use. Agriculture and the accompanying increase in high quality food tended to benefit prairie chickens up to a certain point. Once this point was reached, however, additional increases in agriculture and grazing depleted natural cover and the population began to decline.

THE fact that Nebraska can and does maintain a population of pheasants is attributable to a change in land use. Prior to the settling and subsequent agricultural development of this region, it is extremely doubtful that pheasants could have been successfully introduced. The miles and miles of virgin prairie would not have filled the habitat requirements of this bird.

The change in land use, from relatively none by man, to an agriculture area brought about conditions that permitted the pheasant to become the number one game bird in Nebraska.

It is beginning to appear that, as in the case of the prairie chicken, an increasingly intensive agriculture may also have a depressing affect upon pheasant populations. As agriculture becomes more and more intense there are less of the cover requirements needed in our rural areas. We are losing the "wildlife apartments" and in many cases not even replacing them with homes.

By a change in land-use the conservation reserve portion of the soil bank program is getting directly at this cover problem as it retires land from active use for the contract period.

DESIGNATED areas of land may be retired from production by the conservation reserve in several ways, some of which will tend to benefit wildlife to a greater extent than others. Areas which are retired from production and seeded to grasses and grass-legume mixtures will be especially beneficial.

Pheasant research in Nebraska indicates that a lack of nesting cover is one of our more serious limiting factors in production of this bird. Pheasants are a relatively short-lived bird and we are dependent to a large extent upon the spring hatch for our huntable populations in the fall as well as breeding stock for the following spring.

Conservation reserve land seeded to grass-legume mixtures and retired for the contract period which may be three, five, or ten years will help supply this critical nesting cover. These undisturbed areas will also furnish brood rearing, loafing, spring, fall and winter cover for pheasants, quail and other wildlife species.

The cover furnished by these seedings will be their primary contribution to wildlife but they also have an important food value. The legumes in the seedings will furnish a high protein food to many forms of wildlife who use the leaves and seeds. Alfalfa, clovers, vetch, lespedeza, and birdsfoot trefoil are all legumes that may be used and they have high wildlife, as well as soil improving values.

THE provisions for the planting of trees and shrubs are also an important part of the conservation reserve which will have beneficial effects on wildlife. Such plantings tend to improve conditions for wildlife primarily through their cover value. Tree and shrub plantings, especially those which include conifers will furnish winter cover for many forms of wildlife. Plantings of sufficient depth to provide a relatively snow free area in some portion of the planting will be especially valuable during hard winters.

Tree plantings furnish nesting places for many song birds as well as travel lanes, sanctuary, and escape cover for other wildlife. Some of the species planted will bear fruits and berries that are a part of the diet of many wild animals.

Construction of pits and ponds is provided for by the conservation reserve under certain conditions. Advance planning can enhance the value of these impoundments for wildlife. Providing for satisfactory depth of water can result in an excellent fish pond and some impoundments can be made to serve for hunting as well as production and nesting areas for waterfowl.

The Soil Bank Act was passed to fulfill a specific need in agricultural and the foregoing benefits to wildlife are WINTER ISSUE 11   more or less incidental to the operation of the program. Congress, however, did not disregard wildlife when plans were made and recognizing that wildlife is a valuable resource they made special provisions in the act for its benefit.

IN NEBRASKA these special provisions work in direct conjunction with the conservation reserve. An area of land seeded to a grass-legume mixture and retired from production may be improved for wildlife by the addition of a food patch where landowners so desire. Here is the ultimate for wildlife production, adequate cover and adequate food.

These food patches may not be less than one acre in size or more than one tenth of the conservation reserve acreage. They will be seeded to a suitable annual plant that provides high quality food, such as sorghums, and left standing for wildlife use. The cover provided by the standing stalks will also be highly valuable.

On these same conservation reserve areas special plantings of trees and shrubs can be made to enhance the value of the area for wildlife by providing a permanent type cover. Plantings of trees and shrubs may be made in many ways to provide special cover requirements such as a block planting to provide winter cover.

The Nebraska Game Commission is working as closely as possible with the soil bank program. Landowners placing land in the conservation reserve may request wildlife practices on that area. The Game Commission will make the services of trained wildlife men available to any landowner requesting such services. These men will visit the landowner and go over his conservation reserve area with him and assist in planning wildlife developments.

THE soil bank act as passed by congress declares a policy of protecting soil, water, forest, and wildlife resources from waste and depletion in the interest of the general welfare, and to assist farmers in diverting cropland from producing excessive agricultural commodities along with carrying out soil, water, -forest, and wildlife conservation.

The import that the conservation reserve portion of the soil bank program will have on our Nebraska wildlife is nothing short of tremendous. At the present time our wildlife production depends upon scant acres scattered here and there on farms throughout the state. When goals for conservation reserve acreage are reached in Nebraska, thousands of acres of land will be available for wildlife production, and you can be sure wildlife will respond to these improved cover conditions.

The importance of the conservation reserve to wildlife, and it is terrifically important, is far overshadowed by its importance to this country as a nation. Director Mel Steen has aptly discussed the importance of the Soil Bank Act to our country in previous articles in this publication but perhaps a word more may be added.

The future of this nation rests to a very large degree upon the fertility of its soils. The bread you have for dinner, the rug upon the floor and this magazine all represent a bit of fertility taken out of the soil. Nature has indeed been generous. We have taken much and put back so very little. The soil bank provides a means of putting some of this essential fertility back and put it back we must. Fertility in the soil can be considered something like money in the bank. If you don't put any in, you sure as heck can't take it out and go on living as you normally would.

The 1956 Hunter Success Survey

INSTRUCTIONS: Please fill out this form completely. Please report only YOUR hunting kill do not report the hunting kill of any other sportsman with whom you may have hunted.

If you bought a resident permit to hunt in 1955, chances are one in twenty that you have been asked to supply some very important information on your 1956 hunts.

Every twentieth hunter has been asked to keep a record of each hunting trip he made and to report on them at the end of the season. In case you're wondering, about 8,400 hunters have been contacted.

When all these hunters' reports are brought together, we will arrive at a set of figures which tell us what the hypothetical "Mr. Average Hunter" bagged in 1956 and just how much effort was required. For instance, last year's survey showed that Mr. Average Hunter took home 2.17 grouse, 4.33 quail, 4.48 pheasants, 9.76 ducks, 0.18 geese and 0.05 coots in 1955.

And when these figures are applied to the more than 168,000 permit buyers in the state, we find that in 1955, hunters bagged about 15,400 grouse, 72,400 quail, 466,800 pheasants, 662,500 ducks, 12,500 geese and 3,300 coots.

These figures are more than just interesting,—they represent valuable data from which many things can be learned:

To be without such figures while attempting to manage these wild species is like trying to keep a checking account balanced without knowing what withdrawals being made.

It is not difficult to see the importance of getting a report from a large number of the hunters contacted. They represent what the statistician calls a "systematic sample" of the hunting permit buyers, taking in all kinds of hunters from the poorest to the best in about the right proportion.

Each one has been sent a tally card on which to keep a running record of his hunts. He has also been sent a questionnaire on which to report his success. Once this contact is made, it is up to the hunter to do his part by furnishing the information. If you were selected for this survey, be sure to complete the questionnaire and send it in whether you were successful or not. It is important to your future hunting!

The Conservation Officer Is Your Friend-Get To Know Him!

- Cut Out And Save This Map. It Shows The Home Address of Your Nearest Nebraska Conservation Officer. He Is Ready And Able To Help You.

States To Get $21 Million In Federal Aid Funds During Fiscal 1957 To Benefit Fishermen, Hunters

Washington, D. c.—State programs to restore and develop the sport fishery and wildlife resources in the 48 states will move at an accelerated pace during fiscal year 1957 with a foundation of $21,062,000 in Federal aid funds, Secretary of the Interior Fred A. Seaton announced. This is about $2 million more than in 1956.

The 1957 total includes the second 20 per cent—$2,693,494—of the accumulated backlog of Federal aid in wildlife restoration funds, the appropriation of which was authorized over a period of five years by an Act approved by the Congress in August 1955. This reserve of $13,467,468 accumulated from 1939 to 1946 and particularly during World War II years when Congress did not appropriate total receipts annually from the 11 per cent excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition.

On the basis of one dollar from the state for every three of Federal funds, $28,083,000 will be available to state conservation departments for their restoration programs during fiscal year 1957.

The combined Federal Aid in Fish and Wildlife Restoration program is administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service under the terms of the PittmanRobertson Act for wildlife and the Dingell-Johnson Act for sport fishing. As prescribed in the two acts, investments are made in restoration activities so that benefits will go to the hunters and anglers who seek recreation and food from the nation's fields and streams.

THIS year the various state fish and game departments will receive $16,236,000 for their wildlife restoration projects and $4,826,000 for their sport fishery activities. The wildlife total is an increase of $1,956,006 over last year's revised apportionment of $14,279,994 which included the first 20 per cent of the accumulated reserve. The amount available for sport fishery projects represents a drop of $101,400 below the 1956 total of $4,927,400.

Under the Pittman-Robertson Act, the total regular appropriation of $14,302,000 plus the second 20 per cent of $2,693,494 in reserve funds, making a total appropriation of $16,995,000, includes $144,000 set aside for wildlife restoration in Alaska ($90,000), Hawaii ($30,000), Puerto Rico ($12,000), and the Virgin Islands ($12,000), and funds for the administration of the act. The total regular appropriation represents the entire amount credited to the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Fund during the preceding fiscal year from the 11 per cent Federal excise tax on

Apportionments to the 48 states for fiscal year 1957 for both fish and wildlife projects are as follows: sporting arms and ammunition levied on the manufacturers.

THE revenue for the Federal share of the sport fish restoration program comes from the 10 per cent excise tax on fishing rods, creels, reels, artificial lures, baits, and flies, paid by the manufacturers of these products. Collections from this source during the year ended June 30, 1956, amounted to $5,149,918. From this total is taken the annual apportionments of $75,000 to Alaska, $25,000 to Hawaii, $10,000 each to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and the cost of administering the act by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

The formula prescribed for use by the Fish and Wildlife Service in making state allotments for wildlife projects is: One-half the sum to be apportioned is divided according to the ratio which the area of each state bears to the area of all the states. The remaining half is divided on the ratio of paid hunting license holders in each state to the total number of paid license holders in all states.

The Pittman-Robertson Act also provides that no state shall receive more than five per cent, nor less than onehalf of one per cent, of the total amount available to all the states. On this basis, Michigan and Texas are given the maximum apportionment this year of $811,800 each, while Connecticut, Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont receive the minimum of $81,180 each.

To provide fair distribution of Federal funds for sport fishery projects, 40 per cent oi the sum to be apportioned is computed in the ratio which the area of each state, including coastal and Great Lakes waters, bears to the total area of all the states, and 60 per cent in the ratio which the number of paid sport fishing license holders in the state bears to the number of such persons in all the states.

THE Dingell-Johnson Act also provides that no states shall receive less than one per cent nor more than five per cent of the total funds apportioned to all states. This provision allows the small states enough working capital to finance comparatively big projects. This year, California, Michigan, and Minnesota are given the maximum apportionment of $241,300 each, while Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia 16 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   will receive the minimum of $48,260.

To obtain the benefits of the Federal grants, the states submit project proposals to the Fish and Wildlife Service. Such proposals may consist of surveys, investigations, land acquisitions, land and water development, management of restoration areas, and maintenance of the completed projects. Acting for the Secretary of the Interior, the Service reviews these proposals to determine whether they are substantial in character and design, within the meaning of the acts.

When Federal Aid projects are approved by the Service, the state fish and game departments proceed to carry out the plans, spending their own funds. The states then submit reimbursement claims for 75 per cent of the costs of the project, either periodically or at the completion of the work. The remaining 25 per cent of project expenditure is financed out of regular state funds. All equipment, lands, and structures become the property of the states. All project workers are hired by the states and are state employees.

DO YOU HAVE A PLACE TO HUNT?

The most important thing to the sportsman at this season of the year is a proper place to hunt. Without it, all he is likely to get from extended touring of the countryside are worn-out shoe leather, well-calloused heels and a frustrated spirit.

Who will have the best hunting this season? The answer is simple. The fellow who has had foresight enough to make friends with a number of landowners during the closed season months and secured permission to hunt over their lands is the only one who can assure himself of fruitful hunting opportunities. Unless, of course, he owns his own property or prefers to take his game on one or more of the numerous commercial shooting preserves which are rapidly gaining popularity.

"Here are a few simple rules through which any cooperative sportsman can make himself welcome in any farming community and assure himself a good place to hunt:

1. Always drive into the farmer's yard and ask permission to hunt.

2. Hunt only in the areas he designates. Never go on ground he wishes to keep inviolate. Stay away from his stock.

3. Respect his fences. If necessary to climb them, climb over by a post. Use gates if possible, closing them behind you. Always replace lowered bars.

4. Never shoot near houses, barns or livestock.

5. Leave his fruit and other crops alone. If you want some, buy it from him.

6. Go around fields where people are working, or pastures where livestock is grazing. Do not walk on seeded ground. Don't walk through standing grain.

7. Shoot crows and predators that do damage to his crops and livestock.

8. SHARE YOUR GAME WITH HIM.

9. On your next trip, bring his wife or children some little gift or token of friendship.

10. After you've become well acquainted, suggest a planting program to better game habitat, offering to finance it or help him with it, thereby showing genuine interest in his affairs.

"These are the keys to better hunting. They will almost invariably unlock the door to the farmer's hospitality and create a friendly relationship that will bring enjoyment to you both."

Store Boats and Motors With Care

As the countryside slowly takes on shades of orange and red, boaters seem to get their "second wind," their thoughts turning to duck hunting, fall fishing and brisk treks through the woods. The sun is not so blistering, nor the days so lazy and pepless, yet the time does come, even to the late fall boater, when his boat and motor must be put away for winter hibernation.

Although the season has come to a close for the pleasure boater there still is a continued demand for the use of boats and motors through the winter months by the commercial fishermen along the Missouri River. The netting of catfish is at its best during these winter months.

The primary purpose of this article is to assist with the winter storage of your boat and motor.

IF IT is at all possible, outboard boats should be stored indoors. One of the most logical places to put the boat is in a garage or shed. The main thing to keep in mind is that the spot should be dry and unheated so that the boat will not warp. The planking tends to rot if the boat is exposed to excessive dampness, yet the wood dries out too much when exposed to heat.

If a garage or shed is out of the question it would be wise to rent some space where available. Actually very little space is required for boat storage. If space is not available, then some kind of cover should be wrapped around the boat if it is to be stored outdoors. Roofing paper or canvas is ideal and will help ward off rain, snow and sun. In wood boats the seams will freeze and thaw with every weather change, causing irreparable damage to the boat.

TODAY the storage problem is somewhat eased with today's boats of aluminum, stainless steel or of other light alloys. These have a great deal of fitting out built into them at the factory compared to the planked craft of former times. Their pre-season care is negligible, yet even boats that feature "minimum maintenance" require and deserve at least a bit of attention in advance of their months in storage.

At the close of the boating season a good washing, using hot water (if available) a cleaning compound and a fairly stiff brush is the first step in the preparation for the storage during the winter months. Only after the grime and dirt have been completely removed is it possible to inspect the boat and determine the work that is necessary to place it in first class condition for the coming season.

AFTER a good washing, the boat should be hosed down to remove the detergent completely, standing the boat up on the transom against the garage wall makes this operation easier and allows the water to drain out. If the boat is too large for such maneuvering it may be turned on its side with the bow high so that the rinse water will drain to the transom where it may be dipped and sponged dry.

The next step, should you plan a thorough job of re-conditioning, is to remove the hardware, floorboards and seats. By doing this you will have clear access to all parts of the boat. Seats and small items can be worked on separately if painting and varnishing is indicated and the hardware will not be splattered with paint or varnish. Each article removed should be replaced in the original position to secure proper fit. If you have a wood boat it may require additional attention.

If the washing reveals that the surface is clean and has no checks or hairline cracks you will be back in business with just a sanding and another coat of paint or varnish.

IF THERE are signs of checking and cracking a cover up paint or varnish job, after a vigorous sanding, may get you by for awhile, but chances are that the finish is just too old and deteriorated to provide an adequate base for another coat and your best bet is to remove the finish down to the wood and start all over. If the varnish is badly checked, blistered or whitened, or if the paint is blistered and peeling, there is of course, no doubt that a complete removal of the finish is required.

At this time the hull should be closely examined for cracks or other faults. Repairs should be made now and not deferred until they cause trouble during the coming season. A larger variety of products are available at any marine dealer for all types of hull repair. Manufacturers and dealers 18 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   for all types of boats and boat finishes offer expert and willing advice in the form of pamphlets and personal counsel on getting a boat ready for the coming season.

THE most essential piece of equipment to the outboard boater is his motor. When it quits you, you are not going anyplace, and it may place you in a very hazardous position if in swift running streams or wind-tossed waves.

This piece of equipment needs every bit of care and attention that you can give it and the steps needed to repair it for storage are simple and can easily be performed by the owner himself.

Although there may be some mechanical work which may need to be done it can be handled by all outboard motor shops today. At this time you can have your favorite mechanic prepare it for storage. Some shops today have space for motor storage, which can be had for a nominal fee, and you are assured that your motor will be ready and waiting for you when the outboard season rolls around.

In case you care to prepare your motor yourself for winter hibernation, clean it thoroughly by running it in a large tank of clean fresh water, followed by a complete hosing and wiping down. The cut-off valve should be closed so that, as the motor is run, fuel in the carburetor and lines is used up. As the motor is run introduce oil into the carburetor to paint the internal operating parts with protective coating.

THE next step is to drain the gas tank with syphon or by removing the drain plug or screen at the tank outlet. The oil-gasoline mixture would form damaging sediment if allowed to remain in the tank or fuel system during the storage. Drain the fuel system in this manner because there is the danger of water getting into the cylinders if you tip the motor upside down to drain the fuel mixture.

The next step is to remove all plugs in the gearcase and driveshaft housing marked "drain" and "grease" and allow water in the gear case and cooling system to drain off. Rocking the flywheel back and forth several times and turning the motor from side to side helps drainage. The gearcase is then refilled with the lubricant recommended by the manufacturer.

The next step is to remove the spark plugs and pour about a tablespoon of clean oil through each spark plug port. The flywheel is then turned slowly to distribute the oil on the cylinder walls. The spark plugs are then replaced but are screwed in loose, not tight. They should be properly cleaned and spaced when the next season rolls around.

THE next step you should make double sure that the fuel system is clean so that no gum will form to clog the lines or carburetor. Compressed air is blown through the system. If the system is not cleaned thoroughly sediment will form during storage as the fuel evaporates.

Wipe the entire motor down with an oily rag and store in a dry place. A damp basement is a very poor place to store a motor, but should your basement be dry and able to maintain an even temperature throughout the winter it should be ideal. Store the motor in a stand or in the same position as on the transom of a boat with the interior working parts fully protected by oil against oxidation.

GOOD BOATING NEXT SEASON!

Cameras Don't Hibernate—Use Yours More in Winter

Winter is a season when you find fun and excitement on ski slopes and snowy beauty in your own backyard. Fresh-fallen snow and shimmering ice reflect scenes of natural majesty.

And Winter is a season when your camera should be in action. Don't let it hibernate in some closet. Take it out, load it with film and start shooting.

To help you capture the season's beauty, here are a few tips for improving your winter pictures.

1. EXPOSURE: Snow reflects the rays of the sun so treat snow scenes as bright photographic subjects. Use a smaller lens opening for bright snow scenes than you would for "average" subject matter. Box camera settings are usually satisfactory for snow scenes.

2. FILTERS: For black-and-white films, a dark red filter will darken the sky and sharply define cloud formations contrasted against the snowy background. For a less extreme contrast, use a medium yellow filter. A skylight lifter can be used if your camera is loaded with color film to eliminate a bluish tint from the snow.

3. SIDELIGHTING: The sun directly behind the camera kills all the tiny shadows that make up the texture of the snow surface. So, to bring out the full texture of the snow in your scenes, take the picture with the sun at right angles to the camera.

4. ACTION: When taking action pictures of winter sports subjects moving at an angle or directly toward or away from the camera do not require as fast shutter speeds as subjects moving directly across the front of the camera. With a box camera, you can take action shots when the subject is at the "peak" of the action, the moment when the action is frozen for a split second.

5. CAMERA CARE: Moisture may form on the lens of your camera if you come out of a warm shelter into below freezing temperatures. So don't start taking pictures right away. And when you're outside for a long period, keep your camera wrapped in a warm scarf, sweater or blanket to prevent any chance of the shutter freezing up on you.

THE CENTRAL FLYWAY-PART 2 Preservation Is Primary Flyway Problem

The primary purpose of Central Flyway waterfowl management is to preserve waterfowl and public waterfowling for future generations. This means that we want just as many ducks and geese moving through the Flyway as nature and our own ingenuity will permit.

Distribution of the resource also is important. We want a distribution of breeding, migrating and wintering populations that (1) will be in least possible conflict with agriculture through crop damage, and (2) will be dispersed widely enough that any adverse factors for a time in one section can influence only a small segment of the over-all population.

The public must find its enjoyment of the resource within a distribution pattern that does a minimum of damage to the farmer and is otherwise most advantageous to the waterfowl.

IT IS senseless to try to predict how many birds will be needed or can be obtained for next year, in 1975, or in 2000; or what the exact pattern of distribution should be. The answers depend on many related factors, but basically on Mother Nature's goodness and sportsmen's attitude. Nature, through its factors of climate, weather, predation, disease, etc., wields most control, but management too can be effective if given the proper backing by sportsmen. In this connection, two points should be mentioned:

(1) Production of waterfowl on private lands must compete to some extent with agriculture, and public hunting with private hunting; and unless the general sporting public is willing to pay the cost for production and public harvest, it will be only a matter of time before waterfowl are found mostly on sanctuaries and privately controlled shooting grounds. The degree to which hunters and the public in general are prepared, as time goes on, to cover the costs of acquiring management areas for production, distribution, and harvest largely will determine whether or not waterfowl ing can be continued as a public sport.

(2) Management should foster a distribution of birds which brings the satisfactions of waterfowling to a maximum number of people. It should guard against development of habitats which would result in concentrations of benefit to only a few people. In the final analyses, there would be no percentage or legal responsibility in public conservation agencies spending large sums of the public's money to manage waterfowl unless the general public reaped the benefits.

ANOTHER objective of management is to regulate the harvest of the species composing the waterfowl resource in relation to their status and ability to maintain that status. This recognizes that while other factors are involved in a declining population of ducks and geese, the hunting privilege should not be used to accentuate any decline. When significant decreases become evident in a particular species or for a manageable segment of a species in the Flyway, restrictive regulations are in order; and contrariwise.

However, until there is more exact knowledge on individual species of the Flyway and on manageable segments of those species, the policy of regulatory management for the Flyway must continue to be one based on the total supply of the main groups of waterfowl; i.e., ducks, geese, swan, and coot. In other words, a low status of a species or a segment cannot be considered cause for general Flyway-wide restrictions, nor a high status of a species or segment cause for general relaxation.

A third major objective concerns the distribution of the hunting privilege. It will be the policy to provide equal hunting privilege throughout the Flyway and to distribute it by states in relation to the normal pattern of southward migrations. Deviation from this policy will occur only (1) when additional hunting privileges can be used to help solve special local problems, such as disease outbreaks, crop depredations, and abnormal concentrations of waterfowl wintering too far north for their own good, and (2) when sufficient knowledge has been acquired about an individual population to manage it as a separate unit within the Flyway.

IF WE are to continue to have waterfowl in the Flyway in sufficient number to provide reasonable hunting enjoyment, the birds must first be produced. To safeguard existing and develop new production habitat, this is a most important task for those states in the breeding section of the Flyway. In approaching this task there are certain guide lines which have become evident from research already done on habitats and habitat requirements. Briefly, these include:

(1) Climate, weather, and other factors have combined to make southern Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada, and Montana, the Dakotas, Wyoming, Nebraska (north of the Platte and South Platte Rivers), and Colorado (north of the South Platte and Colorado Rivers) of major importance in the production of waterfowl for the Central Flyway. It is in this broad section that the greatest production potential exists and where preservation and improvement of breeding habitat should be an integral part of the broader management programs.

(2) The types of waterfowl breeding habitat which fit into administrative and operational programs with ease are not normally efficient producers of birds. To produce waterfowl, we shall have to emphasize the types and areas that best meet their nesting and rearing requirements even if so doing increases administrative and operational problems of acquisition, lease or management agreements with private land owners.

(3) Except in drought periods, large lakes and impoundments are seldom good breeding areas unless they have adjoining them or upstream, marshes, potholes, sloughs, and/or meander ponds. Sometimes larger water areas can be made productive, but in general, preservation, acquisition, and development should be directed towards smaller water areas if production is the primary aim.

(4) Rivers and streams also are relatively unproductive except where they form numerous ox-bow ponds, islands, and marshes or deltas near their mouths. Off-stream development of ponds, potholes, and small lakes, however, can be productive and offer a means of improving the breeding environment along existing rivers and streams.

(5) Large natural marshes are seldom as productive as they should be. 22 OUTDOOR NEBRASKA   This is mainly due to the vegetation reaching climax stages which are not too attractive to breeding ducks. With management, large marshes can be made very productive of both ducks and geese, but, even so, production per duck in pothole country is more economical.

(6) Potholes, sloughs, ponds, small lakes, are the best producers of ducks since they provide for morof the breeding requirements of due cks than other types. Emphasis on preservation of existing habitat, restoration of such areas that have been lost for one reason or another, and the development of new breeding habitat in the form of farm and ranch stock ponds will materially assist in assuring production for the Flyway.

In such sections as the Sandhills of Nebraska and the Coteau areas of states to the north, development of new areas is not now essential. There, however effort should be made to retain the existing areas. The value of developing new breeding areas has been amply demonstrated in the stock pond programs of the grazing lands in the western Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming. Expansion of farm and ranch pond development in these sections holds one of the greatest potentials on the continent for increasing production.

WATERFOWL hunting regulations have come a long way since they were first formulated in 1918. The accumulation of knowledge over the years about migrations, habits and habitat requirements, population dynamics, and other pertinent problems, has prevented harvest regulations from falling far behind the changing needs. Now that regulations are formulated on the basis of Flyway conditions, and Flyway Councils and Technical Committees are participating in fact finding programs, in evaluating data, and in making recommendations for improving regulations, there is every indication that the regulations can keep abreast, if not ahead, of the needs for modification.

Hunting regulations, as they exist today, are divisible into two main categories. The first category involves those regulations which establish the broader principles that guide utilization of waterfowl. They are derived mainly from the experiences of past research and operations, and not on the status of current populations, and thus have a quality of permanence. In this category fall such provisions as those prohibiting spring shooting and commercial hunting, and those establishing the framework of shooting hours and dates.

The second category of regulations involves those which largely depend upon the results of annual fact finding surveys. Into this category fall the regulations governing the length of the hunting season, the daily bag and possession limit, and the timing of the season in each state.

Robert Hall Appointed to Commission

OMAHA—Robert H. Hall, president and member of the board of the Omaha Fish and Wildlife Club, has been appointed to the Nebraska Game Commission for a term of five years.

Born and raised at Waterloo, Hall graduated from Waterloo High School and attended the University of Nebraska.

Upon graduation Hall went into the banking business, first to the Farmers State Bank at Millard as assistant cashier, then to Omaha to reorganize the Bank of Florence, now the North Side Bank, serving as executive vice-president.

In 1948 the new commissioner sold his interest in the North Side Bank to devote his time to his insurance business.

Hall is a past president of the Omaha Amateur Baseball Association, helped to reorganize the Western Baseball League in 1947, and served as treasurer of the Western League and president of the Omaha Cardinals for seven years.

The new member of the Game Commission will take office in January, replacing Bennet Davis of Omaha.

Serving several years as treasurer of Catholic Charities, Hall is a member and past president of the North Omaha Kiwanis Club, a member of the Omaha Industrial Committee of 1952, a member of His Majesty's Council of Ak-Sar-Ben since 1941, owns and operates the R. H. Hall Insurance Agency and has had an active interest in sports all his life.

Safe Gun Handling Is Easy

Usually the more seasoned and proficient a shooter becomes, the more respect he has for a gun when handling it. No responsible firearms expert will scoff at the cardinal rule of gun safety; "Treat every gun as if it were loaded."

He knows that only a fool—and a potentially dead fool, at that—grows careless and casual in gun handling.

According to one expert at least 95 per cent of all hunting accidents due to firearms can be avoided if every gunner acquaints himself with the rules of gun handling and makes them second-nature.

Points he lists:

CARRY only empty guns, taken down or with the action open, into your automobile, camp or home. Whenever you pick up a gun, whether you are indoors or outdoors, ALWAYS first point the muzzle of the gun in a safe direction and examine the piece carefully to make sure whether or not it is loaded.

The pointing of a loaded or unloaded gun toward a companion is violation of every principle of good sportsmanship. It is the unpardonable sin of shooting ethics. Do it just once and you have lost the respect and comradeship of your companion, and branded yourself as either a thoughtless novice or a careless, dangerous shooter with whom it is unsafe to go afield. WATCH THAT MUZZLE! Never indulge in "horse-play" with firearms. This fool-hardy practice has caused many fatal and near-fatal accidents.

THE LEAVING of loaded guns unattended is extremely dangerous. A companion may pick one up thinking it to be unloaded. If it is propped against a tree, car or post, a frisking hunting dog may bump against it, knocking off the safety and stepping on the trigger. These things have happened!

When you are resting in the field or woods, always lay your gun down flat, preferably unloading it first and with the muzzle away from everybody. No one can enjoy a lunch looking down the muzzle of a gun, loaded or unloaded.

In climbing over fences or obstructions, always first pass your gun over to your companion, or pass it through the fence and lay it on the ground. A stumble or a fall might prove disastrous.

BEFORE loading your gun, always make sure that the barrel and action are free from obstructions. Foreign matter in the barrel causes more "blown up" guns than any other factor. Should you stumble badly or fall and your gun muzzle touches the ground, always unload and look through the bore to be sure that it is not clogged with mud, snow or other substance.

If you are walking single file, keep your muzzle pointed forward. If you are walking behind your companion, see that your gun points away from him at all times. It is best to walk abreast in the fields or woods, bu in doing so, see that your muzzle is always pointed away from your companion. Never crowd your companion in the duck blind. Be sure that each of you has plenty of room in which to shoot safely.

NEVER, NEVER pull a gun, loaded or unloaded, toward you from a boat, car or through a fence. You are flirting with a date with the undertaker when you do this.

Always see that your safety is ON until you are ready to shoot. Sudden jars and brushing against twigs or brush can release the safety catch without your knowing it. Examine it frequently.

When you approach camp or your automobile, always unload your gun. Take it down or open the action before putting it away or setting it aside.

Always make sure of your target before pulling the trigger. Take a good look . . . and then look again! Never fire in the direction of a sudden sound. It may be caused by some farmer's livestock, or, worse still, another hunter. And this has happened, too!

WHEN you are in the woods or close cover, it is best to wear some article of bright color, preferably red. No deer goes prancing around wearing a red bandana.

Be careful of shooting at flat, hard surfaces or the surface of water. Dangerous ricochets may result from such shooting.

Don't be afraid of being accused of having "old maidish" ideas in the practice of these simple principles of gun safety. By observing them, you will gain the respect and admiration of your fellow sportsmen and by example, encourage them to do likewise.

Be on the alert always. This will avoid confusion and allow you to bring your gun into action quickly. Alertness makes for good marksmanship. Carry your gun at the "ready" position, hands on the fore-end and grip, muzzle elevated at an angle about in line with your eye. Adopt a free and easy attitude. This will allow you to bring your gun to your shoulder quickly, get your cheek down on the stock easily and permits the free swing which gets results.

WATCH your footing carefully. Try to always be in position to gain a solid, comfortable shooting stance which will allow quick co-ordination of mind and muscle.

Always go comfortably shod. Pinched or blistered feet will spoil any day's hunt. Dress as lightly as possible. If the weather is cold, a couple of light sweaters under your hunting jacket will keep you warm, and if they become uncomfortable, one or both can be removed and carried in the game pocket.

It is a compliment to be invited to go hunting with an experienced gunner. It means he believes you will observe all the rules of safety and practice good sportsmanship. Don't* let him down by taking chances and you'll help make hunting a safer sport.

Fish are not born with scales. A baby fish is born naked of scales, later sprouting them from under its skin.

The flight of the Canada goose is heavy but powerful. It averages about 55 miles per hour. To cut down air resistance, Canada geese usually form a V-shaped flock. These magnificent migrators sometimes negotiate a nonstop flight of hundreds of miles.

Big Game Hunting Is "Home Sport At Last to Nebraskans

Just a few short years ago many people considered big game hunting a sport meant only for those who hunted beyond Nebraska borders. But the picture has changed and during the past few seasons, Nebraskans have enjoyed some of the finest hunting of deer and antelope.

Prior to 1945 it took an "old timer" to recall shooting big game in this state. Both deer and antelope were given absolute protection in a law passed by the 1907 legislature which provided that "No person shall at any time of the year or in any manner pursue, take, wound or kill any elk, deer, antelope or beaver . . ." Change did not occur until 1945 when provision for the first deer hunt was written in. Harvest of antelope was first authorized in 1953.

BY THE close of 1955, Nebraskans had experienced eight deer seasons in which a total of about 15,700 deer was taken. They had seen three antelope seasons during which hunters bagged about 1,350 pronghorns. And they had experienced their first archery season on deer. Seven animals were taken in this inaugural effort with bows and arrows.

During 1956, hunters are seeing all three types of seasons again.

During the three-day antelope season, 897 riflemen took to the wide open spaces of the Panhandle. As has been the case in previous antelope hunts, a large number of these were successful. In all, 748 pronghorns were taken. Four open areas were designated in the Panhandle and permits were authorized according to the number of antelope in each area. The figures for each of these areas are given on the map.

ARCHERY season in 1956 was in two parts. During the first part, which lasted from September 15-25, archers hunted on the Nebraska National Forest. Five deer were dropped by their arrows. In the second part of the season, archers hunted deer of the Eastern Nebraska herds between October 11 and November 13. Twenty-three deer are known to have been taken, bringing the total deer taken by archers in 1956 to 28.

Thus, 10 per cent of the 278 archery permittes were successful, which is certainly impressive in a sport in which the hunter's advantage over the deer is at a minimum. Harvested deer are shown on the map at the location of the stations where they were checked.

Yes, big game hunting is just a youngster among other sports in Nebraska. But it is a big youngster and still growing. Under good management, Nebraskans can expect to have excellent deer and antelope hunting for many years to come.

The pronghorn antelope can run fast, from 40 to 60 miles an hour, for three or four miles, then exhaustion occurs rapidly.

Notes On NEBRASKA FAUNA

This is the twenty-ninth of a series of articles and drawings depicting Nebraska wildlife. All drawings are prepared by staff artist C. G. "Bud" Pritchard. buildings, and probably one of the numerous hay stacks for nesting. Occasionally they may nest on the ground.

Five races of horned owl appear in Nebraska; however three of the races are rare visitors in our state. The common great horned owl in eastern Nebraska goes by the name of Bubo virginianus virginianus and the Montana horned owl in the western part of the state is known as B. v. occidontalis.

This lord high executioner of the owl tribe is the largest of our owls. The females are appreciably larger than the males. Weights are generally between 2V2 and 3V2 pounds. An exceptionally large female taken near Syracuse weighed 4 pounds 11 ounces. The blackish feathers forming the ear tufts give the bird its name, and these tufts are one to two inches in length. The overall appearance is dusky brown with white throat patch. The facial disk is buff colored and the eyes are yellow. The legs and toes are feathered. The eyes are fixed in the sockets, and the bird must turn its head in order to change its direction of vision.

As a species, the horned owl ranges over all of North America. Other races of this species are found in Central and South America. It is a common resident and nester in all parts of Nebraska.

The horned owl lives in a wide variety of conditions but is most common in wooded areas. The nest is most often high in trees, and before the pair of owls took possession of the nest, it had previously been made by a crow, a hawk or possibly a squirrel. They do not construct a nest themselves but utilize some other large nest. The owl's only contribution to the nest may be a few feathers plucked from its breast, and oftentimes not even this is done. In the more treeless parts they may use crevices of rock out-croppings, vacant. buildings, and probably one of the numerous hay stacks for nesting. Occasionally they may nest on the ground.

They are active at night, and may cruise considerable distance from their day-time resting place in some large tree. Water areas (lake shores, marshes, and streams) are favorite hunting grounds.

Owls will re-use a nest for several years. One nest near Lincoln has been occupied each nesting season for at least eight years, and from the appearance and amount of debris must have been used for several years prior to discovery.

A marked increase of hooting in December signifies the establishment of a territory and the beginning of courtship. Nest repair may begin as early as late December. Most egg laying commences between the tenth of February and the first week in March. Two records near Lincoln show January 18 and 26 as dates of the first egg. Two or three eggs are the general rule, but occasionally there are four. The horned owl, like most owls, begins incubating when the first egg is laid. Thirty-two to 36 days are required for incubation. Since egg laying begins so early in the year, blizzards and sub-zero temperatures are frequently encountered. The most devoted attention is necessary to the successful incubation of the eggs. A moment of exposure to below zero temperatures could chill the egg and kill the unhatched embryo.

Three to eight days may be required to lay the clutch of eggs, therefore, there may be several days difference in the age of the young. They are balls of dirty white down when hatched, weak and nearly helpless, and do not open their eyes before the second day.

The parents feed chunks of flesh to the young. When they are about three weeks of age they are able to pick up a mouse put in the nest beside them and swallow it whole. When five to six weeks old, they are able to fly a little, but do not leave the nest until their eighth or ninth week. Even though they are capable of flight, they remain in the general area and are fed by the parents for several more weeks.

At the time they leave the nest, the last owl hatched is younger and the least capable of strong flight. Hence, it is most susceptible to hazards, and the least likely to successfully cope with any dangers encountered.

The "tiger of the air," as it is sometimes called, is a powerful and ferocious bird. Its strength enables it to attack and kill birds and mammals much heavier than itself. It does not hesitate on occasions to attack a turkey or goose or a skunk.

Cottontails, rats and mice are staple foods. Other mammals are also included in the list of foods: gophers, ground squirrels, tree squirrels, shrews, moles and weasels. Birds are common in the diet, including song and insectivorous birds, game birds, shore birds, ducks and coots and hawks and other species of owls. Fish, crayfish, and snakes and insects are not infrequently taken also. Poultry may suffer heavy losses, particularly when they roost in trees. Game birds kept in open-top pens will attract many of these owls.

There are individuals of the species that migrate southward, particularly those nesting farther north than Nebraska. Although they hunt mostly at night they have good vision in daylight hours, and occasionally will be seen hunting at this time. The owls are unsocial and solitary except at nesting time, and may live for 25 or 30 years in captivity.

Horned owls are the subject of much persecution, particularly from other birds and sportsmen. They are protected by state law in Nebraska.

As is the case with most predators the "looseness" of the predator-prey relationships and the destruction of individuals is seldom significant in determining population levels—even when the numbers destroyed seem to be great.