https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/f1c6e09af685e3dc3349276fe14714c1.pdf 526f48260a9cd9db50a0e6ae32c43663 PDF Text Text ' Report OF THE Carn e and Fisl1 Departn.1-ent OF THE ) ' State of Colo rado DECEMBER TO J UNE I, 1926, 30, 1931 ', I I• I I i LIBRAPY l r· COLORADO STATE UNIVERSl-0, EOR1 COLLINS, COL08AOQ Capitol Building Denver, Colorado �I lftAOFORD•ftOB IN SON PflllNTINC CO. DENVER.COLOftAOO ,.u 'i �I \ , "J )(I '{ f. ;., 'i ,,, .,. ,r .' .. Deer_ Feeding in Glenwood Springs District �September 1, 1931. To His Excellency WILLIAM H. Governor of Colorado, Executive Chambers, Denver. ADAMS, Sir : I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of the Game and Fish Department from December 1, 1926, to June 30, 1931. As this department has no official medium of publicity, I have attempted in this report to outline the general plan of development of the last ten years, in addition to the detailed statement of activities for the period stated. I have also included a brief historical sketch w hich may be of some interest. With the cooperation of the publi½ and the assistance generously given by your own and other state departments, steady progress has been made and the de. partment hopefully looks forward not only to being able to provide for present day needs, but to the needs of the future, when, wi_th increasing leisure, greater numbers of people turn to the outdoors to find w holesome and satisfying recreation. I wish to take this opportunity of thanking you for the interest you have always shown and the helpful cooperation of your office. • Respectfully, R. G. PARVIN, Game and Fish Commisioner. j i I- �Early l--Iistory C OLORADO TERRITORY declared a closed season on all game animals, wild turkeys, quail, pheasants and prairie chickens as early · as 1867. This action was taken by the Territorial Assembly with the intent to stop the slaughter of game animals by market hunters, trophy hunters and fur traders. The grasshopper invasion of 1864 and 1866i )'Vhich swept the Rocky Mountain region and destroyed practically all vegetation west of the Mississippi, no doubt was r~ponsible for the closed season on game birds. The pheasants mentioned in the law were Mexican pheasants, or Road Runners, which were numerous in the Arkansas Valley. Quail were Blue or Scale Quail, native to the same section. Ju-st _why prairie chickens were included in the list is not known, as the first record of prairie chickens in Colorado is of eight dozen shipped in from Kansas by overland freight in 1870 by Luke Cahill, John Prowers and Robert Moore, of Bent county, and released on Judge Moore's ranch at the mouth of the Purgatoire river. They brought in twenty-four dozen Bob-white Quail at the same time and kept all the birds on the ranch until spring, when they were released in the open. T he prairie chickens disappeared from that locality the first year, and it is supposed they wandered north, although Sclater, in his "Birds of Colorado," _, mentions their fitst recorded appearance in northeastern Colorado in 1897, and they were not mentioned as being of common occurrence until 1907. California quail were first introduced by private parties in 1894. The season was opened in 1869 on game animals and wild turkeys -but, following a recommendation of a federal committee that had been appq,inted to deten:nine the best mea~s of combating the grasshopper pest, it was closed on all migratory insectivorous birds and remained closed on quail, pheasants and prairie chickens. The•season was closed on grouse that same year from February to September. Succeeding laws closed seasons on all game during the breeding . period. r I I. I 'I Grasshoppers came again in 1875 and did their work so thoroughly that it was necessary for the federal government to pass relief measures for the farmers and provide food and clothes, and seed for spring .planting. That year the first effort was made to introduce the English pheasan·c, which makes deadly war on hoppers. T wo hens and a cock w:ere imported from England by a young Englishman livfog on Turkey creek, but were killed the day they arrived by a pot hunter. The first successful plant of the birds was made by Mr. Edward 0. Wolcott on his ranch Wolhurst at Littleton in 1889. Several years later Mr. W. F. Kendrick imported a large number of Chinese and English pheasants for breeding purl?oses and donated one hund;ed of them to the state. _A n effort was made to propagate them and quite a number were raised.and liberated, but!he state did not • have proper facilities for breeding and soon gave it up. The a �Buena Vi.$ta Hntchr.ry and R etaining Ponds J> .. �State nf Colorado 7 Chinese pheasant is well established in the state at the· present time as a res~lt of these early -efforts and of subsquent purchase and release of adult birds by the State Game and Fish Department.· During the first lean years when early_settlers were laying the foundation for a great commonwealth food supplies were a problem. At one_time, in 1866, it was estimated that the food available would last about six weeks if distributed evenly among the population of the territ~ry, so it was natural that serious thought should be given to different sources of supply. In 1877 the first State Assembly appointed . a fish commissioner and appropriated a thousand dollars to buy Carp to stock depleted waters. In 1881 a hatchery site was donated to the state and a small fish hatchery built near Denver. . Rainbo\~ and Eastern Brook Trout egg; were imported the first year and successfuf hatches made. The commissioner was also successful m securing.a number of Black B~ss anc;I Crappie fro~ Kansas..f ~ d s . Only the ;Cut-throat species of Trout are native to Colorado. They were originally found in the Rio Grande, Platte and Arkansas River drainages and in the headwaters of the Colora90 river and lakes in that region, with one varietythe Yellow-fin-found in Twin Lakes. All other · trout are introduced varieties in Colorado waters . ... . . . . In: 1899 the departme~t of gam.e. and fish was created as it now exists. With the development of agriculture and other industries, less attention was paid to game and fish. · Laws were made and unmade, but were not well enforced. A new game and fish commissioner was appoin(ed every two years and the department functioned principally as a political dumping ground. The market fisher, dyn~miter, placer mine . and ore mill operato;s had their way with fishing streams. Game decreased rapidly, and nothing was done about it except to make more l~~- The season was closed on Mountain Sheep in 1885, but numbers 1.:ontinued to be ki_iled and total extermination seemed certain. There were only about one thousand. beaver left in the state when the law was passed in 1887 ·protecting' them. Elk had been the victim of the tu.s'k ·and head hunter until the herds were very small, and in ·1903 the season was closed and was not opened agairi ~til a special season was declared in 1929: The only Buffalo remaining in the state are in private parks. Hu~ting licenses were first issued . in 1903, noq-resideni: fishing licenses m 1907 and resident_combined hunting and fishing licenses in 1913. In 1913 the civil service amendment was adopted and the game and fish • commissioner included in the classified service. With a permanent head, politics practically diminated, and with increasei::I revenue derived from license. sales, the .ga~e and fish department was ready for progress, but the-war follo·wed and things came to a standstill. When the pres- ~ ~:- �Denver Hatchery i11 192'0 ___,_ ---- - - -- �~ SRl7iWilMIV1TWZF. Denver Hatchery in 1920 • f -------------- ·· ····- ·· ·- - - - -- ---- -- - -- - - - -- - Denver Hatchery ii'i 1932 �Top- Durango Hatchery and Retaining Ponds Bottom-- Haviland Lake �11- State of Colorado ent commissioner took office in 1919 there was not m1,1ch foundation to build on. Property of the department at that time including land, water· rights, buildings and all equipment inventoried considerably less than $100,000. A corresponding inventory today reaches close to the million mark. The state fish hatchery system es~blished in the last ten years comprises fifteen trout hatcheries; one hatchery for propagation of bass, perch; crappie and other varieties of w~rm --;_,a-ter -.fuh~s;t"~~t~-· ~~n~d reservoirs, ··several leased ponds and spawning fakes. Mr. James W. Haviland, field superintendent, and Mr. R. G. Haviland, state superintendent of hatcher_ies, have been with· .the department a great many years, and have contributed largely to the successful upbtiilding of die hatchery system. Resident superintendents at the hatcheries have given efficient service and deserve c·r edit for satisfactory results. BUENA VISTA HATCHERY-Chaffee County. Built in 1926. WINFIELD MANHAll.T, SuperiI?-tendent ·.1~ 205 acres of land-adjoining State Refortnatory. 80-trough hatchery. 10 retaining' ponds. 5-rooni house\ °:~ garage. . ' CEDAREDGE HA'.TCHERY- Delta County. Built in 1924. A. B. JENNINGS, Superintendent 13 ·acres of land. 60-trough hatchery. 10/etaining ponds. 5-room residence and garage. Four lakes on this property have bee~ converted in_to brood ponds with such success that. the department is building ponds at the other hatcheries where conditions are favorable. A nice lot of eggs are taken each year. CONEJOS HATCHERY-Conejos County. I Government land. Small l_og_hatchery on Conejos River oper~ted •for sun1nier hatch until 1929, • when building was destroyed by flood waters. Site abandoned on account of unsuitable water conditions. �Bellevue Hatchery .' -•- -------- - - ITI ti �State of Colorado 13 DENVER HATCHERY-Adams County. Built in 1922, 9 miles east of Denver HARRY LLOYD, Superintendent 26 acres of land. 108-trough hatchery. 20-trough auxiliary hatchery. 26 retaining ponds. Superintendent's a"nd Assistant Superintendent's houses and garage. ·, . DEL NORTE HATCHERY-Rio Grande County. Rebuilt in 1929. ALBERT L. DuMONT, Superintendent 10 acres land. 40-trough hatchery. 5 retaining ponds. 5-room house and garage. I DURANGO HATCHERY-:-La Plata County. Built in 1927. 1 V. H. WoooFIELD, Superintendent 13 acres of land. 100-trough h.ttchery. 60-trough auxiliary hatchery. 600 ft. of retaining ponds. Superintendent's and Assistant Superintendent's .house's and garage. ~ ESTES PARK HATCHERY-Larimer County. Rebuilt in 1929. FRED MITCHELL, Superintendent 10 acres Government land hdd under perpe~l casement. ~0-trough hatchery. 8 retaining ponds. Superintendent's house and garage. ' • if.-·~~-:. BELLEVUE HATCHERY-Larimer Cou_nty.~ ~~'-Ff~ ·-1924. 7 miles west . of Fort Collms •· ,:{~.. •.;,..,.\t,,,. . • M. J. BENALLO, Superintendent -)t; I"(','" 5 acres land. 60-trough hatchery. 8 retaining ponds. Superintendent's house at).d garage. 1 •• ' $. �Glenwood Springs HatchP.ry and R etaining Panel's �Staie of Colorado GRAND LAKE HATCHERY-Grand County. Purchased in !920, mnodcled in 1928. (Summer hatch only) C. A. RIBBING, Superintendent • I acre land.40-trough hatchery. Superintendent's house. GLENWOOD SPRINGS HATCHERY-Garfield County. Built in 1930. 0. B. HOPE, Superintendent 5 acres of land. 120-trough hatchery. 2~ retaining ponds. Superintendent's and Assistant Superintendent's houses and garage. Spawntaker's Cabin, 'Grancf Mesa Lakes GRAND MESA HATCHERY-Deltd County. Bttilt in 1928. (Summer hatch only) 19 acres Government land, used under special .permit. 48-trough h~tchery. Cabin for caretaker and spawning crew. Eggs to suppl_y this hatchery.' arc tak~n from the Gra·ntj Mesa lakes, and tl;ie entire outp1.,1t ' of the hatchery distribt1:ted in the lakes of the Grand Mesa, which ;;e on Govcrn~cnt l~nd and all open to public fi~hing. ,.,, �'• PITK brooc perat I • I RY Pitkin. Hatchery and Retaining Ponds �State of Colorado 17 PITKIN HATCHERY-Gun11iso11 Cou11ty. Built i11 1925. W.: H. CoRUM, Superintendent 20 acres land. 60-trough hatchery. :r •· 40-trough auxiliary hatchery. > 26 ~etaining ponds. 5-room house and garage. 1 large brood pond. Part of the ponds at this hatchery were constructed •in 193 1 and the large brood pond built. There· is abundant water at the Pitkin hatchery, and the temperature for trout propagation is perfect. Rye Hatchery RYE HATCHERY-Pueblo County. Built in 1930. Ro»ERT HARLAN, 5 acres land. 48-trough hatchery. 8 retaining_ponds.· 1 broo.d lake. Superintendent's house and garage. ! Superintendent · �Game and Fish Departm ent 18 STEAMBOAT SPRINGS H ATCHERY-Routt County. Built in 1920. of SAM STEVENS, Superintendent stJ 19 or 6 city lots. 40-trough hatchery. 3 retaining ponds. E I brood lake. ( This lake belongs to a citizen of Steamboat Springs and L its use is allowed the department for trout propagation and spawntaking.) s rs TRAPPERS LAKE HATCHERY-Rio Blanco County. Built in 1925. SI ti (Summer hatch only) IO acre~ Government land used under special permit. ' 36-trough hatchery. -?°~-<' 2 cabi ns ( used for spawntaking crews). :~j i~: WALDEN HATCH ERY - Jackson County. ( Summer hatch on! y) ·i ·.1.g:i -·~ ROBERT O'NEIL, Superintendent 10 acres. 40-trough hatchery. 7 retaining ponds (3 ponds built in 1931 ). Small hatcheries were built reservoirs--described elsewhere. in connection with Parvin and Haviland The total capacity of these hatcheries is 75,000,000 eggs annually. With the exception of summer hatcheries, all hatcheries are modeled on the same plan and are what we call "dry" hatcheries. Buildings are of cement blocks, floors of concrete, and troughs of steel or cedar. Houses, garages, ice houses and all buildings, so far as possible, are built of concrete or stuccoed to conform with the general plan. Grounds are landscaped and every property has the trim, well-kept appearance of a· modern industrial plant. Light and power plants have been installed where public service is not available. Without exception, the superintendents of hatcheries take a keen interest in the general appearance of the properties under their charge, and spare no pains in keeping them up to standard. F lowers, shrubs a nd trees receive careful attention, grounds are kept clean, buildings and fences repaired, and every care taken to make the hatchery properties an asset to the communities where they arc located. Spring water is essential for successful propagation of trout. In many instances the department has gone to great expense to secure an ample supply, and it steadily refuses to locate a hatchery where spring water is not available. Th,~ ( f �Stale of Colorado 19 of the summer hatcheries are located where they must depend upon city or stream water. The Conejos hatchery, which was flooded out in the spring of 1929, was a stream-fed hatchery, but all others use spring water which is owned or controlled by the department and can be regulated to suit hatchery needs. ;s and king.) Trout propagation in state hatcheries is confined to Rainbow, Native and Eastern Brook varieties, w_i~h .~h~. exceptiOf! 9f. .l!-11.. ;i.np._u:i} hatch of one million Loch Leven eggs and about the ~-a~~ -iltimber of Silver ·salmoii." - Th; ·siiver- s;i~~"n eggs ~re ·obtained froin the state 'o(O~~gon-in.exa;;nge for Colorado Natives~a ncl are usea -ro--stm:k- rne-i-and-loclceo .\akes- in-dlfferenc-·sect1onsof• the state. They have done especially well in. the Steamboat Springs district, where they arc a great favorite with lake fishermen and have afforded excellent sport. This summer the department obtained 25,000 Golden Trout eggs from California in exchange for some blackspots, and is experimenting with t hem. They hatched well and are growing nicely in the nurse porids. The Golden Trout are a small, beautifully colored trout native to the Kern River in California and very rare any place else. With its present facilities the department is prepared to stock the streams and lakes of the state with as many trout as food conditions will take care of, and undertakes to make equitable distribution of its output. ,viland With 1e plan . floors md all n with : trim, ts have in , pains . a,. ...,_ taken rey are :RSt 0 uty ms & -\", and Three Spawntaking O perati9ns Under the supervision of the state engineer a .series of reservoirs have been built by the department and stocked with t;out for eggtaking purposes; Valuable land and water rights were acquired with the reservoir properties and their future value ,to the state cannot be estimated . •..-> HAVILAND RESERVOIR-La Plata County. Constructed in 1927-1928. 10 miles north of Durango W1LL1AM H . McCLEAN, Suirintendent 80 acres deeded land-120 acres Government easement. 84 acres water. Cabins and caretaker's house. Durango hatchery supplies trout for restocking this reservoir. . PARVIN RESERVOIR-Larimer County. ConstrUfted 1926-1927. }AM~~_A. W1cKERSHAM, Superintendent 160 acres deeded la~d. 90 '"acres water. -~, Sman hatchery;c:abins, etc. This pro~y info.e of the beauty spots of Larimer County. �Fish Trap Used Exclusively by Colorado Game and Fish Department for Trapping Fish for Spawning Purposes .. .,,., ' �:iTi 27 Fwi Trap U$ed Exclunvely by Colorado Game and Fi.sh Department for Trapping Fish for Spawning Purposes .' Bird$eyc View of Parvin �Parvin Reservoir, Showing Caretaker's Residence and Spaivntakers' Cabins and Boat House ... �... S_ t ate of Colorado 23 TARRYALL RESERVOIR- Park County. Constructed in 1929-30-31. 900 acres of land. 400 acres of water. . An opportunity was offered the depanment to buy this land and water when it was sold after foreclosure. It was necessary to buy the entire parcel in order to get the rese~voir site, but the additional land added very little to the cost, and will pay for itself in a short time with the income derived from rentals. Water rights are excellent. The soil is· fertile and the lake bed will produce vegetation in abundance, so assuring a natural food supply for as many fish. as can be raised in a reservoir of that size. Like all the other ~eservoirs, the dam was built under the supervision of the state engineer and is a marvelous piece of engineering work. Ownership of this sized reservoir, with food and wat~r conditions that prevail at Tarryall, is of inestimable value to the department. Dam at Tarryall Reservoir •. '-1·~ / •' rs ·;·· ,:y d CAMERON PASS RESERVOIR- /ackso~ County. Constructed in 1928. JoHN LUNDY, Superintendent i60 acres Government easement. 60 acres . water. Cabins, etc. Spawntaki_n g stations are maintained at Trappers and Marvine lakes, Electra Lake; Grand Mesa lakes and several private l~kes leased by t he department. ~, · \1 ,:,. .,:, ~ -~ :1 A ~i~ �Birdseye View of Tarryall Reservoir .' �Stale of Col orado ·o... .,c .,., "' - Bu-dseye View of Cameron Pass Reservoir ct: ~ >.. t ..." . o' 2 :~ .• Eggs are taken twice a year. The spring take extends from the middle of April to the middle of July. The .fall take starts .in early October and runs through November. Rainbow and Native spawn are taken in the.~pring, Eastern Brook and Loch Leven in the fall. ., .,>.. ~ .!:J CQ l Caretaker's Residence, CamR.ron Pass Reservou- �26 Game and Fish Department t Propagation of Warm. Water fishes t Desirable vaneues of warm water fishes are hard to obtain on account of scarcity and long distance to be transported, and expense attached. It has been impossible to supply the plains lakes and streams with the number needed and the department has established a propagation plant in Las Animas County for ~ s , Perch, Crappie, Catfish, Blue Gills and other varieties of warm water fishes. The efficient and active cooperation of the county commissioners and citizens of Las Animas County made it possible to build this plant in a remarkably short time and at minimum expense, and the department wishes to take this opportunity of expressing appreciation of the interest taken and valuable help given. • a II n The department undertakes to make an equitable distribution to all waters that will support fish life. There are streams that in summer look like ideal fl_shing w~ers that freeze solid in the winter. Others in which the soil has be-. cbme so mineralized that vegetation cannot be produced, consequently thdre is no..food s~pply for fish. It is only a waste to plant trout in waters of this kind, but where conditions are favorable young trout are planted. The rule is to put them in the streams and lakes when from three and a half to five inches in length. If possible, they are grown to this size in the hatchery nurse ponds where the Miter temperature is controlled a nd they can be fed regularly. Each hatchery is furnished with a sufficient number of concrete nurse ponds to ·accommodate th~ output. Beaver dams along . the streams make splendid retaining ponds for young fish and are made constant use of in distributing them. Several artificial ponds are maintained by the department either independently or in cooperation with game and fish associations. In some of these ponds trout are raised until from eight to twelve inches long before being released. Artificial ponds are successful only when located where they can be kept clean and the fish fed with some regularity. • Sc Sc R Oxygen Tanks The difficulties of handling fish are not gen.e rally realized. They are extremely delicate and must be handled without bruising. They will die almost immediately from lack of air. Moving them for any distance has been a problem ' that remained unsolved until the Colorado game and fish department invented a tank fitted with oxygen containers and perforated pipes which force ice-cooled· air through the water constant! y. The tank is partitioned with splash boards to prevent bruising, and will carry safely thirty to forty thousand three to five-inch fish for any distance. When waters to be stocked cannot be reached by truck, the truck may be left standing at the nearest accessible place, a nd the n,sh packed the remaining distance in milk cans. It is only possible to do this because the water in the fish tank is kept cool and in constant motion by means of the oxygen pressure and there is sufficient aeration const~ntly whether the cc 1 sl tr w tl ff I[ rr. �State of Colorado 27 truck is in motion or not to keep the fish· alive and in good condition. Without the oxygen tanks it would be impossible to distribute the numbers of fish the state hatcheries are equipped to produce. An interesting feature of the reservoirs is the surplus lot of male trout that are always raised. In order to keep the proper proportion of males and females in the lakes, the males have to be thinned out constantly, and large numbers of male trout are removed frequently and placed in nearby streams. Forty thou- Oxygen Fis1,_ Tanlc sand ten to twelve-inch Rainbow_s were transplanted in this way in 1930 and the same number in 1931 from the Parvin reservoir to the Cache La Poudre River. From three to five hundred of these big fellows were moved at one load in the oxygen tank a distance of about thirty-five miles to the river. Feeding I The growth of trout depends entirely upon .temperature of water and food conditions. They make rapid growth in tempered water with regular feeding, slow growth in cold water when food is scarce. It is possible to grow Rainbow trout to nine inches in eleven months when fed intensively in the tempered waters of the hatchery nurse ponds, but in open waters under average conditions they make only a growth of two or three inches per year after the first year. Fish food is naturally a large item of expense when fish are raised in large numbers and grown to from three to five inches in nurse ponds befor~ releasing in the streams, which· is the method now in use by the game and fish department. Constant experiments are made with food products in order to deterinine �the fact wee pot foo mu fi.rr ~ ·::'-!!(_;, ~ .• . .. ,,d ye, act m, ,I OU ; ; J ., I i l I I. .r fo w: ,.. be th ar of ti: . p t\ 0 a a 1l C f Elk on Winter Feed Grounds in Routt County �State of Colorado 29 the most economical foods consistent with good results. Liver is the most satisfactory food for baby fish and .exclusive fe~ding of !iv.er is given for the first few weeks. After that cereals and less expensive foods are used. About 75,0.00 pounds of liver alone were used last year, which gives an idea of the amount .of foo_d necessary. The quality of trout is· dependent upon proper feeding jusi: as much as any other animal life, and the department sees to it that healthy, strong, firm-fleshed fish are turned into the waters continually. Streams Closed for Propagation of Young Trout A number of streams have been closed to fishing for periods of ~wo to three years since the law was enacted in 1927 permitting the commissioner to take such action for the purpose of allowing young trout to grow undisturbed. Streams may not be closed for less than five consecutive miles, and are never closed without consent of property owners affected. Drought "' .. ,, The effects of the drought prevailing over the. United States and Canada for the past three years was not so severe in Colorado until the past year. There was ver.y little snow on the watersheds last winter and waters were l~w early. in the season. Continued dry weather has dried up many small. streams, and lakes and reservoirs are lower than they have been for years. Department men have been busy· all summer transferring fish from ·waters where they were in danger of being stranded to deeper waters, but there has been a tremendous loss all over the state, and will take a long time to overcome. Upland game birds profited by the dry weather and the increase in Quail, Pheasants, · Grouse, Prairie Chickens and Sage. Hens· has been greater the past two seasons than for several years. On account of three years drought and lack of water on breeding grounds of migratory waterfowl in the United States and Canada, there has been an alarming decrease in the number of young birds hatched and a threatened shortage in breeding stoc"°k tha·t caused the United States Government to restrict ~he hunting season in 1931 on ducks, brant, coot and geese to one month all over the United States. The 'open winter of 1930 wa:s favorable for game animals. There was plenty of grass and the herds stayed in the· htgh ranges until late in the winter. Very little feeding was necessary and they came ~ough the winier- in excellent shape. Present ·conditions are not fayorable'. Grass is short ·and scarce. Many water. holes are dried up and ·food conditions are not good. It remains to be seen how the game will .stand· the coming winter. �Deer on Winter Feed Grormcl.~ in Gunnison County •' �State of Colorado 31 Hunting and Fishing Areas Decreasing The · qecrea.sc of hunt_ing and fishing areas is occupying the thought of sportsmen all over the United States. It devolves upon state and federal agencies to safeguard th~ interests of the public in these matters. The rights of the lands owner must be defended, but at ·the .same time some plan must be evolved by which-the people as a whole may enjoy the use of game ~nd_fish which rightfully belong to them. Each year more land is withdrawn from the public, either because the own.e r wishes to use the game and fish on his land for his own ·p~ofit, or because he is annoyed by people trespassing. In either case in Colorado he is within his legal rights 1n e_x.cludi°ng them if·_he so desires. So far as game is concerned, he is entitled to compensation in some way for the food they consume; and for certain damage and annoyance they cause.. Fish cost him nothing. They arc iri the waters only because the state propagates and puts them there, and the state propagates and plants them with money provided by people w·ho ouy licenses to hunt and ·fish. As lands are withdrawn, priva_te interests arc buying lands with good fishing streams for ~hei_i: own use_ and dqsing them permanently to the public. The game and ~sh. department a,dvocates the state doing the same ~ng and doing it first. !3uy the fishing ~ights ~lo~g the streams, or iease Jhem, and dedicate diem to the perpetual use of the people. • . . There. is· talk in ·sollle quarters.,of -a state park program for Colorad_o,;f:a11cl hunting and fishing grounds might be partly sec,ured in connection whb} ;;_c~ parks. if they were established; The time· is ripe, .at any rate,, £qr ·initial· st½ps tq be taken in securing publi~ hunting and fishing grounds f~'r future use of _our people. • • • · '' : . Colorado reap~ a bo\J.Iltifur harvest f!OID its to_urist trade, and nothing_will promote :that u:ade more vigorously than providing_abundant means of outdoor recreation, of which fishing is probably the most universal form. . ~., .- · Elk·. and Deer In November, 1929 upori 1petitio~ of . the cou_nty comm1ss1oners . of Gr!1nd; Gilpin, Routt and "Boulder counties, a three-day open season was declared on bull Elk for the purpose of thinning out the herds and scattering the animals ove_r greater terr.itory in orde('to .relieve ·the farmers of damage to their crop~. A special license was to· have :b·een issued to h,i"nt:s.-E lk; but at the last_minute it was discovered that the law, did not grant the ~omrriissioner the righno do this, and hunting··had ·to be per-mitted on the regular· big game hunting license. As a result, rriany more hunters congregated.in the· f~ur c~unti~ than.were expected, and unfortun11te!y ma~y of them did ·not have proper firearms for Elk shooting. .. •.. • -• �Feeding Mountain Sheep in. Towr» of Our ay . ' �.·,.-t . . ' State of Colorado 33 Numbers of animals were injured or crippled without being_ killed. It wa~ the first open ~eason on Elk in Colorado· in twe.nty-six years, and ~nsequentl y attracted all kinds of hunters; .There were. many law violations apd strong evi.dence of unsportsmnlike Jl?.ethods. ' In this respect, it W;iS a .most .unsuccessful season, but- it did relieve _the ~op da_mage to considerable extent. The herds were broken .up ·and ·animals scattered ~ver m:o~e country, .although only about 300 . were actually killed, counting those both legally and illegally .killed. ' With drought. co0:ditions and the prospect of ~hort range the toming winter and greater complaint of crop damage in different. sections of the state, an open· • season will undoubtedly be decla~ed:in November, 1931, although.at this writing ·.·it h~ n~t _been. d~nit<:ly determined.. If it .is. ~e.clared, a special _Elk hunting license will ·he issued at a ·fee of •$7.50 and restrictions ~ be made ·strict ~~o~gh to_preverit a recurren~e of the J:iappenings of the 1929 open season. . It ~s .estimated there are 17,000 Elk and 45;000 Deer in the state of Colorado at the_present. time apd. they are increasing _rapidly. ·The birth.·rate· of both "Elk and' D~er has been unusually high the past two years, and the herds are. in /' • good •condition. The ·Elk· h~rds will be benefited by d1sposin~: of .~ome of the ~Id ~~s_;. T~e •P.ro~~oii of males and females in the Deer. herds ·remains about /t , • what it should be for breeding _purposes. The annual kill' of buck deer averages 7 about 4·000. · •• • • • • · . •• · • • •. • I } . · f f • f/'" • On~ hundred and seventy-five ~tain lio~ have ~'. killed sin~_ tlic '-: bounty .law :was enacted in 1929. "1nis means ~e lives of at leas~ 5,~00 4eer\. _ saved in .that ti,m~, and no t~ng how much domestic live ~~ock. . . . . . . Y"' . The only white-tail deer· remaining in Colorado· are in· Prowers county and the Arkansas Valley. There are only about one hundred altogether and are just about hol4ing their own.. •Antelope • A rus~ of •several hundred •ant~ope • a~ross tpe. Colorado border duri~g a • special open ~on in Wyoming in 1930 _caused many pe~ple ·to· beljeve antelope were increasing in this. ~tate until they were a mena~ to ·crops, and many complaints of 4antage. were received by ~e ~epart111entt•. ~me .damage; was done • before the animals .could be ~iven back. As a inatter Qf fact, the~e are not inore than 2,ooo··head of antelope remaining in; th~ ~~te.of Gc,>lorado ·out_ of th~ -~au~ds of bands that th~ first scttlers:.found here.. These few ate gradually _being driven off as more land ~ fenced and put under cultivation. They. are. one of ·the most beautiful of all. our game· aninials and it is hoped ~t with the coopera• tion of the public.and the game department it-~ be possible to save the herds i.Qm furth~ .depletion without having to. resort to fenced. ·preserves. i ! / l �34 Game and Fish Department Mountain Sheep The bands of mountain sheep which constitute about 2,500 animals altogether in the state just about hold their own from year to year. Most of them are in the Ouray and Estes Park regions, where they are given almost perfect protection by the residents. Every man, woman and child in these two districts is a self-appointed game warden to watch out for the sheep and it is not safe for anyone to try to molest them. Beaver Beaver have proved their value to the fa rmer during the extended dry seasons of the past two years. The dams have stored much water that would otherwise have gone to waste, and it was there to be used when most needed. The dams have also afforded safe living quarters for trout which would have perished in the shallow waters of the stream. The department utilizes the dams constantly for retaining ponds for young fish, planting them in the deeper still waters always in preference to swift running water. They are a great advantage in many ways as there is usually plenty of natural food around the dams, and they afford refuge for trout when the streams freeze in the winter as well as when they are low in the summer. When the dams are torn out t he beaver rebuild them in twenty-four hours, whereas it takes all summer sometimes before an artificial dam can be replaced. The law permits destruction of beaver only when they are . doing damage to property, and then only upon request of the property owner under permit issued by the game and fish department when evidence of damage is furnished. r I f Game Bird s Until 1917 the open season on prairie chickens and willow grouse extended from August 15 to October 10 each year. In 1917 it was reduced to fifteen days. Continual open seasons, combined with heavy rain and hail storms during several nesting seasons, caused a noticeable decrease in numbers and the season was closed on these birds in 1929, to remain closed until 1932. Fortunately for the birds, unfortunately for the farmer, there has been dry weather for the last couple of years and consequent large hatches, so that the flocks are increasing rapidly. A continual closed season on quail caused ~hem to increase until they were doing considerable damage to crops, and the county commissioners of Mesa, Montrose and Delta counties requested an open season of three days in 1929 and 1930, and have filed a request with the department for a five-day season in 1931, which will be granted. An open season has also been dodared on matt: Chinese rine-neck phea,ant.o .'. �Staie of Colorado in Mesa county only, from November 14 to November 18-the same dates of the quail season. The department advocated an open season this year on pheasants in northern and eastern counties, where continual complaint is made of damage to crops, but it was objected to by property owners and the commissioners made no request. A special open season was declared on pheasants in Weld and Logan counties in December, 1929, but not many birds were killed during the three days as weather conditions were unfavorable. It was at a time of year when the birds Rush easily and there was snow on the ground in parts of the open section. An earlier season would be preferable when there is better cover. As pheasants are polygamous, thinning out the m ale birds does not interfere with the natural increase, and an open season is advantageous when they get too numerous, as it scatters the birds through more territory and away from regular feeding centers, thus relieving continued damage to crops. .1als altoof them st perfect , districts not safe ded dry would , needed. dd have the dams 't:per still lvantage ms, and well as ; beaver :s before ver only t of the hen evil ( j Pheasants in Las Animas county, where they were just gc~ting well started, were practically exterminated last July during the invasion of grasshoppers when the farmers sprayed with paris green to kill the hoppers and the pheasants ate the hoppers. Hungarian partridges, which the department imported in large numbers from Czechoslovakia some years ago have disappeared, except a few coveys in the Montrose region. The birds seemed to take kindly to their changed environment and gave every evidence of settling down as a permanent resident, but s1;1ddenly disappeared and it has never been known what became of them. A goo<l many birds have been reported in Wyoming, which are probably part of the plantings made in Colorado. Colorado is not a natural habitat for Bob-white quail, and they arc not numerous in spite of many plantings that have been made by the department and private citizens in different sections. There are a few scattered coveys here and there, but they ca~not be considered a Colorado bird. Their habit of. nesting in irrigation ditches, only to be washed out when the water is turned in, is one of the r~asons for their scarcity, and they also winterkill in sections where the cover is not heavy enough to give them good protection. extended :ccn days. 1g several ason was y for the the last ncreasing hey were of Mesa, 1929 and in 1931, 35 Waterfowl The decrease in number of waterfowl due to destruction of natural breeding ·ground~ by drainage and drought is alarming. The U. S. Bureau of Biological S11rvey, the American Game Association and other conservation agencies, after intensive surveys, publish depressing facts that should arouse all sportsmen and conservation leaders to active effort to save the breeding stock from extermination; ~I ·1 Decrease of waterfowl in Colorado has not been so noticeable as so many birds breed in the state and many of them. stay here the year around. The San Luis Valley is a n.rtural breeding district for waterfowl and numbers nest there :>hea..,..nte I' ' . I .,·. �3G Game and Fish Department every year, as well as in many other parts .of the state. There were more ducks · in Colorado last year than usual during the shooting season, partly on account of breeding here and partly because, on account of drought, the birds changed their usual migratory flight and crossed the states closer to the mountains where rainfall was greater and food and water conditions better. In spite of apparent abundance in some regions, however, the fact remains that waterfowl arc disappearing, and unless a vigorous and united effort is made by state and federal governments and. all sportsmen of the North American continent, duck shooting will be seriously decreased. It must be a get-together movement to save the birds, with all political and sectional clements removed. In our opinion, the state should not allow land and water areas to pass from its control, but in a cooperative agreement with the federal government and with local agencies a production campaign can be conducted that will do more good in a year toward restoring the depicted stock than all ·the shooting restrictions can ever do. It will, of course, be necessary to restrict shooting, bag limits and in other ways control hunting, but the practical and sure way to secure our former abundance of waterfowl is by propagation. Destruction of breeding areas by drai nage, drought and agriculture is going on constantly all over the United States and Canada and it is only by united effort of everyone concerned that results ca n be ~btained. Another thing is the game hog. There has been entirely too much disregard of bag limits, and the sportsmen must put their stamp of disapproval upon such action drastically in order to stop it. Just as the time is ripe for cooperative agreement between landowners a nd sportsmen in the interest of game production, so is it ripe for a nationwide cooperative effort to propagate waterfowl. There are plenty of available land and water areas which can easily be converted into splendid breeding grounds and which.can be secured at comparatively small cost. Both federal and state machinery should be set in motion at once to do this, with a -definite propagation a nd protection plan in mind. It is a big undertaking and cannot be accomplished without determined effort on the part· of our citizens, but it can be accomplished and must be unless we want to do away with waterfowl shooting in the future. .. Law Violation With enforced idleness, due to the present financial depression, there has been a tendency toward greater game law violation, and wardens are kept on the go in the different districts. The force has been increased by the addition of nine men in the last two years. Three hundred convictions were secured for game law violations in 1930 and close to that n~ber so far in 1931. There is a strong sentiment prevailing among fishermen that licenses shall be required of women, and boys under sixteen, as they are constant offender$ in taking undersize fish and it is a difficult matter to put a stop to it. As the i. �State of Colorado icks ount nged here rent are eral •ing 37 streams are being constantly stocked with trout from three to five inches in length they are easily caught, and when caught by women and young boys arc very seldom returned to the waters. It is not the intention of the department or the fishing fraternity to criticise members of the feminine sex who do obey the rules of good sport, and there are just as good sports among women as among men, but the women who arc violating the law in this respect are fast inviting the day when protection will be sought by charging a license fee. . ~a ve 1he n a :s a ·ard viii, 1trol Special Open Seasons m 1931 ELK-November 5 to 10, both days inclusive. Male elk having antlers with two or more prongs. Bag limited to one elk. Counties opened-Eagle, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Hinsdale," Jefferson, La Plata, Larimer, Pitkin, Routt and Summit. :i.ter- and a nd QUAIL-November 14 to 18, both days inclusive. Bag-Ten birds a day or in possession at any one time. Counties opened-Mesa and Delta; Montrose in parts lying cast of the Uncompaghre Divide. ·ard -uch PHEASANT (Male Chinese Ring-neck)-November 14 to 18, both days inclusive. Bag-Two birds a day and not more than three in possession at any one time. and C CO- and and .:hinand ,shed ished Jture. Mesa county only . Acknowledgment The public is taking a much more active interest .in protection and increase of the ~ild life of the state, and this interest is more noticeable each year. It enables the department to· secure results which would be otherwise impossible and is greatly appreciated by the administration. • has lit on a tion :i for Game and fish protective associations throughout the state can always be depend~d upon for assistance in promoting the welfare of game and fish and have rendered it freely. t We acknowledge with grateful appreciation the cooperation and help of the U. S. Forest Service and Bureau of Biological Survey, as well as the different state departments which the· game and ·fish department has contacted during the past five years. We have enjoyed the confidence and cooperation of Governor •Adams and his ·office throughout his administration; also of the State Board of Auditors and their secretary, the treasurer's office and several others . rhall ..... in i the ., i, i .. I �38 Game and Fish Department We wish to make special mention of the assistance of the attorney general's office in legal matters and of the state engineer's office in construction work. We have made frequent demand on both and have never failed to receive prompt and satisfactory service. The newspapers of the state arc the only medium of publicity the department has, with the exception of its official report, and they have been generous with space allowed for all matters connected with game and fish, and have done everything possible to promote interest in conservation of our wild life resources. Much credit is due to all members of the department, who have worked faithfully and well to serve the interests of the public, and who are sincerely interested in the success of the department undertakings. �State of Colorado 39 :n- FINANCIAL STATEMENT J.. December 1, 1926, to November 30, 1927 ,pt RECEIPTS rt- f Wr '1C Resident big game licenses ............................. . . ..... A<i,217.00 < ' Non-resident fishing ........... ............................... ;24,298.73,,Resident hunting and fishing .... ............ . ................,} I I 3,892.2V ;s. County clerks • ••••••••••••••........... ···········-········ JS 53,541.75 Non-resident hunting •••• ············-············ ··········· Lakes, parks and renewals ............. ...................... . Preserve licenses and renewals ................................ . Im porters' licenses ....................... .................. ... Guide licenses ......... ................................ . .... . Seining permits ............................................. . 3,333.75 922.00 61 8.00 125.00 105.00 76.00 125.00 Taxidermist licenses.·-·············· ······ ··················· Transportation permits ........................... ............ . 533.75 Specimen ··· · - ············ •.•............................. 39.00 578.00 Importation of specimcn ••••• • • ·-····························· Sale of beaver hides ........ . ........................ 44,299.00 _ . Fines and convictions ........................................ . 2,676.40 Beaver permits ................... . ............ . ............ . 682.00 Pheasant permits ...... ....................................... 56.00 320.50 Refuge permits ••••••· - · · · · · - · - · ················ ·········· Storage permits ............................................. . 300.00 Sale of pistol . ....... . . ..................................... . 5.00 11.39 Form 5 tags •••••••• ••••· - ····························· ···· 58.20 Sale of elk meat• •••••••••••••••••• ~··· ···················· · · 1.50 Non-game bird permits •••: •••.................~· ············· Scientific bird permits ·-··"'····.:::._. ....................... . 4.00 Game bird permits . . ..... . .............. . . . ..... . . . .......... 3.00 2.00 Non-scientific bird pcrmits • • • · - ·· · ··························· Sale of hay........ . ... - ................................... 30.00 Transfer of license.......... ..... . .............. ........... . . 3.00 Sale of venison. ............................................. 129.26 299.38 • Refund on acreage ········ ·········· ··········-············· Refund on express ..- ........... . ........................... .40 Refund on beaver........................................... . 9.00 6.85 Lake posters ················-··········· ·········· ····· · ••• Sale of fish ................. ................. .......... ..... 14.25 $293,316.36 •Y J • ••••••• Paid to State Treasurer. ............. ........................ . ~219,316,36 RECEIPTS Balance December l , 1926................ - ............ ...... S 86,835.01 Collections ... ...... ..... ............................... . ... 293,316.36 $380,151.37 L •> �40 Game and Fish Department DISBURSEMENTS Salaries ----------------------------------------------------$ Travel expense ------- ----- ------ - ------ -- --------··---------Auto truck expense_________________________________________ New truck _________ __________________ __________ _____________ Beaver hides___ _____________________________ _______________ 83,032.10 15,218.44 5,057.1 3 1,595.00 13,806.75 Fish eggs--- - ----- - ------ ---------------------------- --- - --8,223.63 Postage - ------ - ------------ ----- --------------------------750.00 Insurance -------- -------------------------------------- --401.84 Miscellaneous spawn and fry ____ ______________________________ 10,1 98.78 Scrip books_______________ _____________________________ ____ 2,700.00 Maintenance of hatcheries_____________________________________ 22,282.44 Office expense_--- - -------- ---------------------------------373.12 Printing __________________ ____- --- ------------ - - - ------ - - -4,610.75 Rewards ---- ---- - - - ------------------------------------ ---150.00 Refunds ------ ---- -------- --- - --------------------------- -149.85 R·cnts--Crand Mesa Resort Company___________________________ 1,000.00 Express --------------------------------------- - ------ ---2, 151.9.3 Telephone and telegraph_____________________ _________________ 1,006.52 Feeding game animals______ __________________________________ 7,546.31 Expense, game animals and birds____________________________ __ 1,507.89 Lone Pinc reservoir (Parvin) ___ ________ ··-··- __ ------ - ··- --------- 20,668. 13 5,748.54 49,542.08 Haviland dam ______ ________________________________________ _ 16,738.51 1,954.01 $276,413.75 Miscellaneous --- -------------------- ----------------------- f;;;::~~--------------------------------------------- 103,737.62 Balance November 30, 1927- - --- - ---------------- ------ - --- --- $380,151.37 State Auditor's balance __________________________________ j)I07,448.03 Outstanding vouchers________________ _____________________ 3,710.41 $103,737.62 VOUCHERS ISSUED- PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS Walden hatchery - --------- ----------------------------------$ 1,579.27 Buena Vista hatcherY- - - -~-------- - ---------________________ _ 2,981.50 Durango hatchcrY---- -------- - - ---------~--- ---------------- 41,268.84 Fort Collins hatchery _______________________________________ _ 145.48 Estes Park hatchery ___ ___________ ________________ ___________ _ 2,563.09 Antonito hatchery ___________________________________________ _ 400.00 Denver hatchery ____________________________________________ _ 307.06 Lone Pine dam ( Parvin Reservoir) _______________ _____________ _ 20,668.13 Haviland dam ____________________ _________________________ _ 16,738.51 350.00 Parkdale retaining ponds- - -------~- - - ------------------ - - - --Deckcrs retaining ponds_ ______________________________________ 461.1 4 Carbondale retaining ponds ____________________________________ 330.05 Frying Pan retaining ponds_ _________________________________ _ 153.70 Eagle River retaining ponds __________________________________ _ 300.00 Gt-and Mesa retaining ponds_ __________________ ______________ _ 1,344.61 Cameron Pass reservoir_ ____________________________________ _ 2,079.90 Bellevue ditch ______________________________________________ _ 80.00 Sapinero fish pond _________________________________________ _ 14.00 $ 91 ,765.211 Equipment- Buick truck _____________________________________ _ 1,595.00 �41 St ate of Col orado FINANCIAL STATEMENT December 1, 1927, to November 30, 1928 RECEIPTS Rx:sident big game licenses ____________________________________ $ 45,338.75 Non-resident fishing__________________________________________ 22,664.44 Resident hunting and fishing. _________________________________ 11 2,997.50 County clerks----------------------------------------------- 46,399.50 Non-resident hunting----------------------- ----------------- 3,771.00 Lakes, parks and renewals___________________________________ _ 1,053.50 717.00 Preserves and rencwals------------------------ ---------------75.00 lmponers -------------------------------------------------45.00 Guide ------------- --------------------------------------·Seining -------------------------------------------------Taxidermist - - ---------------- ------------------------------ 1925 account La.rimer county-------- ------ -------- ------- ---1926 account Lilzicr and Schneider---- -----------------------Storage permits --- --- ------------------------------------- 94.00 130.00 503.75 18.00 495.00 37,746.0~ 2,965.40 647.00 51.00 295.55 3.00 107.40 17.50 6.50 3.00 196.97 3.00 3.00 4.10 1.80 30.90 36.12 191.50 348.00 $276,960. I 8 Paid to state treasurer . ·-. - --------------------- -------------- $276,960.18 Transportation ---------------- -------------------- ----- --Specimen - - -------------------------------------------- ---Importation of specimen ____________________ _:________________ _ Sale of beaver hides _______________________________________ _ Fines and convictions_ _______________________________________ Beaver permits _____________________________________________ _ •7.62 l Pheasant permits ___________________________________________ _ Refuge permits _____________________________________________ _ Transfer lake licenses ______________________________________ _ Confiscated game ----------------------------- - ------------Form 5 tags ____________________________________________ _ Scientific permits----------------- - ------ ------------------Non-scientific permits- --------------------------------- ------Rcfund transportation --~- -----------------------------------Dog permits --------------------------------------- •-------Sale of deer head ___________________________________________ _ Form No. 13 tags __ ______________________________________ ------------------------------------------------ ---_ •Posters Refund on ice ______________________________________________ RECEIPTS B:ilancc, State Auditor, December 1, I 927 _______________________$! 07,448.03 Collections ------------------------- ------------------------ 276,960.1 8 $384,408.21 •. ,.8 ... " .. . . ... �42 Game and Fish Department DISBURSEMENTS Outstanding vouchers ----------------------------------------S Less vouchers cancelled_______________________________________ 3,710.41 1,407.91 S 2,302.50 5alaries ----------------------------------------------------S 80,080.78 Travel expense------------------- --------------------------- 15,4 18.28 Auto truck expense --- --------- - --------------- -------- -----4,066.00 Beaver hides ------------------------------------------------ 11 ,383.50 Fish eggs- ---------------------------------------- - --------- 12,079.s'5 700.00 Postage ------------------------------ ---------------------1,339.82 Insurance -------------------- -------------- ---------------Miscellaneous spawn and fry _________________________________ _ 10,823.44 Scrip books ________________________________________________ _ 1,800.00 Miscel lancous _______________________ __ __________ -----------3,856.27 Maintenance of hatcheries ____________________________________ _ 29,842.82 311.01 Office expense ------------------- ------- - ----------- - ------Printing 7,032.25 Rewards 250.00 123.15 Refunds 1,400.00 Rents-- -------------- -------------------------------------768.16 Express ----------------- ----------------- -----------------Telephone and tdegraph ____________________________________ _ 954.81 Game animals and birds _____________________________________ _ 4,724.96 Game animals and birds expense ______________________________ 505.47 Parvin dam and house ______________________________________ _ 4,309.16 Haviland dam and house __________________________________ _ 23,303.09 Improvements ----------------------------- ----------------- 32,361.65 4,046.31 Retaining ponds ---------------- ------------------- ---- ---1,465.55 New truck ------------------------------- ---------------- 800.00 Fish tank ------------------------ - - -----------------------2,195.00 New auto - - ------------------------ -----------------------Tarryall reservoir ------------------------------------------- 15,000.00 Land purchase ----------------- --------------------------- -- 12,250.00 Itiescrvoirs _________________ __ ___ __ ---------------- - --------5,02926 $288,220.59 Balance November 30, 1928 __________________________________ _ $290,523.09 93,885.12 $384,408.21 Balance -----------------------------------------------S 93,885.12 Outstanding vouchers ------------------------------------ 12,546.59 State Auditor's balance ___________________________________$ I 06, 43 I .7 I ., �State of Colorado 43 VOUCHERS ISSUED FOR PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS AND LAND Haviland dam and house _________ _:__________________________ $ Durango hatchery and house_________________________________ Parvin dam and house _____________________________________ _ Del Norte hatchery and house ________________________________ _ Grand Mes·a hatchery and house_________ ____________________ _ D<:nver hatchery (trees} --------------------- --- ----- --------Grand Lake hatchery ---- - ----- ---------------- - ------ -----Pitkin hatchery ------------------------------------- -------Fort Collins hatchery and pipe line ___________________________ _ Walden hatchery retaining pond ______________________________ _ Sapincro retaining pond _____________________________________ _ Green Horn River retaining pond ______________________________ Durango retaining pond _____________________________________ _ Boulder retaining pond ______________________________________ _ Wigwam r.etaining pond __________________________________ _ Carbondale retaining pond ___________________________________ _ Grand Junction nursery No. 2________________________________ _ Cameron dam flume -------------- - ------- ----- ------ -------Purchase ·water and improvements, Cedaredge hatchery ___________ _ Purchase Tarryall reservoir land and water rights.. ______________ _ 26,189.4 1 5,303.09 I 9,217.60 6,549.16 4,325.82 40.00 1,5 10.55 385.00 919.69 25.50 51.75 272.95 349.57 I 84.18 1,906.76 250.00 75.00 52.50 590.00 27,250.00 $ 95,448.53 < i I EQUIPMENT LaSalle au to ------------------------------------------------S 2,195.00 New truck - --------- -------------------------------------1,465.55 Fish tank for fish car No. 2---- ----------- -- - --------------800.00 i I I 1; $ 4,460.55 �44 Game and Fish Department FINANCIAL STATEMENT December 1, 1928, to June 30, 1929 Note: Fiscal year peri~hanged from November 30 10 June 30 by 1929 Legislature RECEIPTS Resident big game ________________________________________ ___ $ 11,692.00 Non-resident fishing --------------------- -------------------Resident hunting and fishing__________________________________ 4,396.00 42,672.50 County Clerk ___ ___________ -- ---- --------------------------- Seizures ---------- ---------------------------------------Scientific permits -- --------- ---- ---------------------------Sale of lumber ---------------------------------------------- 26,479.00 1,2 11.50 802.00 152.00 75.00 20.00 78.00 100.00 322.50 22.00 408.00 32,873.56 1,644.42 340.00 38.00 5.50 113.75 9.00 105.38 95.94 12.50 3.00 50.00 $123,741.55 Paid to State Treasurer_ ____________________________________ _ $123,741.55 Non-resident hunting ------------------------------------ - --Lakes, parks and renewals____________ _______________________ _ Preserves and renewals_ _____________________________________ _ ; ~ Importers ___ - - - ----------____ - --- ------ _________________ --Guide ______________________• ----------------------- ------Sci ning ________________ ___________________________________ _ Taxidermist ----------------------------------------------Transportation -----------------------------------··---------Specimen ----------------------- ------- -------------------Importation of Specimen ____________________________________ _ Sale of oeaver hides _____________-: ___________________________ _ Fines for convictions----- - --- - - - - ---------------------------Bcaver permits---- -------------- - --- - ----------------------Pheasant permits --------------------------------------- ----Sale of tags-------- ---------- ------------------------------ Refuge permits ------ -- ----- ------- ---------------- ------- S~e of ven~on _____________________________________________ _ Refunds ------- - - - ----------------------------------------Sale of elk meat _____________________________________________ y RECEIPTS Balance December I, 1929 ____________________________________$106,431.71 Collections --- ------------- - - - - - - ----- - --------------------- 123,74 I .55 Outstanding Salaries __ _ Travel expc1 Auto trucks Beaver hide, Fisl1 eggs _ Postage --Insurance _ Misccl lancou Scrip ----Miscellaneou Maintenance: Office cxpcc Printing __ Rewards __ Rents ---Express __ _ Telephone , Game anirn Expense gar Irnprovemen Retaining p Reservoirs _ Balance Jun vc Tarryall res Del Norte Estes Park Glenwood! Durango h: Denver hat Cedaredge Grand Mes: Parvin dan Pine River Carbondale Williams r, Larimer C Haviland d $230,173.26 3 Dodge 3 Dodge 2 lnternati 4 fish tan~ �State of Colorado 45 ,~ i~ ·-,f~~[. _,. l~• }•;I •• 1:.... ,..• , re DISBURSEMENTS Outstanding vouchers ---------------------------------------S 12,546.59 Salaries ----------------------- ----------------------------S 51,689.95 8,958.87 Travel expense------------ ---------------------------------Auto trucks and expense _________•___________________________ _ 12,982.60 Beaver hides ------------------------------------------------ 10,054.26 Fish eggs ------------ ·---------------------------- -------- 12,699. 15 300.00 Postage --------------------------------------------------417.99 Jnsu••nce ------------------------------------------------Miscellaneous spawn and fry _______________________________ _ 2,053 .11 600.00 Scrip-------- - ----------------------------------------- - -653.57 Miscellaneous --------------- -----------------------------Maintenance of hatcheries ________ ___________________________ _ 16,488.09 237.82 Office expense --------------------------------------------5,321.80 Printing ------------------ -------------------------------75.00 Re,vards --- --------- ------------------------------- -------5~2.00 Rents - - - -- --------- - ---------------------------------687.00 Express------------------------------------- -- -----------Telephone and telegraph_ _____________________________________ 641.12 Game animals and birds ___________________________________ _ 6,4 18.10 Expense game animals and birds___________ _________________ _ 906.68 Improvements ---------------------------------------------- 27,247.82 Retaining ponds --- ------------------------------------ 5,972.74 Reservoirs ------------- - - - ----------- ---~----------- - -- 21,015.98 S186,013.74 Balance June 30, 1929 ---------- -------------------------- $ 198,560.33 3 1,612.93 $230,173.26 .. VOUCHERS ISSUED FOR PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS Tarryall reservoir and buildings _______________________________$ 19,435.89 9,245.26 15,444.78 Glenwood Springs hatchery__________________________________ _ 3,207.81 2,131.50 Durango hatchery and retaining ponds- - ------------------- ---970.00 Dcnvcr hatchery ----------------------------------------- - 450.00 Cedaredge hatchery --------------------------------------Grand M~sa hatchery ________________________________________ _ 623.82 Parvin dam and buildings _______________:,_ ___________________ _ 870.10 Pinc River retaining pond ___________________________________ _ 27.15 Carbondale retaining pond __________________________________ _ 250.00 Williams retaining pond ___________________________________ 153.95 65.50 Larimer County reservoir--------------------------------____ _ 329.58 Haviland dam - ------------------------------ -------------- • ~~~N;:~ ~:~e:~================~================ .i~ 1.55 : 11.55 173.26 S 53,205.64 EQUIPMENT 3 Dodge n:ucks ----------------------------------- ---------S 3,451.03 3 Dodge truck bodies ______________________________________ _ 619.05 2 International trucks -------------- ----------------- -------- 2,383.50 3,275.00 4 fish tanks--------------------------------------------- $ 9,728.58 . -- - �.. 46 Game and Fish Department FINANCIAL STATEMENT Salaries ____ _ Travel expens, Auto truck c, .Beaver hides Fish eggs ___ Postage ----Insurance __ _ Miscellaneous Scrip ------ · Miscdlaneous Maintenance Office expense Printing Rewards __ _ Refunds __ _ Rents ____ _ Express ---Telephone ar Game animal Expense gam Improvement Retaining pc Reservoirs -· July 1, 1929, to June 30, 1930 RECEIPTS Resident big game licenses ____________________________________$ 64,925.25 Non-resident fishing ------------ ----------------------------- 27,158.50 Resident hunting and fishing __________________________________ 131,966.75 County Clerk ----------------------------------------------- 51,257.50 5,681.75 Non-resident hunting ---------------------------------------1..akes, parks and renewals ___________________________________ _ 1,190.00 555.00 Preserves and renewals ________ ______________________________ _ 75.00 lmpone~ ------------- - ---- ------------------------------- 45.00 Guide ------------------------------------- ----------- ----I 03.00 Scining ---------------------------------------------------150.00 Taxidermist ___________________ ---------- ---------------- - -668.50 Transportation ____________ -------------__ ----____ ---_______ _ 60.00 Specimen ------------------------------------------------- Importation of specimens ____________________________________ _ 641.00 S~e of beaver hides----~------------------------------------ 25,167.75..--Fines for convictions______ ___________________________________ 3,49 I. 42 490.00 Beaver permits __________ _______________ -------- ___ - -------29.00 Pheasant permits --------------------------------- --- ------ 101.25 Refuge permits ------------- ----- ---------------------- --- 11.50 Scientific permits -------------------------------------------5.50 Sale of tags--- ---------------------------------------------7.00 Non-game birds and predatory ariintals_ _______________________ _ S~e of fish ________________________________________________ _ 2.50 S~e of hay ________________________________________________ _ 292.50 7.75 Refund mileage ----- ----- --- -------------------------------3,337.35 Refund cement --------------------- -----------------------Refund beaver _____________________________________________ _ 9.00 Seizure a nd sale_ __________________________________________ 49.71 717.00 Storage permits ------------------------------------------- Beaver parks and lake licenses ________________________________ _ 3.00 79.00 $3 18,278.48 Beavers -Ii vc • Paid to State Treasurer--------------------------------------- $3 18,278.48 RECEIPTS Balance Jun, .I ·;1 VO I C· .. l i !i ,!4 ! i Tarryall da Glenwood ~ Totten Spri Walden ha Haviland L ·Estes Park Del Norte Fort Collin: Parkdale re Big Ciman Durango h, Denver ha1 Parvin dan Williams r Sapinero r, Balance July I, 1929 ________________________________________ $ 31,612.93 Collections ------------------------------------------------- 318,278.48 $349,891.4 i Two fish �Stale of Colorado 47 DISBURSEMENTS ----------------------------------------------------S 89,526.0 I Salaries Travel expense ----------------- --------------------------Auto truck expense__________________________________________ 17,174.37 6,358.20 .Beaver hides ------------------ ----------------------------Fish eggs - ---------------------------------- -------------Postage ---------------------------------- - ----------------Insurance ------- ------ ---------- -------------- -----------Miscellaneous spawn and fry _______________________ ____ ,,______ 7,671.45 12,795.25 610.00 697.37 6,803.75 Scrip ----- - - - --- -------------- ------ - ---------- -----------900.00 Miscellaneous -------- - ----- ------------------- ---- ---------1,075.36 Maintenance of hatcheries - - -------------- --- --------- -------- 25,919.23 Office expense -------- --- ---------- --------------------------- 676.03 Printing --- - --------------------------------- -------------- 11 ,61i.82 Rewards ----------- ------------------------------------ ---350.00 Refunds ----- - --- - -- --------------------------------------94.25 Rents - - - ----- ------------------- ----------------------- -2,000.00 Express ------- ---------------------------------- --- -------506.88 Telephone and telegraph ______________________________________ 956:09 Game animals and birds______________________________________ 2,049.92 Expense game animals and birds_______________________________ 4,676.29 Improvements ------------ --------------------------------- - 57,316.65 Retaining ponds ------- ------------ ------------------ ------- 2,637.04 Reservoirs - - ------------------------------ ------------------ 66,435.42 S3 I 8,847.38 Balance June 30, 1930 ______________________________________ _ 31,044.03 $349.891.41 vo·ucHERS ISSUED FOR PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS July 1, 1929, to June 30, 1930 ~- \ ~ i ~1• l I :78.48 :78.48 Tarryall dam ----------------- - ------------ --- ----- ---------1,I 58,763.41 Glenwood Springs hatchery and house __________________________ 45,-336.68 Totten Springs property-------- --------------------- --- - ---- 8,000.00 Walden hatchery -------- --------------- - -------------------5,091.57 Haviland Lake --- --- -------------------- -----------------2,906.64 ·Estes Park hatchery_________________________________________ 2,301.37 Del Norte hatchery__________________________________________ 1,253.44 Fort Collins hatchery and retaining ponds_______________________ 663.92 Parkdale retaining ponds ______________________________________ 5 I I .70 Big Cimarron ponds - - ----------------------- --------- ------250.00 Durango hatchery ------------------------- --- --------------361.95 Denver hatchery - - --------------~--------------------------185.00 Parvin dam ------------------------------- --------------183.75 Williams retaining ponds --- ------- --- - ----------------------31.00 . ·Sapinero retaining ponds ---------- --------------------------2 1.69 . $125,862.12 EQUIPMENT 191.4 i Two fish tanks ____________________________________________ $ • 1,580.00 S -··•- - - "'11 1,580.00 �48 Game and Fish Department FINANCIAL STATEMENT ( July 1, 1930, to June 30, 1931 B C RECEIPTS Licenses R.esident big game licenses ____________________________________ $ 68,423.00 Non-resident fishing _________ .,____ ___________________________ 26,107.75 Resident hunting and fishing _______________________ __:__ ________ 109,358.25 Non-resident hunting --------------------------------------1,22)>-00 County Clerks - - ------------------------------------------- -~ 5.25 Lakes, parks and renewals___________________________________ :863.00 Preserves and renewals--------------- -------------------- - --578.00 , - - - · -- --? g /, L( Permits bCI ,rµ Importers ----------------------------------------0'.._______ 125.00 Guide ---------------------------- ------------------------35.00 Seining ------ ---- - - ------------ ---------------------------75.00 T axidermists ----------------------------------------------150.00 T ransportation - - - --------------- --------------------------527.75 Specimens ------------------- -----------------------------17.00 Importations of specimens___________________________ __________ 630.00 Beaver ----- ---------------------------- --------- --------Pheasant --------------------------------------------------Dog--------- --- ----- ------------------------------------Storage ----------------------------- ---------------------Refuge _________ ·- ------------ -------------------- ---- ----Scientific - ---- - - - -----------------------------------------Sal, of 547.00 14.00 5.00 837.00 104.00 9.00 Beaver hides - --------- - - --------- ------- ---- -- -------------D eer hides - -- -- - ------- ------------------------ -----------Venison - - - ------------- --------- --- ----------------------Elk meat-- ------- - - - ------------------------- ------------Sheep and deer heads and horns ______________________________ _ 20,506.25 10.50 46.40 45.50 9.00 198.30 20.00 8.00 Hay (Park County)- ---------------------.--------------- ---Gun ----- ------------------------ - - ----_ Beaver- ------------hide (killed on---road) _________________________________ Refunds on Ice, Buena Vista_ ___________________________________________ _ Mileage - - - -------------- ---------------------------------Insurance ------------------------- ----- -------------------Gasoline - - - ----------------------------------------- -----Cement sacks - --- --- -------------------------------------Tarryall dam ----- --------------------------------------- --Miscellaneotts T ransfer of lake licenses-------------------- -------------- ---R:nt of pastur~ ~Park County) ________________________________ Fines for conv1cuons ________________________________________ _ Paid ro State Treasurer_ _____________________________________ _ v 27.50 5.09 4.40 39.01 1,033.20 840.20 2.00 100.00 3,023.11 $285,454.46 $285,454.46 s 1 F I r- �Stat e_of Colorado 4U RECEIPTS Balance July 1, 1930 ____________________________________ _____$ 31,044.03 • Collections - ------ ------- - ---------------------- ------------ 285,454.46 $3 16,498.49 DISBURSEMENTS ) Salaries and wages _____________________ ______________________$ 86,392.18 Travel expense ------- --- --- ------------ ----··- ------------- 15,924.40 600.00 Railroad scrip books ----------------- --- -------------- ------1\uto truck and car expense __________________________________ _ 4,325.45 1,595.00 Purchase Dodge sedan- ----- ----------- -------------------··- -Purchase Chevrolet truck ____________________________________ _ ~%.89 2,128.67 Purchase 4 Ford trucks------------------ -------"------------Insurance, building, car, ,etc. _______________________ _________ __ _ 593.68 600.00 _ Postage --- - - -------------- -------------- ----------------- 695.53 Express ------- ---- - -------------- - --- ----- ---------- -----Telephone and telegraph ____________________________________ _ 832.38 295.53 Office expense - - - -------------------- - -------------- -------4,683.95 Printing - - ------------------------------- ---- -------------6.10 Miscellaneous supplies ----- --~---- --- -----------------------Court costs Gunnison County__________________________________ 241.1 1 175.00 Rewards paid ------ ------- ---------------------------- ---- -Dilc::s, etc., stak and international associations ·------~---------- -59.00 2.00 Subscriptions ------------- ----------------------- ----------5.00 Physician's services --- ------------------ --------------------153.30 Storage game meats-- ------------- ------ -------- --- ---------Refunds 25.00 Rents 850.00 Beaver hides trapping costs __________________________________ _ 6,412.75 Fish eggs----- ------ --------------- - --- ------------------ 12,374.15 Miscellaneous spawn and fry ________________________________ _ 4,276.52 Game animals and birds_ ___________________________________ _ 1,349.70 Expense game animals and birds -- --- ---------- ---·--------- - -4,461.97 Maintenance of hatcheries ____________________________________ _ 27,091.45 Miscellaneous hatcheries - --- --------------·-_________________ _ 378.21 Improvements -------------- -------· _______________________ _ 14,044.15 Retaining Po~ds _____________________________ -------····· _____ _ 892.61 Reservoirs 84,360.11 l. I i --------------- .--------------------------------------------------------------------- \ Balance June 30, 193 L ___________________ ___________________ _ State Auditor's Balance ___________________________________ ____ $ 42 ,522.50 Outstanding vouchers _________________________________________ . 2,445.80 6 Department balance ____________________________________ $ 40,076.70 276,421.79 S 40,076.70 S3 16,49R.49 �• 50 Game and Fish Department J VOUCHERS ISSUED FOR PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS T arryall Dam --------------------------· --------------------S" Rye Hatchery_______ __ _______________ ________ _______ ________ Totten Springs_________________ ___ __________________________ Boulder retaining ponds ___ ___________________ _____________ ·--Cameron Pass rescn·oir__________ _____________________ ________ Estes Park hatche ry ___________________ ____ --··---- ___ ___ ______ Durango hatch.cry __________ __ ________ ·-- ---·· ___ ___ ___ ______ __ Walden hatchery ________ _____________________ - _- ·· -- - - - c---··- - Gore Creek retaining ponds _____ __________ ____________ ______ __ 80,242.77 11,341.18 2,000.00 135.00 2,935.80 712.38 35.00 74 .50 125.40 Adams Alamosa --------- Arch uleta ______ __ _ Boulder ______ ____ _ '.:; Chaffee ----------Clear Creek ______ _ Conejos __________ _ Costilla ___ _______ _ Custer ------- ----Delta ___ ________ _ Dolores __ ________ _ Douglas ______ __ _ _ S 97,602.03 EQUIPMENT Dodge sedan ________________________________________________ $ Ford car ___ ____ ______ ________ ______ ___________ _________ ___ _ _ 1,595.00 Chevrolet truck ----------·----·----------------- -·- .. ------ ----3 Ford trucks·---------------------------·- - · ---------------- 596.89 1,6 17.09 Eagle - ----------· E l Paso-------- --· Frem ont ---------· Garfield ___ ___ ___ _ 5 I 1.58 Gilpin - ----------· Grand __________ __ Gunnison ________ _ Huerfano ----- --H insdale __ _____ _ $ 4,320.56 Jackson - ---- -----· Jefferson ____ ____ _ Kit Carson ------ Larimer --------La Plata _____ ___ _ " I I Las Animas ----- Lake ______ _____ _ Mesa ___ ________ _ Montrose -------Montezuma ____ __ Mineral ___ ______ _ Moffat ---------- Ouray __ ________ _ Pitkin --------- -Park _____ ____ ___ Pueblo ----- --- -Rio G rande __ ___ _ Rio Blanco - -----Routt ---- - ----- San Juan ------ -· San Miguel------· Sedgwick - ------· Summit - ------- - · Saguache -------· Teller _____ ____ _ Yuma ____ _____ _ •Buena Vista I ! l J I ! �51 State of Colorado TROUT DISTRIBUTfON IN COUNTIES Year of 1927* 27,500 Adams ------------------------------ ---------------------------- ---- --62,00.0 Alamosa --------------------------------------------------------------- -Archuleta ------------------------------------------- -------------------- 269,000 Boulder - - - -------------------------------------------------------------- 380,000 Chaffee ---------------------------------------------------------------- 202,000 Clear Creek-------- ---------------------------------------------------- 240,000 Conejos ----------------------------------------------------------------- 574,500 25,000 Costilla -------------------------------------------------------- - -------25,000 Custer ------------------------------------------------------------ --- --Delta ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2,465 ,700 Dolores ----------------------------------------------- - ---------------- 650,000 Dougl?s ---------------------------------------------------------------- 115,000 426,000 Eagle El Paso-----------------------------------------------------------------________________________________________________________________ _ 227,000 •1so,ooo Fremont 1,171,000 Garfield 45,000 Gilpin -----------------------------------------------------------------Grand ----------------------·------------------------------------------- 761,000 3,068,000 Gunnison 137,500 Huerfano Hinsdale --------------------------------------------------------------- 160,000 Jackson -------------------------------------------------------------- --- 1,530,000 Jefferson - -------------------------------------------------------------- - 721 ,500 10,000 Kit Carson _____________ . ----------------------------------------------1,885,000 Larimer 1,178,500 La Plata Las Animas --------------------------------------------------- ---- - ----- 172,500 30,000 Lake -------------------------------- ----------------------------------Mesa -------------------- --------------------------------- ------------ - 529,900 Montrose ------------------------------------------- ------ -------------- 193,500 Montezuma ---------------------------- -------------- ------------------- 180,000 Mineral ------------------------ - ----- ----------- - - --------- -------- ----- 314,500 Moffat ----------------------------------- ---- -------------------- - ---- 339,000 Ouray ----------------------------------------- - -------- --------------- 11 2,000 Pitkin ------------------- ---------------------- ----- --------- ---------- - 365,000 866,000 Park -----~ ------------------------ ------------ ----------- ----------- - 145,000 Pueblo --------------- -----------------------------------------------Rio Grande ------ ---------------------------------- -------------------- 481,500 Rio Blanco --------------------------------- - ------------------------ - - - - 1,176,000 932,000 Routt San Juan ______________________ ·- - --- - - - ------ ---------------- -------- 720,000 San Miguel _____________________________________________________________ _ 419,000 . Sedg,vick ------------------------------------------- -------------------Summit ----------- ----- ------- --- ----------------------------------- --Saguache ------------------------ ---- - - - - ------------------ - - ----------Teller ----------------- ------------- -------------------------- - - ------- Yuma 15,000 73,000 304,000 175,000 15,000 24,094,100 •Buena Vista hatchery not operating in fall owing to building operations. •- �• 52 Game and F ish Depar tment ... ...,, 1 TROUT DISTRIBUTION IN COUNTIES ".i Year of 1928* .} Archuleta __________ ____________________________________________________ _ 724,320 Boulder ------- ---------------------------------------------------------- 860,000 <;:haffee ---------------------------------------------------------- ------- 698,700 Clear Creek ------------------------------------------------------------- 290,000 Conejos _______________ ________ _______ ___________ ------·· _____ - - ------- -- 822,000 Costilla ________________________________________________________________ _ 15,000 86,500 Cuncr ---------- --- -------------------------------- --------------------Deka ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1,119,000 Oolores -------------------- ------------------ --------------------------- 140,000 Douglas ______________________________ --- __ - --- ________ - ---- - ----------- 199,500 Eagle - ----------------------- -------------- -- -------------------------- 522,000 El Paso _______________________ - - - - -------------- ------- ------ - ---------60,000 Fremont _________________________ ---- - --_---··----------------- - ---- - ---- 546.000 Garfield - - - ------------- --- ----- --------------------------------------- 975,000 73.000 Gilpin ----------------------------------------------- -----------------Grand ----- - --------------------- --------------- ---- -------------------- 1,177,000 Gunnison _______________________________________ __________ ----_----- ___ _ 3,193,000 Hinsdale------------------------- --------------------------------------- 489,000 65.500 Huerfano - -------------------- ----------------------- ------------------Jackson --------------------------- -- -- ---------------------------------- 1,005,700 Jefferson ----------------------------------- --------------- -------------- 481,000 Lake ------------------------------------------------------- ------------ 255,000 La Plata ----------- ----------------------------------------------------- 1,832,350 Larimer ---------------------------------------------------------------- 2,270,000 Las Animas ___________________ _______ ·---------------------------------57,500 80,000 Logan ------- -------- - - - - - ----------------------- ------- -------- -------Mesa_ -------------------------------------------------- ---------------- 667,000 Mineral ___ __ _________ ___ _------- __ -------- --- -- - --------- - ------- - ------ 324,500 Moffat 83,000 Montezuma ____________________ _____________ _______________ ---__ - ------85,000 Montrose - ------------------------- --------------- ----------- ----------- 367,000 Ouray ------------ --------------------------------------- --------------- I 54,000 Park ~------ ------------------------------------------------------------ 1,558,500 Pitkin _________---- ------------------ ·- - ------------------------ -------- 463,000 Pueblo 155,500 Rio Blanco----------------------------------------------------- -------- 973,000 Rio Grande --------------------------------- ---------------------------- 239,500 Routt 946,000 Saguache ------ - - ------- --------------------------------------- --------- 769,500 San Juan------------------------- - - --------------------- ---------------- 266,000 San Miguel ____ ________ _________________________________________________ _ 242,000 Summit 55,000 Teller ____ ______________________________ ________________________________ 203,000 Weld 54,000 Yuma 25,000 ~ Arapah Archul, Boulde, Chaffee Clear ( Conejo, Costilla Custer Delta Del N Dolore, Dougla Eagle El Pas Fremo1 Garfiel, Gilpin Grand Gunni! Hinsd. Huerfa Jackso, Jeffers< Lake La Pia Las A Larim, Mesa Minen ----------------------------------------------------------------- ~ . ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------·----- Moffat Monte: Montro Ouray Park Pitkin Pueblc Rio ff Rio G Routt Sagua, San J San i Summ Teller Weld Yuma 25 ,677,570 •Del Norte Hatchery not operating in fall owing to building operations. Del hatch, .. �• State of Colorado 53 TROUT DISTRIBUTION IN COUNTIES Year of 1929* .3 20 ,,<JOO .,, 00 J,000 ' ,000 •,UOO •.500 .000 ,.1•1;0 9,500 2,0UO J,000 G,000 5,000 · 3,000 '7,000 •3,000 , 9,000 ,5,500 15,700 , 1,000 ) f :;·; Costilla --- -------------------- - - - --- --- - ----··--- - ---------- ------------- t 'J 1 ,o lj j ). ,.,:i 0 I 70,000 57,500 80,000 ;67,000 ;24,500 83,000 !l5,000 j67,000 154,000 •!>8,500 i63,000 . 55,'.iOO ·•73,000 ~39,500 116,CJUO -69,500 : 66,000 '42,000 55,000 03,000 54,000 25,000 '.i ii ,570 Ar:ipaboc ------------------- -----------------------------------------10,000 Archuleta - - ---------------------------------------------------------- 359,000 Boulder ---------- ----------------- - - ----- ---------- ------------------- 775,000 Chaffee--------- - ---------------- .-------------------- --- - - ------------- 2,359,765 Clear Creek ------------ ----------------------------------- -------------- 379,000 Conejos - ------------------ --------- ----------------- ------------- ------ 1,160,600 41 ~ 30,000 20,000 966,000 40,000 160,000 Custer ------------------------------------··---------------------------Delta - - -------------- --------- --- - --. -------------------- - --- ------- - -Del Norte -------------------------------------------------------- -----Dolores ____________ ___________________ _____ __ ______ ___ ___ ___ ___________ Douglas -------------- --------- --- ___________________ ···------------- -- -Eagle ----------------------------------------------------------------El Paso ---------------------- ------- ------- --- - ----------- --- - ---- -----Fremont----------- ------------------ ---- - - ----- -----------------------Garfield - - - - - - --------- - ---------- --------------------------------~----Gilpin ----------------------------------------------- ----------------- -Grand - --------------------------------------------------------------Gunnison - --- ----------------------------- ---------------- - -----------Hinsdale ---------------------------- -------------------- • ______________ Huerfano ____• ----- - --------- -----------------------· - ------ ---- -------Jackson --------------------------------------------- --------__________ Jefferson ------------------ ---------- ---------------------------- -------Lake -------------------------------------- ------------ ---- - --- ----- --La Plata - ---------- ----------------------------- -------------- - - - -----Las Animas ------------------ --------- ----------- ------- - -------------Larimer - ------------------------------------------___ _________ _______ _ Mesa----------------------- ------ ---- - - ------------------ - ------------ Mineral ------ --------------------------------------------------- ----- - Moffat - - --- ------------------- ----- - --------------------------------Montezuma ------- ----------- -------------- --------- ------------------Montrose ___ ______ _______________ _________ ___ __ _____ ___ ___ ____ ________ __ 67,500 280,000 117,500 400,000 760,000 25,000 945,000 1,948,000 868,120 230,000 981,080 576,000 449,757 1,358,340 150,000 2,861, I 00 1,350,000 520,950 68,000 97,000 767 ,00'0 Ouray ------- -- -------------------------- ------------ ------------------Park ------------------------------------ -------------- -------- ---- ----Pitkin ------------------------------------- --------------------------Pueblo - --------------------------------- ----- •________________________ Rio Blanco --------- ----------------------------- ----------------------Rio Grande_____________________________________________________________ 84,000 697,500 120,000 90,020 773,400 365,000 Routt - - -------------- --------- ---------------------- - ----------------Saguache _____________________ ·- ----------------- ------- --- --- ---------San Juan ----- ---- ------------------------------- - - - - ----- ---------- -San Miguel -------------------------- ---------------------------------Summit - - ---- ----------------------------- -----------· ------ - - --------- 787,000 615,500 363,600 325,840 68,500 90,000 58,100 65,000 Teller ---------------- ------------------------ -------------- ----~------ Weld - ------------------------ ----- - ------------ ------ --- - ------- ----- Yuma --------- - ---- ---------------------------------------------------- 25,583,172 •Glenwood Springs hatchery did not operate at all owing to building of new hatchery. Del Norte hatchery did not operate in the fall owing to building operations. Eso:s Park hatchery only partial operations on account of repairs. .d �54 Game and Fish Department j TROUT DISTRIBUTION IN COUNTIES Year of 1930 Ada1ns ------------------------ - - --------------------------------------- 121,000 22,440 Arapahoe --------------------------------------------------------------Archuleta __ ____________------------- ___ ----------------------- ---------- 412,350 BouIder ---------------------------------------------------------- ------- 865,000 Chaffee --------------------------------------------------------------- 1,598,000 Clear Creek -------- ------------------------- ---------------------------- 100,000 615,000 Conejos 45.000 Costilla ---------------------------------------------------------------325,000 Custer 1,159,000 Delta 91,000 Dolores ---------------------------------------------------------------Douglas ---------------------------------------------------------. ------ 122,260 Eagle ------------ -------------- ----------- ----------------------------- 729,000 El Paso ----------------------------------------------------------------- 101,000 Fre,nont ---------------------------- ---- - - ----------------------- ------- ~50,036 Garfield ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1,313,000 40,000 Gilpin ------------------------------------------------------ - --- -------1,031,900 Grand ------------------------------------------------ ----------------3,333,000 Gunnison 848,000 Hinsdale Huc~ano --------------------------------------------------------------- 134,000 Jackson------ ----------------------------------------------------------- 640,050 Jefferson ________________ --- - -- - -- - --------- - --------------- ---- ----- ---- 994,860 35,000 Kit Carson---- - ------------------------- -------------------------------320,000 Lake --------------------------- ---------------------------------------La Plata ------------------- -------------------- ------------------------- 1,959,500 1,948,000 Larimer 65,000 Las Animas ------------------------------------------------------------1,630,000 Mesa ------------------------------------------ ------------------------584,500 Mineral Montezuma ------------------------------- ------------------------------ 315,000 Montrose ------------------------------------- -------------------------- 214,000 220,000 Ouray -----------------------------------------------------------------Park ------------------------------------------------------ •____________ 633,000 Pitkin ----- ------------------------------------------------------------- 398,000 40,000 Pueblo Rio Blanco ---------------------------------- - --------------------------- 1,242,000 Rio Grande ------------------------------------------------------------- 325,000 Saguache - - -------------------------------------------------------------_ 212,500 San Juan ______________________________________________________________ 199,000 . San Miguel ------------------------------------------------------------Summit -------------------------------- ---------------------- ---------Teller -----------------------------------------------------------------Yuma of----------------------------------------------------------------_ State Texas __________________________________________________________ 453,750 135,000 145,000 83,000 35,000 26,083,146 �.... •State of Colorado 55 WARM WATER FISH DISTRIBUTION IN CO.UNTIES Year of 1927 Denver ____________________________________________________________________ J00,000 Huerfano--------- ----------- ---------------------------------------------- 20,000 Otero -------- -------- ----- ----- ----------------------------------------- -- 5,000 Pueblo ----- ------------- -------- -------------------------------·- --- ------- 55,000 180,000 WARM WATER FISH DISTRIBUTION IN COUNTIES Year of 1928 Denver ___________________________________________________________ ________ 170,000 r. Huerfano ----------------------------------------------------------------Kit Carson - ------ ------------------------------ -------------------------Otero------------------------------------------------------------------~Prowers ---------------- --------------------··----------- . _________________ Weld - ----- - - ------------------ ---- --------------------------------------- 32,000 12,000 5,000 12,000 5,000 236,000 WARM WATER FISH DISTRIBUTION IN COUNTIES Year of 1929 Adams---------- - ---- ----------------------- -----------------------------Baca-Prowers ------------------------------ ------------·- ------------------Denver --- ------- ---------------------------- --------------- -------------Jefferson - ----------------------------------------------------------------Las Animas _ ·------------------------------------------------------------Logan ________• - - ---- --- ----- --------------------------------------------Sedgwick ---------- ---- - - ------------------------------------------------- 1,500 18,000 70,000 4,300 40,000 1,200 15,000 150,000 _.-·j 'J WARM WATER FISH DISTRIBUTION IN COUNTIES I Year of 1930 Denver ____________________________________________________________________ 49,500 Logan _ __________________________________________________________________ J0,000 59,500 I I :· �5G Game and Fish Department - - - - - -- - - - - - - -- ------------ Streams C losed fo r Propagation of Young Trout Navajo River-Archuleta county-d osed until November I, 1931. South Cottonwood c,.eek-Chaffee county-d osed to November I, 1931. Tv lion ac1 111 prot, Clear Fork of Muddy Creel( and tributaries-Delta and Mesa counties-closed until November I, 1932. Pine Creek-Douglas county-closed until November I, 1932. Upper Sweetwater and Turrett Creeks-Garfield county-closed until November I, 1932. Ute Creek-Grand county-East and West Forks-closed until November 1, 1932 . • Willow Creek-Grand coun ty-closed until Novem ber 1, 193 1. Closed through properties of Apperson, Ray and Bishop to the ra nger station. East Lake and West Lake Creeks-Eagle coun ty-closed until November I, 1932. Half M oon Creek ( 12 Mi.)-Lake county-closed until November I, 1932. Tennessee Creek-Lake county-closed until November I, 1932. Buckhorn Creek-Larimer county-closed until No~ember 1, 1931. N orth East Creek-Mesa county-dosed until November I, 193 1. Smitli Fork Creek- Delta county-closed until November 1, 1932. Little Coclietopa, Silver Creek, Poncha Creek and tributaries-Chaffee countyclosed until November l, 1933. Blue Creek-Mineral county-closed until November 1, 1932. Dry F_ork of Roan Creek-Garfield county-dosed until November l , 1932. Kannah Creek and tributaries-:-Mesa c◊1,mty-closed until November l, 1933. Little Fou.ntain Creek and tributaries-El Paso county-closed until November i, 1932. North Fork of Catamount Creek and tributaries-El Paso and Teller counties-closed until November 1, 1932. Sheep Creek and Middle Creek-Saguache county-closed until November 1, 1933. ( �State of Colorado 57 Game Refuges Twenty-three game refuges, comprising approximately three and a half million acres of land, have now been set aside by the state and are a great advantage in protection and increase of game. They are as follows: ed Buffalo Peaks Refuge Cochetopa Pikes Peak Poncha Pass Ro.ya] Gorge Colorado Snowmass Colorado Antelope Spanish Peaks Waugh Mountain Cameron Pass Refuge er Denver Mountain Parks G unnison 1, ·w hite River Julesburg Williams Fork Newlan Creek Douglas Mountain North Park Two Buttes Smith Hollow Carrizo Ouray Refuge f :r -Residence and Garage at Haviland Dam l, I I l 'fI � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/72292ec4dd06156a6e0ecfec46e65d33.pdf 7d9679ef8d505890ec7599c8bbf032aa PDF Text Text STAT~ 01= COLORADO Bl~NNIAL R~PORT July 1, 1934, to June 30, 1936 R. G. PARVIN Game and Fish Commissioner �c5 -. 0 .,"' "': I ::i:: ::, is ::- "' ~ ~. -"""" 0 > �( ( ( ·;1 C6& 19 3?/8b November 20, 1936. To His Excelle11cy Eo C. JoHNSON, Governor of Colorado, Executive Chambers, Denver, Colorado. Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the game and fish department for the biennia_l period ending June 30, 1936. Owing to lack of funds in previous years, this is the first report printed since the year 1931, therefore includes financial statements for years ending June 30, 1932, 1933 and 1934, as well as the biennial period. I am deeply appreciative of the interest shown in, and helpful cooperation given this department by your Excellency, by members of the Legislature, by the State Executive Council, and various departments of the State Government, all of whom have helped to make our work both effective and pleasant. Respectfully submitted,_ R. G. PARVIN, Game and Fish Commissioner. The Department of Game and Fish is directly under the Executive Department of the State Government of which the Governor is the head_. The department is administered by a Commissioner, assisted by a field superintendent, state superintendent of hatcheries, and chief game warden and license inspector who is actually chief field game warden. Funds are derived from license and other fees, an<l deposited with the State Treasurer in a special fund for the exclusive use of the game and fish department. Payment of salaries and all expense is made upon detailed accounts approved by the Commissioner and the State Executive Council. Following our last report in 1931, reduced income made it necessary to curtail many activities of the department. No new work was undertaken, but several projects were completed and general improvement work was kept up. From December to May, the department has practically no income, and a substantial balance must be on hand December 1st to carry the overhead, which runs on an average of $15,000 per month, through that lean period. The entire force has been kept at work steadily, although because of unexpectedly low returns in the fall of 1933, and because of setting aside 20 per cent of small game hunting and fishing license fees to create a fishing easement fund, provided by law, the game cash fund was at such a low ebb in the early part of 193"4 that in order that no part of the force should be laid off, and that work should continue, all employees voluntarily accepted a salary cut of 25 per cent per month for four months, each losing one full month salary. It was ·the express intention of the Commissioner, approved by the Governor, that amounts so deducted should be returned when funds permitted. It afterward developed that this refund could only be made by act of Legislature, and it is hoped such relief may be granted the employees by the next General Assembly. Because of seemingly insurmountable difficulties in the way of acquiring casements from owners ~f land, the fishing easement fund was not used, and it is hoped the Legislature will restore this money to the game cash fund, or appropriate it to so~e beneficial use of the sportsmen from whom it was received. POSTED LANDS continue to be a thorn in the side of hunters and fishermen, although in. comparison with eastern states, Colorado has plenty of open country. Every year sees the number of sportsmen increasing, and every year more land and water is withdrawn from public use. This is a problem being seriously considered by every state, and national authorities as well. In Colorado, many acres are withdrawn by the owners for various reasons. Some desire to realize a profit from their holdings; the patience· of others has been exhausted by · the trespassing public. Regardless of the reason, the owners are within their legal rights in this state. The department fully realizes that the rights of l~ndowners must be defended, but is intensely interested in seeing some plan evolved whereby the sportsmen of the state may enjoy the privileges that are rightfully theirs. , ' r. ' ' ' ' • , ' . ,. I �--------------------- fot erior of De11ver I-latch~ry_ _ _ _ _ Furl Cu/li11s l/11tc/1cry a11tl U,•111i11i11 i; l'o11ds �( ( ( Game and Fish Department Slate of Colorado DROUGHT: The effects of drought over the state are too well known to be elaborated upon here. In relation to game, game birds and fish, the state has suffered greatly, but not as much as many neighboring states. In many parts, game and game birds have migrated or perished. Fish of every kind have suffered from inadequate stream flow in nearly all parts of the state. On the eastern slope, ponds, reservoirs and smaller streams shrunk to such extent that years of expense and labor in stocking with .fish were lost. On the western slope, innumerable small streams diminished in flow, and the loss was greater because all streams are adjudicated for irrigation purposes. This water shortage, combined with a persistent demand for more water for newly developed land, resulted in taking every drop of water for irrigation. Stream channels became dry an<l dusty, and headgates became death traps for thousands of trout. No person or pe'rsons could be held at fault for such conditions. Employees of the department, interested organizations, and even many individuals, have devoted many weary hours to seining fish from low waters and transferring them to upland waters, usually lakes. Ranchers were appealed to, as were irrigation companies, to screen headgates and intakes to help holp the loss at a minimum. Improvements of permanent nature, such as check dams, additional retaining and nursery ponds, drilling and tapping of new water supplies are among the many projects that have been, and are being, undertaken by this department to offset droughts. It is not all gloom, however. Colorado has hundreds of mountain streams and lakes unaffected by these conditions, and it is on these larger bodies of water that stocking has been concentrated. WINTER CARE AND FEEDING of game animals and game birds is a regular part of the department activities, and constitutes a heavy expense. ·claims for damage to crops by game have been steadily increasing for some time. Many claims are valid; many have all the earmarks of "easy money." Last winter during the heavy snows, more than 15,000 game animals were fed in the Gunnison district alone, their daily rations being hauled out to them by department men, assisted in every way by local people. The best census of game animals was obtained this year than for several years, because snow in all parts of the state caused them to seek food in the valleys, and at regular feeding stations provided by the game and fish department. It was on account of such heavy snows that so much damage was done to hay, and there are many claims which have still to be adjusted. The department is trying to enlist. the cooperation of ranchmen in building stack yard fences of sufficient strength to prevent the deer and elk from getting through. To date, we can report some success in this undertaking. tions of the state where a few years ago they were unknown. The fact that thousands of these animals range on areas embraced by state game refuges helps to hold the annual kill at a low level. The fact that elk are sharing their ranges with heavy allotments of domestic livestock in the summer, and have almost lost all winter range, is a factor in making expensive feeding necessary c\'ery year by the department. On the eastern slope, far more elk arc found in the northern counties than in the southern, while on the western slope, they arc found from La Plata county north to Moffat on the Wyoming line. No longer is this species a scarcity in Colorado. The kill averages about 400 head a year which shows the season is none too popular. The <lcpartment receives letters of a<lvice and criticisrn every year, demanding a change of season to earlier or later ,fates than the present one of October 12 to 18. If a change were to he made, it should be a later date as tons of meat are now lost because of usual weather conditions at this time of year. Far too many hunters seek this animal who are not acquainted with the proper method of caring for carcasses, and numbers of elk are crippled by the use of inferior rifles. Crowded into restricted ranges, confro11tcd with overgrazed winter ranges, harassed by poachers, and until recent years, hide hunters, the deer population has steadily increased until now they arc almost as plentiful as in the early days. On some ,ranges, the number will have to be reduced by some means to the limit that can be carried in the grazing district. 8 DEER AND ELK: A careful survey of both winter and summer ranges places the number of elk at 27,000 head; deer, between 50,000 · and 60,000. Blacktail deer have ranged into Colorado from Arizona and New Mexico, appearing as far north as the southern Uncompaghre range. About 300 of these arc Colorado residents. Whitetail deer, though suffering loss from floods in the ' .. I •••• , ........ ,11 ..... ,. .. ,--.. ,,, ...... ··'""' •. : ... , .. r,,n,,-1o ;r,l"rP.,("(' <::n,--.,,... ??" 'lrP ('c:t1,n-it,,,I tn 1,,. 9 ANTELOPE: This litde animal is doing rather well, all things considered. It has been shunted around from one place to another as prairie lands were fenced, and its most recent attack was from the drought. As water holes and streams vanished, range feeds withered and died, the antelope began migrating nearer the mountains. This may be a blessing in disguise, for the country is more isolated and food and water more available. The poacher is still with us, hut stockmen and sportsmen are taking an active interest in the welfare of this beautiful little animal, and an accurate check is kept on the habitat of the bands and their actions. An amazing fact is the migration of antelope from the Red Desert country of Utah and \Vyoming into the extreme northwestern part of Colorado. It is estimated that 5,000 head wintered there last winter. This has always been a winter range to some extent, but more animals arc staying in Colorado the year around, which adds to the estimated 2,000 head on the eastern slope. We should say the state's antelope population at the present time is 3,000 head. MOUNTAIN SHEEP: The mountain sheep are very susceptible to infection from land occupied by domestic sheep. Sheep scab made heavy inroads on mountain sheep in the Gore and Book Cliff ranges in western Colorado these last few years, and there has been some loss of sheep in the Ouray region. There is evidence of increase in numbers over the state as a whole. Every winter season now sees more of these animals on the winter feed grounds mingling with the deer and dk. This is particularlv true in the (;lcnwood Canon and A\'alanrlw �Po11d., at I.a Jara Ht1tcl1Pr,· �Sl"lc of Colorado 13 BEA VER: This romantic little animal \\'hich has played such a prominent part in the h istor y of North America, is alleged to be more numerous in Colorado today than in any state in the Union . In 1887, a fter a s urvey of the stale had been made, this fu r-bearer was classified as a protected specie, and has remained so. At that time it was bel ieved that not more than 1,000 heaver remained in Colorado. Today this animal numbers between 45.000 :lll<l 50,000. Co111pariso11 with other states, substantiates our claim o( ha ,·ing more bea\'cr than they, in spite of the fact that an endless battle is waged against the m for their destruction of irrig:nion canals, ditches and waterways . D rought years ha\'C pro\'cn to the rancher, stockman and irrigator t hat bca,·cr arc t he most \'aluablc \\'atcr conservators. They have saved many a crop from iailu re, a nd no stream hlcssccl with numerous beaver ponds suffered any loss of trout. The bca ,·e r maintained the water table even though the flow all but en tirely stopped. Transplanting to vi rgin territory :111J to uplands an<l w:ners m iles from civilization has been the lot o( 111:tll)' hea\'er in the l:1st two years, and this department has a large transplant ing program mapped out for future seasons. We wish to acknowledge the continual and dkcti\'\: work of the U. S. Forest Service in transplanting beaver, and the ,·cr y beneficial rcsults o( their work . The fur poacher is still with us, but his activities arc cramped. Better law enforcement with cooperation · o f the Forest Serv ice.: and stockmcn on the mou nt:ii n ranges are making successful ope rations of this kind d iflicult. BEAR: Bear were put on the protected list h y the legislature 111 1933, and a sixty-day open season declared beginning in 1935, from October 1 to No\'Clllber 30. Nothing in the act makes it unlawful to kill bears known to be stockkillcrs, but report of such killing must be made within t hirty days to the' game and fish department. The annual kill of be:irs is small in compa rison with their number. _y _ri,:z.~3;1rs -~c _cxti_r:ic~~ut black :111d brown bea rs arc common. There has been justifiable cr iticism of the se;ison on bear opening before the elk and deer season, on the grou nd that there is so much shooting in the big game :lrcas that elk and deer are all (rightened away. I t li kewise makes poaching ver y easy, and policing very hard. l t is hoped legi slation will remedy this situation. GAME BIRDS: Bi rds ha\'e had their full share o( troubles the pa~t several years. Heavy hail and rain during nesting time was a contributory cause (or a closed season on grouse, sage chicke ns a nd prairie chickens bcginn;ng in 1929 and extending to Jan uary I, 1932. S ince that time they have had to contend with both noods and drought, as wel l as ope n seasons. Prairie chickens have been unusually h:1rd hit the last two or three ye;irs, an<l have: migrated from drought regions to places where water is av:1ilable. A rn1ucst from the Commissioners o( Yuma county to close the season on prairie chickens in 1936 \\'as recei,·cd too late to post ninety days' notice as required by la,\'. The scason should be dosed on prairie chickcns for several years. Sage chickens ha\'c had thc a<ldcd trouble of sheep trampling their nests, and of crow a11d magpie depredations. They too .. 1,n,dtl h,· l"V('ll"ll"lf r,-n,n 1',1,,1;n,... 1! 11• n 1•V I f,~q • ..., , .. ,. �Stoll' o{ Color111/o 15 closec.l this year> even though the birds seemnl fairly numerous . As a result, thc only counties open to pheasant shooting in 1936 were Yuma, Logan ( who petitioned for a n ope n season) and Morga n o n the easte rn slope, and Montrose, Delta and Mesa open by petition on t he western slope. California quail a re plentiful o n the western slope in the Uncom paghrc, Gunn ison a nd Colorado riYer valleys, :ind open season has been the rule fo r several years. The depa rtment has continucd to plant bob-white q ua il in different sections, and with some success for the time. \Vhether it will be a permanent success only time will tell . Colorado is not a natura l habitat for the bob-white, and they do not thrive. Hungarian partridges have survived in Montrose county, and arc increasing in the isolated Uncompaghrc district. Wild bandtail pigeons arc increasing in La Plata a nd Garfield counties. The department has planted a number o( wild turk<.:ys in the southern p:irt of t he state, but has not been satisfied w ith the quality of birds obtained . Quite recently we· discovered a breede r in the Ozark mountains w ho has the pure Nort h Ameri ca n blue-head, w it h the shape, color and characteristic wild ness of the o riginal A me rican bird . A large order has been placed for delivery in the foll o( 1937. Wild turkeys are multiplying rapidly along t he southern border. A recent fielc.l survey estimates 3,000 birds cast and west of the Walsenburg region. The flocks are not as large in the Trinidad distr ict, but more numerous, bei ng scattered in remote pinon-cedar country. In this one instance, dry years ha,·e been a help. Jn spite of drought, Colorado has more water in its lakes and reservoirs than ne ighboring states, and as a result, more migratory birds arc using th is state as a "flyway." D ucks and geese have concentrated on Colorado waters to such an exte nt that it is hard to believe that d rastic restrictions are necessary, but ,,'c have o nly to sllldy conditions in t he northern breeding areas to find a dilTcrc nt story . Constant war agai nst p redatory a nimals has a ided the increase in g:11ne bir<ls and a nimals. Bounties have been paid by the department on several hundre<l mou nta in lions, an<l t his benefit can hardly be estimated. Other than beaver, the fur-bearers of Colorado ha,·e ne,·er ha<l protection, and there is an incrc~sing sentim ent in favor of laws regulating the take, :is well as providing license fees. Colorado, being a P ublic Domain stale, \\'ill always have problems foreign lo many states. The mining industry, with attendant pollution of streams; the livestock industry demanding g razing privileges which conflict w ith wildliie interests; irrigation, the l ife-blood of agriculture in this state, but which is an clement always to be considered in distribution of fish, and which is an unknown problem in many stares. GAME BIRD FARM �17 S/(1/<• u{ Colorado ous reasons, chiefly the neecl of employment, the plan \\'as abandoned , and all labor will he included in the department budget. Mr. E. A. Brackett, an experie nced game breeder, formerly employed at City Park, Den ve r, was put in charge, and at this time all construction of buildings, pens, fences, etc., is com pleted and brood stock has been obtained. Pheasant, quail anJ turkey will comprise the main stock of upland birds, a nd other variet ies will be ad ded as they can be cared for. 1\ large reservoir bu ilt on the grounds suppl ied by irrigation wa ter will provide nesting and feeding accommodations for \\'aterfo\\'l. Small b reed ing pens operated in connectio n w ith the L:is ,\nimas bass hatchery under the capable supervisio n of Carl Peterson. superintendent of the hatchery, ha Ye proven quite successful, and ~Ir. Peterson has distributed quite a number of birds. STATE GAME REFUGES State game refuges have undouhtedlr been a contribming factor in increase of game, but they comprise too great an area to be eflcctiYcly adm in istered as "refuges." Small refuges well controlled would be an improvement. GAME WARDEN SERVlCE The g ame warden service has been h:rndicapped by lack of funds to maintain as la rge a force as needed , and to prov ide proper o rganization. \,\lardens haYe shown t heir genuine interest in the work and loyalty to the department :rnd to the sportsmen by their long hours of faithful service at a compa ratiYcly low wage rate. A record of arrests is not their ambition, nor the policy of the department, although wardens arc expected and required to bring to justice promptly anJ effectively those deliberate violators of conserv:nion b\\'S who arc present in cYery community. I a m very glad to report that public inte rest in conserYation of wildlife, anJ the cooperation giYen game \\'ardcns b y the public has increased 100 per cent. A hea rte n ing sign is the active and intelligent interest being shown by the you nger generation in whose h:inJs the fu ture of wildlife rests. CHIEF WARDEN Mr. John D. Hart of Grand Junction has recently been appointed chief game warden and giYen supervision of :1ll fielJ work. Under his Jirection, the sn\'icc will be extended, actiYities coord inated :ind a strong anJ effecti \'e organization dTectcd . Regula r meetings of all wardens \\'ill be hclJ t\\'ice a year \\'here all matters relating to the serv ice will be di scussed and bener cooperation, law enforcement :rntl educ:llion:il methods \\'orked out. MOTION PICTURES Eight hundred feet o[ fi lm called "COLOR:\DO TROUTLt\ 11)"" \\':ts prc:- pared by the Jepartment and met with enthusiastic reception . It has been ex h ibited in schools, at different meeti ngs of ci,·ic and sportsmen·s clubs, and loaned "' q•,·N:il om-of-s1:11c nrt::111iz:nions. The educational c•ppnrtunity in motion pie- �rn Stale of Colorndo FISH CULTURE All fish propagation and distribution has progressed 111 a most satisfactory manner. A new hatchery at La Jara is practically the only addition to ou r hatchery system, a ltho ugh improvement \\'Ork has gone o n continua ll y, some ot it noted later on in thi s report. RETAINING PONDS Retaining ponds are the main support of the Colorado fish distribution system. Without them, the cost of putting large numbers of fish in public waters would be prohibiti\·c. They were adopted years ago \\'hen the futility of planting trout (ry in open waters was recognized, and today the department is using SC\"· e ra! hu ndred of them, with gratifyi ng results. Each hatchery pla nt is p rovided w ith enough ponds to accommodate the entire output at different stages of growth . fn hatchery ponds . which arc nearly all concrete, trout arc fed regularly and intensi\·cl y, and with water of even temperature t he year around, extremely rapid growth is made . I n o utside ponds, and the department has built several hundred o( them in different parts of the state, artificial feeding is not required. Crowth is slower, but costs :ire cut down 10 w here we can grow large numbers of fish to legal size before rel easing them. We had occasion to compare the difference in cost o( feeding in Colorado and Pcnnsyl vania this su m me r in a letter received from the Pe nnsylvania comm issioner of fisheries in wh ich he makes the statement that in the state of Pen nsyl va nia or any other state he knew of, it would requ ire $ 100,000 to feed a m illion fish to legal size . It would cost that much in Colorad o if we depended e ntirely u pon artificial feedi ng, although Colorado has reduced keeling expense to a minimum, by using cheap Aour, ground carp and other rough fish and ca refull y regulated a mounts. These outside ponds are earth ponds co\·cring Crom :t quarter of an acre to five acres of water, and are located all along our main rivers, streams and' tributaries, and stocked as heavily as food conditions will pe rmit . Trout are put in them at about 2 ½ inches in size, and allowed to remain until six or seven inches long before being liberated. Some of the smaller ponds arc used only as summer ponds, holding the fish until freezi ng \\'Cather, then turning them out at a three o r four inch size. Splendid cooperation has been give n the department by sportsmen organizations, civic orga nizations and individuals in building and maintaining our system of. ponds, and the department is deeply apprcciatiYc of the ir efforts. One of t he most generous con tributions eYcr made to the department, and w hich will be o( tremendous value to the local comm unity and to the state, is t he donation to the ga me and fish department of the use of a series of ponds, buil t by Mr. W. J\. Colt of L yons, Colorado, on his own property at liis expense. There is one group o( seven ponds 100 feet long, 20 feel wide and about 4 feet deep; two groups of: e ig ht ponds of the same dimensions . They will take care of: a lot nf trnnt'. :111d fl,,, df'P:1rtn-1c-n1· 11h11,;: tn ,1,;;:c lhf~rn fn 1,nl,l frn11t ,,ntil ('"" " , (; ,.,_ 1, , �. \ Sla/e of Culor(l(/u SPAWN-TAKING STATIONS The three reservoirs described below arc owm:d by the department, and uscJ exclusively to grow trout for eggs. Their beds arc ric h in vegetation, and there is abundant natural food for any number of trouL. Production cost of eggs is very low, although the original investment for the reservoi rs was heavy. ·•· - . ,. · -~.:z:.~ r ' . HAVILAND RESERVOTR-Ln Plata County. No1tMAN T11o i1PSON, Superintendent. Built in 1927- 1928. 80 acres deeded land. 120 acres Government land. 84 acres water. House and garage. A four-mile private road \\':JS recently built in to H aviland Lake rrom the main highway, making it possible to get in and o ut from the lake to the Durango hatchery all winter. PARVI N RESERVOIR-Larimer County. J. J\ . W1c KEJts11Mr , SupcrintcnJen t. Built in 1926-1927. J60 acres land. 90 acres water. Small hatchery, superintendent's house, garage, ice house. TARRYALL RESERVOIR-Park County. ,W1Lnu1t GENTll\', Supcrintendrnt. Built in 1930 and 1931. 900 acres of land. 400 acres of water. 5-room house and garage. Cameron Pass l{cservoir in Jackson County was ahando1H.:d , as it was not sulfrcicntly productive to pay for operation. The cabin built by the dcparl mcnt was sold to the State Land Board, and the Go1·crnment Special Use Permit cancelled. Spawn-taking stations arc maintained at T ra ppers, Marl'i nc :ind Electra lakes in adJition to the state-o\\'ned rcsen·oirs. The dcpanmcnt restocks these lakes continually and collects a fine lot of eggs from all of the m. Marvine and ,· Trappers lakes furnish practically :ill the Native eggs used by the hatcheries. Loch Leven t rout have been growi ng in popularity with anglers, and it has been decided to increase di stribution of this variety. The department for years has purchased from two to three million eyed eggs from the Gol'crnmcnt and hatched them for the Arkansas river and certai n other streams where they arc wanted. Eggs cannot always be obtainetl at the time and in the quanti1y wanted, and the depa rtment is now 11eJ.!oli:1 ti n)! for p11rch:1q· of f11r1v :1cn·, 11f l:tnd :111.J /) �Sta le of Colorado 23 STATE FISH HATCHERIES Every hatchcry in the state is in perfect physical con<lition, anti operation most satisfactory. The superintendents at the differe nt hatcheries deserve a great <lea! of credit for keeping the plants a nti g roun<ls in such excellent shape, a nd for t he small percentage of loss. A lapse of watchfulness of onl y a few hours, lack of perfect cleanliness, a change in water flow, and a year's work ma y be lost. Sixteen t rout hatcheries and one warm wate r. fish hatche ry are being operated by the state at the present time. BUENA V ISTA 1-IATCHERY- -C/wffee County. R. L. L1rrLE, Supe rintendent. 205 acres of: land , a d joining the State Reformatory. 80-troug h hatchery. 10 reta ining ponds. 5- room house and ga rage. Last year additional water rights were ac(1uired and a succession of reservoirs built above the h:1 tc hery, increasing the water supply by 50 per cent. This increase made possible the extension of rearing ponds which was badly needccl. CEDAHEDCE HATCHERY-De/ta County. J\. B. J ENN INGS, Superintendent. 13 acres of land. 60-trough hatchery. 10 retaining pon<ls. 5-room rcsidence and garage. 4 small lakes o n this property used as broo<l pon<ls, a nd spa wn taken from from them each year. DENVER HATC HERY-A dams County. l L1Ro LD H ,1LDHI,1N, Superintendent. 26 acres of land . 108-trough hatchery. 20- troug h auxiliary hatchery. 36 retaining ponds. 2 hl"e-room houses and garage. The entire ou tput of this hatchery was lost in 1932 during the flood which swept. down the Platte river. To prevent a recurre nce of loss f ro m an y such source, the de partment built last year 900 feet of reta ining wall across the hatchery grounds. An unusual plan to secure ad<l iti o nal water for the hatchery was recently <levcloped . The hatchery is located in the river bottom and kd by seepage springs. During dry seasons, t he water diminishe<l to some extent. Spring water is absolutely essential to the successful ope ration of a trout hatche ry and the supply had to be increased . A small seepage reservoir w:is cxcav:itcd in the hill back of the hatchery, a nd w a ter from Bull ditch pumped into it. Four hu ndred fift y gallons per minute /lows into this reservoir Jay and night, but it seeps om so fa st that o nly about two feet of water re mains in the reservoir at :iny time. " The onl y man-made spring in the world " rt·m:,rkcd J\ l r. Swep~on F.arle. li:,ison oflin:r �... Stall' of Colorado Ga111c and Fish Dcparlm l' nf Another impo rtant project just started at the Denver hatchery is the utilizatio n of swamp land adjoining the hatchery, as a carp pond. G round carp arc the m ost nut ri tious and cheapest food that has been fo und (o r trout. Mixed with cere:tls and other products, it makes the quickest growth and best fles h of: any food so fa r tested. The pond will cover several acres and provide plenty of natural food, so there will be no cost for raising the carp. · All building w o rk, such as mentioned above, is d o ne by spawn-taki ng crews and hatchery men duri ng slack seasons. The only extra cost for any such projects is m aterial and steam shovel wo rk. DEL NORTE HATCHERY-Rio Grande County. i\1-11rnT L. D u Mo t--T, Super- intendent. JO acres land. 40- troug h hatchery. 5 retaining ponds. 5-room house and garage. A new telephone line was b uilt in to the Dd Norte k1tchery this yea r. D URANGO H ATCHERY-La Plata County. } 0 11:--1 I-l ENu rmsoN, Superintendent. 13 acres land. 100-trough hatchery. 60-trough auxiliary hatchery. 600 feet retaining ponds. 2 five-room houses and ga rage. ESTES PARK H ATCH ERY-Larimer County. G . C . You:--ic, Superintendent. 10 acres of land, held under perpetual ease me nt from Public Service Co. 40- trough hatchery . 8 reta in ing ponds. 5-room house and garage. BELLEV UE HATC HERY-Larimer County. M . J. lhNALLO, Su perinte ndent. 7 miles west of: Fort Coll ins. 7 acres land. GO-t rough hatchery. 8 retai ning ponds. 5- room house a nd garage. 400 feet d irt rearing ponds. The departmen t purchased in 1936 nme inc hes of: wate r with perpetual right, inc reasi ng the water supply of: this hatchery 50 per ce nt. GRAND LAKE HATCHERY-Grand County. C. A . R11rn1Nc, Superintende nt. (Summer hatch onl y.) GLENWOOD SPRINGS HATC H E RY Supcrinten<lent. 5 acres la nd. 120- troug h hatchery. 36 retain ing ponds. 2 live-room houses and garage. Garfield County. F RED MtTCIIELL, GRAND MESA HATCHERY- De/ta County. t-1. F . M1LLS, Superintendent. (Summe r hatch only.) 10 acres Government land ( Special Use Permit). 48- trough hatchery. Cabin for superintendent and spawn ing c rew. LA JA R A l -IATCHER ¥ --Conejos County. Brn-r ALLI:S:CElt, Superintendent. J 2 acres land. 8 rctai ning ponds. 5-room house and ga rage. There were some interesti ng exper ie nces 111 connectio n with this h:achery w h ich was built in 1933. The Sa n L uis Valley needed more fish than it \\':tS gett ing, but how to build a hatchery plant in perfectly level cou ntry was a question . There was spring wa ter, but the re ha<l to be a fall of at least a ten foot drop from the spring to the hatchery, and nowhere could such a place be found . Artesian wells were considered, but fish died in artesian water about as fast as they could be put in, and it was always too warm . In scouting around, ho\\·c,·cr, wells were foun<l in a comparatively small area in the La Jara district where the water was a perfect temperature for ha tche ry purposes. \Ve experimented for nearly a yea r with chis water in hatching and raising fis h, and foun<l that it could be done by arranging so that the water would be broken. up and completel y aerated before reaching the hatchery. We then d rilled six wells, getting a gt>od flow and the rig ht temp<c: rat ure at 250 feet, a nd we now ha\'e o ne of the finest hatcheries in t he state at La Jara. A.t th is writing we have contracted fo r two additiona l wells which will be drilled to 400 feet, striki ng a <lifferent strata, and hope to get the same temperature a nd a n even larger flow w it hout interfc r• ing wit h the forme r wells. I 11 connection wi th this hatchery, the department obtained fro m t he La Jara Irrigation a nd Cana l Company free use of thei r seepage canal , which it has converted into retaining ponds by pl:1cing stops e\'cry hund red feet, controll ing the flow and creating ideal ponds. Five miles of the ca nal is used in this way, and owing to :1h1111dant vegetation along the entire course, it is simply ali,·e \\'ith insect li fe, and trout grow rapidly o n natural" food alone. _. LAS ANIMAS HATCHERY- Las /lllimas County. CARL P ETEttsoN, Superinte ndent. - ) ( I.lass, Blue Gills, Crappie, Perch, Catfish. This is the o nly warm wate r fish propagati ng pla nt opera ted by t he dq1artmcnt. At first :rn <·xper_imen t. to determ ine if it ,~·ould p:1v to raise fish to stock �Game and Fish Dcparlmcnl Stal<' of Colorado year, making 45 acres in all, and with the cooperation of the WPA, 25 new ponds of one acre each are being built. Three thousand feet of 12-inch pipe is being laid to ca rry water from Adobe creek to the ponds. This diversion not only furnishes an adequate water supply for the new ponds, but overcomes flood waters which have been a ca use of more or less trouble in connection with the original ponds. P ITKIN HATCHERY-G111111iso11 Co1111ty. RoY TERRY, Superintendent. 20 acres land. GO-trough hatchery. 49-trough auxiliary hatchery. 26 retaining ponds. 800 feet of dirt ponds. 1 large brood pond. 5- room house and garage. Water conditions at Pitkin hatchery arc perfect, a nd have been utilized to the (ullest extent. Construction of 800 feet o( earth ponds, above rdcrred to. makes a con tinuous waterway from the hatchery lo the Gunnison river via Quartz, Chalk and Tomichi creeks, and is a wonderful aid in keeping the Gunnison stocked. A water turbine has been recently installed to generate light and power for hatchery use. RYE HATC H ERY-Pueblo Co1111ty. RosrnT H ARLAN, Superintendent. 5 acres land. 48- trough hatchery. 8 retaining ponds. I brood lake. I five- room house and garage. STEAMBOAT SPRINGS H ATCHERY- Routt Co1111ty. SAi,.1 STF.VF.1'S, Superintendent. G city lots. GO- trough hatchery. 8 retaining ponds. I brood lake (this lake belongs to a c111zcn of Steamboat Springs, who allows the hatchery to use it for trout propagation). TR APPERS LAKE HATCHERY- Rio Bla11co Co11111y. (Summer hatch only.) JO acres Go\·crnmcnt land held under special pe rmit. 36-trough hatchery. 2 cabins (used for spawn-taking crews). \V ALDEN HATCHERY 126 acres land. -ID- trough hatchery. 7 rrt.,ini11,r rv,n, 1c. ll11vila11cl Oxy-t1111I, Fi.,/i Delivery Tru e!.-., '27' �Game and Fish D cparlm cnl The total capacity of trout hatcheries is 75,000,000 eggs annuall y. With the except ion of summer hatcheries, all builtlings arc motlclcd on t he same plan anti a rc what arc callctl "dry" hatche ries. They arc constructed of cement blocks, have conc rete floors and troughs of steel or ceda r. I louses, garages and all outbuildings, as far as possible, arc built of concrete, or stuccoc:tl to conform with the general plan. Grounds are landscaped anti every property has the well-kept appearance of a modern industrial plant. \Vithout exception, hatchery superintendents take a great pride in the general appearance of the properties in their charge. Flowers, shrubs and trees receive careful atte ntion, grounds are in perfect order, buildings and fences rcpairetl, anti every c:tre given to make hatche ry properties an asset to the communities where they arc located. DISTRIBUTION The H :1Viland Oxy-tank, an invention o( the departmen t, has reduced distribution problems to the minimum. A number o( states have adoptt:tl the use o( the Haviland Oxy-tank which is manufactured in Denver. STREAMS CLOSED FOR PROPAGATION OF YOUNG FISH Closi ng st reams for a period of two or three years after heavy stocking with young fish has pro\'ed \'cry satisfactory. Nothing short of five consecutive miles may be closed, and only with consent of owners of property affected. ACKNOWLEDGMENT \Ve wish to take this opportunity to thank the tlifTerent state departments, the U. S. Forest Se rvice, U. S. Bu reau of Biological Survey, U. S. Bureau of Fishe ries, C ivil ian Conservation Corps, the WP/\, the Press, local sportsmen organizations, and ma ny ind ividuals for w illing assistance in carrying ~ut the program of the game and fish department. Governor Johnson and each member of the State Executive Council has made it their business to untlerstarrd the neetls of the department, and to cooperate in every way. 'vVe ha\'e very often required assistance from the attorney general's office, which has been generous! y given. The State La nd Board and State Board of H ealth and State Engineer's office have gi\'cn their services cheerfully and efficiently. 'Ne have never failed to receive the cooperation of the State Ci,·il Scr\'icc Commissio n, in e\'cry way consistent with their rules. Forest Rangers and U. S. Deputy Gam e Wardens have given consistent cooperation. We wish to especially acknowledge the work of the Forest Service in transplanti ng beaver on national forest lands, anti assi stance in planting fish . In creasing interest is being man ifested by local groups in wildlife conserva... i . ........ ·· " .. ., , ; ,.., ; \. 1.. , .; .,,,r ,.,.1i , I ' " d u• ... 11hit·,·1 in 1111hlic sc-hnnl". :: v �:w Gam e an d Fish Depa r t m ent Stale of Colorado LICENSES SOLD CALENDAR YEAll 1932 RECEIPTS Nurnhcr Amount Resident combina1ion hun1ing and fishi n.1: ___________________ _: ____ 68, 1·10 $119,274.75 Resident big garnc hun1ing ______ ______ ______ . ---------- ·· ___ ____ _ 9.536 45,297.25 Non-rcsidcnl fishing ------ ---- ---------------- _________ _________ _ 5.922 16,287.75 Non-resident s1n:dl g.un c hunting ________________________________ ··123.25 89 Non-resident big game _____ __________ _______ --------------- --- --57 I .-1 11.25 83,7-H $ 1 82,69➔ .25 LICENSES SOLO DURI NG CALENDAR YEAR 1933 lh·sidcn1 ,ornbina1ion hunting and fishing _________________________ 58. I 'JI SIOl ,867.00 4-1,330.25 l{csidcnt big g-amc _________ ·------- - -------·----··- --------·- ------ 9.332 15,577.75 Non-resident fishing ------- ----- --- -------------------------- - -· - 5,6(,4 427.75 :\"on-resident small game . ------------------------- - -- - - --------90 Non-resident big game________________________________________ __ 80 1,980.25 73,357 $16-1,183.00 LICENSES SOLD CALENDAR YEAR 1934 - - - - - ----- --5206,933. 16 S206.933. 16 DISBURSEME TS Paid to game cash fund ______ __ _________ ________ 5 187,938.21 Paid 10 fi shing casement fund ______________________ 18,99-1.95 S206,933.16 S206,933.16 Balance game cash fund July I, 1933, state audi1or __ ·-----------S 3 1,209.3·1 Colkctions by clepa runent_------------------ ______ _ __________ I 87.93fi.2 I $21 ~.I-Ii 55 DISl.lURSEMENTS Ou1stancling vouchers _____________________ ____ ------------S 550.00 Current rnuchers - ----------------------- - _________________ _ 209,368.78 S209,918.iS Balance June 30, 193-1 __________________ _ Resident combination hunting and fishing _____________________ _ ·- (15,070 $113,93 1.00 Resident big game ______________________________ _____ _____ __ _ 12,05 ·1 57,259.25 Non-resident fi shing ________________ ______ __ ________ -- -----·- -- . .. 8,586 23,(i 15.01) :---ion-resident small game hunting _____ ____________________________ _ 1-1-1 686.00 Non-resident big game__________________________________________ _ 183 -1 ,529.25 86,037 July 1, 1935, to June 30, 193-+ Collections $200,020.50 9.22 '.ii S219,1-li.55 FISI-llNG EASEMENT FUND July 1, 1933, to June 30, 193-+ Colkctions by depa rtment ___________ __________________ ______ _ S 18.99-1.95 LICE 'SES SOLD CALENDAR YEAR 1935 Rn idcnt cumbination hunting and fishing ________________ ___________ 66,975 $117,2·12.25 Rcisdcnt big game ______________________________________ _________ 14,·168 68/26.25 24,701.50 Nun-resident fishing ---------------------------- ---------------·· _ 8,995 Nun- resident small game _____________________ ---- - --- ------- ----125 595.50 Non-resident big game ______________________________________ ___··266 6,584.00 90,829 $217,8-19.50 FJNANCIAL STATE~!ENT July 1, 1933, to June 30, 193-+ FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Summary of Receipts and Disbursements from July 1, 1931, to June 30, 1934 RECEIPTS Resident big game hunting licenses __ RECEIPT S July l, 1931 , to Ju ne 30, 1932 Collections ______ ------------------ ------______________ $261,9 18.16 Balance July I, 193 I_______________ _______________ ___________ ·1 0,076.70 Cancelled ,·ouclicr I•15-M _____________ ---- ------- -----------3.05 $301,997.9 1 DISBURSEMENTS Vouchers ___________________________________________________ $233 ,036.RCJ Balance June 30, 1932 _______ _________ ________________________ DISBURSEM ENTS fishing pri,•ilcges ---------------- -------- ---- ·----- __ _______ $ 65.00 Balance June 30, 193-1 ___ -------------------------------- ------- I 8i929.95 S I 8,99-1.95 68,961.02 RECEIPTS July 1, 1932, to June 30, 1933 $301 ,997.9 1 Collections _ __ ___ ____ -----------------· _______ _ ________ SI 85.607 .70 Auditor's balance ____ _____ ___ ____ ______ _______ ______ _______ 70,03 1.22 $255,633.92 D ISBURSEMENTS t n - (\ .-.n _______ ___ _ --S H,311.25 Resident combination huniing ancl fishin g ---- ---------··-------- __ 12·1, 141.00 Non-resident fishing ________________ _________ _____ _____ __ __ J6,25·1.25 Non-resident hunting _____________________ ________ _______ ___ 2,427.00 Lakes, park and prcser\"e licenses____ __ _______ ________ ____ _ 1,080.00 Guide and 1axiclcrmist licenses___ ______ __ ____ ___________ _ 235.00 Importers' license _____________ __ __ __________ ____ _____ __ 50.00 Seining, 1ransportation, impona1i11n permits____ __________ 535.00 Beaver permits _________ ___________ ________ ·-----· ____ ___ •HS.OU l'hea~a nr, refuge and scien1ific_______ _________ _____________ _. 5i.OO Storai;e permits _____________________ __ _ _________________ 600.00 Sale o(: Specimen tags, pheasant scrip1, elk hid,·s___ _________ ___ ncavcr hides ___________ _____ ___ __ __________________ _ Fish, venison and confiscaied i;ame __ ___________ __ ___ 59.50 I •1,-157.96 -11.65 Rcfunds --------------------------------- _____________ fines for convictions_________________________ ___ ___ ____ __ ___ _ Rent for hay lands __ -------------· __ _____ __ _ ___ . ___ 2 I -1.6 J I ,642.14 250.00 �==--------- ...- Gam e a n d Fis h Dcpn r l m cnt S tale of Colorado DISBURSEMENTS FINANC IAL STATE.tvlENT July 1, 1934, to June 30, 1935 Paid to st:itc treasurer game cash fund _________ __ ___________ _____$ 18i,938.2 I Paid to state treasurer fi shing cascmcn; fund _____________________ l 8,994.95 S206,933 . l G r.al:tnce July !, 1933, state auditor ______________________ ________ $ 3 1,209.3·1 Collections by department _____________________________________ l Si.938.2 1 52 19.1 47.55 s Ontstand 1ni. vouchers --- ---- -------------------------- --Salaries and wages _____________________________ - ------------- :;50_00 89,693.90 ·rransport:1ti(l11 and importation permits __ _____ _______ ____ __ __ Hca\'c r pcrmils ___________ __ ___ ______ ______________ ____ _____ _ Storage permits _____ ___________ ___ _ _____________________ _ 13,7·13.86 Tra,·cl expense _----- --------- --- -------- -- - - ------------ -- - - S 3,857 .8·1 Auto truck and car expense_ ___ ________________________________ 11 ,028.58 Six trucks. one sedan, two fish tanks ____________________________ _ ·1,96 I.75 Beaver hides ---- ---- - --- ----- ------- -- -- -- -- ----- · ---------7.229.02 Fish eggs - ------------------------------ ----------------3,947.47 Spa\\"n-taking expense -- - - ------ --- --- --- ------------ - --- - ---658.9 1 1r,sur, nLc ----- --------------- - -------- -----------·---- - ----- 2,700.00 O0ice expense -------- -- - -------- ----------------- ------ - - - - Printi11g ------------- - --- ----------- ------------------- - -- - Post ·1ge ---- ------- - ----- - - -- ---- --------- - - - --- ··-- - - - - - - - -Express and freigh t_ ___ _________ - - -------- ------------------ -Telephone and Telegraph ______ ________ -- --- -------- ------ - --- 689.5(1 386.U0 1,040.00 11 5.25 6,114.07 125.10 ~focell:ineous permits ______________ _____________________ _ Sale of bca\'cr hides ------- - ---------- -----------------------~l isccllancous sak·s _____ ___ ________ __ __________ _______ __ __ _ 16.40 Refund~ Rent of hay land ___________________ ___ . ·---------------- ---Refund o[ salaq' ______ _____________________________________ __ 250.00 1,284.19 54.20 I 03.50 ~•fi~ct:llarn.:ow, .. ________ ________ ____________ . ___ _ ____ ___ _ __ _ 37.40 '1·19.42 Tlabncc July I, 1934. stale auditor_ Fjncs on con \'ictimh __ _____ ____ ___________________ ---- ________ Bounties --- -- --- --- ------------------- - ---------------- ---- Rewards and refunds ___ __ ----------------- - ---------------- -- RECEIPTS Resident big game licenses_. _____________________________·___ $ 57,342.75 Resident combination hunting and fishing ____ ___ ______________ __ 101,Si l.75 Non-resident fishing licenses_______________________________ ____ 23 ,0 I0.00 >!on-resident hunting licenses___________________________ 5,250.50 Lake, park and preserve licenses_________ _____ ___________ _____ 1.309.00 Gnidc, taxidermists and importers licenses___ __ _________________ 290.00 9,228.ii 3,651.'13 505.27 S208;1l 'I.SS 1,005.05 Less li,hing casement fund ____________ _____ __________ ____ 598.'l l 5207.·!09.83 387.72 Paid to state neasurcr gai11c cash [und _________________ ________$198, 181.06 Paid to state treasurer fish ing casement fund ___________________ __ 1,005.05 Dues and subscriptions_______________________________ ______ - - - 16.00 S199,186.I I Storage confiscated game_ ____ _________ -- ----- - ------- ---- --- - Board o[ prisonen ________ ___________________________________ 11 5.70 t,! isccl la neous ---- - - - - - --- - ------ - - - - -- - ------ --- --- --------- Hatchery m:iintcnancc --- - - -- - ----- - - ---- ----- --- --- - -- --- - - - - Game animals aml birds------- - ---------------- -------------1{1.scl, ._,jr~ __ ____ --- ---------- --- --- ----- ------ -- -- --------- - - Improvements __ ___ ____ - - - - ---- -- - - - - ----- - --- - -- ---- -- - -- 76 1.82 fi3Jance June 30, l 934 -- - ----- --· - - --- - -- --·- -- - -- --- - --- ---- - - DISBURSHIENTS 456.73 Salaries ___ --- - ---- --- --- - - -------------------- _____ ______$ 85,619.70 Tras·cl expense ____ __ _____________________ __________ ___ _ _____ I ·1 ,698.93 .-\ uto truck a nd car expense____ ___________ ____________________ 6,027.70 Beaver hides ______ ____________ _________ ___ ______ ______ ____ __ 2,522.79 30,629.29 4,312.26 3,5 81.59 23,522 .94 2,455.37 Retaining ponds - -- - --- - - - -- ------------- ------ --- - - ---- ------_ __ __ 5I•111.J~/,.I I $11 9,67-1.88 $209,9 18.78 9,228.77 S2 19, 147.55 Fish eggs __ --------- --- --------- -------------- -- _________ 5,497.50 l'os•'.'ge ________ --- ---·----------- _ __________ ___ ____________ 600.00 llounties --------- -------- -------- __ __ _____________ _ ___ _____ 3,050.00 Insurance ---·· · ____ - - --------- ------------· __ _____ ___ __ 647.63 Spawn-caking expcn,c __________ - --------.-------- ______ _______ 2,9-10.60 1-1:uchery n1:1intcnancc _________________ --------------------- -- 34,268.69 onicc expense ------- - ---------------------------- ---------. 242.86 Printing __________ -- - - - ------------------------ ____________ 3,048.03 Rewards and rcfu ncls. ____ ______________ _______ ___ ____________ 553.25 Renis __ _ ------ -------- -------------------------·---- Exprt·ss _____________ __________ ___ _____ ____________________ _ 1,010.00 509.89 Telephone and telegraph______________________________________ G:une animals ancl birds (damage and feeding ) __ _______________ i5 l.73 11.008.36 7,142.47 1.237.97 3,198.23 I mprO\'Cll\ClltS ----------- ----------------· ---- -- - ----------- Retaining ponds _____________________ -------- ------- --------Rescrrnirs ______ _______ ______ _____ __ ___ __ _________ _______ _ \fi..,r<'11:1 rwnt1"- 1.709.(, 1 51% .2~,.•11 �Stale of Colorado F INI\ 1CI.-\L Jul y l, 1935, ST ATH!ENT lO June 30, 1936 RECEIPTS Resident big g:une huming licenses_ ____ ___________ _______ ___ ___ $ 68,iJ6.25 Non-resident fishing licenses____________________ ______ ___ 25, J9G.50 Reside nt hunting and fi shing ______________ ______________ ___ ___ 124.550.25 Non-resident hunting ___ __ ____ ___ ___ _____ _________ _ _ _______ ____ 7, J•JJ.i5 Lakes, parks, presen ·es -------- ----------- - ------ - ----Guide and taxidermist. ___________________ ___ ____ ____________ _ ~-12.00 205.00 Seini ng permits _ ------ --- --- ---------- --- - - ------ --- --lmporrntion and transpo rtation __ ________ ___ ___ ________ ____ ___ __ Beaver perm its _____ __ _____ _______ ____ ___ __ ___ __ ____________ _ J\·liscellaneous permits _______ ______ ___ ________ __ ___ __ ______ __ _ Storage permits ____ __ _____ ___________ __ ___ ____ _ __ _____ _____ _ i2.00 730.25 336.00 12P5 I. I(10.00 Fines on com·ictions_ _____ ---- --------- - ---- ---- - -- ---- - -- - - -2.4 17.2 i Sale of beaver hides. _______ ___ __ ______ _______ __ ______ _______ _ 13.!JIG.8'.1 Sale of house, Cameron Pass _____ _____________ ___ __ ___ _________ 1,800.00 Sale of elk and deer mea t__ _________ ___ ___ __ __ ____ ____ _______ _ 59,J O Rent of hay land ___________ __ _____________ ___ __ ______ ____ ___ _ 250.00 Miscellaneous ___ _________ __ ______ _ _ _ ______________ ... _____ _ _ 172.05 $246,806.06 Balance July I , 1935 (i\uditor"s balance) __ ____ ___ _____ __ ___ ___ __- - - 28,485.20 . I ! £275,291.26 ! DISHURSH!ENTS O uutanding vnuche~ ___________ ____ __________________ ___ ____ $ i.36 f.J I Salaries Travel expense __ ___ _____________ _____ __ _______ _____________ _ 92.hi-l.i8 'I - ------------------------------------------- Auto truck expense, including- new c:-.rs _________ __ ____________ _ Ucavcr hides ______ _________________________ __ __ ________ __ _ 1 fish eggs------ ----------- -- ----------------- - ---------- --Postage __ ___ ____________ ___ ___ ________ _____________ ____ _ Ho unty - --- ---- ---- ----- ------ --------- --- --- --------- -- --Insurance Spawn-taking expense _______ _________ ___ ___ ___ ___ ____ ____ _ Hatchery m aintenance ________ ___ _______ __ __ __ _____ _____ ____ __ _ ------------------------------·------------------- Board of prisoners ______ ---------------- - ------- - ----- - - --- -Office expense ________ ___ ______________ ____ ____ __ __ ___ ____ __ _ Printing ___ __ __________ ---- --- - _- _______ ---- - --- - ----Rewards T elephone and telegraph _______________ ______ ___ _____________ _ Game animals an<l birds (feeding) __________________________ _ ---------------------------------------------- \ ;h ~ -!. \.i • #, ~~;I:i:::~~~,.,r., . ~;?~~--· 1n··-rr,~---- ~ · (, 1 ·}X;1 h 1 :f}~~{t:' .·q 1 , U!mt~ f.·~. t -: J fffJ; ~-~\\ • ; }! . '\ ,I .I .r,.: '\ l,npro,·cments - ---- ------- --------- - ---- - _________ __ _ ___ ___ Retaining ponds and rescr\'oirs __ _______ __ _______ __ ___ ______ ___ _ Moving picture film _______ __ ___ __ ____ ____ ________ __ __ __ ___ __ _ Purchase of land __ __ _______ _________ ____ ______ ________ __ ____ _ Las Animas bird farm ______ __ __________ ________ ___ ________ __ _ Ren~ ___ __ _______ ___________ ____ ______ ___ ____ _______ _____ _ F'(11rrc:c: 14,1 95.46 9.5 1ii.51 2,135.66 4,0ii0.3·1 500.00 2,,100.ou I .OJ I.88 3,i89.53 35,312.40 r ,333.74 699.28 3.i2G.2S 2i5.00 iS3 .39 ro.351.; 1 6,8i0.37 4,296.46 985.00 2,000.00 59.01 2.·100.00 ,,, -,, c,n- nn ,;n �Stal<• of <:olorndo - - -- - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - VOUCHE RS ISSUE D FOR PERM/\ EN T l\lPROVE~ IE1 TS July I, 1932, to June 30. 1934 July I, 1931, w June 30, 1937 _______________ ________ ______________ _ __ $ 31.hlJ6.67 Trucks, autornohilcs :ind Jish tanks __________________________ --3.360.IJIJ July I, 1932. to )um· 30, Trucks, automobiles and Jul y I, 1933, to Ju ne 30, Trucks, autCJrnobilcs :ind 1933 __ - ---------- - ---- ------------ · -- -- - fish tanks_ _______________ _________________ ------1934 ____ __ ____ _______ __________________________ _ fish tanks_ ___________ _____ ________ ·- __ VOUCHEllS ISSUED roH 29.22 6.67 -1,5 I5.42 25,553.-19 11.028.58 PERMANENT IMPROVEMI·: 'TS July I, 1934, to June 30, 1935 I.a Jara hatchery __ _ Walden hatchery Buena Vista hatchery Las Animas hatchery _ -------- - --- ------ _______________ $ 4,108.13 1.1,x.,1 21!5.68 1.589.~5 7.1-12.-17 Two trucks ___ _ One automobile One fi sh tank __ _ -------- ·---------------------- -------- s l , IH.56 720.23 590.00 S 2.-153.79 July I, 1935, to June 30, 1936 Denver hatchery ____ - - ---- --- --- - -------------- ___$ Fort Coll ins, land ancJ irnpro,·c111cnts __ ----- -----------------Glenwood Springs hatchery ____ . ____ ______________ - -- ___ - ----- L:t Jara ponds_ ____ __ __ ---------- ---- - - --- --- - --------- -1.a Jara buildings and i111pro\'cments_ _____ ___ ______ ------------Las Animas bird farm ________ _______________________________ _ Pitkin hatchery ________ ------ -- ----- -----------------·· -- - Steamboat Springs hatchery ______________________ ______ __ _ Retaining- ponds _ .. ___ __ _________________________________ _ ___ s I Packard sedan 2 Ford trucks ___ _ 5 Dodge trucks ____ _ I Fish tank. and I repair to tank __ 1.521.62 2.976.30 2.055.35 1,163.28 2.li-1.77 59.0 1 723.96 1.·119.05 I ,6·16.57 S 13.759.9 1 1.321.75 1,062.86 2,730.00 690.00 S H IIVil T IWUT DISTRIBUTIO. 1 IN COUNTIES By the State G:ime :inJ Fish D e partme nt, fo r thc Year 1934 Arapahoe :\rd1ulcta llouldcr ------------------------- - ---- -------------------- --- ---- · --- rh,lfee ________ - ----- - - - ---- --- ----- ------ __ _____ _____________ ____ _ Clear Creek Conejos \'"~\ ... ,.. 11': 1 ;- • 2-l .1100 r,; 1.500 ~52.000 1.12, .0()IJ 11 2.00'1 �Slulc of Golor a<l o Doughs - ------------------ ___ _______ ___ _________ ____ __ __ ____ ____ .. _____ 149,500 f,glc ---------- --- . -------------- _____ _______________ ______________ __ __ 1,29 .;oo El Paso ------------------------------------ ---- ______ ___ _______________ 105,030 f'rcmont --- _--- __ ------------ __________ ______ ____ __ ______ ____ __ _____ _ 264.1 00 Garfield - - - ---- __ ________ ---- __ ____ ___ _______ . ________________________ 2,i(J5.580 i'i.000 Gilpin --------------------------- _____ _ GMn<l --- ___ --------•-----------·-- - -- _ _ _ ___ _ __________ _ ____________ _ Gunnison _ __ _ _ _ ___ _ __ ____ __ ·-_ ______ I Hin,rl,lc _______ ----------------------------------------- - ____________ _ Hucrfino _____________________________________________________________ _ Jackson - - -- ------------------------------------------------------------jclTcrson ______ _______________ ______ __________ ________ _____ ___ __ ________ _ I eke --- - ---------------- ---- ---------- --- - -- -- - ---- ------ - ------------ La Pb1a ------------------------------- ----- __ ____ ___ __ ______________ _ r -~mer ---------- ------------------------ ----. -------------------L;,s ,\ni111,s ____ _____ ___________________ _ __--________ _________________ _ Logan ----------------------------------------- ------- --------- --------Me<a ____ • _______________ --------------- ---- · ,,.1, t u;, ·, !\ " \' ,_,: \j h I.\·; ' ' I l _l, l,11, I 1. 'C/ 1l ' ' ljl I I I 'J I 1 / l I, ' ,i, I ,', t'l·' ________ • ___ ________ _ lvlincr,il __ ______________________ -------------------- --- --- -- ---- --- --Moffat __________________________________________ --------- _______________ _ ~ fontczuma _______________________________ __ __ _ Montrose ____ - - --------------------- - _____________________ ---------- ___ _ Ouray ____ ----- - -------------------- -- ------ ---------- ------------ _ Pi rk ------------------· ________ ·------ - __________________ _ ______ _ Pitkin _____________ ------------------- ___ _____ _____ __ _____________ ___ _ _ Prowers------------------------------- - -------- ----------------------- _ Pueblo --- -------------------------------------- ------------------------Rio Blanco --- ---------------------------------- --------------- ---------Rio Grendc - - - --------------------- ----- --------------------------------Routt------ - -- -------- -- -----------------------------------------------Sag,,achc ___ ------------" ___ ---------------------------- - _____________ _ S•n J•Mn ------ ---------------------------------------------------------S•n lliguel -------·-------------------------------- --------------------Sun1111it - -- --------------------- _______ ---- ----·-------------------- _ Teller --- ---- ------------------ ·---------- ------------------------ · __ _ \V cld __ ----- - ------ ------------ ------------- --- ---- ------------ -- -- ----- 't'un.,a --- ---------- ------------------ ---- - - --- - ----- ------ ------ ,. ______ _ 890.000 675,000 252.GOO 414 ,500 -19.1 00 613.350 260.000 '153.iOO 1,320.900 64i.QOO 1.000 ; 22,000 1'Jti.21l0 ·10,000 200.500 93,000 170.000 567 .430 1.020.500 5,000 14i,OOO Si2,500 108,700 710.000 126.iOO 567.250 12-1.000 I 1;,QOO 125.000 25.000 ·15,000 T or;,1_______ --------------------------- - ---- _________________ ____ __21.5 1 5.140 TROUT DISTRll3UT!01 From the State Game and Fish Department Hatcheries for the.: Ycor of 193-l 11.nchcry Brook La Jara Grand Mesa Uucna Vista Cedaredge ---------- ·Norte __________ _____________ Del ------------------------------------------------------------------------- J)c-nn:r --- F, 1,·.: 1' ·• i- 1~ - N:.uin: 202 ,000 640.000 675.000 215.000 I.I ii .ODO ·15.000 120,000 Rainbow Lo(h l.cH'll I 7•1.900 373,000 5i 0.000 33i ,200 25 8,700 I.I ili5~1l ·183.1 00 , ,~.non c;ohkn �S/rtll• Gam e and Fish D epar/mcnl -IU Brook 11:ttdicry L1kc Gr.incl 1,129.700 D urango 350,000 Pitkin Steamboat Springs ---------------- -------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------- ----------------------------- Walden ------· P:uvin Lake Rye T arry:11! Rcscn·oir i0i,000 7, 100 8,738,300 1':1tivr 420,000 385,000 90,000 I 85,000 I ,379,250 262,000 7 12,000 9 1,000 7,900 668,400 127,000 2,630 2,6 I 2,500 Golden Loch Lc \'e n Rain how 8,494,060 28,100 3.300 1,680,980 ------------------------------------------------ ------------- ------------------------ ----------Crappie Perch 18,300 Grand Mesa __ __ _____________ ___ _ I ,, J·w, ------------------------l'itk in - ------------ -- ------ ----Rye ------------- --------------Steamhnat Springs _______________ _ Tarrya 11 ________________ ________ 2 1.529,140 Bass N:11ivc 123.000 336.000 2 5.000 360,000 11 5,000 642.700 256.000 270,000 i 35.500 558,800 Walden ------- ------ - ----- -----Trappers 1 19· · ' Catli,h Hatchery Bronk llucna Vista ________ __ ______ __ __ _ 566.000 Cedaredge __ __ ___ __ _________ ---- 672,500 Del Norte _________ ____ _________ _ l 9i,250 Dcn\'cr ------- ------------- ----- 54i,500 ·Durango ___ __ __ ____ ____________ _ 1.643,000 Este, Park ____ ____ __ ______ _____ _ 392.000 Ft. Cullins ____ ______ ___ ________ _ 280,00U Glenwood Springs ___ _____ ___ ___ _ l.696.iU0 Grand Lake ____ ____ _____ ___ ____ _ 3,300 22.000 50.000 Rainbow 170,000 472,000 182,5\J0 i80,i25 1,0~ I ,i00 522,000 270,050 l, 129.000 286.000 '104.i00 472.250 ·1-15,000 2 12.500 625,000 6,850 262,500 Loch l.c,-rn Gulden 555,000 i5.000 230,000 303,000 105,000 260,100 528.000 16.000 Bluegill 39,750 2 1,200 16,220 -- ------------------- 4,000 350,000 Cat and Perch De nver ---- -- ----- ----------- --- 4,000 ----------C rap~c ------ - ------------------------------ ------------____________________ _ 18,300 Pcrcl1 -- -------~------- ----------------------------21,200 L:1s Animas Catfish TROUT D ISTR IBUTION 1,680,980 Golds ---------------------- - ------- ---- --------------------- WARM WATER flSH -ll 100,000 Rainbow Loch Leven ------------------------------ - --- --~ -------------- -- Colorad o From the Stale Game ant.l Fish Department Hatcheries for the Yearn( 1935 4 I 5,500 --------------- ---------------------------- 8,738,300 l.lrook - ----------------- ----__________ ___ ________ ___ ______ 2,612,500 >1.1ti,·e --- ----------------------- ---- -----_____ 8,494,060 Tota'---- of ----------------------------- 16,220 i,289,250 2,98i,i0ll 7.2~2.ii5 1,528,100 16,000 Brook ______________________ ------------------------ ______________ ______ 7.2b9,750 Nni ,·e ---------------------------- ______________________________________ 2,9Si ,700 Rainbow _____ _______________ ______________ __ _________ ___ ____ _____ __ ____ _ 7,28' .ii5 Loch Leven__ _____ __ __ ____ ____ ___ ________ _________ __________________ ______ 1,528.100 Golden ___ ____ _____________ _______ ____ _______ __________ ___________ __ ____ 16.0(10 , ~ ~1 _____ _____________ _____ ____ ____________ _____ __ ____________ ______ 19,1 03~25 WARM WATER flSH DJSTIUllUTJON l N COUNTIES WARM WATER FISH Yea r of 1935 Catfi, h lb ss Cr:1ppic 2.000 69,000 3 1.0CJ0 Las Animas -------- - -- ------------- 83.250 79.150 T otal_ __________________ ___ __ __ 85,250 I ·18, 150 2,0U0 .\ r.1p:1hoc ----- ----------·------------------------------------56,500 -------- ----------------------------------- ---------- 13.500 Bent lh,ultlcr _ - --- ---- ----------- -------------- ---------- ---------------______ _____ _ 1.500 Cheyenne - ---------------------- ----------------------------- __ ________ _ 10 1,000 ----------------------------------------------D enver 1.500 ------ -------------------------------------------------------- 10,000 El Paso -----------------------------------------JdTcrson 10,000 '· ~lont rnse --------------------------------------------------30,50ll L:1s Animas -----·· _______ ., -- -----·- - ------ --- ------:l 'l,900 -----------Log:tn ------ -------- ------- ----- ------- ----------- -----------___________ __ 21,500 ----------------------------- ------------- 22,000 Oti:ro ------ -------------Prowers ---------- ------- ------------------------- ----------5,000 Sed gwick W ei.I --- --------------------------- ------- ----- •----------------- ........... -----· ·----- ---- -------- ---- ·- 10.000 Denve r --------- ----------------- -- Perch Bluegill 4.250 l ·l.i50 17.01 11) 35,250 14,750 l i,00U Catfish --------------------------- ___ __ _____ __ ____ ____ __ _ ____ _ ____ ______ 85 .250 Ila~ ------ --------- - - ---- -------------------------------------·---------- 148.150 Crappie _____________________ __ ___ ____ __ . ___ __ _ __ ______ _ _ _ ___ __ _____ __ 35.25U Perch ______ _ ___ ____ ___ ___ ________________ _______ _____________ ____________ 1·l,i50 Bluegill ------- - ----------- ----------- ____ --------- ---------------------- __ I i.0!l0 T ot ·1L_ - ------------- _ _ __ __ _____ _ __ ___ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ ___ _ ___ __ _ __ __ _ _ ___ _ _ __ 3UIJ,400 Trout planted in Ha, iland Lake_ ,-•,.,,, , , .,J.,,, I : .• ,, .. , · . ,. -1~11.IJ00 �,v S t r1/1• of Colorado -I:1 TROUT DISTIUHUTION IN COUNTIES By the State Game and Fi sh Department for the Yea r 1935 Alamosa _________________ _ 36.IJIJO J\ rd1ulct·1 _______________ _ --- ---- _____ - _____ --- ------- -- --- -- - i59.IJ()I) 10,1)00 502.lllJ() GbO.OUO U,c, ------------------------------------------------------------Boulder Ch, ffcc ______________ _____ _________ _ "6.1100 Conejos ----------------------------------- --- ----- - -- - ----------------- - I, I H6.i50 Gll.0110 rn,ti lb _____ _--- - ---- - --- --------- - -- -------- - -- --- ---------- Cl,•, r Creek ________________ --------- ------- -- ------ ---- ------ - - - --- - - Fl P,,o -----------------------------------------------------------F rcmont _________ _______ ___________________ • __________ ___ __ ____________ _ .,. :i ~ E i:: 0 ;,J f 0 '-' -5 ., " j\ Q. 1 .S ~ ~ "'"' i:... I :ti ~, -~: ,• 91.2511 1,125.500 811.0110 191.000 G••fiekl ---------------------------------------------------- ----- -- ------ 1,U9S,i00 Gilpin _____----- ------- - ------------ ______________ ____________ _ iO.llOU G r, nd __ __ 699.liOO Gunnison i70.500 Hinsdale __________ ___ • SH500 311 ,301) Huerfano 5116,00U J1cksnn ------------ -------- - -------------------------------- --------)dkr,on ____________________________________________________ ---- _- • 333.3;5 L·,kc _______ ___________________________________________ _______ ____ _ 165,1)00 1,03-1.i00 l.·t p1,,, ------------------------------------- --------------- 1,325.050 L·1rin1c-r _____ _ ____ __ ____ __ - -- ----------------------- ------- - ___ _______ _ l.•s J\ ni1"0s --- ---- ------ ----- -------------------- ----- -------- - --- -- - -- 3C.2.00U J\1••1 U,2.')00 326.550 ----- ------------ ----------- J\linn,1 J\lofht ______ -- - ----------------------.M on tczu m:1 ;5,0110 __ ______ __________ __ ____ __ _ ________ ______ _ _ 301,UOU 20i .501) J\lonuosc ----------------------------------------------· 140.000 (),,,y - ------- ------- ----------------------- ------------------1'·1rk _____________________ - -- _- --- _. ------- _. - _____ - -- - -- . - -- .• ··-..•• Pitkin •.• --------- ---------------------- -- ------·---------- ----- ---1,rn,vcrs ____ --··--------------------------- ----------------- - - ---- - - --- •- • l,uchlt> ___ ___ ______ ------ ----- ----------- __ ___ ______ ________ ____________ _ Rio Bl• " CO _____ _ ___ ______ ·---- - - - - - - - - - - · ------- - - ___________ • ___ • ------Rio Gri•1dc _ ----------- - ----- - --- -- _ .• --------- ---------- -- ---·- --------~----------------------- Roull ---------------------------<;•1g1•1chc _______________ ----------- -- ------ ------- ---------- ----- -- s ,.n Juon --·-- ______ ________ ____ __ __ __________________________ ___ ,,n J\ligucl __ ----------------------------- --- -------- ----- ------ ---- • . , i7~.500 320.IJOO f 1gk ---· ------------------------------------- ------- - - - -- --- - c5 I 5i4.000 l)~orcs __ ---------- --- ----- -- --------·------ --------------- ---Douglas -------- ------··------------ ------· .. ·5" ~- \.11 stc r _____ ------------- -- - -------- -------------- -- --- ------ ------------ Dclt·t _______ -------- - ---- ------------ ---- --------- - Summ it --------- ------------------- Telle r Yunu. -----------------------------------------------------------·------------------------------------ 3i6,151) 695.500 10.00ll 11 3.01)1) ; ~11.1100 21111.2110 629.500 I0-1.500 295.0llll 255.000 90,000 1-lll.000 35.000 I 9.1 03.~25 Trout pl1ntcd in l la"iland Lake _____ _ Trn111 planted in P:H\'in R<'.;rrw,ir -l ~ll.01111 �Gam e and Fish Deparlmenl 4-l Sla te of Colorado ---------------------------- WARM vVATER FISH DISTRIBUTION IN COUNTIES CLOSED STREAMS 1936-1937 Year of 1934 Custer and Fremont Counties 650 Arapahoe ---------------- ---------------- ------------------------------ 4,000 H,c, ___________ _-------------------- ------------------------------------,000 Bent --------------------------------------- ------------------------------ 415,300 -------------I -------- ----- --Crowcy --------------------------------- -----------------------------19,300 Jdkrson -------- --------------------------------------------------850 Log0n -------------------------------------=====------------------------- 7,700 Otero -------------------------------------13,'100 Prowers--- -- - --- --- -------------- ---- -------------------- -------------G,720 Pueblo ---------- - ---- - - ---- - -- --------- - -- ---- --------------------------450 ---------------=----------======================----------_______ ___ __ _____ ___ __ __ 350,000 ~~::~:r Tatel______________________________________________ 45 ---------------- 449~70 Lake Creek and tributaries_ _______________ Closed to November I, 1937 Dolores County Spring Creek a11d tributaries_ _________ _____ Closed to N ovembe r I , 1937 Coal Creek and tributaries_ ____ ______ _____ Close<l to N ovember I, 1937 Barlow Creek and tributaries_ _____________ C losed to November I, 1937 Coke Oven Creek a11d trib11taries_ ___ ______ C losed to No\'ember I, 1937 Seate/, Creek and tributaries_ ____________ __Closed to No\'cmber I, 1937 Roaring Fork and tributaries_ ___________ __ C losed to No\'em ber I , l 93i R y man Creek a11d trib11taries ______________ Clo~cd to NO\·ember I, 1937 Wildcat Creek a11d tributaries_ ___ ___ ______ Closed to November I, 1937 D olores and Montezuma Cou nties EGG CO LLECTIONS FROM STATE SPAWNING STATIONS Brook eggs collected Fall of I93,1 and 1935. Rainbow eggs rnllcctcd Spring 1935 and 1936. Nati\'c eggs collcctctl Spring of I935 anti 1936. ------------- 25,i35,000 ~:';'~~o~~i;g:g;: =========================--------========================== Kati,·c eggs ----------------------------------Total collections___------------------------------------------- -------This count docs not include eggs taken from ponds on hatcher)' grounds. ~:;~!:~~~ 2 58,919,UUO Priest C11/cl, Creek a11d trib11taries_ ____ ___ __ C losed to No\·cmber I, 1937 Stoner Creek a11d trib11taries_ _____ _________ Closed to No\·ember I, 1937 T enderfoot Creek and triblllaries_ ________ _ Closed to O\"cmber .I , 1937 Montezuma County Clzicke11 Creek and tributaries_ _____ __ ____ _C losed to Non·rnhcr I. 1937 Rio Lado a11d trib11taries_ _________ ________ Closed to November I, 1937 Grand Cou nty East /11/et of Gra11d Lake ________________ Closed to No\·cmber I, 1936 Huerfa no Cou nty Echo Creek a11d trib11t11ries_ _______________ Closcd to NO\·emhcr 1, 1936 Cuc/Jara Creek and trib11taries_ ___________ _Closed to N ovember I , 1936 Huajatolla Creek a11d trib11taries_ ______ __ __ Closed to No\"ember I, 1936 Jackson County Nortlz Fork Miclziga11 River _____________ __ Closed to November I, 1937 Telle r and F remont East and West Beaver Creeks and trib11t11ries_Closed to November I, 1936 Routt County Mol"l"ison Creek 1111d trib11t11ries_ _______ ___ _C losed to No\"ember I, 1936 Saguache Coun ty Middle Creek and tributaries_ ________ _____Closed to Novem ber I, 1937 O uray County �• Stai<' of <:olnraclo Ga m e and F ish Depa rtm en t 4 (i OrFICIAL STAFF R. G. PARVIN____________Commissioner ___ Dcnver Athletic Club, Denver, Colo. J. \V. HAVILAND _________ Field Superintendent_ ___ 15 1 S. Lincoln, Denver, Colo. R. G. HAVILAND _______ __ State Supt. l-btchcries_2052 S. High St., Denver, Colo. W1u.1AM P . H uMMEL____ Chid Game Wardcn __ 3417 Milwaukee, Denver, Colo. Jo11N D. HARL ---·-- _____ Chief Game Warden and License lnspector_ __5074 Osceola St., Denver, Colo. OFFICE PERSONNEL I G1tACE E. T1rnEEWIT ______ Chicf Clerk_ ______ 3923 \Iv. 32nd /\ve., Denver, Colo. /\ u cE R. /\l\10s __________ Bookkeeper _________ ____ 828 Cook St., Denver, Colo. As:- Lu1sE S11,1w ________ Voucher Clerk ________ ....1954 Ivy St., Denver, Colo. /\uc E BELMEAR .. _________ Stenographer_ _________ 2815 Eudora St., Denver, Colo. DEPUTY GAME WARDENS \\I. 0. r\01--1:--s ___________ _______________ ____ ( 708 Eighth /\ ve., Greeley, Colo. L Eo L. lhoc x_ ·---- ______________ ______ 906 Box Elder St., Pueblo, Colo. Ho1t.1c:E G. ll.1Y:-1L _ _____ ______ _____________ Lrn:--.1llD N. BEc1--w1-r11 Wi th sincere regret we report the passing of two veteran employees of the department. Louis 0 . C11,1co:--, Deputy Game Warden 1n Conejos County. cntercu scr\'i cc Feb ruary I, 1920: died June 8. 1936. ___________ \1/al senburg, Colo. ,\ 1.11ERT t- 1. 1\ :-.:nv1:--E, of l knrer. Chief _ ---··---- ----- ___ ______ 23 17 fi fth St., Boulder, Colo. Came \Varden and Liccme lmpcrtor, entered L. \V. BALL.IRD - --------------- --- ----- - - - ______________ ____Sil\'erton, Colo. \V. 11. Coll Ul\l .. ______________________________ ______________ Gunnison, Colo. JA~I ES .M. c .,~ll'BELL------ ---- --- ---- ------ ---- ________ Box 273, Craig, Colo. A. D. Dow NEY ________________________________________________ Basalt, Colo. J. \V. DROMl\lON D- ----- --- --- --- - - ------- - ------------ - ----- - - Wray, Colo. J.C. GENTll\' _____ ______________________________ ______ ___ __ Meeker, Colo. C1..,1RE:-ICE Go,11) ------- ------------ --- ----- - --- ____________ Alamosa, Colo. RowE S11Awv£1t.. ______________________________ 1576 Lincoln St., Denver, Colo. ALEXAN DEll H ,1M1LTON- --- --··------ ------- --715 Topeka J\ve., Trinidad, Colo. J,1~1 ES R. HENllY - - -------- ------------------------ ____________ Cortez, Colo. W. L. H oLl\JA:-1 - --- --- - ---------- - ----- - - -------- ________ _____ Salida, Colo. 0. 13. J-lorf. ____ ____________________________________ Glenwood Springs, Colo. W. \l,l . IRELA:so ____________________________ _l 11 2 River St., Canon City, Colo. S11 rnl\1.1:-- T. l-l ,11uus ____ ________________________________ Russell G ulch , Colo. }011:-- E. L11L1, _ --- ------ --- ---- - - - -- ----- - - - ---- - --- --··-------- Lyons, Colo. Jo11:-1 H. Moss ______ .. --- --------------- ------ ------ ------ ___ ]hyficlcJ, Colo. Ro HERT G. O'N EtLL- ------------ --- ------ - -- ____________ .. ____ Walden, Colo. V wToR T. STEELE .. .... __ . ____ . lloutc I, Hox 39, Montrose, Colo. ser\'ice Apri l I. 19 1i; diet.I June 15, 1936. -17 • �<:. ([ol •.i,,t" ~ -er: ... i .. . - j ACCE~ i\Io1111111i11 S/, ecp F eeding in t/, e T elluride, Colorado, District � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/d03954281eee0e8b90dfb833e720e26d.pdf 8319bfee11d7d6dc7352fc642542d494 PDF Text Text c__o,.DOC.., Rio , I ;q~-'-11 LIBRARY ~...._.'rr'~~~i COLO. DIVISION OF 6060 BROAD Y D VER, CO 80216 /llen.n,izl Nepo,t:.t COLORADO GAME & FISH COMMISSION 1939-1941 �COLORADO GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT COMMISSIONERS Otis E. McIntyre, President - - Colorado Springs, Colorado H. G. Kendall, Vice-President - - - - - - Trinidad, Colorado N. Dean Henry, Secretary - - - - - - - Dr. Harold Watson - Wray, Colorado - - - - - - Denver, Colorado Ben H. Jorgensen Gunnison, Colorado R. 0. Lyttle - Meeker, Colorado EXECUTIVE OFFICERS C. N. Feast - - - Director John D. Hart Gilbert N. Hunter - - - Asst. Director - - - - - - - - - Supt. Game and Fish Management Robert G. Haviland- - - - - - Supt. State Fish Hatcheries Dr. C. E. Hagie - Arthur H. Carhart - A. Dean Coleman - Michael MacDonald William F. Hunn Grace E. Threewi t - - - Educational Manager - - - - - - - Coordinator, Pittman-Robertson - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Supt. Fur Resources Asst. Supt. Fur Resources - Chief Game Warden - - Chief Clerk �INDEX Page General Introduction - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fish Propagation - - - - - - - - - - - - Fish Hatchery Additions and Improvements Work Completed during Biennium - - - Contemplated Improvements for Ensuing Biennium - - Percentage of Species Represented Hatchery Output for Biennium - - - - - - Colorado's Big Game Animals - - - - - - - - Rocky Mountain Bighorns Elk - - - - - - - - - - ______ _ Mula Deer Antelope Moose, Buffalo Goat, Bear - - - - - - - Game Feeding and Rela ted Problems Winter Feeding of Deer, Elk and Bighorns Damage Prevention Costs - - - - - - Upland Gama Birds - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Wild Turkey - - - - - - - - - - - Sage Grouse, Blue Grouse, Ptarmigan, Quail Band-Tail Pigeon, Pheasants - - - - - - Chukars - - - - - - - - - Migratory Waterfowl Ducks - - - - Geese- - - - - Predatory Bird Control Beaver - - - - - - - - - - - - - Beaver Survey - - - Sapinero Game Range - - - - - - - Colorado M~ster Plan - - - - Other Land Acquisition Projects - - - Later Development Projects - Bird R2habilitation Project - - - - Administration and Overhead - - - - - - - Total Expenditures under Pittman-Robertson Act Law Enforcement - - - - - - - - - Reports of Arrests - - - - - - Income and Expenditures - MUI.TJGRAPHJNG - 10 11 13 14 15 18 19 - 20 20 21 23 24 24 25 - 26 27 27 2? - - - - - - - - - Other Fur Bearing Animals - - - - - - - - Badger - - - - - - - - - - Marten, Mink, Raccoon - - - Opossum, Skunk, Weasel, Fox, Muskrat Table of Furbearers - - - Predatory Animals - - - - - State Game Farm - - - - - - Pittman-Robert.son Activity in Colorado Sapinero Deer and Elk Survey - STATE: 1 5 7 ? 8 9 DEPARTMENT 28 28 29 :32 32 33 34 36 36 37 40 41 41 42 42 43 44 45 46 46 46 46 48 �January 1, 1942 To His Excellency, Ralph L. Carr Governor of Colorado Executive Chambers State Capitol D e n v e r Dear Sir: In submitting the ensuing Biennial Report of the Colorado Game and Fish Commission, no attempt has been made to cover in detail the intervening years since 1936, when the last report was published. The present report covers the period from July 1, 1939 to June 30, 1941 only. During the interim between the last report issued in 1936 and the beginning of the current Biennium, the Game and Fish Commission was created and charted the course for changed procedures incident to such a comprehensive reorgan- ization in administrative procedure. This reorganization and accompanying change of policy has been covered in a brief summary in order to bridge the gap, historically, for purposes of record only. Very truly yours, C. N. Feast Director �COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISH BIENNIAL REPORT - 1939-41 The last previous Biennial Report of the Colorado State Department of Game and Fish was made as of June 30, 1936. The Legislature which met the following winter created the Colorado Game and Fish Commission. This change from the one man commissioner type of wildlife administration to a commission composed of the Governor of the State and six commissioners, appointed by him, came at a time when like changes in administration were taking place in all parts of the country. It marked a definite trend of American thought in prac- tically every type of governmental activity through which wide discretionary powers were being placed in Boards, Commissions and Bureaus, alike, in faderal, state and municipal administration. Section 5, of the Act creating the Game and Fish Commission outlines its authority and functions in the following general terms: "For the purpose of providing an adequate and flexible system for the protection, propagation, increase, control and conservation of the game, fish, birds and fur bearing animals of this State, and for their use and development for public recreation and food supply, the Commission is hereby authorized and directed to determine when, under what circumstances, in what localities, by what means and in what amounts and numbers the same may be taken or killed so as to maintain an adequate and proper supply thereof," It will be noted from this that the powers conferred upon the commission by the Legislature are almost unlimited in connection with the management of wildlife of Colorado. This is in keeping with the general trend throughout the country to recognize that wildlife management offers technical problems reaching far beyond the common fund of knowledge, ready at hand to members of Legislative bodies. �- 2 - The Act creating the Commission divided the State into six Commissioner districts and provided for the appointment of one roan "well informed on the subject of wildlife conservation and restoration", from each district. It further provided that: "Not more than three of such appcint.ed commission- ers shall be of the same political party". Original appointments were for two, four and six years and. to date all members whose terms have expired have been reappointed. The appointed members of the Commission are: Dr. Harold Watson of Denver, Mr. N. Dean Henry of Wray, Mr. H. G. Kendall of Trinidad, Mr. Otis E. McIntyre of Colorado Springs, Mr. Ben H. Jorgensen of Gunnison, and Mr. R. G. Lyttle of Meeker. At rresent Governor Ralph L. Carr is the seventh member of the Commission, and under the Administrative Reorganization Act passed by tbe last Legislature, has large powers in the afI'airs of all ex~ ecutive and administrative departments. The time that the commission form of game and fish management came into existen~e in our State coincided with the injection of many new problems in connection with various aspects of wildlife management. Up to that time physical construction of fish hatchery units had been moving faster than the developmen~ of rearing stations and fish planting practices. The advent of the Commission also coincided with the changed balance in game populations. Prior to 19~7 it may be said that the chief concern of wildlife management was to insure the increase of practically every species of game bird and animal in the State. From that time forwa~d it was apparent to everyone who was close enough to see the "inside of the picture", that the major problem, in conneotion with a constantly growing number of species, would be adequate control to prevent the rapidly incr easing herds of d~er and elk from becoming �- 3 - a menace to agriculture and stock raising - and to meet the rapidly mounting costs of winter-feeding herds that had outstripped the capacity of their winter ranges. In 1937 the Pittman-Robertson program of Federal participation in wildlife management and res~arch was made available and tentatively accepted by the Commission. In its wake it brought many new problems that had never before confronted the Colorado Game and Fish Department. As this service 1 which derived 7e% of its support from the Federal Government and 25% from the St.ate, was in the nature of "assistance" to the State, the major problems of its organization became the responsibility of the newly created Game and Fish Commission, at a time when all the problems incident to i t·s own organization was under way. The enabling act definitely making this activity a part of the Game and Fish Department was passed by the State Legislature in 1939 . All the foregoing factors combined to make the years from 1936 to 1939, a period of rapid transition, in which policies were taking shape that have become stabilized during the Biennium, 1939-41, covered in this report. It should be noted, too, that during the period since 1936 the Department bas been administered by three different Directors. Mr. R. G. Parvin, Commission- er of Game and Fish, under the old plan, succeeded to the new post of Director to the Department under the Commission when it was his retirement October 1, 1939. created, and served until He was succeeded by Dean S. Arthur Johnson, of the Colorado Agriculture College, who was Acting Director until April 10, 1940, when Mr. c. N. Feast was appointed by the Commission as its permanent Director. �- 4 - In 1939 the Colorado Game and Fish Commission, having recognized the great need of applying management principles to the conservation of the State's fur-bearers, sponsored the Fur Law, which provided for adequate personnel for inspection and administration. In 1941 the St.ate Legis- lature passed the Beaver Bill and in so doing strengthened the position of the Commission in establishing complete control over every phase of wildlife management in the State. All these rapid changes and cumulative responsibilities required increases in both personnel and housing facilities. In 1936 there were 25 game wardens and 35 men connected with the fish hatcheries of the State. 1941 there were 30 wardens and 50 hatchery employees. In ln addition, the Fur Law and Beaver Law brought in 6 inspectors and 16 regular and 40 seasonal trappers, with corresponding office workers. With these additions and the increased volume, it became necessary to expand in office space and the Com- mission, with the approval of the Governor and the Executive Council, purchased for remodeling an old stone building at 1530 Sherman Street, just north of the State Office building. In addition to passing the Beaver Bill, the 1941 Legislature created two new posts under the Colorado Game and Fish Commission, in response to the pressing needs incurred by the rapidly expanding activities of the Department. These were an Assistant Director for the Department and an Educational Manager, to be in charge of general wildlife management education, news releases, com~ission bulletins, public speaking contacts with sportsmen and with other outside agencies and landowner groups, wildlife photography, and to act as liaison officer coordinating information �l - 5 - from the various phases of the Department's activities for educational purposes. The Beaver Bill included authorization for the employment of such personnel as the Commission deemed essential to its efficient operation. In order to administer the provisions of the Act, the Commission created the two additional posts of Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of Fur Resources. Although these two offices and the two created by the Legislature were not filled before the end of the 1941 fiscal year, they were made before the Biennial Report was completed, and the appointments are recorded in the report of the Biennium for that reason. In filling the new posts the Commission promoted Chief Game Warden, John D. Hart, to be Assistant Director of the Department of Game and Fish. Dr. C. E. Hagie, formerly a member of the faculties of Adams State Teachers College, Alamosa, Colorado, and Western State College, Gunnison, Colorado, was named Educational Manager. A. Dean Coleman, of Boulder, who possesses a wide knowledge of furs, was named Superintendent of Fur Resources, and Michael MacDonald, a first class accountant with a major interest in wildlife conservation, as Assistant Superintendent. FISH PROPAGATION With the selection of the permanent Director of the Game and Fish Department, the Commission definitely embarked upon a policy of working toward a situation where in a ver·y few years only "legal" size fish would be planted in Colorado waters. This necessitated an immediate expansion in rearing pond facilities in order to accommodate the millions of "fry" that would have to be carried over for much longer periods of time. Thie necessarily slowed �- 6 - s1owed down the distribution of trout during the early part of the Biennium while they were being held for increased growth. The new policy will result in many times as many trout, as formerly, being actually available for the fishermen. This change of policy came as a result of a recognition of the fact that too often in the past the planting of 11 fry 11 has been of little more permanent value than would have been the dumping of an equal amount of first class fish food in the streams. On the other hand, the high percentage of survival among legal size fish is assurance of almost 100% immediate availability for the sportsman. Although the 1941 distribution represents a marked improvement over all previous years in size of fish planted and in total tonnage it will be several years before rearing pond facilities will make it possible to realize a maximum of legal size in the distribution from all th~ State's hatcheries. The State's hatchery planting records for the Biennium show that the 1940 distribution, from all sources, was approximately forty-eight and one half tons, of which somewhat less than three quarters of a million trout were legal or near legal size. In 1941 a total of more than fifty-six tons of fish were planted, of which approximately a million trout were legal or near legal size. These figures show that there was a one-third increase in the number of legal size trout planted in 1941 over 1940. If this ratio of increase can be continued it is apparent that it will not be long until the majority of the plantings can be made with legal size fish. Greater emphasis was placed in the 1941 hatchery program in taking care of the needs of the non-mountainous regions of the State. In 1940 - �- 7 - 263,392 warm water fishes were distributed. They included Blue Gills, s~all Mouth Bass, Large Mouth Bass, Crappies, and Perch. In 1941, 400,388 warm water fish were planted and included Catfish and Rock Biss, which were not represented among the species planted in 1941. In fact 1941 was the first year in which Catfish and Rock Bass were produced in any or the State's hatcheries. Grayling and Machinaw trout were also distributed from the hatcheries for the first time in 1941. Of these, 28 1 830 were Grayling released by four of the hatcheries, and 10,856 were Machinaw from the Glenwood Springs Hatchery. The increasing emphasis on the production of warm water fishes may be considered to be a recognition of the claim the dry land areas have in Colorado's total wildlife program. Whether er not this increased recognition may be due in part to the construction of the Caddoa Dam, below Las Animas, is uncertain. The completion of this fine reclamation project will, never-the- less, provide the State with its largest body of water - an area, when filled, extending up the Arkansas Valley for a distance of thirteen miles and to a maximum width of four miles. Its completion should e accompanied by adequate safegu rds for the welfare of the fish and waterfowl for which it is so well adapted as a haven. FISH HATCHERY ADDITIONS AND IMPROYEMENfS WORK COMPLETED DURING BIENNIUM --------------Considerable improvements and additions were made in connection with the State's fish culture facilities during the Biennium. At the Bellvue Hatchery 1 1 230 lineal feet of new concrete rearing ponds, six feet wide, were added. At Bel-Aire 1,500 lineal feet of concrete rearing ponds with a w'dLh of six feet were constructed in 1939-40 and 2,500 feet of eight foot ponds in �- 8 - 19 0-41. In addition, a 50 foot diversion dam was constructed in the rivQI and 5 0 feet of 16" water line was laid. Th station was further improved by the building of a five roorn bungalow, a two-car garage and refrigerating unit, a cook house, and a thousand feet of new road. done to improve the river channel. Some steam shovel work was A new 2,000 foot supply ditch will serve in the additional capacity of holding ponds. The original garage was remod- eled into assistants quarters. The Buena Vista Hatchery had an addition of 500 feet of concrete rearing ponds, six feet wide, in 1939-40. The Durango Hatchery was improved by the addition of 3,950 feet of six foot concrete ponds and 3,020 feet of eight inch supply line. ous facilities. At Estes Park two small lakes were added to the previ- The La Jara. Hatchery was improved by the adaptation of a mile of drainage canal partitioned off at 125 foot intervals, to serve the additional purpose of augmenting existing propagation units. completed on the old ponds. Repair work was also The Glenwood Springs Hatchery had its capacity doubled 'by a rearrangement and parLitioning of the present concrete ponds. The Pit.kin Hatchery came in for considerable attention, with the repair of the old concrete ponds, an addition of 2,000 feet of 6" supply line to the ponds, the addition of 800 feet of new concrete ponds 8 feet in width, and a new five room bungalow. At Rye a new cook house was constructed, a di- version dam and weir were installed end 2,000 feet of 10" supply line was laid. At Walden 500 feet of five foot concrete ponds were constructed. CONTEMPLATED IMPROVEMENTS FOB ENSUING BIENNIUM The Buena Vista Hatchery is under consideration for the development of supplementary hatchery and rearing pond units near Salida. Bellvue is ; �- 9 - scheduled to have its capacity about doubled. Carbondale is being considered as a new rearing site with 10,000 feet of rearing ponds. An additional 1,000 feet of rearing ponds and supplementary water development is being planned for the Cedaredge Hatchery. It is planned to increase the capacity of the Coal- dale Ponds by at least one-third. Contracts are in process of letting for an additional 1,962 feet of concrete ponds at Durango, together with installation of a new pumping unit intended to triple the pre.s ent output. Tbe capacity of the Estes Park Hatch- ery is scheduled to be raised by about 25% dirt ponds. by the construction of additional An additional earth pond is projected for the Hershman Ponds, which will boost their output by a fourth. Because of the importance of Caddoa Dam, in opening up greatly expanded opportunities for warm water fishes, the Las Animas Hatchery is scheduled to be converted into one of the more important units of the State. The sealing of nine rearing ponds covering about eleven acres will be followed by ot.h•ar necessary improvements. The Walden Hatchery will be doubled in capa,ci ty by the addition of 500 feet of cement ponds. An entirely new unit dependent upon the use of artesian water is being considered in the vicinity of Monte Vista. A circular· pond unit is in prospect for the Rye Hatchery which should increase its capacity by 33%. PERCENTAGES OF SPECIES REPRESENTED IN PLANTINGS Percentage of Total SPECIES_____ _ ____________________ 1939-40 ______ 1940-41 51. 7 64. 7 Rainbow 11.0 Loch Leven 14.1 Eastern Brook 13.0 8.7 10.0 6.8 Native Grayling .3 .1 Mackinaw 5.3 14.3 Warm Water Fish TOTAL 100% 100% �- 10 HATCHERY OUTPUT FOR BIENNIUM HA'fCHElRY No Fish Weight in No. Fish Weight in 1939-40 Pounds 1940-41 Pounds Bel-Aire 170,032 1,812 100,867 Bellvua Buena Vista. 647,626 ~80,478 9,061 612,372 6,549 2,636 1,838 1,293,305 477,473 310,87! 768,312 4,960 2,545 715 ?,301 8.606 ~.770 1,940 4,5:8 1,114 Cedaredge Del Norte, 196.070 261,714 1,262,698 1,469,601 Denver Durango Est.es Park Glenwood Springs La Jara 411,614 l 1116, 122 218,032 43,252 1241071 Las Anilllas Monume,nt Lake 1,001 3,244: 20,737* 450 2. ?29 2,748 453 11,934* Parvin Lake Pitkin ~91,850 Rye Walden Wray Hershman Panda Colts l?onds TOTALS NOTE: 297,736 1,194,132 43,448 55,255 102,029 4,982 3,134 353,153 28,501 5,298 35,089 148,, 685 1,,234 332,649 95,287 6,709 53,557 259,560 31'7'12 356,864 289.533 112,179 ·steamboat Springs TarryaU Lake 29 I 185 3,601 205 921,748 950 -------~-7,504,067 4,945 122 44,303 30,337 8,963 1,088 3,237 6,329 3,6o? 7,485,494 ll2,275 ------ ·------------------96 I 611 For the year 1939-40 there were somewhat less tha.n three quarLers of a million fish of legal or near legal size, whereas, approximately a ml llion fish of legal or near legal sLze were produced and planted in 1940-41. The to,tal operating expense for 1939-40 was 8128, :!82. 60 a.ncl for 1940-41 it ~vas Sll:3, 533. 88. This represents a saving in cos l.s for the second half of the Biennium of $14,848.72. *Where the table shows sharp drops in poundage output from 1940 to 1'9 41, it .r,a presents a greater number of fish being carried over to the coming year. �- 11 - COLORADO'S BIG GAME ANIMALS In common with most of the Western States, Colorado paid very little attention to wildlife conservation or management until some species of game had been reduced to such an extent that they were actually threatened with extinction. As a matter of fact, hunting licenses were not re- quired in the State until 1983. During the long period when Colorado was largely a mining state, wild meat constituted a large item in the diet of most of the population. Big Game of every species was slaughtered by the thousands by men who did nothing else but hunt for the markets . The effect of this total disregard of the wildlife resources over so extended a period necessitated very drastic restrictions teing placed on all hunting . Naturally, such a sudden change from one extreme to the other created a situation in which poaching became a problem of major proportions. species. For many years it completely blocked the recuperatiJn of every In fact, the Bighorn and Antelope were unable to hold their own for some time after they were offered legal protection. Eventually the uni- versal demand for better enforcement changed the situation and the herds began to build up. Never-the-less it can be truthfully said that for more than thirty years the sole emphasis in wildlife management in Colorado was directed toward conserving rather than utilizing the State's wildlife resources. The psychological effect of emphasizing game "protection" over such a long period of time was to build up a decided prejudice in the popular mind against any policy that would interfere in the least with the natural propagation of every species to its maximum extent. In the face of popular opposition Legislators and responsible officers of the Game and Fish �- 12 - Department, alike. have found it difficult to put into operation the type of controls that the situation demands. The general public does not seem to realize that the stock grower cannot continue indefinitely to retain and breed all female stock. Anyone attempting such a course would soon find his pastures eaten down to the place where starvation would do what sentiment or lack of common sense prevented him from doing. Deer and Elk herds, in particular, have reached the point in many places in Colorado where they have increased beyond the carrying capacities of their winter ranges - and, in some instances, of their summer ranges as well. The result is that winter losses, even in spite of State supported feeding operations, are trememdous. A further element entering into Colorado's control of game species by accepted hunting practice is that the State's population is too small to supply the necessary number of hunters to offset normal annual increases without radically increasing bag limits. The logical solution appears to be to make inducements sufficiently attractive that many more out-of-state hunters will come in than have come at any time in the paet. Even a maximum number of outside hunters might not be sufficient to hold some species in control without providing for heavy kills of female animals. In connection with the foregoing it is pertinent to note that Colorado's license fees are considerably out of line with those of most other Western states. Another factor which has a definite bearing on the control phase of game conservation is that in Colorado only one big game animal, other than bear, has been taken on a single license (either resident or nonresident), whereas, in some other Western States, the hunter is allowed from two to four animals on one license, �- 13 - ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIGHOBN --------- Since protection was first extended to the mountain sheep, the Rocky Mountain Bighorn, there has never been, prior to the beginning of the present Biennium, sufficient recuperation of the species to justify even a limited open season. Extended studies in the field have convinced the De- partment of Game and Fish that poaching was the one major reason for the sheep ' s inability to stage a comeback. The Bighorn has few natural enemies and after the first year is extremely hardy. With this analysis to indicate the source of tho difficulty the game wardens and National Forest Service employees in the sheep areas have risen to the occasion with efficient enforcement measures. As a result the herds appear to be responding in a most satisfactory way. It is estimated that the total Bighorn population of the State now numbers between 2800 and 3000 animals. For the most part they are well scattered in small bands throughout the more rugged mountain areas, so that proper protection and management should, in a few years, provide hunting on a limited scale. In fact, the Department's specialists on game management h~ve expressed the belief that a limited kill of rams mature would be in nowise detrimental and might be beneficial to some of the herds, as the sex ratio of rams to ewes is beyond all breeding requirements . The "Tarryall" herd is the largest in the State and is estimated at 625 head. This band has built up rapidly as a result of a combination of favorable factors. Both the stockmen of the area and the U.S. Forest Service have given extraordinary cooperation. The range is especially well suited to their requirements, and the game wardens of the area have been �- 14 - exceedingly diligent in their protection. 11 The Department is now working on a managemen1.n program for this herd . For the best interests of Bighorn management it is essential that an increasing cooperation with the stock raising interests is highly desirable. There is considerable evidence to justify the belief that the running of domestic sheep on the Bighorn's range may tend to introduce parasites or diseases characteristic to the domestic animals. Eventually the U. s. Forest Service may find it advisable to modify its grazing permit regulations in such a way as to better accommodate the requirements of the Bighorn population in areas especially suited to their requirements . ELK The Wapiti, or American Elk, are definitely on the increase in Colorado at a pace considerably above the normal rate of kill by resident sportsmen . At the present rate of over-all increase it is apparent that some effective encouragement must be given out-of-state sportsmen to interest them in much greater numbers to do their hunting in Colorado, or large scale "controlled" killing must soon be resorted to along with plann~d distribution of the meat. Damage claims due to crop destruction by Elk are already reaching prohibitive figures in some areas of the State. To give an idea of the rapid increase in Elk, the Denver Mountain Park herd was started in 1915 by the introduction of twenty cows and five bulls. The herd within thirty or forty miles of Denver, has definitely out- grown its territory. They have stripped their summer range to a place where it will require years for complete recovery, even if immediate control measures are instituted. The winter feeding has obviously become a major problem �of the Departm nt of Game and Fish. Th depl~tion of natural food has forced the Elk down into the lower country and on o the ranches as early as ugust. As many as 845 were counted on one ranch at the same time in late Augus When the public comes to know the true situation the present opposition to adequate control will undoubtedly disappear. Other excessive concentrations of E.k are the Gunnison herd num- bering about 3,000 head, the Durango herd of about 1,500, the Saguache-Rio Grande herd of an ~qual number and the White River and Denver MJunt&in Parks herds of approximately the same size. ject to heavy winter losses. Unlike the deer, the Elk are not sub- The present Elk population of the State is estimated at from 18,000 to 20,000 animals. It would require an annual kill of five or six thousand head to keep the numbers within bounds. The fact that the licensed kill has never reached as many as 3,000 suggests the problem facing the Colorado Game and Fish Commission in dealing with Elk management. MULE DEER As far as can be ascertained by the division of game management of the Colorado Department of GaIDe and Fish, the Mule Deer is the only species of deer to be found anywhere in the State at the present time. Persistent reports of Blacktail in some localities invariably turn out, when investigated, to be merely the persistence of an old misnomer for the Mule Deer. localities of In many he Rockies they are still popularly known as Blacktails because of the black tip on the end of the tail, in distinguishing them fr ru the Whitetail, or Virginia Deer, which inhabits th~ same range in many places of the Western States. �- 16 - As far as is known, Colorado has no Whitetail Deer although they persisted in several localities until very r~cently. The last one reported to have been killed in the State was in Las Animas County in 1935 or 193?. Dur- ing 1941 a definite attempt was made by Mr. Gilbert N. Hunter, Sup~rintendent of Game Management, to ascertain if any were still to be found. He failed to locate a single Whitetail in his field studies and was unable to verify the existence of the species by a canvass among ranchers in their former range. Apparently poaching has been the principal factor in their extinction. The bottom lands of the Arkansas and Platte appear to be well suited as a natural habitat for the species. In a response to an inquiry from the Game and Fish Department, Mr. Prowers Hudnall, of Las Animas wrote in part: 11 I have always understood there were three does and two bucks turned loose in 1880, by John W. Prowers, on the land owned by him from Caddoa to Lamar. In the early nineties they were quite plentiful along the river for a distance of twenty miles, and until the timber was destroyed in 1921 by high water and lat-er removed for wood. Also the new owners of the land did little to protect them, with the result that they have almost entireily disappeared. I believe there are a very few left." The Mule Deer are rapidly spreading to ~be plains areas where they have not been known since the days of concentrated market hunting. Small herds were recently reported from the vicinities of La Junta, Byers and Fort Morgan. In 1913 the Mule Deer population had reached a low of 16,000 animals (less than the present annual kill by licensed hunters). mate is 248,000 head . The present esti- In 1921 the first State Gama Refuges were created after the animals had enjoyed a closed season from 1913 ~o 1918. Like Lhe Elk they �- 17 - have staged such a rapid comeback as to be a definite menace to agriculture and stock raising in many localities. Although the Mule Deer is not a direct competitor to any great extent, with domestic stock they have exhausted their available winter food supply on many of their ranges and are having to be fed hay on feeding grounds where they concentrate in large numbers. Being an animal whose normal food consists almost entirely of browse, many die of "malnutrition" on the winter feeding grounds, surrounded by an abundance of hay. loss exceeds the hunter kill. In some areas the winter An actual count showed a loss of 1,365 head on the Gunnison feeding grounds in 1940. It seems evident that the only solution is to reduce the herds to the natural carrying capacities of their respective ranges. The average increase of the Mule Deer herds of the state is estimated at 33-1/3%, which is considered conservative. At this rate hunters would have to kill between 50,000 and 60,000 deer annually, of which at least half would have to be does, in order to hold the herds in check, provided such kill could be proportionately distributed through0ut the State. The largest estimate ever made for a season's kill in the State was 20,000 head. Every- one is in agreement that it would be much more satisfactory to carry on the control through the regular hunting license system. But the hunting capacity in a population as small as that of Colorado can hardly be expected to measure up to the requirements, under the most favorable conditions. As a matter of fact, the State has never sold more than half the necessary number of licenses - resident and non-resident combined. The largest single herd of Deer in the State is the White River - �- 18 - Piceance herd, estimated at 40 1 000 head. This herd migrates into the low country west of the Craig-Maeker-Rifle highway out of their summer range in the higher country of the White River watershed as winter approaches. Unlike many of the herds that "drift" gradually from their summer to their winter ranges this herd appears to migrate almost en-mass over a period of a very few days. As the largest percentage of their winter food is browse from the sage brush, they spread out over the large area of sage brush country available and have not yet become a major problem in winter feeding. However, their summer range is being depleted to the point of endangering its future existence. The second largest herd in the state is the Gunnison herd of 22,000 Deer. This is one of the "problem" herds because of its size and the fact that there is no adequate winter range available. Their summer range is so immense that it involves no immediate problem, so long as the numbers do not increase beyond the present level. However, the cost of winter feeding, coupled with the unsatisfactory results obtained from feeds now available, appears to make the cutting down of this herd a practical necessity. Other problem herds, where crop damage and winter feeding have assumed major proportions, are the Minnesota Creek herd of 2,500, the Hermosa herd of 2,200, and the Holy Cross herd of 10,000. Control, through management, of all these and many smaller herds of Deer in the State, awaits some satisfactory solution in the very near future. Certainly any provision for control must provide for the killing of many times the number of does that have ever been killed in the past. ANTELOPE From a condition of almost extinction a few years ago the Colorado Antelope have effected a remarkable recovery. It is estimated that the herds �- 19 number approximately 6,000 head at the present time. Most of these are on the prairies east of the Rockies, although scattered bands variously estimated at from 1,000 to 2,000 head drift back and forth, seasonably, between northwestern Colorado and southwestern Wyoming. The largest single herd, variously estimated at from 400 to 600 , ranges in the vicinity of Pinyon. Antelope are fairly well distributed over the entire eastern section of the State. Increasing numbers of complaints from ranchers indicate that considerable damage is being done to crops in certain areas. The distribution of the Antelope is being aided by trapping them in corral-traps, where too numerous, and transplanting in other areas where they might be expected to thrive. There can be little question but that they must very soon be held in check by some form of controlled hunting, through the issue of a limited number of licenses, or some other plan devised by the Game and Fish Commission. Our sister state of Wyoming has apparently found such a system quite satisfactory. MOOSE During the pe riod since the last previous "biennial report" Moose have b9en consistently reported by stockmen in Routt County. An attempt will be made during the coming winter by the Department of Game and Fish to verify the reports and get a census of Moose in the region. The nature of the country and its remoteness from traveled roads has prevented a general game survey of the district up to the present time. BUFFALO Although Buffalo have not been listed as one of Colorado's species of wild g~me for ~any years, there are fifteen head reported at large on the public domain, having been released from captivity by private owners. �- 20 GOAT The Rocky Mountain Goat may soon be listed among Colorado game animals. The Game and Fish Commission has negotiated with Montana for an exchange of Colorado Rocky Mountain Bighorns for a few head of Rocky Mountain Goals as breeding stock to be released in some suitable environment in our State. BEAR Colorado has an estimated Bear population of 5,000 of the common Black and Brown species, and 5 Grizzlies. The hunting season on them runs concurrently with the combined seasons on Deer and Elk. It is believed by many that the Bear problem merits considerable further study by the State Legislature. GAME FEEDING AND RELATED PROBLEMS Before the advent of the rifle, all species of wildlife were limited in numbers by the food supply available and, particularly in regions subject to heavy snowfall, by the supply of winter forage to which they had access. Civilization has brought the cultivation of lands once the principal winter feeding grounds of most big game species, and combined grazing by game and livestock has depleted many other winter, as well as summer ranges. Where man wishes to continue the propagation of larger herds of game than the natural environment affords, two problems inevitably develop. There will be more or less damage to growing crops and stored feeds that are not adequately fenced, and it becomes necessary to engage in supplementary feeding during a part of the year. As has been pointed out in a previous section, Colorado has reached the point in her big game populations where they have far outgrown their �- 21 - natural winter food supplies in many localities. In fact there are recognized to be seventeen such areas, with seven of them involving great numbers of Deer and Elk. As might be expected, an increasing amount of damage is being done to cultivated crops where the concentrations are near populous, cultivated lands. As a result of these complications it has been necessary for the State to provide for winter feeding on the one hand and for assuming some responsibility on the other hand for damage by game animals. The Legislature has made limited provision for both contingencies. WINTER FEEDING OF DEER, ELK AND BIGHORNS The matter of winter feeding game animals is not as simple a problem as the public is generally lead to believe. While Elk do fairly well on a diet of hay, Deer will die in great numbers of malnutrition on the feed grounds. A careful check has been kept of the mortality rate on the Gunnison feed grounds for the past three years and in each of them the winterkill, from malnutrition, has considerably exceeded the hunter kill. Studies seem to show that the Deer must has a considerable amount of "browse" to accompany hay, which the wintering grounds of the Gunnison district do not have. Unless some more satisfactory type of feed can be developed it would seem that the only solution would be radical reduction of the herds. Colorado's big game feeding operations for the Biennium cost the State $46,203.00. Of this amount approximately $24,000.00 went to labor and other operating costs, and the remaining $22,203.00 paid for 2,387 tons of feed, of which the major bulk was hay. chased and fed. However, some concentrates were pur- The Gunnison herds of Deer and Elk are the most serious prob- lems from the standpoint of game management, and consumed 1,747 tons of feed �- 22 - at a cost of $18,246.27. The Gunnison district has a ninety day feeding sea- son, employs four trucks and eleven teams for part time. Five men, in addi- tion to the teamsters, are regularly employed at a total "overhead'' cost of $12,500.00 for the two year period. The Glenwood Springs-B~salt District, like the Gunnison, has a ninety day feeding season. It employed four full time men and one man part time, and used four trucks in connection with the operations. Salaries end wages for the Biennium amounted to approximately $3,000.00 with an additional overhead of $1,400.00. The Office records show a purchase of 149 tons of feed at a cost of $1,604.81 for the Biennium; making a total feeding cost, in the area, of $4,604.81. Although the White River herds of big game are the largest in the State they have comparatively more winter range that is suitable to their use than many of the other groups. sion of the herds. This was pointed out in the general discus- The feeding season averages only seventy days but three men are employed, with three teams and one truck as their regular equipment. Purchase orders show but 152 tons of feed at a cost of $886.00 for the Biennium, with labor and overhead expense of about $1,700.00. The Middle Park District is another of the ninety day feeding areas. It employs two men with two tru. ks and one team and the salaries, wages and operating expense averages about $1,025.00 per year. The feed bill for the Biennium was $1,981.65 for 170 tons. The feed bill for the Steamboat Springs district amcunted to $468.00 for 71 tons of feed. Two men and one truck took care of the feeding which extended over a seventy-five day period each year. tion to the feed, amounted to $1,300.00 for the Biennium. The cost, in addi • �- 23 - The average feeding season at Durango is 60 days and three men with one car and one truck do the work. Wages and operating expenses ran to approx- imately $1;500.00 for the Biennium witb a bill for feed of $458.65 for 43 tons of feed, some of which was cull apples. In the Ouray-Ridgway district two men with a car and a truck managed the feeding of the game of the area, consisting chiefly of a band of Rocky Mountain Bighorns. The feeding season for them averaged 60 days with the feed- ing of 37 tons of alfalfa and other hay costing $349.00. Other expenses for the Biennium amounted to $1,120.00. In other small areas game consumed 20 tons of feed at a little over $200.00 cost. In a few places the local ranchers are themselves suffi- ciently conservation-minded to care for the game feeding situation without any assistance from the State. As one such instance it is worth noting that a herd of about two thousand head, near Paonia, has been taken care of in this way for years - usually receiving tbe choicest of the alfalfa crop. In this case the State pays for the hay fed, and last year tbe ranchers of the district donated 300 tons of cull apples. DAMAGE PREVEf-.lTION AND COSTS --~-----------The State of Colorado recognizes a limited responsibility for the damage to private property and growing crops resulting from the depredations of the varieties of Wild Life enjoying protection under the law. As a result of this recognition on the part of the Law the Game and Fish Commission has set up, within the Dapartment, agencies for preventing damage in so far as E::ffective measures to this end can be set up. In addition to the regular warden staff, two men are regularly employed as Deer herders. Their duties are, as �- 24 - the title suggests, to keep Deer (as well as other game animals) away from areas where damage would result from their presence . Som~ of this work con- sists of fencing haystacks so that Deer and Elk can not get to privately owned hay in winter when it is impossible to keep the animals in the high country. In some cases it is even necessary to eliminate the animals themselves. Under such cir cumstances the meat is distributed to the Counties for charitable purposes . In a few instances rather large scale fencing operations have been un- dertaken as necessary control measures. Cash reimbursement to the landowner for damage to crops is given only in aggravated cases as the Department's whole emphasis is on 11 prevent.ion 11 • Where preventive measures have been inef- fectual the State has paid a minimum number of claims in cash. The total amount paid in this way for the Biennium amounted to only $1,478 9~. The cost of damage prevention for the Biennium has cost the Department of Game and Fish $9,077.24, distributed by Counties as follows: Gunnison $1,661.06; Eagle $711.96; Ouray $805.17; Rio Blanco Sl,980 49; Routt $1,037.49; Larimer $11.90; Grand $701.92; Park $123.34; Mesa $344.51; Delta $479.09; Montrose $58.10; Archuleta $85.20; El Paso $28.56; La Plata $818.12; Jefferson $137.36; Pitkin $30.50; Conejos $62.42. The foregoing figures represent cost of fencing and, in some instances, labor. UPLAND GAME BIRDS WILD 'TURKEY Coloradans may soon have the op~ortunity to hunt America's noblest game bird, the Wild Turkey, under controlled hunting and licensing condi~ions, if recommendations of the game management division of the Department of Game and Fish is put into practical application by the Commission. The species �- 25 - found in the State is the "Merriam Turkey", which is native to the region. There was serious talk of a limited season last year in San Juan County, which has 6,000 of the 7,000 birds estimated for the State as a whole. Other Counties in which limited numbers of Wild Turkey may be found are Las Animas, Huerfano, Pueblo 1 El Paso and Mesa. SAGE GROUSE The Sage Chicken, or Sage Grouse, is subject to the mortality cycles common to grouse, rabbits and some other species of small game birds and animals. At times they are extremely numerous and at other times approach extermination. With strict enforcement they are now very definitely on the "up cycle" and are quite plentiful in some localities. They are quite gener- ally distributed over the areas of the State suitable to their use. BLUE: GROUSE Like the Sage Chicken, the Blue Grouse is again definitely on the rising curve of the mortality cycle. They are also distributed generally over the high timbered country suited to their habits. However, unlike the Sage Grouse, they are not yet approaching a point where an open season could be considered for them. PTARMIGAN The Ptarmigan are barely holding their own against the poaching which has so long prevailed in the high ranges. Unless law enforcement can be made more effectjve it seems hardly likely that an open season on them can be anticipated at any time in the near future. QUAIL There are four varieties of quail to be found in our State. The Bobwhi e is making liLLle headway, apparcnLly due to the fact that he is not �- 26 adapted to tha type of cover characteristic of the State. Tbis conclusion is 13Ubject to revision as a result of a.ddiLional study by the research division. The Scala Quail is at present confined to La.a Animas and neighboring Counties, but is working north. The Gambel Quail is to be found in Mesa 1 M~ntrosa, and Dalta Counties - and the California Quail is distributed throughout Lhe same areas. Limited hunting appears to have scattered the flocks and is assisting in their distribution, thus having & beneficial result. BAND- TAILED PIGEON It is estimated that 12,000 of this cousin of the extinct Passenger Pigeon is resident in Colorado during the nesting and hunting seasons. Being a. mig.r atory bird, their control rests largely with the Federal Government. Five states now have short open seasons on them and it may be but a short time until the sportsmen of this State may add them to their legal bag They are rather widely scattered but their distribution is of game birds. not general as they congregate in large flocks evan during the nesting season. Some dama.g,a to grain and fruit has been reported during the past year due to the Band-Tailed Pigeon. PHEASANTS Tne Bing leek Phea.sant is pretty well distributed over 24 counties of the State. T~e est1wated population is about 1,000,000. The original stock consisted mostly of Chinese Pheasants, but since the new State Bird Farm began production of stock for planting in 1939 they have concentrated on the Mongolian, which is considered a hardier bird. As these become gen- erally distributed the resultant bird will eventually baa cross between the two species. �- 27 - CHUKARS The Chukar Partridge is a new bird to our State. The stocking pro- gram has not gone far enough to say positively how well it is adapted to the environment Colorado has to offer. On account of their peculiar, protective coloration, they are hard to detect in cover. For this reason there may be more of them than the casual observer is lead to believe . According to the Game Management division, the situation looks sufficiently favorable to justify continuation of the s tocking program. MIGRATORY WATERFOWL DUCKS Colorado is not one of the major duck-producing states and is not located on the course of one of the major flyways, although a million or more ducks may cross the State annually in their migration southward. It is vari- ously estimated that from a quarter million to a half million ducks, mostly Mallards, winter in our State, depending upon food and water conditions. Oc- casionally they do considerable damage to corn and other crops left in the fields for late harvest. It is believed that the number of ducks nesting in Colorado are about holding their own in numbers and that there has been a steady increase on the flyways and of the numbers wintering with us since the low mark of the drought period. The most extensive nesting areas are in the San Luis Vally, in North Park, and up and down the Platte River. A great many others are distributed throughout the mountain country wherever suitable conditions exist. Caddoa Reservoir is expected to provide an additional ne&tin& area of a superior type where complete protection can be extended. �- 28 - GEESE There is no reliable information as to the number of geese making stops in Colorado during the migratory season. Those who have made a study of the situation believe that they are on the increase since our last report was issued. However, their distribution changes from year to year with the changes in location of available food. This fact is apparently responsible for the common opinion in many localities that Geese in the State are on the decrease. They have shifted feeding grounds to a considerable extent in the past few years. PREDATORY BIRD CONTROL Since the last Biennial report issued by the Department of Game and Fish, a new service has been inaugurated for the elimination of excessive concentrations of injurious birds. It has a dual purpose in that it is de- signed to protect the farmer and poultryman as well as to protect the eggs and young of game and song birds from their worst enemies - the Crows and Magpies. Although the various predatory species of hawks are sometimes considered undesirable most of them do more good than harm and no concerted attempL has been made to disturb even the two or three varieties usually classed as undesirable. The whole emphasis, as far as the work of the Department is concerned, has been concentrated on the Crow and Magpie. In March, 1937, the first Predatory Bird Trapper was put in the field. A second was provided for in the appropriation for the ensuing Biennium, suggesting the significance of the service. Since the work was first begun, to the close of the Biennium, the Department's Predatory Bird Trapper built more than 100 stationary Magpie traps for landowners from materials supplied by them. For his own use, the Trapper has constructed �- 29 twelve portable traps, each ten feet square, which he sets up anywhere in the State where large concentrations of Magpies are reported. He has caught and killed more than 50 1 000 of these birds in this way, in addition to the thousands taken by landowners in the traps which he has built for them. per's average has been between 1,200 and 1,500 birds per month. The Trap- By consistent work the worst infested areas of the State are now pretty well under control. The work on Crows has necessarily taken on the character of Crowhunts as they are too wary for wholesale trapping. However, they have the habit of roosting in great flocks, and organized "shoots", at night, with large numbers of hunters participating, have proved very effective as a control measure . In one such "shoot" 86 men with shotguns killed 2,000 Crows with a single loading of their guns. The successful "bombing" of one roost. netted 3,000 Crows. The Crow is noted as an egg eater and a destroyer of young birds and his presence in some areas of the State had become scarcely tolerable when the campaign against him began. With consistent "control 11 over the past few years it is estimated that not more than 3,000 of them remain in the Denver area. This Crow population could probably be maintained without serious injury to either the landowner or the bird life of the region. A total of more than 25,000 Crows have been killed since the inauguration of the Predatory Bird Control measures went into effect. BEAVER Since tha preparatlon of the last Biennial Report of tha Department of Game and Fish (1936) the Beaver of the State have increased from an estimated low of 5,0CO to a present population of 50,000. Wh~n the Game and �- 30 - Fish Commission was created authority was provided under which a beavermanagement program was set up and trapping and transplanting operations were carried on, together with increased emphasis upon protection from poachers. The original law applying to Beaver permitted landowners to trap not to exceed ten Beaver per year (from their own land} of which the State took 50% of the proceeds. This law was repealed, and the Beaver Law of 1941, placed all beaver-trapping in the hands of the State Game and Fish Department's trappers. Under this legislation any landowner might request the pelting of all Beaver on his land or any portion of them and receive from the State one-half the proceeds from their sale; with the additional provision that the State may take up to 10% of the total number without sharing proceeds with the landowner. If damage to crops necessitates removal of Beaver at seasons of the year when pelts are valueless the animals are removed by the Department's trappers to suitable locations elsewhere. This law gives the Fish and Game Department complete control of every phase of the Beaver problem and places sufficient men in the field to reduce illegal killing to a minimum. Records for the Biennium show that approximately 6,000 Beaver were pelted by the trappers of the Department during the first half and 12,000 during the last half of the Biennium. During the Fiscal Year 1940-41 about 3,000 Beaver were removed from lands where they were doing damage, and from unsuitable surroundings, and were transplanted to areas needing restocking. The reestablishment of the Beaver at the headwaters of drainage systems is of inestimable benefit in conserving a steady stream flow, as well as in improving fishing conditions on small streams wherever dams are built. It is estimated by those in charge of the Beaver Control in the �- 31 - State that tbeir numbers increase by 100% each year. no natural enemies. The Beaver has almost Under present conditions it is estimated that 50,000 is the maximum number that can be supported without depleting their own food supply or being a menace to landowners. However; it is pointed out that by a gradual process of slow stocking the Beaver will actually increase their own food supply, through sub-irrigation from their dams, to the point where Colorado should support a population of 100,000 and possibly somewhat more than this number. It has been found that as Beaver increase they have a tendency to go down stream to establish new colonies and that even though the landowner may require all Beaver to be trapped from his land, he can probably depend upon an annual crop of pelts which he contributed nothing toward producing . The new law appears, for the most part, to be very satisfactory to the owners of the land, as it relieves them of the task of doing the trapping themselves and at the same time gives thew the same proportion of the value of the pelts as under the old law. From the standpoint of the Game and Fish Department the new arrangement provides more adequate opportunities for control. In connection with the Beaver Management program. plans are being laid for the introduction of Black Beaver of one of the Northern types. The native Colorado species have apparently migrated in from the Bio Grande, Colorado, Arkansas and Platte river systems where the less valuable fur types predominated. If the more valuable strains can be brought in and gradually substituted it will eventually mean thousands of dollars annually in increased prices for the pelts. The northern varieties currently bring fully 25% higher prices on the fur markets than can be realized from our present sto ck. As the �- 32 - law makes possible the purchase of breeding stock from outside the State, the problems involved in building up the quality are merely those of management. OTHER FUR BEARING ANIMALS The 1939 session of the Colorado Legislature passed a bill extending, for the first time, protection to all fur bearing animals not classed as predators. Under its provisions the Game and Fish Commission may set open seasons, or close seasons entirely, on any or all species, as it may see fit. Under this law the control of the fur resources of the State is made possible and future generations assured of a continuing supply of this most valuable source of natural wealth. The pelts from native Colorado fur-bearers, with the possible exception of M~rten, are of a considerably lower quality than from some other sections of the United States. The reason for this is probably the same asap- plies to the Beaver - that the stock originally migrated in from southern, or at least warmer areas, with thinner pelted strains. In connection with the proposed program of importing and cultivating better strains of Beaver, the division of fur resources is studying the possibility of including better grades of Muskrat and Mink in the same pens or breeding areas. If this proves successful the output of these production areas would be distributed throughout the State as breeding stock to raise tr-e general standard of the Colorado pelts in future years. BADGER The National Forest Service reports that under their last count there were a total of 4,200 B3dger within the National Forests. In some areas they are undoubtebly very valuable in holding down rodent populations, �- 33 - while in others they occasionally kill poultry and may interfere with nesting game birds. In addition to being a valuable fur-bearer they unquestionably occupy an important place in vermin control. MARTEN The Marten, being one of the most valuable of our State's furbearers and also very easily trapped, had become extremely scarce by the time protection was finally extended. The Game and Fish Commision closed the sea- son on them for 1940-41 to allow opportunity for recuperation and set a short season for 1941-42. With this protection it is estimated that at the close of the current Biennium the total number was not in excess of distributed throughout the altitude above 9,000 feet. 2,ooo,· well WiLh proper management they should rapidly increase to a point where they will again become a major source of income to the Colorado Trapper. MINK Mink are well distributed over our entire State. Being of a roving nature they have a tendency to migrate into the headwater areas in the Spring and back to the lower levels in the Fall. It is more difficult to determine their actual numbers on account of their habits, but the best estimate does no~ exceed 2,000 animals. If it is true it may be that a shorter trapping season or some type of temporary protection should be considered for so valuable a fur species. BACCOON These interesting fur-bearers are increasing along the Pic1.tte River, which is the only region in the State where they have regained much of a foothold since intens~ve trapping had practically elimlnated them from Colorado's �wildlife. There are probably not more than 350 Raccoon in the entire State. Howaver, many olhar localities are suitable as a habitat and the SLate is or undoubtedly capable supporting large numbers of them. OPOSSUM What has been said of Raccoon applies equally to the Opossum. They now inhabit the Platte almost exclusively and number not to exceed about 250 animals. The season was closed on the Baccoon and Opossum during 1940-41. SKUNK The Striped Skunk is well distributed over Colorado except in the high altitudes. It is probably holding its own at about 30,000 animals. There are poesibly as many as 1,000 of the small spotted skunks, or civit cats, in the southern part of the State. WEASEL The Weasel is well distributed over the entire State from the higher altitudes down to the lowest river bottoms. be entirely too low. An estimate of 7,000 may They have been protected in the Grand Mesa National Forest for purpose of rodent ccntrol. FOX The trapper division estimates the number of Fox in Colorado at only 1,500, of which a large maj rity are of the gray species which has little commercial value. Thie calculation would suggest that the forested areas might support a. much larger population of Red Fox and others of the mere valuable fur species. MUSKRAT Tha Muskrat population of Colorado is estimated at 110,000. They �- 35 - are well distributed and constitute a valuable asset. On account of their prolific tendencies they seem to be holding their own in spite cf intensive trapping. More adequate regulation might increase their numbers very mater- ially without damage to anyone. The Colorado strain of rat could stand considerable improvement and should pay many times over for the costs i~volved, if such a course is found practicable. The substitution of one of the more valuable fur types should increase the total returns by at least 25%. Although not generally classed as fur-bearers, it may be of interest to report that within the National Forests it is estimated that there are 78,000 Snowshoe Rabbits, 65,000 Abert Squirrel and 53,000 Porcupines. Both the Snowshoe Rabbit and the Porcupine are in varying degrees injurious to the timber. The rabbit feeds to some extent on young trees and may at times strip an area of them. The Porcupine kills the tops of many mature conifers by girdling them in feeding on the bark. As to the number of Cottontails and Jack Raboits there are no reliable estimates. For the season of 1939 - 40 we have the f~rst reliable esLimates of the number of fur-bearers taken in Colorado. Except for Coyote and Skunk, the figures are at least fairly accurate as they were secured from licensed fur buyers who were required to keep account of the number of skins purchased. Coyote and Skunk, being classed as predators, need not go through the hands of licensed dealers, and the figures given for them are estimates by the personnel of the Fur Resources division of the Glme and Fish Department. On all other species it is not likely that more than five to ten percenL escaped enuraeration with the exception of Badger, which i8 conceded as be1~2 considerably higher than the number listed. The figures given in the accompanying table may be considered as below, rather than above the actual take. �- 36 - TABLE SHOWING NUMBER OF FURBEAR~B~ TAKEN DURING THE BIENNIUM 1939-11 ----------------SPECIES 1939-40 Take Muskrat 73,?73 Skunk 22,455 Coyotes Weasel 25,000 3,2?2 Civet Cat 1940-41 Take 90,529 16,401 20,?50 1,804 1,794 1,494 1,311 Bobcat and Lynx B.'idger Mink 639 Marten Fox (All Species) Raccoon Hingtail Cat 553 441 104 ?90 1,275 1,01? ltl64 Protected 413 Protected 46 PREDATORY ANIMALS Although considerable is being done in connection with the control of predators by both the State and Federal Wild Life Service in Colorado, there is no accurate estimate of total numbers in the State. The Forestry Service estimates that there are in the neighborhcod of 300 Mountain Lion on the National Forests. Since most, if not all, of the Lion are in the National Forests it is probable that their figure represents approximately the 6tate•s total. On the other hand the 26,000 Coyotes estimated to be within the Forest boundaries may be less than a third of the total for the State, but no attempt has been made at enumerating them for the entire territory outside the National Forests. There are probably not more than two or three hundred Canadian Lynx in Colorado, mostly in the forested areas. The other Chief Predator is the Bobcat. or which 6,000 are estimated to be within the National Forests. Tbere are probably as many or more outside, but again no one is willing to hazard more than a "guess". �In addition to the animal predators many Crow and Magpies have been disposed of by agents of the State and Federal governments. The extent to which these birds are undesirable depends very largely upon the character of the locality inhabited by them. In general, they probably do more harm than good in the more densely populated agricultural regions of the State. STATE GAME FARM Colorado State Game Farm came into existence with the Biennium covered in this report. Prior to that time the State had leased limited facilities from Fremont County. This continues to be leased and is used now only as a brooding unit for the surplus of birds hatched at the State owned unit located just out of Colorado Springs. As a matter of fact, the two units combined are entirely inadequate to take care of tbe needs of the small flock of br~eding stock of Pheasants and Chukar Partridges maintained at present. No provision wl1atever is made for any of the species of quail which sportsmen are so anxious to see propagated and more widely distributed. Neither is there any provision for production or experimentation in connection with our native grouse. Appropriation of additional funds for expansion cf facilities at the Bird Farm is among the most outstanding needs of the Game and Fish Department. The limited facilities at hand make the operation of tho farm extremely uneconomical. The present Bird Farm setup consists of a Superintendent's Cottage, an Incubator Building, Office Building (including garage, heating plant and assistant's quarters), a rough storage shed, and ten rearing pen units. The developed area occupies about five a~res of the 300 acre tract included in the State Bird Farm. The rearing units are all of the "general 11 �- 38 rather than "specialized" type and are m>t adaptable to the rearing of many species of game birds. As the brooding units accommodate only 100 birds each and but three broods can be handled each year, the maximum capacity is at present only 3000 birds for the entire season. Even with the limited breeding stock being maintained at present the egg production is many times greater than the combined brooder capacities of both the old leased farm and the new facilities. This will be evident to anyone studying the accompanying facts relative to distribution of young birds and eggs. The fact that considerably more than half the total production had to be released in the form of eggs and day-old chicks, for lack of facilities, is revealing. Present egg production methods applied to Pheasants is to place the birds in large pens, one hundred to the pen, with each cock. a ratio of 6 hens to Here they are fed highly concentrated egg-producing foods and the eggs are deposited promiscuously on the ground. The birds seldom show any signs of desiring to brood and continue to lay throughout the season. This is an accepted method of handling Pheasants, which are polygamous birds. Although the Chukar Partridge is by nature monogamous, and for that reason much harder to mate and rear in captivity, the Game Farm Management is pioneering in an experiment to produce eggs from concentrations of large numbers of birds in spacious pens as is the practice with Pheasants. Where they were thus confined last season with a ratio of one cock to two hens the result seemed to be as satisfactory, from the fertile egg production standpoint, as where they were close-confined in pairs. next year with the ratio reduced to four to one. A trial will be made �- 33 - The first year's production of the State Bird Farm (1939; all from eggs) was 1,123 Pheasants and 1,443 Chukars. were carried over as breeding stock. 430 Pheasants and 325 Chukars The 1940 production figures w~re 3,766 twelve-week old Pheasants (normal age for release) and 1,008 twelve-week-old Chukars. During the same time 5,448 Pheasant eggs and f91 Chukar eggs were distributed to sportsmen's clubs and 4 -H Clubs; and 1,132 day-old Pheasants and 744 day-old Chukars were sent to various groups over the State. The 1941 distribution, up to the close of the Biennium, June 30, 1941, was 2,049 Pheasant eggs, 154 Chukar eggs, 2,445 day-old Pheasant chicks, 645 Chukar chicks, 552 twelve-week-old Pheasants and 90 Chukars. The addi- tional distribution for the 1941 brooding season was 620 day-old Chukars, 5,361 twelve week-old Pheasants and 3,140 Chukars. All production figures in- clude both the output of the State owned and the leased f~cilities. Chukar Partridges were rel~ased in every County 1n the State, and Pheasants in all but a half dozen. A total of 260 Scale Quail were 1eared in 1939-40 but their production was discontinued because of the lack of suitable equipment and facilities. The most pressing need in connection with the whole upland bird problem is to have thousands of small refuges distributed ov~r the State where breeding stock can be released and be assured of protection while they provide the natural increase for surrounding areas that are op~n for hunting. The sooner some such plan can be worked out and put into operation, the sooner will the State have good bird hunting, well distributed and at a cost not prohibitive to the State. �- 40 - PITTMAN-ROBERTSON ACTIVITY IN COLORADO The Federal aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (50 Stat. 917), also known as the "Pittman-Robertson Act", was approved September 2, 1937. Funds accumulated under this act through a 10% Federal tax on sporting arms and ammunition, became available to the states for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1938. The Colorado Game and Fish Commission early took action to qualify un- der its provisions in order to participate in the allocation of PittmanRobertson funds. To confirm the eligibility of Colorado to continue partici- pation in these funds, the State Legislature enacted an enabling act empowering and directing the Commission to proceed under terms of the Federal act. Colorado's activity under the bill dates from December 1, 1938 under the supervision of Mr. Arthur Carhart, who at first divided his time between Federal and State agencies in tbe wildlife program. Later he was made full-time Coordinator of the Pittman-Robertson work in the State under the general direction of the Colorado State Department of Game and Fish. The Federal act provides for three aspects of activity in connection with their cooperation with the states in aid toward wildlife restoration - the acquisition of lands for game production areas, whereby game species would be benefited, various types of development in the interests of wildlife, such as the planting of cover, fencing for protection of habitats, water development, release of brood stock, and research into gam.e and game management problems. Projects to the number of twenty have been undertaken and some of them have already been completed. These have been numbered in their chronological order and assigned the letters L, Dor R indicating the nature of the particular project. L, indicates land acquisition; D, stands �- 41 - for development; R, for research. The research has, for the most part, taken on the nature of investigation rather than an aostract laboratory character. In this, college trained men have been employed almost entirely. On July 1, 1938, $22,438.53 in Federal Funds were assigned to Colorado to be matched by $7,479.51 in State Funds -- the Pittman-Robertson Act having provided for the matching of State Funds on a three to one basis. This made $29,918.14 available for the budget of the fiscal year. SAPINERO DEER AND ELK SURVEY -------- Project No. 1-R gave employment to five college-trained men with special preparation in fields suited to the requirements of the work. $6,945.22 was assigned for the project and a survey was instituted to ascertain information relative to the Sapinero Deer and Elk herds which had already become serious problems in game management on account of their having outgrown the available food supply. A census was made, food requirements and supply were studied and a determination was made of disease-parasite relationships, annual loss and increase, sex ratios and feeding habits. Project 1-R was laid down so that as the work progressed, extensive studies would proceed from groundwork of a more intensive nature. BEAVER SURVEY Project No 2-R was a Beaver survey with a gross appropriation of $2,395.75. Work on it was begun in April 1939. Its object was to secure reasonably accurate data on numbers of Beaver, and opportunities for transplanting and subsequent harvest under a follow-up of definite management. The results of this study undoubtedly supplied some of the background for the Colorado Beaver Bill of 1941. �- 42 - THE SAPINERO GAME RANGE ---------The third project undertaken under the Pittman-Robertson Act was the logical follow-up of the original research study. Under the title "Project No. 3-L" there was set aside 17,000 acres of grazing land in the Sapinero area for the exclusive use of wild game. Of this acquisition, 6,300 acres were purchased from private owners at a cost of $19,040.00 - and tbe additional land was added through the cooperation of the Federal Grazing Service. This fine piece of cooperation between the various State and Federal agencies makes possible the carrying on of a very significant dev~lopment in the reclaiming of land for wildlife uses by giving game primary use preferences. THE COLORADQ MASTER PLAN As of July 1, 1939 Project No. 4-R was sponsored as a Master Plan for coordinating all subsequent wildlife investigations in the State. It em- braced an over-all plan of coordination for research in connection with all the game animals and game birds of the State. Work under it was immediately begun on Deer, Elk, Bighorn, Antelope, Sage Grouse, Beaver and other furbearers. By 1940, a total of $29,610.82 (including expenditures for essential field equipment) had been assigned to the Project. As a result of the Antelope investigations, a development project is under way whereby it is planned to transplant large numbers of Antelope from over-populated areas to new environments, as these animals do not naturally seek out new locations of their own free choice as do most other species of big game. This is illustrative of projects in game rehabilitation resulting from investigations under Project 4-R. �- 43 - OTHER LAND ACQUISITION PROJECTS With combined State and Federal allotments for the 1939-1941 biennial period of $115,984.8? ($35,296.55 for 1939-1940 and $80,687.32 for 1940-1941) and with $93,894 75 set aside for the first year of the Biennium, the stage was set for the application of Pittman-Robertson funds to the rehabilitation of Colorado's game on an expanded basis . In keeping with such a policy, a considerable number of land acquisit.ion projects were set up and consummated. Number 5-L, in July 1939, provided for the purchase of 640 acres (with all public range and water rights appurtenant thereto) on Cathedral Creek, Rio Blanco County, for $3,160.00. No. 8-L secured control of 3 1 600 acres in the center of the Deer and Elk range at Hot Sulphur Springs for $3,325.00. Of this, 160 acres was private land with improvements and the remainder was in the nature of grazing rights to adjacent land. A 517 acre ranch with water rights, Forest Service and Grazing Service rights on Towner Creek, near B~salt, was secured under Project 11-L. In all, it established control of 6,000 acres at a cost of $8,150.00, located in the heart of a concentrated game area with a population of Deer, Elk, Sheep, Beaver and Blue Grouse. Number 13- L, at a cost of $7,96~ . 80, secured most of tbe Missouri Creek watershed, near Rangely . The "range allotment" was assigned to wildlife uses by the United States Grazing Service. This is an extensive allocation of winter range to the use of large Deer herds of this region. Rumber 14 -L provided for the purchase of 640 acres including about three-fourths of the west bank of Butte Lake in North Park. acres was ass1gned by the Grazing Service . An additional 640 The area jncludes the wintering �- 44 - grounds of the Deer of the area in addition to the nesting grounds of Ducks Incidentally, it also provides public access to the Lake and Sage Grouse. for winter fishing. The total cost was 11,159.00. The laet of the land- acquisition Projects was 20-L which when consummated, will provide a block of game lands in Apishapa Canyon near Walsenburg. LATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS Following the initiation of major land acquisitions, the development of these areas became a necessity and a long list of projects came rapidly into being. Number 6-D allocated $1,615.30 for fen~ing 400 acres of land e~pecially well adapted to game bird production that had been acquired as a part of the Wray fish hatchery site. Number 7-D was set up in connection with the Hot Sulphur Springs land acquisition and provided $1,252.49 for range rehabilitation. In connection with this Project, various grasses, shrubs and other food plants will be experimen~ed with on 120 acres of plow land. In connection with the Number 5-L Land acquisition Proje~t, it becaLue necessary to do extensive work to make it of maximum va.l ue, and Number 9-D allotted $2,735 . 45 to rehabilitate the old irrigation sysLem, ,a-seed the meadows and put the house in livable condition. crop -share basis. A tenant was secured on a Among other ga.me-foods, they a.re experiment.ing with the planting of "winterfat". A pioneer type of project was set up as an experiment in Number 10-D in which $2,847.30 was appropriated for fencing 1JJat.erials . The Soil Con- servation Service cooperated by assigning sites providing the labor for the establishment of exclusion areas devoted to game production. SevenLeen acres �of five to sixty acres each were fenced off in the stream bottoms and around the water-holes in such a way that wildlife has access inside the fences and domestic stock can use the overflow, outside the fenced areas. thousand trees and shrubs were planted in the area by the S.C.S. Eighteen The most unique phase of the experiment was the setting aside by the Game and Fish Commission of closed areas on a "checker-board" plan, creating protected areas of about 40% of the total. A number of private landowners are cooper- ating with the Commission in the "checker-board" plan. Project Number 12-D provided $2,589.75 for rehabiliting the buildings, providing a well and establishing 11 Sulpher Springs land acquisition project. small field laboratory at the Hot Number 18-D provided $423.55 for rehabilitation work and the establishment of a "stub laboratory" on the project near Basalt. BIRD REHABILITATION PROJECT For purposes of studying the adaptability of game bird species to vatious environments throughout the State, Project No. 17-B was set up as a continuing long-time study. For its first year of operation, $2,358.95 was allocated and in May 1941, $9,612.35 more was set aside for the work. After careful reconnaissance to discover areas best adapted to their needs, 1,500 Pheasants and 1,500 Chuckars were distributed over the entire area of the State in groups of 50 birds each to further establish survival success on habitat types. Preliminary results seem to indicate ~hat Chukars are doing well in only four types of environment, but further close study will be necessary before definite conclusions are reached. Native Wild Turkey are also being trapped and redistributed to their original habitats. �- 46 - ATIMrnISTBATIOH AND OVERHEAD Baginning with 1940-1941, tbe overhead and administrative costs of all Pittman-Robertson projects wei·e provided for under a new Federal regulation. Thrn:1e funds wel'e set aside under a Project designated as Number 19-C. The amount included in the f'irst allocation was $10,357.60. TOTAL EXPENDITURES UNDER PITTMAN-ROBERTSON ACT -~------------Fiscal Year 19:38-39 - $29,918.04 - - - - • - - - 47,062.0? - - - 80,687~32 93.894.75 1939-40 1940-41 li1941-42 TOTAL - - - 8251,562.18 *This appropriation is for use during the first year of the coming Biennium. or this total the Federal Government provided $188,671.64 and Colorado $62,890.54. LAW ENFORCEMENT The facts concerning law enforcement. for the 19:39-1941 Biennium arn briefly set forth in the accompanying figures. REPORT OF ARBESTS July 1. 1939 to June 30 1 1941 Arresting Officer Wm. O. Adkins No. of Arrests Title Ga.ma W• rden 35 8 L. W. B.:1.llar:d II II H. Cl. B:1yne ft II ? Leo L. Broux Kleiss Brown II ,r ~8 n II 7 James M. Campbell 11 II 5 W. H. Corum II II 17 Gurney I. Crawford Frank Colley Earl Downer A. D. Downey J. W. Drommond **Forest Fail Wm. Forgett.. Predatory Bird Trapper Game Warden u II fl II II •• II 11 Deer Herder 39 19 70 10 4 l 6 �- 47 - Baport of Arres~s Continued Arresting Officer s. Fuller J. C. Gentry Beeves Gentry J. Clarence Goad Brownlee Guyer Alexander Hamil ton Sherman T. Harris Lurton Holman W, H. Hunn W.W. Ireland Tltle No. of Arrests Game Warden 11 Jt1 n " II ,, 11 II 'II fl II n 3 II II 14 lfl n II 23 21 II "II John Lall II II C. A. Bibbing Arthur Rodgers Rowe Shawver **Jack Marr Simpson 3 II Dow Jones Frank Mayse J. C. Maloy 13 36 40 16 l Deer Herder Game Warden n II 11 II II II II II 8 2. 17 16 4 Gao. T. Steele Deer Herder Victor T. Steele Paul Wetzel Game Warden Herman Wilson Bryan Denton 27 61 10 18 II II 36 II II 5 4 4 Beaver Trapper Wm. Gaa:sch Bill Goosema.n Oscar F. Hassell II II lt1 !I 11 II Ge,orge Hogue Jack Hogue 11 r, 11 '!1 ,, 3 5 2 4 11 8 n " Willis Kenney Allison Mason II II 11 3 Phil Smith Robert Terrell n R.. B, Judy H. H. K&nnell Yale Thayer Carl Welsh Curtis Williams A.L. Dumont M. Seby Marion Mills Sherman Hall 11 u ,, II n II II II n II !I Hatchery Superintendent 11 Halper n n Predatory Bird Trapper Officers other than Department. Employees Total arrests July l, 1939 to June 30, 1941 - - - - - - **Wardens employed during Big Game sea.sons, short term only. l l l 3 6 3 1 l 2 53 251 1,019 �- 43 INCCM::S AHD EXPENDITURES The following pages present the financial statement of the Department of Game and Fish for the 1939-1941 Biennium as set forth in the Auditor's reports: July!, 1939 to Jun~ 3Q, 1940 Resident Bunting and Fishing Licenses S 199,218.45 Ladies Hunting and Fishing Licenses 17,364.55 Resident Big Gama Bunting Licenses 130,153.50 Non Resident Fishing Licenses Non Resident 10 and 3 day Fishing Permits 9,184.75 19. 191. 20 Non Re,sident Big Game Hunting Licenses 24,379.BC Non Resident Small Game Hunting Licenses Lakes, Parks & Renewals Preserve Licenses Importers Licenses 939.80 1,023.CO 365.00 125.00 Beaver Park License l.00 Guide Licenses 4?5.00 Seining Penni ts 108.00 Taxidermist Licenses Fines and Convictions Transportation and Importation Storage Permits Pheasant Permite Specimen Tags Sal ,e of Adult Beaver Sale of Beaver Hides Sale of Deer and Elk Hides Sa.le of Ducks Rent. of Haylands Scientific Permits Sale of Hay Canon Bird Farm Refuge Permi t.s Rarunds 195.00 6,900.48 659.25 35.00 16.00 16.50 32.00 81,153.45 89.00 12.00 250.C0 13.50 90.00 55.00 99.?2 Befund Insurance 52,70 2'70.00 Flefund Fish Eggs $492,468.65 [YB INSPECTION -- R~ Resident Trappers Licenses N.:m Resident Trappers Licenses Resident Fur Dealers Licenses Non Resident Fur Dealers Licenses Fur Dealers Cards Fines and Convictions Sale of Mi.1skrat Hides, Etc. 4,754.75 99,40 1,825.00 375.00 ZS.SO 125.57 2,377.54 $ 9,595.76 �- 49 - REVENUE - Continued REIMBURSEMENTS Transfer Colorado Game Farm PWA Accounts Pittman-Robertson Projects S 2,821.94 29,916.C9 $ 32,7:;8.03 TOTAL - - - - - - - - - - - $534,802.44 B LANCE GAME CASH FUND July 1, 1939 $19,798.23 534, 8"12. 44 674,600.67 453,405.26 RECEIPTS July 1 1 1939 to June 30 1 1940 EXPENDITURES July 1, 1939 to June 30, 1940 BALANCE: G.A.ME CASH FUND JUNE 30, 1940 - - - - - - - - - - - $221,195.41 EASEMENT FUND BALANCE July 1, 1939 EXPENDITURES July 1, 1939 to June 30, 1940 $ 14,480.00 BALANCE EASEMENT FUND July l, 1940 - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - $ 11.40 14,468.£0 EXPENDITURES Buena Vista Hatchery Cedaredge Hatchery Del Norte Hatchery Denver Hatchery Durango Hatchery Estes Park Hatchery Ft. Collins Hatchery Glenwood Springs Hatchery Grand Lake H~tchery Grand Mesa Hatchery La Jara Hatchery L~s Animas Hatchery Pitkin Hatchery Rye Hatchery Steamboat Springs Hatchery Walden Hatchery Wray Hatchery H9.Viland Lake Monument Lake Parvin Reservoir Tarryall Reservoir Bear Lake S 8,909.05 5,271.10 3,108.46 10,594.59 14,286.75 6,793.62 8,242.77 7,562.13 514.54 1,376.:31 5/703.93 2,284.72 23,839.24 16,345.22 1,989.37 5,878.27 4,896.14 2,478.21 6,461.07 2,240.29 7,679.33 53.00 It should be noted that all Fish Hatchery costs include capital expenditures. �- [iQ - EXPENUITURES - Con t i nued Blec-ka Lake M!j_rvine Lake Swee water Lake Trappers Lake Misc. Lak'3B Administrative and Undistributed Conservation Comments Canon City Bird Farm Colorado Game Farm Game Bird Propagation Predatory Bird Control Retaining Ponds (Not owned by St&te) Bal-Aire Retaining Ponds Brandon Reservoir Stream Survey Research and Experimental Beclairnirng Fish Winter Feeding Law Enforcement Game Warden Pittman-Robertson Ranch Upkeep Game Check Stations Beaver Control Fur Inspection I 661.09 ?44 .-43 517 .62 3.053 . 97 15 . CO 47,258.65 2,8?6.0l 2,217.31 13,400.75 187.50 1,987 . 96 4,347.47 19,464.53 600.00 100.00 4,524 93 51? .19 ~9,?08.42. 75,091.17 146 69 2,2'>2.24 32,808.55 7,340.54 PITTMAN-ROBERTSON PROJECTS Project R 1 100.46 Project Project Project R 2 L 3 R 4 18,854.00 21,600.99 L5 2,003.50 D D L D L 1,246.47 Project Project Project Project Project Project TOTAL - 6 7 8 10 11 191.43 6.?l 3,024.17 17.10 30.00 $453,405.26 �- 51 - fiEVENUE Baceipts July 1, 1939 June 30, 1940 Resident Hunting and Fishing Licenses Ladies Hunting and Fishing Licenses Resident Big Game Hunting Licenses Non Resident Fishing Licenses Non Resident 10 and 3 day Fishing Permits Non Resident Big Game Hunting Licenses Non Resident Small Game Hunting Licenses Special Big Game Licenses Lakes, Parks & Renewals Preserve Licenses Importers Licenses Beaver Park License Guide Licenses Seining Permits Taxidermist Licenses Fines and Convictions Transportation and Importation Storage Permits Pheasant Permits Specimen Tags Sale of Adult Beaver Sale of Beaver Hides Sale of Deer and Elk Hides Sa le of Ducks Rent of Haylands Scientific Permits Sale of Hay - Canon Bird Farm Refuge Permits Refunds Refund Insurance Refund Fish Eggs Conservation Farm Program Sale of Logs - Grand Masa Sale of Stove - Durango S 199,218.45 17,364.55 130,153.50 9,184.75 19,191.20 24,379.80 939.80 1,023.00 365.00 125.00 1.00 475.00 108.00 195.00 6,900.48 659.25 35.00 16.00 16.50 32.00 81,153.45 89.00 12.00 250.00 13 . 50 90.00 55.00 99.72 52.70 270.00 Receipts July l, 1940 June 30, 1941 $ 182, 656. 15 16,(85.60 150,623.70 6,954.65 24,470.85 33,877 35 1,155.25 14,287.50 1,242.CO 487.00 25.00 1.00 690.00 85.00 175.00 7,393.98 694.50 29 00 9.00 14.00 48.00 138,574.05 98.94 250.00 11.00 87.00 48.50 269.93 8. 70 56.63 156.00 20.00 492,468.65 $ 580,585.28 4,754.?5 4,823.00 24.85 942.00 350.00 6.00 FUR INSPECTION -- REVENUE Resident Trappers Licenses Non Resident Trappers Licenses Resident Fur Dealers Licenses Non Resident Fur Dealers Licenses Fur Dealers Cards Fines and Convictions Sale of Muskrat Hides, Etc. Sale of Beaver Seals 99.40 1,825.00 375.00 28.50 125.57 2,377.54 407.03 6,804.96 20. 75 $ 9,595.76 S 13,3?7.59 �- G2 - REVENUE - CONTINUED BEIMBURSEMENT§ Transfer Colorado Game Farm PWA Accounts Pittman-Robertson Projects s 2,821.94 29,916.09 32,738.03 20,853 . 30 - --- -----TOTAL - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BALANCE GAME CASH FUND July 1, 1940 VOUCHER CANCELLED PRIOR July 1, 1940 RECEIPTS July 1, 1940 to June 30, 1941 EKPENDITURES July l, 1940 to June 30, 194 1 TRANSFER TO EASEMENT FUND BALANCE GAME CASH FUND JULY 1, 1941 - - - - - - - - $ 534.802.44 s 614.816.17 221,195.41 96.35 614,816.17 614,912.52 836,107.93 --~ 453,314.50 5,596.40 BALANCE EASEMENT FUND July l, 1940 TRANSFER GAME CASH FUND 458,910.90 $ '3??, l 97. 03 $ 14,468.60 5,596.40 20,065.00 195.00 - - - $ 19.870.00 EXPENDITURES July l, 1940 ~o June 30, 1941 BALANCE EASEMENT FUND July l, 1941 - - - - - - - - - - EX.fENDIDJRES Buena Vista Hatchery Cedaredge Hatchery Del Norte Hatchery Denver Hatchery Durango Hatchery Estes Park Hatchery Ft. Collins Hatchery Glenwood Springs Hatchery Grand Lake H~tchery Grand Mesa Hatchery La Jara Hat.chary L~s Animas Hatchery Pitkin Hatchery Rye Hatchery Steamboat Springs Hatchery Walden Hatchery Wray Hatchery $ 5,979. 14 6,013 69 1,861.36 9,Z88.96 9,057.43 4,769 . 43 8,276.96 7,999.50 232.62 229.09 6,416 . 87 1,960 . 41 12. ~•87.80 5,636.46 2,561.91 5,412.18 3,405.50 It should be noted that all Fish Hatchery costs include capital expenditures. �- 53 - EXPtNDITURES - CONTINUED Haviland Reservoir M)nument Lake Hatchery Parvin Reservoir Tarryall Reservoir Bel-Aire Retaining Ponds Administrative and Undistributed Conservation Comments Canon City Bird Farm Colorado Springs Bird Farm Game Bird Propagation Predatory Bird Control Retaining Ponds (Not State Owned) B.aer Lake Blecka Lake Marvine Lake Skinny Fish Lake Trappers Lake Stream Survey Soecial Projects Winter Feeding Game Wardens Beaver Trappers Game Check Stations Fur Inspection Research Grubb Ponds Antlerless Deer and Elk Season $2,040.77 5,569 63 2,327.i6 3,561.60 7,080.75 50,829.22 2,690.70 2,030.47 13,629.40 ?0.61 1, ?27 .11 3,641.89 50.00 329.79 39.50 18.00 l,C82.65 1,030.50 1. 941. 25 36,731.86 69,647.50 73,623.18 2,809 66 16,734.75 6,355.65 30.37 2,875.90 PITTMAN-RCBERTSON Project Project Project 342.83 13-1 R 4 5L2 PROJECT D 7 PROJECT LB Project D 9 Project D 10 Prc.ject L 11 Project D 12 Project L 13 Project L 14 Project R 17 Hot Sulphur Sanctuary Tentative T OT A L - - 28,372.66 8.00 1,504.80 200.00 95.56 2,187.43 8,026.80 2,871.62 6,700.30 1,116, 18 1,571.43 1.04 226 .48 - - - - - - - - - - - $ 453,314.50 � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/038f4d6003bffef4625032ab359c0f0e.pdf 8319bfee11d7d6dc7352fc642542d494 PDF Text Text c__o,.DOC.., Rio , I ;q~-'-11 LIBRARY ~...._.'rr'~~~i COLO. DIVISION OF 6060 BROAD Y D VER, CO 80216 /llen.n,izl Nepo,t:.t COLORADO GAME & FISH COMMISSION 1939-1941 �COLORADO GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT COMMISSIONERS Otis E. McIntyre, President - - Colorado Springs, Colorado H. G. Kendall, Vice-President - - - - - - Trinidad, Colorado N. Dean Henry, Secretary - - - - - - - Dr. Harold Watson - Wray, Colorado - - - - - - Denver, Colorado Ben H. Jorgensen Gunnison, Colorado R. 0. Lyttle - Meeker, Colorado EXECUTIVE OFFICERS C. N. Feast - - - Director John D. Hart Gilbert N. Hunter - - - Asst. Director - - - - - - - - - Supt. Game and Fish Management Robert G. Haviland- - - - - - Supt. State Fish Hatcheries Dr. C. E. Hagie - Arthur H. Carhart - A. Dean Coleman - Michael MacDonald William F. Hunn Grace E. Threewi t - - - Educational Manager - - - - - - - Coordinator, Pittman-Robertson - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Supt. Fur Resources Asst. Supt. Fur Resources - Chief Game Warden - - Chief Clerk �INDEX Page General Introduction - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fish Propagation - - - - - - - - - - - - Fish Hatchery Additions and Improvements Work Completed during Biennium - - - Contemplated Improvements for Ensuing Biennium - - Percentage of Species Represented Hatchery Output for Biennium - - - - - - Colorado's Big Game Animals - - - - - - - - Rocky Mountain Bighorns Elk - - - - - - - - - - ______ _ Mula Deer Antelope Moose, Buffalo Goat, Bear - - - - - - - Game Feeding and Rela ted Problems Winter Feeding of Deer, Elk and Bighorns Damage Prevention Costs - - - - - - Upland Gama Birds - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Wild Turkey - - - - - - - - - - - Sage Grouse, Blue Grouse, Ptarmigan, Quail Band-Tail Pigeon, Pheasants - - - - - - Chukars - - - - - - - - - Migratory Waterfowl Ducks - - - - Geese- - - - - Predatory Bird Control Beaver - - - - - - - - - - - - - Beaver Survey - - - Sapinero Game Range - - - - - - - Colorado M~ster Plan - - - - Other Land Acquisition Projects - - - Later Development Projects - Bird R2habilitation Project - - - - Administration and Overhead - - - - - - - Total Expenditures under Pittman-Robertson Act Law Enforcement - - - - - - - - - Reports of Arrests - - - - - - Income and Expenditures - MUI.TJGRAPHJNG - 10 11 13 14 15 18 19 - 20 20 21 23 24 24 25 - 26 27 27 2? - - - - - - - - - Other Fur Bearing Animals - - - - - - - - Badger - - - - - - - - - - Marten, Mink, Raccoon - - - Opossum, Skunk, Weasel, Fox, Muskrat Table of Furbearers - - - Predatory Animals - - - - - State Game Farm - - - - - - Pittman-Robert.son Activity in Colorado Sapinero Deer and Elk Survey - STATE: 1 5 7 ? 8 9 DEPARTMENT 28 28 29 :32 32 33 34 36 36 37 40 41 41 42 42 43 44 45 46 46 46 46 48 �January 1, 1942 To His Excellency, Ralph L. Carr Governor of Colorado Executive Chambers State Capitol D e n v e r Dear Sir: In submitting the ensuing Biennial Report of the Colorado Game and Fish Commission, no attempt has been made to cover in detail the intervening years since 1936, when the last report was published. The present report covers the period from July 1, 1939 to June 30, 1941 only. During the interim between the last report issued in 1936 and the beginning of the current Biennium, the Game and Fish Commission was created and charted the course for changed procedures incident to such a comprehensive reorgan- ization in administrative procedure. This reorganization and accompanying change of policy has been covered in a brief summary in order to bridge the gap, historically, for purposes of record only. Very truly yours, C. N. Feast Director �COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISH BIENNIAL REPORT - 1939-41 The last previous Biennial Report of the Colorado State Department of Game and Fish was made as of June 30, 1936. The Legislature which met the following winter created the Colorado Game and Fish Commission. This change from the one man commissioner type of wildlife administration to a commission composed of the Governor of the State and six commissioners, appointed by him, came at a time when like changes in administration were taking place in all parts of the country. It marked a definite trend of American thought in prac- tically every type of governmental activity through which wide discretionary powers were being placed in Boards, Commissions and Bureaus, alike, in faderal, state and municipal administration. Section 5, of the Act creating the Game and Fish Commission outlines its authority and functions in the following general terms: "For the purpose of providing an adequate and flexible system for the protection, propagation, increase, control and conservation of the game, fish, birds and fur bearing animals of this State, and for their use and development for public recreation and food supply, the Commission is hereby authorized and directed to determine when, under what circumstances, in what localities, by what means and in what amounts and numbers the same may be taken or killed so as to maintain an adequate and proper supply thereof," It will be noted from this that the powers conferred upon the commission by the Legislature are almost unlimited in connection with the management of wildlife of Colorado. This is in keeping with the general trend throughout the country to recognize that wildlife management offers technical problems reaching far beyond the common fund of knowledge, ready at hand to members of Legislative bodies. �- 2 - The Act creating the Commission divided the State into six Commissioner districts and provided for the appointment of one roan "well informed on the subject of wildlife conservation and restoration", from each district. It further provided that: "Not more than three of such appcint.ed commission- ers shall be of the same political party". Original appointments were for two, four and six years and. to date all members whose terms have expired have been reappointed. The appointed members of the Commission are: Dr. Harold Watson of Denver, Mr. N. Dean Henry of Wray, Mr. H. G. Kendall of Trinidad, Mr. Otis E. McIntyre of Colorado Springs, Mr. Ben H. Jorgensen of Gunnison, and Mr. R. G. Lyttle of Meeker. At rresent Governor Ralph L. Carr is the seventh member of the Commission, and under the Administrative Reorganization Act passed by tbe last Legislature, has large powers in the afI'airs of all ex~ ecutive and administrative departments. The time that the commission form of game and fish management came into existen~e in our State coincided with the injection of many new problems in connection with various aspects of wildlife management. Up to that time physical construction of fish hatchery units had been moving faster than the developmen~ of rearing stations and fish planting practices. The advent of the Commission also coincided with the changed balance in game populations. Prior to 19~7 it may be said that the chief concern of wildlife management was to insure the increase of practically every species of game bird and animal in the State. From that time forwa~d it was apparent to everyone who was close enough to see the "inside of the picture", that the major problem, in conneotion with a constantly growing number of species, would be adequate control to prevent the rapidly incr easing herds of d~er and elk from becoming �- 3 - a menace to agriculture and stock raising - and to meet the rapidly mounting costs of winter-feeding herds that had outstripped the capacity of their winter ranges. In 1937 the Pittman-Robertson program of Federal participation in wildlife management and res~arch was made available and tentatively accepted by the Commission. In its wake it brought many new problems that had never before confronted the Colorado Game and Fish Department. As this service 1 which derived 7e% of its support from the Federal Government and 25% from the St.ate, was in the nature of "assistance" to the State, the major problems of its organization became the responsibility of the newly created Game and Fish Commission, at a time when all the problems incident to i t·s own organization was under way. The enabling act definitely making this activity a part of the Game and Fish Department was passed by the State Legislature in 1939 . All the foregoing factors combined to make the years from 1936 to 1939, a period of rapid transition, in which policies were taking shape that have become stabilized during the Biennium, 1939-41, covered in this report. It should be noted, too, that during the period since 1936 the Department bas been administered by three different Directors. Mr. R. G. Parvin, Commission- er of Game and Fish, under the old plan, succeeded to the new post of Director to the Department under the Commission when it was his retirement October 1, 1939. created, and served until He was succeeded by Dean S. Arthur Johnson, of the Colorado Agriculture College, who was Acting Director until April 10, 1940, when Mr. c. N. Feast was appointed by the Commission as its permanent Director. �- 4 - In 1939 the Colorado Game and Fish Commission, having recognized the great need of applying management principles to the conservation of the State's fur-bearers, sponsored the Fur Law, which provided for adequate personnel for inspection and administration. In 1941 the St.ate Legis- lature passed the Beaver Bill and in so doing strengthened the position of the Commission in establishing complete control over every phase of wildlife management in the State. All these rapid changes and cumulative responsibilities required increases in both personnel and housing facilities. In 1936 there were 25 game wardens and 35 men connected with the fish hatcheries of the State. 1941 there were 30 wardens and 50 hatchery employees. In ln addition, the Fur Law and Beaver Law brought in 6 inspectors and 16 regular and 40 seasonal trappers, with corresponding office workers. With these additions and the increased volume, it became necessary to expand in office space and the Com- mission, with the approval of the Governor and the Executive Council, purchased for remodeling an old stone building at 1530 Sherman Street, just north of the State Office building. In addition to passing the Beaver Bill, the 1941 Legislature created two new posts under the Colorado Game and Fish Commission, in response to the pressing needs incurred by the rapidly expanding activities of the Department. These were an Assistant Director for the Department and an Educational Manager, to be in charge of general wildlife management education, news releases, com~ission bulletins, public speaking contacts with sportsmen and with other outside agencies and landowner groups, wildlife photography, and to act as liaison officer coordinating information �l - 5 - from the various phases of the Department's activities for educational purposes. The Beaver Bill included authorization for the employment of such personnel as the Commission deemed essential to its efficient operation. In order to administer the provisions of the Act, the Commission created the two additional posts of Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of Fur Resources. Although these two offices and the two created by the Legislature were not filled before the end of the 1941 fiscal year, they were made before the Biennial Report was completed, and the appointments are recorded in the report of the Biennium for that reason. In filling the new posts the Commission promoted Chief Game Warden, John D. Hart, to be Assistant Director of the Department of Game and Fish. Dr. C. E. Hagie, formerly a member of the faculties of Adams State Teachers College, Alamosa, Colorado, and Western State College, Gunnison, Colorado, was named Educational Manager. A. Dean Coleman, of Boulder, who possesses a wide knowledge of furs, was named Superintendent of Fur Resources, and Michael MacDonald, a first class accountant with a major interest in wildlife conservation, as Assistant Superintendent. FISH PROPAGATION With the selection of the permanent Director of the Game and Fish Department, the Commission definitely embarked upon a policy of working toward a situation where in a ver·y few years only "legal" size fish would be planted in Colorado waters. This necessitated an immediate expansion in rearing pond facilities in order to accommodate the millions of "fry" that would have to be carried over for much longer periods of time. Thie necessarily slowed �- 6 - s1owed down the distribution of trout during the early part of the Biennium while they were being held for increased growth. The new policy will result in many times as many trout, as formerly, being actually available for the fishermen. This change of policy came as a result of a recognition of the fact that too often in the past the planting of 11 fry 11 has been of little more permanent value than would have been the dumping of an equal amount of first class fish food in the streams. On the other hand, the high percentage of survival among legal size fish is assurance of almost 100% immediate availability for the sportsman. Although the 1941 distribution represents a marked improvement over all previous years in size of fish planted and in total tonnage it will be several years before rearing pond facilities will make it possible to realize a maximum of legal size in the distribution from all th~ State's hatcheries. The State's hatchery planting records for the Biennium show that the 1940 distribution, from all sources, was approximately forty-eight and one half tons, of which somewhat less than three quarters of a million trout were legal or near legal size. In 1941 a total of more than fifty-six tons of fish were planted, of which approximately a million trout were legal or near legal size. These figures show that there was a one-third increase in the number of legal size trout planted in 1941 over 1940. If this ratio of increase can be continued it is apparent that it will not be long until the majority of the plantings can be made with legal size fish. Greater emphasis was placed in the 1941 hatchery program in taking care of the needs of the non-mountainous regions of the State. In 1940 - �- 7 - 263,392 warm water fishes were distributed. They included Blue Gills, s~all Mouth Bass, Large Mouth Bass, Crappies, and Perch. In 1941, 400,388 warm water fish were planted and included Catfish and Rock Biss, which were not represented among the species planted in 1941. In fact 1941 was the first year in which Catfish and Rock Bass were produced in any or the State's hatcheries. Grayling and Machinaw trout were also distributed from the hatcheries for the first time in 1941. Of these, 28 1 830 were Grayling released by four of the hatcheries, and 10,856 were Machinaw from the Glenwood Springs Hatchery. The increasing emphasis on the production of warm water fishes may be considered to be a recognition of the claim the dry land areas have in Colorado's total wildlife program. Whether er not this increased recognition may be due in part to the construction of the Caddoa Dam, below Las Animas, is uncertain. The completion of this fine reclamation project will, never-the- less, provide the State with its largest body of water - an area, when filled, extending up the Arkansas Valley for a distance of thirteen miles and to a maximum width of four miles. Its completion should e accompanied by adequate safegu rds for the welfare of the fish and waterfowl for which it is so well adapted as a haven. FISH HATCHERY ADDITIONS AND IMPROYEMENfS WORK COMPLETED DURING BIENNIUM --------------Considerable improvements and additions were made in connection with the State's fish culture facilities during the Biennium. At the Bellvue Hatchery 1 1 230 lineal feet of new concrete rearing ponds, six feet wide, were added. At Bel-Aire 1,500 lineal feet of concrete rearing ponds with a w'dLh of six feet were constructed in 1939-40 and 2,500 feet of eight foot ponds in �- 8 - 19 0-41. In addition, a 50 foot diversion dam was constructed in the rivQI and 5 0 feet of 16" water line was laid. Th station was further improved by the building of a five roorn bungalow, a two-car garage and refrigerating unit, a cook house, and a thousand feet of new road. done to improve the river channel. Some steam shovel work was A new 2,000 foot supply ditch will serve in the additional capacity of holding ponds. The original garage was remod- eled into assistants quarters. The Buena Vista Hatchery had an addition of 500 feet of concrete rearing ponds, six feet wide, in 1939-40. The Durango Hatchery was improved by the addition of 3,950 feet of six foot concrete ponds and 3,020 feet of eight inch supply line. ous facilities. At Estes Park two small lakes were added to the previ- The La Jara. Hatchery was improved by the adaptation of a mile of drainage canal partitioned off at 125 foot intervals, to serve the additional purpose of augmenting existing propagation units. completed on the old ponds. Repair work was also The Glenwood Springs Hatchery had its capacity doubled 'by a rearrangement and parLitioning of the present concrete ponds. The Pit.kin Hatchery came in for considerable attention, with the repair of the old concrete ponds, an addition of 2,000 feet of 6" supply line to the ponds, the addition of 800 feet of new concrete ponds 8 feet in width, and a new five room bungalow. At Rye a new cook house was constructed, a di- version dam and weir were installed end 2,000 feet of 10" supply line was laid. At Walden 500 feet of five foot concrete ponds were constructed. CONTEMPLATED IMPROVEMENTS FOB ENSUING BIENNIUM The Buena Vista Hatchery is under consideration for the development of supplementary hatchery and rearing pond units near Salida. Bellvue is ; �- 9 - scheduled to have its capacity about doubled. Carbondale is being considered as a new rearing site with 10,000 feet of rearing ponds. An additional 1,000 feet of rearing ponds and supplementary water development is being planned for the Cedaredge Hatchery. It is planned to increase the capacity of the Coal- dale Ponds by at least one-third. Contracts are in process of letting for an additional 1,962 feet of concrete ponds at Durango, together with installation of a new pumping unit intended to triple the pre.s ent output. Tbe capacity of the Estes Park Hatch- ery is scheduled to be raised by about 25% dirt ponds. by the construction of additional An additional earth pond is projected for the Hershman Ponds, which will boost their output by a fourth. Because of the importance of Caddoa Dam, in opening up greatly expanded opportunities for warm water fishes, the Las Animas Hatchery is scheduled to be converted into one of the more important units of the State. The sealing of nine rearing ponds covering about eleven acres will be followed by ot.h•ar necessary improvements. The Walden Hatchery will be doubled in capa,ci ty by the addition of 500 feet of cement ponds. An entirely new unit dependent upon the use of artesian water is being considered in the vicinity of Monte Vista. A circular· pond unit is in prospect for the Rye Hatchery which should increase its capacity by 33%. PERCENTAGES OF SPECIES REPRESENTED IN PLANTINGS Percentage of Total SPECIES_____ _ ____________________ 1939-40 ______ 1940-41 51. 7 64. 7 Rainbow 11.0 Loch Leven 14.1 Eastern Brook 13.0 8.7 10.0 6.8 Native Grayling .3 .1 Mackinaw 5.3 14.3 Warm Water Fish TOTAL 100% 100% �- 10 HATCHERY OUTPUT FOR BIENNIUM HA'fCHElRY No Fish Weight in No. Fish Weight in 1939-40 Pounds 1940-41 Pounds Bel-Aire 170,032 1,812 100,867 Bellvua Buena Vista. 647,626 ~80,478 9,061 612,372 6,549 2,636 1,838 1,293,305 477,473 310,87! 768,312 4,960 2,545 715 ?,301 8.606 ~.770 1,940 4,5:8 1,114 Cedaredge Del Norte, 196.070 261,714 1,262,698 1,469,601 Denver Durango Est.es Park Glenwood Springs La Jara 411,614 l 1116, 122 218,032 43,252 1241071 Las Anilllas Monume,nt Lake 1,001 3,244: 20,737* 450 2. ?29 2,748 453 11,934* Parvin Lake Pitkin ~91,850 Rye Walden Wray Hershman Panda Colts l?onds TOTALS NOTE: 297,736 1,194,132 43,448 55,255 102,029 4,982 3,134 353,153 28,501 5,298 35,089 148,, 685 1,,234 332,649 95,287 6,709 53,557 259,560 31'7'12 356,864 289.533 112,179 ·steamboat Springs TarryaU Lake 29 I 185 3,601 205 921,748 950 -------~-7,504,067 4,945 122 44,303 30,337 8,963 1,088 3,237 6,329 3,6o? 7,485,494 ll2,275 ------ ·------------------96 I 611 For the year 1939-40 there were somewhat less tha.n three quarLers of a million fish of legal or near legal size, whereas, approximately a ml llion fish of legal or near legal sLze were produced and planted in 1940-41. The to,tal operating expense for 1939-40 was 8128, :!82. 60 a.ncl for 1940-41 it ~vas Sll:3, 533. 88. This represents a saving in cos l.s for the second half of the Biennium of $14,848.72. *Where the table shows sharp drops in poundage output from 1940 to 1'9 41, it .r,a presents a greater number of fish being carried over to the coming year. �- 11 - COLORADO'S BIG GAME ANIMALS In common with most of the Western States, Colorado paid very little attention to wildlife conservation or management until some species of game had been reduced to such an extent that they were actually threatened with extinction. As a matter of fact, hunting licenses were not re- quired in the State until 1983. During the long period when Colorado was largely a mining state, wild meat constituted a large item in the diet of most of the population. Big Game of every species was slaughtered by the thousands by men who did nothing else but hunt for the markets . The effect of this total disregard of the wildlife resources over so extended a period necessitated very drastic restrictions teing placed on all hunting . Naturally, such a sudden change from one extreme to the other created a situation in which poaching became a problem of major proportions. species. For many years it completely blocked the recuperatiJn of every In fact, the Bighorn and Antelope were unable to hold their own for some time after they were offered legal protection. Eventually the uni- versal demand for better enforcement changed the situation and the herds began to build up. Never-the-less it can be truthfully said that for more than thirty years the sole emphasis in wildlife management in Colorado was directed toward conserving rather than utilizing the State's wildlife resources. The psychological effect of emphasizing game "protection" over such a long period of time was to build up a decided prejudice in the popular mind against any policy that would interfere in the least with the natural propagation of every species to its maximum extent. In the face of popular opposition Legislators and responsible officers of the Game and Fish �- 12 - Department, alike. have found it difficult to put into operation the type of controls that the situation demands. The general public does not seem to realize that the stock grower cannot continue indefinitely to retain and breed all female stock. Anyone attempting such a course would soon find his pastures eaten down to the place where starvation would do what sentiment or lack of common sense prevented him from doing. Deer and Elk herds, in particular, have reached the point in many places in Colorado where they have increased beyond the carrying capacities of their winter ranges - and, in some instances, of their summer ranges as well. The result is that winter losses, even in spite of State supported feeding operations, are trememdous. A further element entering into Colorado's control of game species by accepted hunting practice is that the State's population is too small to supply the necessary number of hunters to offset normal annual increases without radically increasing bag limits. The logical solution appears to be to make inducements sufficiently attractive that many more out-of-state hunters will come in than have come at any time in the paet. Even a maximum number of outside hunters might not be sufficient to hold some species in control without providing for heavy kills of female animals. In connection with the foregoing it is pertinent to note that Colorado's license fees are considerably out of line with those of most other Western states. Another factor which has a definite bearing on the control phase of game conservation is that in Colorado only one big game animal, other than bear, has been taken on a single license (either resident or nonresident), whereas, in some other Western States, the hunter is allowed from two to four animals on one license, �- 13 - ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIGHOBN --------- Since protection was first extended to the mountain sheep, the Rocky Mountain Bighorn, there has never been, prior to the beginning of the present Biennium, sufficient recuperation of the species to justify even a limited open season. Extended studies in the field have convinced the De- partment of Game and Fish that poaching was the one major reason for the sheep ' s inability to stage a comeback. The Bighorn has few natural enemies and after the first year is extremely hardy. With this analysis to indicate the source of tho difficulty the game wardens and National Forest Service employees in the sheep areas have risen to the occasion with efficient enforcement measures. As a result the herds appear to be responding in a most satisfactory way. It is estimated that the total Bighorn population of the State now numbers between 2800 and 3000 animals. For the most part they are well scattered in small bands throughout the more rugged mountain areas, so that proper protection and management should, in a few years, provide hunting on a limited scale. In fact, the Department's specialists on game management h~ve expressed the belief that a limited kill of rams mature would be in nowise detrimental and might be beneficial to some of the herds, as the sex ratio of rams to ewes is beyond all breeding requirements . The "Tarryall" herd is the largest in the State and is estimated at 625 head. This band has built up rapidly as a result of a combination of favorable factors. Both the stockmen of the area and the U.S. Forest Service have given extraordinary cooperation. The range is especially well suited to their requirements, and the game wardens of the area have been �- 14 - exceedingly diligent in their protection. 11 The Department is now working on a managemen1.n program for this herd . For the best interests of Bighorn management it is essential that an increasing cooperation with the stock raising interests is highly desirable. There is considerable evidence to justify the belief that the running of domestic sheep on the Bighorn's range may tend to introduce parasites or diseases characteristic to the domestic animals. Eventually the U. s. Forest Service may find it advisable to modify its grazing permit regulations in such a way as to better accommodate the requirements of the Bighorn population in areas especially suited to their requirements . ELK The Wapiti, or American Elk, are definitely on the increase in Colorado at a pace considerably above the normal rate of kill by resident sportsmen . At the present rate of over-all increase it is apparent that some effective encouragement must be given out-of-state sportsmen to interest them in much greater numbers to do their hunting in Colorado, or large scale "controlled" killing must soon be resorted to along with plann~d distribution of the meat. Damage claims due to crop destruction by Elk are already reaching prohibitive figures in some areas of the State. To give an idea of the rapid increase in Elk, the Denver Mountain Park herd was started in 1915 by the introduction of twenty cows and five bulls. The herd within thirty or forty miles of Denver, has definitely out- grown its territory. They have stripped their summer range to a place where it will require years for complete recovery, even if immediate control measures are instituted. The winter feeding has obviously become a major problem �of the Departm nt of Game and Fish. Th depl~tion of natural food has forced the Elk down into the lower country and on o the ranches as early as ugust. As many as 845 were counted on one ranch at the same time in late Augus When the public comes to know the true situation the present opposition to adequate control will undoubtedly disappear. Other excessive concentrations of E.k are the Gunnison herd num- bering about 3,000 head, the Durango herd of about 1,500, the Saguache-Rio Grande herd of an ~qual number and the White River and Denver MJunt&in Parks herds of approximately the same size. ject to heavy winter losses. Unlike the deer, the Elk are not sub- The present Elk population of the State is estimated at from 18,000 to 20,000 animals. It would require an annual kill of five or six thousand head to keep the numbers within bounds. The fact that the licensed kill has never reached as many as 3,000 suggests the problem facing the Colorado Game and Fish Commission in dealing with Elk management. MULE DEER As far as can be ascertained by the division of game management of the Colorado Department of GaIDe and Fish, the Mule Deer is the only species of deer to be found anywhere in the State at the present time. Persistent reports of Blacktail in some localities invariably turn out, when investigated, to be merely the persistence of an old misnomer for the Mule Deer. localities of In many he Rockies they are still popularly known as Blacktails because of the black tip on the end of the tail, in distinguishing them fr ru the Whitetail, or Virginia Deer, which inhabits th~ same range in many places of the Western States. �- 16 - As far as is known, Colorado has no Whitetail Deer although they persisted in several localities until very r~cently. The last one reported to have been killed in the State was in Las Animas County in 1935 or 193?. Dur- ing 1941 a definite attempt was made by Mr. Gilbert N. Hunter, Sup~rintendent of Game Management, to ascertain if any were still to be found. He failed to locate a single Whitetail in his field studies and was unable to verify the existence of the species by a canvass among ranchers in their former range. Apparently poaching has been the principal factor in their extinction. The bottom lands of the Arkansas and Platte appear to be well suited as a natural habitat for the species. In a response to an inquiry from the Game and Fish Department, Mr. Prowers Hudnall, of Las Animas wrote in part: 11 I have always understood there were three does and two bucks turned loose in 1880, by John W. Prowers, on the land owned by him from Caddoa to Lamar. In the early nineties they were quite plentiful along the river for a distance of twenty miles, and until the timber was destroyed in 1921 by high water and lat-er removed for wood. Also the new owners of the land did little to protect them, with the result that they have almost entireily disappeared. I believe there are a very few left." The Mule Deer are rapidly spreading to ~be plains areas where they have not been known since the days of concentrated market hunting. Small herds were recently reported from the vicinities of La Junta, Byers and Fort Morgan. In 1913 the Mule Deer population had reached a low of 16,000 animals (less than the present annual kill by licensed hunters). mate is 248,000 head . The present esti- In 1921 the first State Gama Refuges were created after the animals had enjoyed a closed season from 1913 ~o 1918. Like Lhe Elk they �- 17 - have staged such a rapid comeback as to be a definite menace to agriculture and stock raising in many localities. Although the Mule Deer is not a direct competitor to any great extent, with domestic stock they have exhausted their available winter food supply on many of their ranges and are having to be fed hay on feeding grounds where they concentrate in large numbers. Being an animal whose normal food consists almost entirely of browse, many die of "malnutrition" on the winter feeding grounds, surrounded by an abundance of hay. loss exceeds the hunter kill. In some areas the winter An actual count showed a loss of 1,365 head on the Gunnison feeding grounds in 1940. It seems evident that the only solution is to reduce the herds to the natural carrying capacities of their respective ranges. The average increase of the Mule Deer herds of the state is estimated at 33-1/3%, which is considered conservative. At this rate hunters would have to kill between 50,000 and 60,000 deer annually, of which at least half would have to be does, in order to hold the herds in check, provided such kill could be proportionately distributed through0ut the State. The largest estimate ever made for a season's kill in the State was 20,000 head. Every- one is in agreement that it would be much more satisfactory to carry on the control through the regular hunting license system. But the hunting capacity in a population as small as that of Colorado can hardly be expected to measure up to the requirements, under the most favorable conditions. As a matter of fact, the State has never sold more than half the necessary number of licenses - resident and non-resident combined. The largest single herd of Deer in the State is the White River - �- 18 - Piceance herd, estimated at 40 1 000 head. This herd migrates into the low country west of the Craig-Maeker-Rifle highway out of their summer range in the higher country of the White River watershed as winter approaches. Unlike many of the herds that "drift" gradually from their summer to their winter ranges this herd appears to migrate almost en-mass over a period of a very few days. As the largest percentage of their winter food is browse from the sage brush, they spread out over the large area of sage brush country available and have not yet become a major problem in winter feeding. However, their summer range is being depleted to the point of endangering its future existence. The second largest herd in the state is the Gunnison herd of 22,000 Deer. This is one of the "problem" herds because of its size and the fact that there is no adequate winter range available. Their summer range is so immense that it involves no immediate problem, so long as the numbers do not increase beyond the present level. However, the cost of winter feeding, coupled with the unsatisfactory results obtained from feeds now available, appears to make the cutting down of this herd a practical necessity. Other problem herds, where crop damage and winter feeding have assumed major proportions, are the Minnesota Creek herd of 2,500, the Hermosa herd of 2,200, and the Holy Cross herd of 10,000. Control, through management, of all these and many smaller herds of Deer in the State, awaits some satisfactory solution in the very near future. Certainly any provision for control must provide for the killing of many times the number of does that have ever been killed in the past. ANTELOPE From a condition of almost extinction a few years ago the Colorado Antelope have effected a remarkable recovery. It is estimated that the herds �- 19 number approximately 6,000 head at the present time. Most of these are on the prairies east of the Rockies, although scattered bands variously estimated at from 1,000 to 2,000 head drift back and forth, seasonably, between northwestern Colorado and southwestern Wyoming. The largest single herd, variously estimated at from 400 to 600 , ranges in the vicinity of Pinyon. Antelope are fairly well distributed over the entire eastern section of the State. Increasing numbers of complaints from ranchers indicate that considerable damage is being done to crops in certain areas. The distribution of the Antelope is being aided by trapping them in corral-traps, where too numerous, and transplanting in other areas where they might be expected to thrive. There can be little question but that they must very soon be held in check by some form of controlled hunting, through the issue of a limited number of licenses, or some other plan devised by the Game and Fish Commission. Our sister state of Wyoming has apparently found such a system quite satisfactory. MOOSE During the pe riod since the last previous "biennial report" Moose have b9en consistently reported by stockmen in Routt County. An attempt will be made during the coming winter by the Department of Game and Fish to verify the reports and get a census of Moose in the region. The nature of the country and its remoteness from traveled roads has prevented a general game survey of the district up to the present time. BUFFALO Although Buffalo have not been listed as one of Colorado's species of wild g~me for ~any years, there are fifteen head reported at large on the public domain, having been released from captivity by private owners. �- 20 GOAT The Rocky Mountain Goat may soon be listed among Colorado game animals. The Game and Fish Commission has negotiated with Montana for an exchange of Colorado Rocky Mountain Bighorns for a few head of Rocky Mountain Goals as breeding stock to be released in some suitable environment in our State. BEAR Colorado has an estimated Bear population of 5,000 of the common Black and Brown species, and 5 Grizzlies. The hunting season on them runs concurrently with the combined seasons on Deer and Elk. It is believed by many that the Bear problem merits considerable further study by the State Legislature. GAME FEEDING AND RELATED PROBLEMS Before the advent of the rifle, all species of wildlife were limited in numbers by the food supply available and, particularly in regions subject to heavy snowfall, by the supply of winter forage to which they had access. Civilization has brought the cultivation of lands once the principal winter feeding grounds of most big game species, and combined grazing by game and livestock has depleted many other winter, as well as summer ranges. Where man wishes to continue the propagation of larger herds of game than the natural environment affords, two problems inevitably develop. There will be more or less damage to growing crops and stored feeds that are not adequately fenced, and it becomes necessary to engage in supplementary feeding during a part of the year. As has been pointed out in a previous section, Colorado has reached the point in her big game populations where they have far outgrown their �- 21 - natural winter food supplies in many localities. In fact there are recognized to be seventeen such areas, with seven of them involving great numbers of Deer and Elk. As might be expected, an increasing amount of damage is being done to cultivated crops where the concentrations are near populous, cultivated lands. As a result of these complications it has been necessary for the State to provide for winter feeding on the one hand and for assuming some responsibility on the other hand for damage by game animals. The Legislature has made limited provision for both contingencies. WINTER FEEDING OF DEER, ELK AND BIGHORNS The matter of winter feeding game animals is not as simple a problem as the public is generally lead to believe. While Elk do fairly well on a diet of hay, Deer will die in great numbers of malnutrition on the feed grounds. A careful check has been kept of the mortality rate on the Gunnison feed grounds for the past three years and in each of them the winterkill, from malnutrition, has considerably exceeded the hunter kill. Studies seem to show that the Deer must has a considerable amount of "browse" to accompany hay, which the wintering grounds of the Gunnison district do not have. Unless some more satisfactory type of feed can be developed it would seem that the only solution would be radical reduction of the herds. Colorado's big game feeding operations for the Biennium cost the State $46,203.00. Of this amount approximately $24,000.00 went to labor and other operating costs, and the remaining $22,203.00 paid for 2,387 tons of feed, of which the major bulk was hay. chased and fed. However, some concentrates were pur- The Gunnison herds of Deer and Elk are the most serious prob- lems from the standpoint of game management, and consumed 1,747 tons of feed �- 22 - at a cost of $18,246.27. The Gunnison district has a ninety day feeding sea- son, employs four trucks and eleven teams for part time. Five men, in addi- tion to the teamsters, are regularly employed at a total "overhead'' cost of $12,500.00 for the two year period. The Glenwood Springs-B~salt District, like the Gunnison, has a ninety day feeding season. It employed four full time men and one man part time, and used four trucks in connection with the operations. Salaries end wages for the Biennium amounted to approximately $3,000.00 with an additional overhead of $1,400.00. The Office records show a purchase of 149 tons of feed at a cost of $1,604.81 for the Biennium; making a total feeding cost, in the area, of $4,604.81. Although the White River herds of big game are the largest in the State they have comparatively more winter range that is suitable to their use than many of the other groups. sion of the herds. This was pointed out in the general discus- The feeding season averages only seventy days but three men are employed, with three teams and one truck as their regular equipment. Purchase orders show but 152 tons of feed at a cost of $886.00 for the Biennium, with labor and overhead expense of about $1,700.00. The Middle Park District is another of the ninety day feeding areas. It employs two men with two tru. ks and one team and the salaries, wages and operating expense averages about $1,025.00 per year. The feed bill for the Biennium was $1,981.65 for 170 tons. The feed bill for the Steamboat Springs district amcunted to $468.00 for 71 tons of feed. Two men and one truck took care of the feeding which extended over a seventy-five day period each year. tion to the feed, amounted to $1,300.00 for the Biennium. The cost, in addi • �- 23 - The average feeding season at Durango is 60 days and three men with one car and one truck do the work. Wages and operating expenses ran to approx- imately $1;500.00 for the Biennium witb a bill for feed of $458.65 for 43 tons of feed, some of which was cull apples. In the Ouray-Ridgway district two men with a car and a truck managed the feeding of the game of the area, consisting chiefly of a band of Rocky Mountain Bighorns. The feeding season for them averaged 60 days with the feed- ing of 37 tons of alfalfa and other hay costing $349.00. Other expenses for the Biennium amounted to $1,120.00. In other small areas game consumed 20 tons of feed at a little over $200.00 cost. In a few places the local ranchers are themselves suffi- ciently conservation-minded to care for the game feeding situation without any assistance from the State. As one such instance it is worth noting that a herd of about two thousand head, near Paonia, has been taken care of in this way for years - usually receiving tbe choicest of the alfalfa crop. In this case the State pays for the hay fed, and last year tbe ranchers of the district donated 300 tons of cull apples. DAMAGE PREVEf-.lTION AND COSTS --~-----------The State of Colorado recognizes a limited responsibility for the damage to private property and growing crops resulting from the depredations of the varieties of Wild Life enjoying protection under the law. As a result of this recognition on the part of the Law the Game and Fish Commission has set up, within the Dapartment, agencies for preventing damage in so far as E::ffective measures to this end can be set up. In addition to the regular warden staff, two men are regularly employed as Deer herders. Their duties are, as �- 24 - the title suggests, to keep Deer (as well as other game animals) away from areas where damage would result from their presence . Som~ of this work con- sists of fencing haystacks so that Deer and Elk can not get to privately owned hay in winter when it is impossible to keep the animals in the high country. In some cases it is even necessary to eliminate the animals themselves. Under such cir cumstances the meat is distributed to the Counties for charitable purposes . In a few instances rather large scale fencing operations have been un- dertaken as necessary control measures. Cash reimbursement to the landowner for damage to crops is given only in aggravated cases as the Department's whole emphasis is on 11 prevent.ion 11 • Where preventive measures have been inef- fectual the State has paid a minimum number of claims in cash. The total amount paid in this way for the Biennium amounted to only $1,478 9~. The cost of damage prevention for the Biennium has cost the Department of Game and Fish $9,077.24, distributed by Counties as follows: Gunnison $1,661.06; Eagle $711.96; Ouray $805.17; Rio Blanco Sl,980 49; Routt $1,037.49; Larimer $11.90; Grand $701.92; Park $123.34; Mesa $344.51; Delta $479.09; Montrose $58.10; Archuleta $85.20; El Paso $28.56; La Plata $818.12; Jefferson $137.36; Pitkin $30.50; Conejos $62.42. The foregoing figures represent cost of fencing and, in some instances, labor. UPLAND GAME BIRDS WILD 'TURKEY Coloradans may soon have the op~ortunity to hunt America's noblest game bird, the Wild Turkey, under controlled hunting and licensing condi~ions, if recommendations of the game management division of the Department of Game and Fish is put into practical application by the Commission. The species �- 25 - found in the State is the "Merriam Turkey", which is native to the region. There was serious talk of a limited season last year in San Juan County, which has 6,000 of the 7,000 birds estimated for the State as a whole. Other Counties in which limited numbers of Wild Turkey may be found are Las Animas, Huerfano, Pueblo 1 El Paso and Mesa. SAGE GROUSE The Sage Chicken, or Sage Grouse, is subject to the mortality cycles common to grouse, rabbits and some other species of small game birds and animals. At times they are extremely numerous and at other times approach extermination. With strict enforcement they are now very definitely on the "up cycle" and are quite plentiful in some localities. They are quite gener- ally distributed over the areas of the State suitable to their use. BLUE: GROUSE Like the Sage Chicken, the Blue Grouse is again definitely on the rising curve of the mortality cycle. They are also distributed generally over the high timbered country suited to their habits. However, unlike the Sage Grouse, they are not yet approaching a point where an open season could be considered for them. PTARMIGAN The Ptarmigan are barely holding their own against the poaching which has so long prevailed in the high ranges. Unless law enforcement can be made more effectjve it seems hardly likely that an open season on them can be anticipated at any time in the near future. QUAIL There are four varieties of quail to be found in our State. The Bobwhi e is making liLLle headway, apparcnLly due to the fact that he is not �- 26 adapted to tha type of cover characteristic of the State. Tbis conclusion is 13Ubject to revision as a result of a.ddiLional study by the research division. The Scala Quail is at present confined to La.a Animas and neighboring Counties, but is working north. The Gambel Quail is to be found in Mesa 1 M~ntrosa, and Dalta Counties - and the California Quail is distributed throughout Lhe same areas. Limited hunting appears to have scattered the flocks and is assisting in their distribution, thus having & beneficial result. BAND- TAILED PIGEON It is estimated that 12,000 of this cousin of the extinct Passenger Pigeon is resident in Colorado during the nesting and hunting seasons. Being a. mig.r atory bird, their control rests largely with the Federal Government. Five states now have short open seasons on them and it may be but a short time until the sportsmen of this State may add them to their legal bag They are rather widely scattered but their distribution is of game birds. not general as they congregate in large flocks evan during the nesting season. Some dama.g,a to grain and fruit has been reported during the past year due to the Band-Tailed Pigeon. PHEASANTS Tne Bing leek Phea.sant is pretty well distributed over 24 counties of the State. T~e est1wated population is about 1,000,000. The original stock consisted mostly of Chinese Pheasants, but since the new State Bird Farm began production of stock for planting in 1939 they have concentrated on the Mongolian, which is considered a hardier bird. As these become gen- erally distributed the resultant bird will eventually baa cross between the two species. �- 27 - CHUKARS The Chukar Partridge is a new bird to our State. The stocking pro- gram has not gone far enough to say positively how well it is adapted to the environment Colorado has to offer. On account of their peculiar, protective coloration, they are hard to detect in cover. For this reason there may be more of them than the casual observer is lead to believe . According to the Game Management division, the situation looks sufficiently favorable to justify continuation of the s tocking program. MIGRATORY WATERFOWL DUCKS Colorado is not one of the major duck-producing states and is not located on the course of one of the major flyways, although a million or more ducks may cross the State annually in their migration southward. It is vari- ously estimated that from a quarter million to a half million ducks, mostly Mallards, winter in our State, depending upon food and water conditions. Oc- casionally they do considerable damage to corn and other crops left in the fields for late harvest. It is believed that the number of ducks nesting in Colorado are about holding their own in numbers and that there has been a steady increase on the flyways and of the numbers wintering with us since the low mark of the drought period. The most extensive nesting areas are in the San Luis Vally, in North Park, and up and down the Platte River. A great many others are distributed throughout the mountain country wherever suitable conditions exist. Caddoa Reservoir is expected to provide an additional ne&tin& area of a superior type where complete protection can be extended. �- 28 - GEESE There is no reliable information as to the number of geese making stops in Colorado during the migratory season. Those who have made a study of the situation believe that they are on the increase since our last report was issued. However, their distribution changes from year to year with the changes in location of available food. This fact is apparently responsible for the common opinion in many localities that Geese in the State are on the decrease. They have shifted feeding grounds to a considerable extent in the past few years. PREDATORY BIRD CONTROL Since the last Biennial report issued by the Department of Game and Fish, a new service has been inaugurated for the elimination of excessive concentrations of injurious birds. It has a dual purpose in that it is de- signed to protect the farmer and poultryman as well as to protect the eggs and young of game and song birds from their worst enemies - the Crows and Magpies. Although the various predatory species of hawks are sometimes considered undesirable most of them do more good than harm and no concerted attempL has been made to disturb even the two or three varieties usually classed as undesirable. The whole emphasis, as far as the work of the Department is concerned, has been concentrated on the Crow and Magpie. In March, 1937, the first Predatory Bird Trapper was put in the field. A second was provided for in the appropriation for the ensuing Biennium, suggesting the significance of the service. Since the work was first begun, to the close of the Biennium, the Department's Predatory Bird Trapper built more than 100 stationary Magpie traps for landowners from materials supplied by them. For his own use, the Trapper has constructed �- 29 twelve portable traps, each ten feet square, which he sets up anywhere in the State where large concentrations of Magpies are reported. He has caught and killed more than 50 1 000 of these birds in this way, in addition to the thousands taken by landowners in the traps which he has built for them. per's average has been between 1,200 and 1,500 birds per month. The Trap- By consistent work the worst infested areas of the State are now pretty well under control. The work on Crows has necessarily taken on the character of Crowhunts as they are too wary for wholesale trapping. However, they have the habit of roosting in great flocks, and organized "shoots", at night, with large numbers of hunters participating, have proved very effective as a control measure . In one such "shoot" 86 men with shotguns killed 2,000 Crows with a single loading of their guns. The successful "bombing" of one roost. netted 3,000 Crows. The Crow is noted as an egg eater and a destroyer of young birds and his presence in some areas of the State had become scarcely tolerable when the campaign against him began. With consistent "control 11 over the past few years it is estimated that not more than 3,000 of them remain in the Denver area. This Crow population could probably be maintained without serious injury to either the landowner or the bird life of the region. A total of more than 25,000 Crows have been killed since the inauguration of the Predatory Bird Control measures went into effect. BEAVER Since tha preparatlon of the last Biennial Report of tha Department of Game and Fish (1936) the Beaver of the State have increased from an estimated low of 5,0CO to a present population of 50,000. Wh~n the Game and �- 30 - Fish Commission was created authority was provided under which a beavermanagement program was set up and trapping and transplanting operations were carried on, together with increased emphasis upon protection from poachers. The original law applying to Beaver permitted landowners to trap not to exceed ten Beaver per year (from their own land} of which the State took 50% of the proceeds. This law was repealed, and the Beaver Law of 1941, placed all beaver-trapping in the hands of the State Game and Fish Department's trappers. Under this legislation any landowner might request the pelting of all Beaver on his land or any portion of them and receive from the State one-half the proceeds from their sale; with the additional provision that the State may take up to 10% of the total number without sharing proceeds with the landowner. If damage to crops necessitates removal of Beaver at seasons of the year when pelts are valueless the animals are removed by the Department's trappers to suitable locations elsewhere. This law gives the Fish and Game Department complete control of every phase of the Beaver problem and places sufficient men in the field to reduce illegal killing to a minimum. Records for the Biennium show that approximately 6,000 Beaver were pelted by the trappers of the Department during the first half and 12,000 during the last half of the Biennium. During the Fiscal Year 1940-41 about 3,000 Beaver were removed from lands where they were doing damage, and from unsuitable surroundings, and were transplanted to areas needing restocking. The reestablishment of the Beaver at the headwaters of drainage systems is of inestimable benefit in conserving a steady stream flow, as well as in improving fishing conditions on small streams wherever dams are built. It is estimated by those in charge of the Beaver Control in the �- 31 - State that tbeir numbers increase by 100% each year. no natural enemies. The Beaver has almost Under present conditions it is estimated that 50,000 is the maximum number that can be supported without depleting their own food supply or being a menace to landowners. However; it is pointed out that by a gradual process of slow stocking the Beaver will actually increase their own food supply, through sub-irrigation from their dams, to the point where Colorado should support a population of 100,000 and possibly somewhat more than this number. It has been found that as Beaver increase they have a tendency to go down stream to establish new colonies and that even though the landowner may require all Beaver to be trapped from his land, he can probably depend upon an annual crop of pelts which he contributed nothing toward producing . The new law appears, for the most part, to be very satisfactory to the owners of the land, as it relieves them of the task of doing the trapping themselves and at the same time gives thew the same proportion of the value of the pelts as under the old law. From the standpoint of the Game and Fish Department the new arrangement provides more adequate opportunities for control. In connection with the Beaver Management program. plans are being laid for the introduction of Black Beaver of one of the Northern types. The native Colorado species have apparently migrated in from the Bio Grande, Colorado, Arkansas and Platte river systems where the less valuable fur types predominated. If the more valuable strains can be brought in and gradually substituted it will eventually mean thousands of dollars annually in increased prices for the pelts. The northern varieties currently bring fully 25% higher prices on the fur markets than can be realized from our present sto ck. As the �- 32 - law makes possible the purchase of breeding stock from outside the State, the problems involved in building up the quality are merely those of management. OTHER FUR BEARING ANIMALS The 1939 session of the Colorado Legislature passed a bill extending, for the first time, protection to all fur bearing animals not classed as predators. Under its provisions the Game and Fish Commission may set open seasons, or close seasons entirely, on any or all species, as it may see fit. Under this law the control of the fur resources of the State is made possible and future generations assured of a continuing supply of this most valuable source of natural wealth. The pelts from native Colorado fur-bearers, with the possible exception of M~rten, are of a considerably lower quality than from some other sections of the United States. The reason for this is probably the same asap- plies to the Beaver - that the stock originally migrated in from southern, or at least warmer areas, with thinner pelted strains. In connection with the proposed program of importing and cultivating better strains of Beaver, the division of fur resources is studying the possibility of including better grades of Muskrat and Mink in the same pens or breeding areas. If this proves successful the output of these production areas would be distributed throughout the State as breeding stock to raise tr-e general standard of the Colorado pelts in future years. BADGER The National Forest Service reports that under their last count there were a total of 4,200 B3dger within the National Forests. In some areas they are undoubtebly very valuable in holding down rodent populations, �- 33 - while in others they occasionally kill poultry and may interfere with nesting game birds. In addition to being a valuable fur-bearer they unquestionably occupy an important place in vermin control. MARTEN The Marten, being one of the most valuable of our State's furbearers and also very easily trapped, had become extremely scarce by the time protection was finally extended. The Game and Fish Commision closed the sea- son on them for 1940-41 to allow opportunity for recuperation and set a short season for 1941-42. With this protection it is estimated that at the close of the current Biennium the total number was not in excess of distributed throughout the altitude above 9,000 feet. 2,ooo,· well WiLh proper management they should rapidly increase to a point where they will again become a major source of income to the Colorado Trapper. MINK Mink are well distributed over our entire State. Being of a roving nature they have a tendency to migrate into the headwater areas in the Spring and back to the lower levels in the Fall. It is more difficult to determine their actual numbers on account of their habits, but the best estimate does no~ exceed 2,000 animals. If it is true it may be that a shorter trapping season or some type of temporary protection should be considered for so valuable a fur species. BACCOON These interesting fur-bearers are increasing along the Pic1.tte River, which is the only region in the State where they have regained much of a foothold since intens~ve trapping had practically elimlnated them from Colorado's �wildlife. There are probably not more than 350 Raccoon in the entire State. Howaver, many olhar localities are suitable as a habitat and the SLate is or undoubtedly capable supporting large numbers of them. OPOSSUM What has been said of Raccoon applies equally to the Opossum. They now inhabit the Platte almost exclusively and number not to exceed about 250 animals. The season was closed on the Baccoon and Opossum during 1940-41. SKUNK The Striped Skunk is well distributed over Colorado except in the high altitudes. It is probably holding its own at about 30,000 animals. There are poesibly as many as 1,000 of the small spotted skunks, or civit cats, in the southern part of the State. WEASEL The Weasel is well distributed over the entire State from the higher altitudes down to the lowest river bottoms. be entirely too low. An estimate of 7,000 may They have been protected in the Grand Mesa National Forest for purpose of rodent ccntrol. FOX The trapper division estimates the number of Fox in Colorado at only 1,500, of which a large maj rity are of the gray species which has little commercial value. Thie calculation would suggest that the forested areas might support a. much larger population of Red Fox and others of the mere valuable fur species. MUSKRAT Tha Muskrat population of Colorado is estimated at 110,000. They �- 35 - are well distributed and constitute a valuable asset. On account of their prolific tendencies they seem to be holding their own in spite cf intensive trapping. More adequate regulation might increase their numbers very mater- ially without damage to anyone. The Colorado strain of rat could stand considerable improvement and should pay many times over for the costs i~volved, if such a course is found practicable. The substitution of one of the more valuable fur types should increase the total returns by at least 25%. Although not generally classed as fur-bearers, it may be of interest to report that within the National Forests it is estimated that there are 78,000 Snowshoe Rabbits, 65,000 Abert Squirrel and 53,000 Porcupines. Both the Snowshoe Rabbit and the Porcupine are in varying degrees injurious to the timber. The rabbit feeds to some extent on young trees and may at times strip an area of them. The Porcupine kills the tops of many mature conifers by girdling them in feeding on the bark. As to the number of Cottontails and Jack Raboits there are no reliable estimates. For the season of 1939 - 40 we have the f~rst reliable esLimates of the number of fur-bearers taken in Colorado. Except for Coyote and Skunk, the figures are at least fairly accurate as they were secured from licensed fur buyers who were required to keep account of the number of skins purchased. Coyote and Skunk, being classed as predators, need not go through the hands of licensed dealers, and the figures given for them are estimates by the personnel of the Fur Resources division of the Glme and Fish Department. On all other species it is not likely that more than five to ten percenL escaped enuraeration with the exception of Badger, which i8 conceded as be1~2 considerably higher than the number listed. The figures given in the accompanying table may be considered as below, rather than above the actual take. �- 36 - TABLE SHOWING NUMBER OF FURBEAR~B~ TAKEN DURING THE BIENNIUM 1939-11 ----------------SPECIES 1939-40 Take Muskrat 73,?73 Skunk 22,455 Coyotes Weasel 25,000 3,2?2 Civet Cat 1940-41 Take 90,529 16,401 20,?50 1,804 1,794 1,494 1,311 Bobcat and Lynx B.'idger Mink 639 Marten Fox (All Species) Raccoon Hingtail Cat 553 441 104 ?90 1,275 1,01? ltl64 Protected 413 Protected 46 PREDATORY ANIMALS Although considerable is being done in connection with the control of predators by both the State and Federal Wild Life Service in Colorado, there is no accurate estimate of total numbers in the State. The Forestry Service estimates that there are in the neighborhcod of 300 Mountain Lion on the National Forests. Since most, if not all, of the Lion are in the National Forests it is probable that their figure represents approximately the 6tate•s total. On the other hand the 26,000 Coyotes estimated to be within the Forest boundaries may be less than a third of the total for the State, but no attempt has been made at enumerating them for the entire territory outside the National Forests. There are probably not more than two or three hundred Canadian Lynx in Colorado, mostly in the forested areas. The other Chief Predator is the Bobcat. or which 6,000 are estimated to be within the National Forests. Tbere are probably as many or more outside, but again no one is willing to hazard more than a "guess". �In addition to the animal predators many Crow and Magpies have been disposed of by agents of the State and Federal governments. The extent to which these birds are undesirable depends very largely upon the character of the locality inhabited by them. In general, they probably do more harm than good in the more densely populated agricultural regions of the State. STATE GAME FARM Colorado State Game Farm came into existence with the Biennium covered in this report. Prior to that time the State had leased limited facilities from Fremont County. This continues to be leased and is used now only as a brooding unit for the surplus of birds hatched at the State owned unit located just out of Colorado Springs. As a matter of fact, the two units combined are entirely inadequate to take care of tbe needs of the small flock of br~eding stock of Pheasants and Chukar Partridges maintained at present. No provision wl1atever is made for any of the species of quail which sportsmen are so anxious to see propagated and more widely distributed. Neither is there any provision for production or experimentation in connection with our native grouse. Appropriation of additional funds for expansion cf facilities at the Bird Farm is among the most outstanding needs of the Game and Fish Department. The limited facilities at hand make the operation of tho farm extremely uneconomical. The present Bird Farm setup consists of a Superintendent's Cottage, an Incubator Building, Office Building (including garage, heating plant and assistant's quarters), a rough storage shed, and ten rearing pen units. The developed area occupies about five a~res of the 300 acre tract included in the State Bird Farm. The rearing units are all of the "general 11 �- 38 rather than "specialized" type and are m>t adaptable to the rearing of many species of game birds. As the brooding units accommodate only 100 birds each and but three broods can be handled each year, the maximum capacity is at present only 3000 birds for the entire season. Even with the limited breeding stock being maintained at present the egg production is many times greater than the combined brooder capacities of both the old leased farm and the new facilities. This will be evident to anyone studying the accompanying facts relative to distribution of young birds and eggs. The fact that considerably more than half the total production had to be released in the form of eggs and day-old chicks, for lack of facilities, is revealing. Present egg production methods applied to Pheasants is to place the birds in large pens, one hundred to the pen, with each cock. a ratio of 6 hens to Here they are fed highly concentrated egg-producing foods and the eggs are deposited promiscuously on the ground. The birds seldom show any signs of desiring to brood and continue to lay throughout the season. This is an accepted method of handling Pheasants, which are polygamous birds. Although the Chukar Partridge is by nature monogamous, and for that reason much harder to mate and rear in captivity, the Game Farm Management is pioneering in an experiment to produce eggs from concentrations of large numbers of birds in spacious pens as is the practice with Pheasants. Where they were thus confined last season with a ratio of one cock to two hens the result seemed to be as satisfactory, from the fertile egg production standpoint, as where they were close-confined in pairs. next year with the ratio reduced to four to one. A trial will be made �- 33 - The first year's production of the State Bird Farm (1939; all from eggs) was 1,123 Pheasants and 1,443 Chukars. were carried over as breeding stock. 430 Pheasants and 325 Chukars The 1940 production figures w~re 3,766 twelve-week old Pheasants (normal age for release) and 1,008 twelve-week-old Chukars. During the same time 5,448 Pheasant eggs and f91 Chukar eggs were distributed to sportsmen's clubs and 4 -H Clubs; and 1,132 day-old Pheasants and 744 day-old Chukars were sent to various groups over the State. The 1941 distribution, up to the close of the Biennium, June 30, 1941, was 2,049 Pheasant eggs, 154 Chukar eggs, 2,445 day-old Pheasant chicks, 645 Chukar chicks, 552 twelve-week-old Pheasants and 90 Chukars. The addi- tional distribution for the 1941 brooding season was 620 day-old Chukars, 5,361 twelve week-old Pheasants and 3,140 Chukars. All production figures in- clude both the output of the State owned and the leased f~cilities. Chukar Partridges were rel~ased in every County 1n the State, and Pheasants in all but a half dozen. A total of 260 Scale Quail were 1eared in 1939-40 but their production was discontinued because of the lack of suitable equipment and facilities. The most pressing need in connection with the whole upland bird problem is to have thousands of small refuges distributed ov~r the State where breeding stock can be released and be assured of protection while they provide the natural increase for surrounding areas that are op~n for hunting. The sooner some such plan can be worked out and put into operation, the sooner will the State have good bird hunting, well distributed and at a cost not prohibitive to the State. �- 40 - PITTMAN-ROBERTSON ACTIVITY IN COLORADO The Federal aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (50 Stat. 917), also known as the "Pittman-Robertson Act", was approved September 2, 1937. Funds accumulated under this act through a 10% Federal tax on sporting arms and ammunition, became available to the states for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1938. The Colorado Game and Fish Commission early took action to qualify un- der its provisions in order to participate in the allocation of PittmanRobertson funds. To confirm the eligibility of Colorado to continue partici- pation in these funds, the State Legislature enacted an enabling act empowering and directing the Commission to proceed under terms of the Federal act. Colorado's activity under the bill dates from December 1, 1938 under the supervision of Mr. Arthur Carhart, who at first divided his time between Federal and State agencies in tbe wildlife program. Later he was made full-time Coordinator of the Pittman-Robertson work in the State under the general direction of the Colorado State Department of Game and Fish. The Federal act provides for three aspects of activity in connection with their cooperation with the states in aid toward wildlife restoration - the acquisition of lands for game production areas, whereby game species would be benefited, various types of development in the interests of wildlife, such as the planting of cover, fencing for protection of habitats, water development, release of brood stock, and research into gam.e and game management problems. Projects to the number of twenty have been undertaken and some of them have already been completed. These have been numbered in their chronological order and assigned the letters L, Dor R indicating the nature of the particular project. L, indicates land acquisition; D, stands �- 41 - for development; R, for research. The research has, for the most part, taken on the nature of investigation rather than an aostract laboratory character. In this, college trained men have been employed almost entirely. On July 1, 1938, $22,438.53 in Federal Funds were assigned to Colorado to be matched by $7,479.51 in State Funds -- the Pittman-Robertson Act having provided for the matching of State Funds on a three to one basis. This made $29,918.14 available for the budget of the fiscal year. SAPINERO DEER AND ELK SURVEY -------- Project No. 1-R gave employment to five college-trained men with special preparation in fields suited to the requirements of the work. $6,945.22 was assigned for the project and a survey was instituted to ascertain information relative to the Sapinero Deer and Elk herds which had already become serious problems in game management on account of their having outgrown the available food supply. A census was made, food requirements and supply were studied and a determination was made of disease-parasite relationships, annual loss and increase, sex ratios and feeding habits. Project 1-R was laid down so that as the work progressed, extensive studies would proceed from groundwork of a more intensive nature. BEAVER SURVEY Project No 2-R was a Beaver survey with a gross appropriation of $2,395.75. Work on it was begun in April 1939. Its object was to secure reasonably accurate data on numbers of Beaver, and opportunities for transplanting and subsequent harvest under a follow-up of definite management. The results of this study undoubtedly supplied some of the background for the Colorado Beaver Bill of 1941. �- 42 - THE SAPINERO GAME RANGE ---------The third project undertaken under the Pittman-Robertson Act was the logical follow-up of the original research study. Under the title "Project No. 3-L" there was set aside 17,000 acres of grazing land in the Sapinero area for the exclusive use of wild game. Of this acquisition, 6,300 acres were purchased from private owners at a cost of $19,040.00 - and tbe additional land was added through the cooperation of the Federal Grazing Service. This fine piece of cooperation between the various State and Federal agencies makes possible the carrying on of a very significant dev~lopment in the reclaiming of land for wildlife uses by giving game primary use preferences. THE COLORADQ MASTER PLAN As of July 1, 1939 Project No. 4-R was sponsored as a Master Plan for coordinating all subsequent wildlife investigations in the State. It em- braced an over-all plan of coordination for research in connection with all the game animals and game birds of the State. Work under it was immediately begun on Deer, Elk, Bighorn, Antelope, Sage Grouse, Beaver and other furbearers. By 1940, a total of $29,610.82 (including expenditures for essential field equipment) had been assigned to the Project. As a result of the Antelope investigations, a development project is under way whereby it is planned to transplant large numbers of Antelope from over-populated areas to new environments, as these animals do not naturally seek out new locations of their own free choice as do most other species of big game. This is illustrative of projects in game rehabilitation resulting from investigations under Project 4-R. �- 43 - OTHER LAND ACQUISITION PROJECTS With combined State and Federal allotments for the 1939-1941 biennial period of $115,984.8? ($35,296.55 for 1939-1940 and $80,687.32 for 1940-1941) and with $93,894 75 set aside for the first year of the Biennium, the stage was set for the application of Pittman-Robertson funds to the rehabilitation of Colorado's game on an expanded basis . In keeping with such a policy, a considerable number of land acquisit.ion projects were set up and consummated. Number 5-L, in July 1939, provided for the purchase of 640 acres (with all public range and water rights appurtenant thereto) on Cathedral Creek, Rio Blanco County, for $3,160.00. No. 8-L secured control of 3 1 600 acres in the center of the Deer and Elk range at Hot Sulphur Springs for $3,325.00. Of this, 160 acres was private land with improvements and the remainder was in the nature of grazing rights to adjacent land. A 517 acre ranch with water rights, Forest Service and Grazing Service rights on Towner Creek, near B~salt, was secured under Project 11-L. In all, it established control of 6,000 acres at a cost of $8,150.00, located in the heart of a concentrated game area with a population of Deer, Elk, Sheep, Beaver and Blue Grouse. Number 13- L, at a cost of $7,96~ . 80, secured most of tbe Missouri Creek watershed, near Rangely . The "range allotment" was assigned to wildlife uses by the United States Grazing Service. This is an extensive allocation of winter range to the use of large Deer herds of this region. Rumber 14 -L provided for the purchase of 640 acres including about three-fourths of the west bank of Butte Lake in North Park. acres was ass1gned by the Grazing Service . An additional 640 The area jncludes the wintering �- 44 - grounds of the Deer of the area in addition to the nesting grounds of Ducks Incidentally, it also provides public access to the Lake and Sage Grouse. for winter fishing. The total cost was 11,159.00. The laet of the land- acquisition Projects was 20-L which when consummated, will provide a block of game lands in Apishapa Canyon near Walsenburg. LATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS Following the initiation of major land acquisitions, the development of these areas became a necessity and a long list of projects came rapidly into being. Number 6-D allocated $1,615.30 for fen~ing 400 acres of land e~pecially well adapted to game bird production that had been acquired as a part of the Wray fish hatchery site. Number 7-D was set up in connection with the Hot Sulphur Springs land acquisition and provided $1,252.49 for range rehabilitation. In connection with this Project, various grasses, shrubs and other food plants will be experimen~ed with on 120 acres of plow land. In connection with the Number 5-L Land acquisition Proje~t, it becaLue necessary to do extensive work to make it of maximum va.l ue, and Number 9-D allotted $2,735 . 45 to rehabilitate the old irrigation sysLem, ,a-seed the meadows and put the house in livable condition. crop -share basis. A tenant was secured on a Among other ga.me-foods, they a.re experiment.ing with the planting of "winterfat". A pioneer type of project was set up as an experiment in Number 10-D in which $2,847.30 was appropriated for fencing 1JJat.erials . The Soil Con- servation Service cooperated by assigning sites providing the labor for the establishment of exclusion areas devoted to game production. SevenLeen acres �of five to sixty acres each were fenced off in the stream bottoms and around the water-holes in such a way that wildlife has access inside the fences and domestic stock can use the overflow, outside the fenced areas. thousand trees and shrubs were planted in the area by the S.C.S. Eighteen The most unique phase of the experiment was the setting aside by the Game and Fish Commission of closed areas on a "checker-board" plan, creating protected areas of about 40% of the total. A number of private landowners are cooper- ating with the Commission in the "checker-board" plan. Project Number 12-D provided $2,589.75 for rehabiliting the buildings, providing a well and establishing 11 Sulpher Springs land acquisition project. small field laboratory at the Hot Number 18-D provided $423.55 for rehabilitation work and the establishment of a "stub laboratory" on the project near Basalt. BIRD REHABILITATION PROJECT For purposes of studying the adaptability of game bird species to vatious environments throughout the State, Project No. 17-B was set up as a continuing long-time study. For its first year of operation, $2,358.95 was allocated and in May 1941, $9,612.35 more was set aside for the work. After careful reconnaissance to discover areas best adapted to their needs, 1,500 Pheasants and 1,500 Chuckars were distributed over the entire area of the State in groups of 50 birds each to further establish survival success on habitat types. Preliminary results seem to indicate ~hat Chukars are doing well in only four types of environment, but further close study will be necessary before definite conclusions are reached. Native Wild Turkey are also being trapped and redistributed to their original habitats. �- 46 - ATIMrnISTBATIOH AND OVERHEAD Baginning with 1940-1941, tbe overhead and administrative costs of all Pittman-Robertson projects wei·e provided for under a new Federal regulation. Thrn:1e funds wel'e set aside under a Project designated as Number 19-C. The amount included in the f'irst allocation was $10,357.60. TOTAL EXPENDITURES UNDER PITTMAN-ROBERTSON ACT -~------------Fiscal Year 19:38-39 - $29,918.04 - - - - • - - - 47,062.0? - - - 80,687~32 93.894.75 1939-40 1940-41 li1941-42 TOTAL - - - 8251,562.18 *This appropriation is for use during the first year of the coming Biennium. or this total the Federal Government provided $188,671.64 and Colorado $62,890.54. LAW ENFORCEMENT The facts concerning law enforcement. for the 19:39-1941 Biennium arn briefly set forth in the accompanying figures. REPORT OF ARBESTS July 1. 1939 to June 30 1 1941 Arresting Officer Wm. O. Adkins No. of Arrests Title Ga.ma W• rden 35 8 L. W. B.:1.llar:d II II H. Cl. B:1yne ft II ? Leo L. Broux Kleiss Brown II ,r ~8 n II 7 James M. Campbell 11 II 5 W. H. Corum II II 17 Gurney I. Crawford Frank Colley Earl Downer A. D. Downey J. W. Drommond **Forest Fail Wm. Forgett.. Predatory Bird Trapper Game Warden u II fl II II •• II 11 Deer Herder 39 19 70 10 4 l 6 �- 47 - Baport of Arres~s Continued Arresting Officer s. Fuller J. C. Gentry Beeves Gentry J. Clarence Goad Brownlee Guyer Alexander Hamil ton Sherman T. Harris Lurton Holman W, H. Hunn W.W. Ireland Tltle No. of Arrests Game Warden 11 Jt1 n " II ,, 11 II 'II fl II n 3 II II 14 lfl n II 23 21 II "II John Lall II II C. A. Bibbing Arthur Rodgers Rowe Shawver **Jack Marr Simpson 3 II Dow Jones Frank Mayse J. C. Maloy 13 36 40 16 l Deer Herder Game Warden n II 11 II II II II II 8 2. 17 16 4 Gao. T. Steele Deer Herder Victor T. Steele Paul Wetzel Game Warden Herman Wilson Bryan Denton 27 61 10 18 II II 36 II II 5 4 4 Beaver Trapper Wm. Gaa:sch Bill Goosema.n Oscar F. Hassell II II lt1 !I 11 II Ge,orge Hogue Jack Hogue 11 r, 11 '!1 ,, 3 5 2 4 11 8 n " Willis Kenney Allison Mason II II 11 3 Phil Smith Robert Terrell n R.. B, Judy H. H. K&nnell Yale Thayer Carl Welsh Curtis Williams A.L. Dumont M. Seby Marion Mills Sherman Hall 11 u ,, II n II II II n II !I Hatchery Superintendent 11 Halper n n Predatory Bird Trapper Officers other than Department. Employees Total arrests July l, 1939 to June 30, 1941 - - - - - - **Wardens employed during Big Game sea.sons, short term only. l l l 3 6 3 1 l 2 53 251 1,019 �- 43 INCCM::S AHD EXPENDITURES The following pages present the financial statement of the Department of Game and Fish for the 1939-1941 Biennium as set forth in the Auditor's reports: July!, 1939 to Jun~ 3Q, 1940 Resident Bunting and Fishing Licenses S 199,218.45 Ladies Hunting and Fishing Licenses 17,364.55 Resident Big Gama Bunting Licenses 130,153.50 Non Resident Fishing Licenses Non Resident 10 and 3 day Fishing Permits 9,184.75 19. 191. 20 Non Re,sident Big Game Hunting Licenses 24,379.BC Non Resident Small Game Hunting Licenses Lakes, Parks & Renewals Preserve Licenses Importers Licenses 939.80 1,023.CO 365.00 125.00 Beaver Park License l.00 Guide Licenses 4?5.00 Seining Penni ts 108.00 Taxidermist Licenses Fines and Convictions Transportation and Importation Storage Permits Pheasant Permite Specimen Tags Sal ,e of Adult Beaver Sale of Beaver Hides Sale of Deer and Elk Hides Sa.le of Ducks Rent. of Haylands Scientific Permits Sale of Hay Canon Bird Farm Refuge Permi t.s Rarunds 195.00 6,900.48 659.25 35.00 16.00 16.50 32.00 81,153.45 89.00 12.00 250.C0 13.50 90.00 55.00 99.?2 Befund Insurance 52,70 2'70.00 Flefund Fish Eggs $492,468.65 [YB INSPECTION -- R~ Resident Trappers Licenses N.:m Resident Trappers Licenses Resident Fur Dealers Licenses Non Resident Fur Dealers Licenses Fur Dealers Cards Fines and Convictions Sale of Mi.1skrat Hides, Etc. 4,754.75 99,40 1,825.00 375.00 ZS.SO 125.57 2,377.54 $ 9,595.76 �- 49 - REVENUE - Continued REIMBURSEMENTS Transfer Colorado Game Farm PWA Accounts Pittman-Robertson Projects S 2,821.94 29,916.C9 $ 32,7:;8.03 TOTAL - - - - - - - - - - - $534,802.44 B LANCE GAME CASH FUND July 1, 1939 $19,798.23 534, 8"12. 44 674,600.67 453,405.26 RECEIPTS July 1 1 1939 to June 30 1 1940 EXPENDITURES July 1, 1939 to June 30, 1940 BALANCE: G.A.ME CASH FUND JUNE 30, 1940 - - - - - - - - - - - $221,195.41 EASEMENT FUND BALANCE July 1, 1939 EXPENDITURES July 1, 1939 to June 30, 1940 $ 14,480.00 BALANCE EASEMENT FUND July l, 1940 - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - $ 11.40 14,468.£0 EXPENDITURES Buena Vista Hatchery Cedaredge Hatchery Del Norte Hatchery Denver Hatchery Durango Hatchery Estes Park Hatchery Ft. Collins Hatchery Glenwood Springs Hatchery Grand Lake H~tchery Grand Mesa Hatchery La Jara Hatchery L~s Animas Hatchery Pitkin Hatchery Rye Hatchery Steamboat Springs Hatchery Walden Hatchery Wray Hatchery H9.Viland Lake Monument Lake Parvin Reservoir Tarryall Reservoir Bear Lake S 8,909.05 5,271.10 3,108.46 10,594.59 14,286.75 6,793.62 8,242.77 7,562.13 514.54 1,376.:31 5/703.93 2,284.72 23,839.24 16,345.22 1,989.37 5,878.27 4,896.14 2,478.21 6,461.07 2,240.29 7,679.33 53.00 It should be noted that all Fish Hatchery costs include capital expenditures. �- [iQ - EXPENUITURES - Con t i nued Blec-ka Lake M!j_rvine Lake Swee water Lake Trappers Lake Misc. Lak'3B Administrative and Undistributed Conservation Comments Canon City Bird Farm Colorado Game Farm Game Bird Propagation Predatory Bird Control Retaining Ponds (Not owned by St&te) Bal-Aire Retaining Ponds Brandon Reservoir Stream Survey Research and Experimental Beclairnirng Fish Winter Feeding Law Enforcement Game Warden Pittman-Robertson Ranch Upkeep Game Check Stations Beaver Control Fur Inspection I 661.09 ?44 .-43 517 .62 3.053 . 97 15 . CO 47,258.65 2,8?6.0l 2,217.31 13,400.75 187.50 1,987 . 96 4,347.47 19,464.53 600.00 100.00 4,524 93 51? .19 ~9,?08.42. 75,091.17 146 69 2,2'>2.24 32,808.55 7,340.54 PITTMAN-ROBERTSON PROJECTS Project R 1 100.46 Project Project Project R 2 L 3 R 4 18,854.00 21,600.99 L5 2,003.50 D D L D L 1,246.47 Project Project Project Project Project Project TOTAL - 6 7 8 10 11 191.43 6.?l 3,024.17 17.10 30.00 $453,405.26 �- 51 - fiEVENUE Baceipts July 1, 1939 June 30, 1940 Resident Hunting and Fishing Licenses Ladies Hunting and Fishing Licenses Resident Big Game Hunting Licenses Non Resident Fishing Licenses Non Resident 10 and 3 day Fishing Permits Non Resident Big Game Hunting Licenses Non Resident Small Game Hunting Licenses Special Big Game Licenses Lakes, Parks & Renewals Preserve Licenses Importers Licenses Beaver Park License Guide Licenses Seining Permits Taxidermist Licenses Fines and Convictions Transportation and Importation Storage Permits Pheasant Permits Specimen Tags Sale of Adult Beaver Sale of Beaver Hides Sale of Deer and Elk Hides Sa le of Ducks Rent of Haylands Scientific Permits Sale of Hay - Canon Bird Farm Refuge Permits Refunds Refund Insurance Refund Fish Eggs Conservation Farm Program Sale of Logs - Grand Masa Sale of Stove - Durango S 199,218.45 17,364.55 130,153.50 9,184.75 19,191.20 24,379.80 939.80 1,023.00 365.00 125.00 1.00 475.00 108.00 195.00 6,900.48 659.25 35.00 16.00 16.50 32.00 81,153.45 89.00 12.00 250.00 13 . 50 90.00 55.00 99.72 52.70 270.00 Receipts July l, 1940 June 30, 1941 $ 182, 656. 15 16,(85.60 150,623.70 6,954.65 24,470.85 33,877 35 1,155.25 14,287.50 1,242.CO 487.00 25.00 1.00 690.00 85.00 175.00 7,393.98 694.50 29 00 9.00 14.00 48.00 138,574.05 98.94 250.00 11.00 87.00 48.50 269.93 8. 70 56.63 156.00 20.00 492,468.65 $ 580,585.28 4,754.?5 4,823.00 24.85 942.00 350.00 6.00 FUR INSPECTION -- REVENUE Resident Trappers Licenses Non Resident Trappers Licenses Resident Fur Dealers Licenses Non Resident Fur Dealers Licenses Fur Dealers Cards Fines and Convictions Sale of Muskrat Hides, Etc. Sale of Beaver Seals 99.40 1,825.00 375.00 28.50 125.57 2,377.54 407.03 6,804.96 20. 75 $ 9,595.76 S 13,3?7.59 �- G2 - REVENUE - CONTINUED BEIMBURSEMENT§ Transfer Colorado Game Farm PWA Accounts Pittman-Robertson Projects s 2,821.94 29,916.09 32,738.03 20,853 . 30 - --- -----TOTAL - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BALANCE GAME CASH FUND July 1, 1940 VOUCHER CANCELLED PRIOR July 1, 1940 RECEIPTS July 1, 1940 to June 30, 1941 EKPENDITURES July l, 1940 to June 30, 194 1 TRANSFER TO EASEMENT FUND BALANCE GAME CASH FUND JULY 1, 1941 - - - - - - - - $ 534.802.44 s 614.816.17 221,195.41 96.35 614,816.17 614,912.52 836,107.93 --~ 453,314.50 5,596.40 BALANCE EASEMENT FUND July l, 1940 TRANSFER GAME CASH FUND 458,910.90 $ '3??, l 97. 03 $ 14,468.60 5,596.40 20,065.00 195.00 - - - $ 19.870.00 EXPENDITURES July l, 1940 ~o June 30, 1941 BALANCE EASEMENT FUND July l, 1941 - - - - - - - - - - EX.fENDIDJRES Buena Vista Hatchery Cedaredge Hatchery Del Norte Hatchery Denver Hatchery Durango Hatchery Estes Park Hatchery Ft. Collins Hatchery Glenwood Springs Hatchery Grand Lake H~tchery Grand Mesa Hatchery La Jara Hat.chary L~s Animas Hatchery Pitkin Hatchery Rye Hatchery Steamboat Springs Hatchery Walden Hatchery Wray Hatchery $ 5,979. 14 6,013 69 1,861.36 9,Z88.96 9,057.43 4,769 . 43 8,276.96 7,999.50 232.62 229.09 6,416 . 87 1,960 . 41 12. ~•87.80 5,636.46 2,561.91 5,412.18 3,405.50 It should be noted that all Fish Hatchery costs include capital expenditures. �- 53 - EXPtNDITURES - CONTINUED Haviland Reservoir M)nument Lake Hatchery Parvin Reservoir Tarryall Reservoir Bel-Aire Retaining Ponds Administrative and Undistributed Conservation Comments Canon City Bird Farm Colorado Springs Bird Farm Game Bird Propagation Predatory Bird Control Retaining Ponds (Not State Owned) B.aer Lake Blecka Lake Marvine Lake Skinny Fish Lake Trappers Lake Stream Survey Soecial Projects Winter Feeding Game Wardens Beaver Trappers Game Check Stations Fur Inspection Research Grubb Ponds Antlerless Deer and Elk Season $2,040.77 5,569 63 2,327.i6 3,561.60 7,080.75 50,829.22 2,690.70 2,030.47 13,629.40 ?0.61 1, ?27 .11 3,641.89 50.00 329.79 39.50 18.00 l,C82.65 1,030.50 1. 941. 25 36,731.86 69,647.50 73,623.18 2,809 66 16,734.75 6,355.65 30.37 2,875.90 PITTMAN-RCBERTSON Project Project Project 342.83 13-1 R 4 5L2 PROJECT D 7 PROJECT LB Project D 9 Project D 10 Prc.ject L 11 Project D 12 Project L 13 Project L 14 Project R 17 Hot Sulphur Sanctuary Tentative T OT A L - - 28,372.66 8.00 1,504.80 200.00 95.56 2,187.43 8,026.80 2,871.62 6,700.30 1,116, 18 1,571.43 1.04 226 .48 - - - - - - - - - - - $ 453,314.50 � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/bf9826aa761156bcfd19a36bdf9526c4.pdf 8d5225082f9102399bec68804a554649 PDF Text Text SH 11 .CSB 1941-1943 C.2 I fllennlal Nepo-~t COLORADO GAME & FISH COMMISSION 1941- 1943 ROPERlY OF, COLu. 8At~[, FISH & r ARKS D£PT. R ~ C CH TE UBRAR~ �PROPrnTY or;'COLO. GAME, FISH & PARKS 0~ RESEARGfl CENTER LIBRARY , COLORADO GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT BIENNIAL REPORT, 1941-1943 Shortages in paper supply, mounting costs in· printing and increasing demands on the State ' s own printing facilities, make it advisable to present the current Biennial report in this l imited form. It is being reduced to the very minimum consistent with t he developments and changes of the past two war years. Actually a great deal of progress has been made in almost every division and activity of the Department. Legislative changes have made possible slightly better salaries for the personnel of the Department. The Civil Service Commission has set up and administered examinations for all employees on the provisional list so that ther e are but few not enjoying permanent status. Most of the exceptions are in the casual labor category. A law of 1943 has taken away the power of t he Game and Fish Commission to regulate in regard to the type of fish baits that may be used and prevents Commissioners from succeeding themselves to membership on the Commission. (Under this provision Governor Vivian appointed Carl A. Norgren, of Denver, and Harry Morgan, of Dolores, to succeed Dr. Harold Watson and Ben Jorgenson, respect ively, whose terms expi r ed in 1943.) Bear were also declared by the legislature to be a big game animal and their control placed under the jurisdiction of the Game a nd Fish Commission. Requests by the Department for two additional licenses, one on Rocky Mountain Bighorn and one on An:t,el9pe, were turned ~own by the legislature. I I During the Biennium~about 5,000 feet of moving pictures, in color, have been added to the Department's film library, and programs have been presented to more than 200 audiences, totaling about 35,000 persons, as an educational feature of the Game and Fish Department's activities. Two additional services have been added during the Bien~ium - a regular, monthly bulletin to the field personnel and a systematic news release service to newspapers and sportsmen's clubs. Cooperation has also been established with the Forestry Service, Gr~zing Service and Soil Conservation Service, whereby game management problems of common interest are worked outJ1,t joint conferences rather than separately, thus gaining the advantage of a maximum of information . A number of short school sessions for employees were conducted in Civilian Defense Courses, as well as for general warden training, and a new "warden's handbook" was prepared for the guidance of the field personnel. FISH CULTURE ---- -------The production of trout in the State's fish hatcheries has almost doubled during the current Biennium , having increased from 56 tons per year to 102 tons dur ing 1943, and an estimate of 150 tons for 1944, or a total of about 2, 000,000 legal-sized trout and warm water fish . This tremendous increase has been made possible by general improvements to the rearing ponds in connection with almost every hatchery in the State, by the completion of the new rearing pond uni ts at Carbondale, and by the leasing of the Fadden commerc ial hat chery near Denver. No �- 2 - additions were made during the Biennium to -the trout hatching units as these are more than adequate to take care of all present requirements. The change in policy from planting fry and fingerlings to that of planting seven inch fish left the State with a.surplus of hatching facilities and brought about a shortage of rearing facilities. These latter.are being increased as rapidly as possible under-the restrictions imposed by war shortages of critical materials. The production of warm water varieties of fish remains relatively constant and'is·adequate to the demands .. The grade of fisbing has been reported as greatly improved to the point where it is cons~dered good in most sections of the state. WINTER FEEDING OF BIG GAME Intensive· research over a period of years has convinced the• Game and Fish Department that a policy of regularly feeding any.species of wild game is basically--unsound. It is still recognized that there ·may ·be short periods during exceptionally hard winters when game•birds and ani• mals may profit by a short period of supplementary feeding, and that the Department should be prepared for such emergencies. rLosses in the ·past have been much heavier on·the feed grounds than elsewhere.and-research has shown that both dry feeds and concentrations are detrimental to the health of·our big game animals, especially to- deer. No feeding has been done during the 1943-44 season. The estimated Mule Deer population of Colorado, as of January 1, 1944, was 228,401. About_32,000 head were taken by hunters during 1943. At the close of the last previous·Biennium the count showed 248,000 head. This represents a net decreas_e· of nearly 20,000 during th:e two- year period. The encouraging aspe·ct of ~he deer· ·.si'.tua.tion is that· there haye been substantial reductions made _in the populations of all of the overstocked areas. This has been accomplished by doe seasons 1n limited areas which have tended to concentrate the:hunters in districts of overpopulation. The result has been a general building up of the deer populations in the regions of sparse concentration, thus assuring better hunting for the future. The present potential breeding herd can be considered as consisting of about 200,000· animals as the entire ~opulation figure includes animals below breeding age and has not been adjusted for winter loss for the current winter. If herd ·populations vary between 225,000 and 250,000 and are properly distribute"d, it is felt, t,hat, the range resources of the st,at,e will be best utilized and that hunting will be generally satisfactory. WHITETAIL QEER • Although it is doubtful if there is a single Whitetail Deer that ·could be considered a year-round resident of Colorado; there may be as many as a hundred head that emigrate ba~k and forth across the ColoradoNew Mexico line, spending a part of the .summer in this state. At one time their range extended well into-Colorado. . I. �WAPITI or AMERICAN ELK Th~ ~lk population of Colorado as of January 1st, 1944, was 24,873. Two years ago it was estmated at 20,000. However, all the heavy concentrations have been broken up during. the r.urrent Biennium through hunting of the antlerless members of the species, and the past season took more animals from the herds than t he previous year's increase. Open seasons prevailed over most of the Denver Mountain Parks area last season and even this overcrowded district i s on the way to being brought under control. About 5,500 head of elk were harvested during the past season . The herds have been scattered over a much larger range than before and are considered generally under control. During the past Biennium the Antelope herds have increased by 1,860 head. They now number 7,860 as against 6,000 animals two years ago. They would readily stand a short open season on the males of the species. In many districts they are doing a great deal of crop darrage and should be scattered. ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIGHORN The last census of Bighorns in Colorado was interr-upted before its completion by extremely severe weather over some of their range, and it is generally conceded that considerable numbers may have been missed in the count. According to the count there were 2,513 head, as of January 1st, 1944. This is considerably below the estimated numbers of two years ago when between 2,800 and 3,000 were reported. It is generally agreed that there has actually been a small increase during the period, but another count will be necessary to establish a reconciliation between the two sets of figures. A contemplated Moose census has never been carrieq out but the Department's . Superintendent of Game Management estimates six head in one of the least acces sible regions of the State. at large. l2 remain. The last Biennial census i ndicated 15 head of Bison running Several have been disposed of, and latest estimates are that Black bear are just holding their own in Colorado with an estimated population of 5,000 animals, the same number as at the close of the last Biennium. Grizzlies are credited with an increase from 5 to 15 animals. Two were killed during the 1943 hunting season. WILD TURKEYS There are estimated to be 7,750 Wild Turkeys of the native Colorado stock, the Mirr1am's Turkey. The two principal areas of concen r tration are the Trinidad and Durango-Pagosa Springs districts, with the �- 4 - latter area having slightiy the largest number of birds. There is a small flock of the eastern turkeys in the. Grand Mesa area but they are hardly holding their own .. Heavy plantings are being made of the native bird to areas suited to their u~e. RINGNECK PHEASANTS. This bird, a native of the Orient, is making more rapid progress than any of our native birds. It is estimated that there are now 950,000 pheasants going into·the 1944 :µreeding season: They are constantly extending their range in the State. §AGI GROUSE (§AG~ CHICKEN}· . The present population of Sage Grouse is estimated at 60,000, and an open season has been established on them for 1944. An epidemic seemed to be gaining headway among them ·in the northwestern part of the State·in 1943 and it is believed that hunting wil'l scatter the concentrations a~d have a tendency to check the epidemic. 0 §HAB~ rAI~ GROUSE The Sharp Tail occupies rather limited areas in Colorado and their numbers are estima~ed at 20,000 birds. There is no open season on them. PRAIRIE CHICKEN ·(Greater} The Prairie Chicken i~ limited to a very small range in Colorado, and most of the 1,000 ·birds credited· ,o the State a·re in the vicinity of Wray. ~ GROUSE It is generally conceded that the Blue or Dusky Grouse has definitely passed ~he low point on their population curve. Present populations a.re e·stimated at 20,000 bir.ds. Apparently, it will be several years at least before their numbers .may again justi_fy an open season. PTARMIGAN • The Ptarmigan, due to their alpine habitat, are not likely-to constitute an 'important game bird.· Their numbers are es~imated at 15,000. There ar·e three species of Quail in Colorado; the Bobwhite, Gambel·and Scale. The Bobwhite is hardly holding its own and enjoys complete protection. Its total population .i~ limited to ~bout 2,000 birds·. Open seasons have been maintained ,regularly on the Gambel and Scale Quail. ·T~eir combined po~ulation is about 200,000. CHUKAR PARTH!Qg~ The Chukar Partridge shows some indication of being able to establish i tselt in a few districts ··,of. the, ·s~a te al though i ~s adjustment to the new environment seems to be much slower than generally anticipated. It is still too early to say that it will or will not become a perm~nent addition to our game birds. i. �- 5 - The Mourning or Turtle Dove is abundant 1n the State and was hunted during the season of 1943. BAND-TAILED PIGEON The Band-Tailed Pigeon is abundant during the summer in limited areas of Colorado. The total population is estimated at about 40,000 birds. It is a migratory bird and does not winter in the State. SHORE BIRDS Many types of shore birds are abundant in certain localities. Some two or three hundred Snowy Egrets nest in the San Luis Valley and several species of herons have established rookeries in a number of places in the State . The Ducks nesting in Colorado increased in numbers during the Biennium. It is estimated that there are about 800,000 that might be considered as permanent residents and that an additional 2,000,000 migrate through the State annually. Cons iderable damage is done to unharvested crops suggesting that the U. S. Wildlife Service should set the open season to conform with the major migration period. Extended shooting of a restricted nature has been allowed during the past two seasons . It has demonstrated that merely shooting in or over unharvested crops cannot entirely solve the problem. It is estimated that there are about 3,300 Geese that can be classed as permanent winter residents and about 17,000 that migrate through Colorado on their way to wintering areas farther south . There are two native squirrels that are common in Colorado the Ebert or tufted eared squirrel and the Pine Squirrel or Chickaree. The former is very li mited in i ts range and are nowhere abundant. The Pine Squirrel is extremely abundant in most of our higher altitude, coniferous fores t s. The Ebert Squirrel enjoys complete protection under the law. B~~~lI§ ~~Q tl~B~§ The past Biennium has witnessed a decided falling off in rabbi t and hare populations. Heavy hunting due to the high prices paid for both skins and carcasses has been a major factor, but can hardly be considered as the only cause. Principal species are the Cottontail Rabbit, the Varying Hare or Snowshoe Rabbit, and the Blacktailed and Whitetailed Jack Rabbits. FUR BEARERS Most reliable information indi cates that there has been a slight increase a~ong mo st furbearers during the Biennium . Marten enjoyed a closed season last year. Weasel are protected in some areas on �- 0 - the assumption that they constitute an effective control on undesirable rodent populations in range areas. Raceoon have become quite numerous in a few localized areas, justifying a limited open season. PREDATORY ANIMALS Mountain Lions are reported on the increase. Coyotes are fairly well under control in some areas and extremely numerous in others. Bobcats are more than holding their own. COLORADO BIRD FARMS Colorado has two game bird farms; one located at Colorado Springs and the other at Canon City . The one at Colorado Springs is devoted to the rearing of Pheasants and Chukar Partridges and the one at Canon City to the production of Chukar Partridges and Scale Quail. It is generally agreed that the most profitable period of bird farm activity has passed, as far as Pheasants are concerned, as game birds that have demonstrated their ability to survive and increase under a given environment are well able to maintain their own surpluses through natural reproduction. Otherwise it has been proven unprofitable to rear them in captivity for release to meet hunting demands. Releases of game birds for the biennium were as follows: For 1942; Pheasants, 9,065, Chukar Partridges, 517. For 1943; Pheasants, about 6,000 (of which 3,917 were reared at the farm and the remainder at special brooder installations near Flagler), Chukar ·Partridges, 1,045, Scale Quail 103. Most of the Quail were carried over to 1944 as breeding stock, with an anticipated 1,000 of these birds for 1944 release. It is a possibility that the future of bird farm activity may lie in the field of research into problems of disease, pr oper environment, and other aspects underlying an adequate management program. PITTMAN-ROBERTSON ACTIVITY Due to war conditions Congress has reduced the funds available for wildlife restoration work, under the Pittman-Robertson Act, to an extent where it will carry only the framework of its intended function. In Colorado the personnel has dwindled to five field men, an office secretary and one man devoting most of his time to administrative duties. Current activity centers mostly around getting previously inaugurated projects into final shape and in research work incident to problems of game management. Wild Turkey planting has occupied some of the personnel during the winter months. The Pittman-Robertson phase of the Department's activity for the immediate future has been outlined to occupy four new major aspects, all of which will be very closely coordinated with the game management division of the Department ' s regular activities. The Development of public shooting grounds is one of the four fields for future emphasis. A second project concerns the problems of the Scale Quail and Sage Grouse and their further distribution and management . The Band-Tailed Pigeon will be .given some intensive study as to range and habits in cooperation with the u. s. Fish and Wildlife Service . The fourth major aspect of the current program r.oncerns the ctocky Mountain Bighorn and his future welfare in the State, with possibilities of transplanting to other favor able areas. �- ·? - BIG GAME KILL DURING BIENNIUM 1942 Species --Deer Elk Bear Antlered Antlerless Total Antlerep 4,742 1,335 25,283 4,893 230 25,271 3,932 20,551 3,558 · ~stmated Crippling Loss Total 1943 Antlerless 1,992 215 5,369 2,216 SMALL GAME KILL DURING BIENNIUM Species Number 1942 Pheasants 181,908 Quail 33,207 Ducks 287,532 Doves Geese 2,052 Cottontails 1,824,552 Jackrabbits 2,000,000 Pounds of Meat 391.102 10,37? 539,135 Spades Mule Deer ~lk (Wapiti) 326,160 l:0,000 300,000 8,000 2,500 1,000,000 1,000,000 13,851 2,882,792 12,000,000 BIG GAME POPULATIONS FOR BIENNIUM Number 1943 Pounds qf Meat 936,079 18~750 600,000 2,000 22,500 2,000,000 6,000,000 (Figur.e:a .as of. . January l) 1942 1943 187,545 23,986 228,401 24,873 LICENSES SOLD DURING BIENNIUM Type of License -------~esident Antlered Deer Non-Resident Antlered Deer - Resident Antlered Elk Antlered Elk - Non-Resident *Antlered Big Game - Resident *Antlered Big Game - Non-Resident Antlerless Deer Antlerless Elk Men's Resident Small Game and Fish Women's " " " " " Non-Resident Fishing (Season} Non-Resident Fishing (Three Day) *Armed· Forces Small Game and Fis~ Non-Resident Small Game Only *Type of license not available in 1942 1942 Sales 1943 Sales 33,820 1.,442 6,571 549 49.298 1,796 6,9lf' 2,255 110,103 24,072 8,095 17,274 6, 75.0 3,275 114,120 27,977 6,133 7,972 9,771 292 929 211,388 228,321 32,632 6,363 288 �- 8 - GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT FINANCIAL STATEMENT Comparative Statements for Years 7/1/41-6/30/42 -- 7/1/42-6/30/43 Account 2146 7/1/41 6/30/42 7/1/42 ·6/30/43 Cash.Balance at beginning of period· Adjustment Cash Balance Adjusted 7/1 Revenue Pittman-Robertson Reimbursements Transfer from .. 2145 Account··. Total Revenue 1941-1942 Vo. ·can. $376,801.09 1,792.92 $377,197.03 $524,480.92 8378,594.01 $571,390.82 27,768.63 46,524.46 47.75 $552,~49.55 8617,963.03 28.50 Total Cash Available 8929 _,'4~6 . 58 Expenditures: 2146 Account $470,474.62 $418,948.36 Pittman-Robertso~ _51, ~63 .82 73,ll2~88. Total Cancellations and adjustment~ Legal Services Transfer 3% on· Fines, etc. Total Cash Balance at end of period 8543,587.50 $470,312.18 3,600.00 601.13 3,600.00 996,585.54 5,457.99 552,645 .•49 474,679.07 $376,801.09 $521,906.47 Account 2145 Fur Inspection and Beaver Control .. 7/1/41 -- 6/30/42 7/1/42 6/30/43 Cash Balance at the $21,707.51 beginning of period Less adjustment to 1,729.59 Account 2146 $19,977.92 · Adjusted Cash Balance 63.33 Transferred.to Acct. 2146 Cash Balance 7/1 $215,680.56 $289,012.45 Revenue-Deposits 47.75 288,964.70 Pevenue-Trans. 2146 ----531.20 Cancelled Vouchers $ i9,914_.59 (1941-1942) • Total Cash Available 8309,410.49 �- 9. ~ Account 2146 Expenditures: Services Retirement Beaver Reimbursements Capital Outlay • Commission-Hides Opr. & Misc. -- Continued ... t 59,486_.66 ., 1,777.77 $ 70,415.54 .72, 175.11 2,734.76 14.,:4.25. 68 39,769.30 5,220.18 118,337.33 Total . $193,973.05 $190,369.28 Less Cancelled·. Vouchers 1942-1943 433.59 3% Transfer on Sales of hides, etc. Total Cash Balance at end of period 821,707.51 $189,935.69 ----- 5,.387.24 $195,322.93 8114,087.56 STATUS OF CASH ACCOUNTS June _30, 1942. Game.and Fish Dept. 2146 Account June 30, 1943 $376,801.09 . 8521,906.47 Fur Inspection and Beaver Control 21,707.51 114,087.56 Easement Fund 19,870.00 19,870.00 $655,864. 03· REVENUES ·comparative Statement for Years 7/l/4~-6/.30/42 -- 7/l/42-6/30/43 Receipts 7/1/41 6/30/42 Soldiers Hunting and Fishing Licenses-• Resident Combined Hunting and Fishing Licensee Ladies Hunting and Fishing Licenses Non-Resident Fishing Licenses Three-Day Fishing Permits_ Resident Antlered Deer Li'.censes Resident Antlered Elk.Licenses Non-Resident Antlered'.Deer Licenses Non-Resident Antlered Elk Licenses Antlerless Deer Licenses Antlerless Elk Licenses Non-Resident Small Game,Hunting Licenses Lake and Park Licenses and Renewals Preserve Licenses and Renewals Receipts 7/1/42 6/30/43 $ 849.10 $192,765.15 205,848.80 19,301.40 17,758.30 22,571.75 25,520.90 12,.915.20 18,793.85 161,075.05 140,182.70 31,253.75 27,651.25 35,748.25 34,006.50 13,624 .. 50 10,483.50 20,380.00 _ 34,575.00 10,475.00 -11-,275.00 1,333.60 1,591.70 ·1,208_.oo 941.00 -- 406.00 52i.oo �- 10 - REVENUES Continued Guide Licenses Seining Permits Importers Licenses Taxider~ist Licenses Transportation and Importation Permits Specimen Tags Sale beer, Elk and Bear Hides Storage Permits Refuge Permits Refunds Fines and Convictions Rent of Hay Lands Pheasant Permits Scientific Permits. Sale of Corn crop, Hay Grand Mesa Hatchery Sale of Buick Sale of Ft.. Collins Equipment Resident Trappers Licenses, Non-Resident frappers Licenses Resident Fur Dealers Licenses Non-Resident Fur Dealers Licenses Fur Dealers Cards Sale of Beaver Seals Pittman-Robertson Reimbursements Beaver Control and Fur Inspection .Sale of Hides Sales of Beaver Seals Refunds 8 725.00 71.00 75.00 150.00 •. 752.25 5.00 1,593.75 28.00 44.50 386.21·· 10,402.55 250.00 4.00 17.50 35.66 428.00 85.00 ~ 6;548.15 124.50 1,150.00 500.00 31.50 '2.50 27,768.63 2l5,670.06 10.50 s 450.00 52.00 ... 150.00 150.00 589.75 3.00 902.85 • 9.00 28.25 211.74 9,762.33 250.00 2·.00 '14.50 98.00 205.25 5,261.00 49.75 900.00 300.00 14.50 1.50 46,524.46 289,011.32 1.13 3767,930.11 8906,927.73 EXPEND I TUBES Comparative Statement for Years 7/1/41-6/30/42 -- 7/1/42-6/30/43 ixpenditures· Expenditures • ,, Bu~na Vista Hatchery Cedaredge ·Hatchery._ Del _No~te Hatchery Denv_er ~a 1;chery Durango Hatchery Estes P~rk Hatchery Ft~· Collins Hatchery· Glenwood Spring~ Hatchery Grand.. Lake Hatchery 7/1/41 6/30/42. I 7/1/42'6/30/43 7,841.39 S 5,394.47 5,.731.07 5\660.48 2,261.23 · 1,.812. 46 10, 162.. 87 9,081.20 26,157.97 14,929.13 5;433.18 5,689~20. ll,824.96 9,802.06 8,:446;64 4;730.9.7 . 63.81 A �- 11 - EXPENDITUBES .c., 1 1 Continued $ La J~ra Halchery Las Animas ·Hatchery Pit~in Hatchery Hye Hatchery Steamboat Springs Hatchery Wald.en Hatchery Wray_ ~~~chery Havil~d Hatchery Parvin Lake Monu~~nt Lake Tarryall Reservoir Bellvµe Ponds C~y~tal River Ret~ining Ponds Rio Grande Hatchery We~ley White Account Administrative Account Undistributed Account 1530 Sherman Conser~ation Comments Canon City Bird Farm po_lorado Springs Bird Farm Game B~rd Propagation Predatory Bird Control Retaining Ponds .(Not owned by State) Bear Lake Blecka Lake Trapp_ers Lake Stream Survey Special.Projects ~!~_ter.. ,,·~eding Ga~~ War.dens Game. Check Stations Rese~rch . E~w:atipnal and Publicity Ki4 Carson Game Refuge Fadd.en Hatchery PITTMAN-ROBERTSON PROJ~CTS ·, I 6,694.05 $ 9,124.79 8,668.51 2-,846.60· 12,.497.51 14,45~.47 9,521.49 6,213.74 919.68 559.71 6,676.48 5,669.28 ~,423.90 2,892.97 .2,313.66 1,286.11. 2.,253.91 1,818.86 5.,658.00 4,112.06 • 5,048.25 . 3,078·.11. 27,915.98 9, 108 ..9,3 . 35,933.36 -3~,82t).12· 3,264.29 12,727.87 1,449.34 57,441.36 67,234.~6 516.30_ 5,323.37 27,662.52 3,500.74 • 2,718.94 4,122.41 · 2,879 ..8;1, 15,571.78 . · 7 ,652._.37 40.00 226.00 6,680.25 10,425.28 5,326.95 8,750.29 50,00 50.00 600.00 300.00 338.37 478.97 893.78 764.73 497.18 273.01 36,002.16 33,438-.25 87,017.50 90,200.2~ 1;673.80 58.80 3,730.39 1,332.51 3.030.83 3,927.99. 73.24 20,000.00 • 4-R-1941 Master.Wildlife Pian 4-R-1942 Master Wildlife Plan 4-R-1943 Master Wildlife Plan . 3L-:2 ':·. }~43-'.. Sapinero Deer and Elk Refuge 3Ja-3 ..7 ;t..~.4;3 .It " " " " 7-D - 1941 Hot Sulphur Range Dev. 8".".L .·: .' Hot Sulph~r Range 8-L-2 Hot Sulphur Refuge Ext. 8-L:-3· -. ).943 Hot Sulphur Ext. Ef-L.;.·,t ·:.: ·1943 " • " " 9-D -:- .19.tl:: ·:Oathedral Creek Project 8 979.01 27~334.55 8 803.95 9,025.12 -2,4Q4.50 .. :6, 75~.5Q 535.26 100.00 1,370.08 510.22 200.00 2,573.26 •.• •• o -••I-·:•• �- 12 - PITTMAN~ROBERTSON 'PROJECTS· -·-· Continued 9D 1943 Cathedral C~eek Project 13L - 1942 Mo. Creek Project lOD - Great Divide 13L - 1943 ·Mo. Creek Project 17R - 1941 Upland Bird Program 17R - 1942 Upland Bird Program 17R - 1943 Upland Bird Program 18D 1943 Basalt Mountain Refuge 190 - 1942 Wildlife Management 190 - 1943 Wildlife Management 20L-l· - 1942 Aspishipa Canon Refuge 2ot-1 - 1943 " " " 20L-2-~ 1943 P " " 20L-3 ._ 1942 " " " 20L-3 - 1943 " " n 11 20L-4· - 1942 " u 20L-5 - 1942 " " " 20L-6 - 1942 " " " 20L-6 - 1943 " " " ' 20L-7 -··1942 " " " 20L~7 - 1943 " " " 20L~8 - 1943 " " " 22D - 1942.Antelope· nestoration 23L-l Devil Creek Turkey Refuge 23L·2· · " " • " " 24D24D 25L 25L-l • $ 1,251.00 411.36 6,934.84 7,302.61 ' 162.20 35.00 1.05 132.21 5,859.67 215.3~ 90.38 7,073.45 462.90 18.00 2,753.20 5.00 1,156.16 653.7f 3.5B 1,032.50 888.80 7.86 4,517.61 5,196.88 4,007.69 726.50 2,062.58 1.2·5· 2,151.73 S 46·,339.08 S 46,297.30 147,633.97 143,256.31 3,600.00 3,600.00 5,457.99 6, 755."26_ TOTAL EXPENDITUEiES.• STATE MULTIIJRAPHING DEPARTMENT ., 3~ 391.51 Hot Sulphur Ref. Rehabilitation 1943 Hot Sulphur Ref. Rehabilitation Kit Carson Game Prod. Unit 4.10 1943 Kit ·Carson Game Prod. Unit 25L-2 1943 " ·u " " " 25L~3 194'3·· " " " n " 26L • So. Republican· Game Prod. Unit 3,070.08 26L·-:1943 So. ~epublican Game Prod. Unit 27B ·- 1943 " "• " " " 400.00 28L·- La Porte Game Investment Unit 28L ' ... 1943 :·La Porte Game Investment µnit .29D - Devil Creek Native Wild Turkey.Improvement 30D - Hot Sulphur Range Rehabilitation ·• 6.11 Tentative • FUR INSPECTION AND BEAVER CONTROL Fur Inspection Beaver,control Transfers Legal Services 3% on Moneys coiiectedjfrom ~al,s, Licenses, Fines, etc. .:_ - ---·- 199.80 3,436.40 3,997.28 1,363.89 ~ ,(- 9.00 617.50 271.17 :~746,618.54 $669,593.42 � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/cc237cd44dadeba3d7055110c7aa8170.pdf 9724aa05935aadb139a02be76340ab3d PDF Text Text �February 1, 1947 The Honorable W. Lee Knous, Governor of Colorado, State Capitol, Denver. Colorado. Dear Governor Knous: Transmitted herewith is the Colorado Game and Fish Commission's Biennial Report for the 1943-'45 Biennium. Reports for activities cover calendar years 1944 and 1945, rather than fiscal years unless otherwise indicated. Lack of help to keep data tabulated up-to-date accounts for the delay of a full year in issuing this volume of the Report. A few items have been included indicating trends into 1946. The following report is intended to give a brief picture of wildlife conditions in the State and of the activities of the Department. Hespectfu11y submitted, CoLORaDO G ,n1E C ,1<.L A. Nu1<ullE:-C, Preside II I E. T. H.,r r, Ser·retar.11 & FISH Co!IL\l!SSIOS, C. :--:. F1:,f'T, Diretfor. �COLORADO GAME & FISH DEPARTMENT Biennial Report, 1943-1945 During the war year::; the Coloraclo Gamti ancl Fish Department staff " 'as so seriously depleted that much ol' the information whirh should ha\·ti gone into a Biennial Report failed to get tabulated. lt was not \lnlil after U1e first of Janua1·y, 1946, that most of the information for 1!145 had been aualyzed and made available for publication. For this reason the J 943-'-16 Biennial Report of the Colorado Game and Fish Commission is fully a year late in distribution. Without attempting to bring any information up to current date of January, 1946, there are some matters that will be included which extend the report beyond December 31, 1945. The special session of the State Legislature, in the Fall of' 1945, made provisions for a considerable extension or the trout rearing facilities of the State. Possibly lrnlf of the work on the increasing of existing rearing ponds provided for under the appropriations, has been completed. None of these additions, howeYer, ha,e gotten into lull procluctlon. As muth. or more difficulty was expe1·lenced in securing critical materials for construction immediately after the war than during the war period. )!any persons find it difficult to understand why fish production, in particular, was not very materially increased during lhe year or 1946. Since it requires from twelve to eighteen months to produce a seYen or eight Inch fish, it should be obvious that production increases could not be expected to be reflected in fish plantings for at least one and a half years or two years after the completion of projects. None of tbe new units provided for under the appropriation have even yet arrived at the completion stage. The largest of these is the trout rearing unit provided for on the property known as the old Zimmerman ranch on the Cache La Poudre River. The Piceance Creek unit, now known as Little Hills GRme Experiment Station, is second largest in production capacity. Although the public has shown a great deal of interest in the securing of information relatin fo game kills and populations, and fishermen take from the streams and lakes during the years past. these figures are not yet available. Even the results of technical research in con• nection with fishing within the State have not been compiled for 1945. If possible, this information will be Included In the 1946-'47 Biennial Report when it ts made up, As the 1943-'46 Biennial Report goes to press, it appears that the big game hunters, during the 1946 season, took the largest harvest of animals ever taken from the State in any one hunting season. A survey, howeYer, of the herds following the hunting season indicates that enn as great as the k!ll was, it did not take all of the natural annual increase from the deer herds and probably no more than lhe annual increase from the elk herds of the State. In other words, the breeding herds will go into the 1947 spring season with as many 01· more animals than constituted the herds in the spring of 1946. Game management during recent years has put all of the major species or game animals and birds In a position to withstand a sustained bunter harvest much greater than was possible prior to 1943. This is due, in large measure, to the more even distribution of the game birds and animals over larger areas than they formerly occupied. Fish populations alone have failed to keep up with sportsman pressure, due partially to the extreme increase In the number of fishermen, both from within and without lhe State, and partially due lo the fact -a- �that the war yea1·,; el'l'ected a general set-back In planned increase oi fish production and distribution facilities. It seems apparent that some curtailment In length of open seasons wlll be necessary until the two factors, fishing prei;sure and increased production, can be brought in to balance. In the field of Game :\lanagernent, a c·onsidera!Jle increase in personnel has been added to the force sinre the close or 1945, with the return of men from the armed services. ,\ number of big game range surveys have been undertaken and are well 1111der way as 1946 comes to a rlo!!e. In the Federal Aid to Wildlife Division only a skeleton staff was main· tained during the war year;;. ;\Jany projects have been resumed and were carried on during 1946. notably an increased emphasis on th,· trapping and lransplanting or wild turkeys and bigllorn sheep. During 1946 alone, more turkeys "l•re trapped and transplanted than dnrlne any other year of the project's duration. Llkewh,e, more bighorn sheep were tl'apped and tran,;planted than during the entire previous existence of the trapping program. In the Dh·tslon of Educatlou and Puhlic Relations the proe;ram was very materially accentuated during 1946, and an Assistant Educational Uanager was added to the stafl'. Demands for programs throughout the State by high s<'hool assembly groups, sport!lmen's clubs. servire clubs and other organizations have been far in excess or the Division's ability to serve. Also during the year about 3,000 feet or new movinl!: picture film in full color was added. Schools were again conducted for the field personnel, including the employees in the Technical Division. Dul'ing the biennium or 1943-'45. the Fish Culture Division increased Its emphasis on the planting of legal sized trout and adopted a policy of reariug increasingly smaller proportions of eastern brook to the total production, believing that the eastern brook has proven itselt less well adapted to most of Colorado's waters than bave the other three major specie!\, the native cut-throat, the German brown, and th rainbow. During the biennium the rainbows constituted the largest numbers. Greater emphasis was also placed on the production ot' the naUve cut-throat trout and some proportional increase in the numbers of the German brown were produced especially for the lower altitude waters. During the biennium of 1943-'45, the winter feeding of deer and elk was definitely discontinued as it was found, as a result of extended research, that the animals were much better off where they were left entirely to shift for themselves on natural food. This was found to be true even t110ugh snow got to a considerable depth. Only during periods when snow is badly crusted are the animals unable to depend upon shifting for themselves. The policy in regard to not feeding game animals is based on the assumption that there may occasionaHy bl' periods of a week or two during the most severe winters when It will be necessary to supplement natural foods in limited areas. During the years of complete protection of our deer herds, in particular, by means of game refuges, populations became excessive in the areas of concentration and resulted in such extreme over-use of winter ranges that the animals were in unusually poor shape by the close o! the winter months. This condition was accentuated by the bringing of the animals onto feed grounds where they were encouraged to remain In limited areas for even longer periods of time than they would have normally slayed. The opening up of practically all of the deer refuges by Commission action resulted In the taking of part of the surplus by hunters and the wider distribution of the others, which were forced out by hunting pressure. The total result was the recuperation of the winter ranges to a place where they were able to carry much larger numbers than had been possible during the preceding years of artificially encouraged concentration. -4- �The elk were affected in the same way as were the deer but to a much lesfler extent. a!! it was found by research during the biennium that many of the elk herds habitually wintered on wind-swept ridges above timber line, and thus a,·oicled the habit of conrentrating on feed grounclfl to the same extent. Rome or the elk herdfl, however, per!;if'ted in drifting into the lower ranch areai< where they did excessive damae;e to hay stacks and fencetl. Thi>, problem of the management of the elk in their relationship to ranchers and livestock interests oc·cupied a majo1· place in the Department's difficult problems during the biennium. The principal types of solution experimented with involved first the herding of the animals back into the higher country, usinµ- shotguns to keep them moving. which proved to be entirely ineffeclive, ai; they would return immediately a!-i soon as t he pressure was eased. Control work involving the killing of i-ome of the leaders participating in this type of depredation was also ineffective over a long period, although it did seem to work temporarily to considerable advantage. The final solution, which is still being followed, involves the fencing of hay stacks in depredation areas with 8 ft. slabs. The Department has been paying for and delivering the slab!-i to the ranchers. and depending upon the cooperation of the ranchers in actually building fences. Tn spite of all of this, a considerable amount of money has been paid out to the ranchers by the Department during tbe biennium on damage claims, as the law holds the Department responsible for depredations by game animals to private property_ In a few areas deer have also damaged hay stacks and orchards and have had to be dealt with in ways similar to those applied to elk. MULE DEER During the biennium of 1!143-45 the policy of censusing wild game herds was discontinued in favor or a trend syistem whereby population figures on sample areas were systematically enumerated. By the use o! this method a figure was ascertained indicating whether the herds were generally increasing or decreasing and to what extent. This combined with a study of the utilization of the range provided an index for management purposes supplying information upon which hunting regulations were based. \Vhere populations were increasing beyond the carrying capacity of the range, both does and bucks were allowed to be hunted; whereai,, on areas of decreasing population and adequate range, antlered animals only were allowed to be taken. Due to this change in polic·y there are no definite figures available as to the mule deer population in the State between 1943 and 1945. Trends, however, in most of the areas of the State indicate an increased popu· 1ation accompanied by a much more satisfactory distribution than ever before. By the end of the biennium most of the mule deer of the State had been brought into line with their wi nter ranges and the excessive winter loss of previous years was almost if not entirely eliminated. WHITETAIL DEER In the Biennial Report of 1941-'43, it was suggested that there were probably bands numbering about 100 head of whitetail deer that migrated back across the Colorado-:--ew :\Iexlco State Line. Research conducted during the current biennium, however, failed to establish this supposition, and as far as can now be known, there are no whitetail deer to be found anywhere In the State. WAPITI OR AMERICAN ELK What has been said regarding the cenfluslng of our deer herds applie,; equally to the elk. During 1943-'45, the airplane was given a thorough testing fo1· the purpose of counting elk, and it was found to be superior to any ground methods of rounting that had previously been applied. While there wa~ no attempt made to ascertain the exart number of -5-- �animals in the entire State, trend counts were completed for practically all of the major herds. It bas been the policy or the Game and Fish Commission to plan, through bunter harvesting or this species, to bold the population steady at about the same numbers as existed at the beginning of the biennium. Unlike deer, the elk cannot be tolerated in the close proximity to thickly settled or agricultural areas. By opening the seasons for U1e taking of cow elk, as 'Yell as antlered animals in the over-populated areas, as a definite policy in their management, it has resulted in the ,;('altering of many of the major herds and of bringing the populations or the State in line with the established principle of holding their numbers as nearly as possible at the 1943 level. The National Parks Service offered their hearty cooperation with the plan of the Game and Fish Commi!lsion In cutting down surplus elk concentrations, by reducing the herds in Rocky Mountain National Park where they had far exceeded the rarrying capacity or their range. As it was against rules and regulations or the Xatlonal Park Service to permit hunting within park boundaries, the work of removal was carried on by National Park rangers in cooperation with Game and Fish Department personnel. About 300 head of elk were removed during the winter of 1944-'45. By the end or the biennium the elk herds were in a poi;itlon to yield a sustained hunting har\'est of some 5,000 or 6,000 head of animals annually. ANTELOPE of The antelope Colorado sustained a steady increase in population during the biennium and in the late summer of 1945, the first open season in 40 years was set by the Game and Fish Commission. Only limited areas were opened for bunting and the regulations provided that the hunter might take his choice between the sexes. A careful count at the close of the hunting season indicated that there was still a surplus of the animals remaining over the previous year·s count, so that it was evident that the limited kill had not taken as many as the natural increase for the year. 'fhe Game Management Division was convinced, as a result of the count, that the antelope of the State could maintain a limited hunter take annually without interfering with the consistent growth of the herd. It was found that hunting had the salutary effect upon the herds in scattering them, and thus increasing their range. It was during the legislative session of 1945 that the Legislature created the licensing for the hunting of antelope, and in providing the license they limited it exclusively to residents of Colorado. ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIGHORNS The 1945 session of the State Legislature provided for a bighorn sheep license for residents only. The Game and Fish Commission, however, decided against the immediate opening of hunting seasons on sheep, primarily due to the fact that they were engaged in an extensive bighorn trapping and transplanting program. It was feared that even limited hunting would scatter tile herds, increase their shyness, and make trapping much more difficult. Colorado's bighorn population experienced a ronAtant increase of 5% to 7% annually during the biennium. It is now estimated that the Colorado bighorn population is the largest in the United States, and apparently Colorado Is the only State in the Union where the animals are on the increase rather than on the decreasP. The possible exception to this may be the deRert sheep of Arizona, which, according to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, are at least holding their own. The aim of the Commission In connection with the trapping program was to trap and transplant approximately 100 head per year from the Tarryall Mountain herd to other suitable ranges. - 6- �MOOSE The Biennial Report of 1941-'43 lists an estimated moose population in Colorado of a half dozen head. It had been planned that during the 1943-'45 biennium a careful survey of the territory in which moose have been occasionally killed would be made to determine the actual status of this species. However, the extreme shortage of field personnel during the war made this work impracticable. As at least one moose was k!lled during the biennium by a hunter who mistook it for an elk, it must be assumed that there is a small herd, probably numbering not more than 6 or 8 head. BUFFALO The last previous Biennial Report listed 15 head of buffalo, or American bison, running al large in Colorado. The species was not considered desirable because of their dangerous character, and as far as is known, the herd has been entirely wiped out, and the bison can be completely written off of Colorado's wild game list, BEAR 1t is difficult to determine definitely whether the black bear in Colorado more than held their own during the current biennium, and It Is probably safe to assume that there was at least a small increase in their numbers. In some localities considerable numbers of them were killed off by the United Stales Fish and Wildlife Servlc-e trappers, where they were suspected of depredation on domestic sheep ranges. The hunter kill remains relatively constant at about 200 annually. Grizzlies were Indicated as about holding their own. The total grizzly population of the State probably does not exceed 12 or 15 animals, all of them ranging the most inaccessible areas of the high altitude wilderness districts. WILD TURKEYS The wild turkey population Is estimated to have increased about 25% during the biennium. The Colorado bird is the pure Merriam's stock. An extensive trapping program lhat had been started during the previous biennium was continued through the current biennium wiU1 a considerable degree of success, and reports gathered by the field men indicated that without exception the previous plantings of wild birds had made satisfactory increases. '.rhe program is being continued with the hope that in a relatively few years the bird may be reintroduced to all areas of the State suited to all of his food requirements. The 1945 session of the State Legislature provided a turkey license limited to residents only, but as -w as the case in connection with the bighorn sheep, the Commission considered it unwise to allow hunting of the birds during the years that trapping and transplanting operations may be carried on. This species is extremely wild, even under most ·f avorable conditions, and trapping has been difficult under even the most favorable situations. RING NECKED PHEASANTS Ring necked pheasants were on the increase throughout most of their Colorado range during the biennium. Pheasant shooting has become one of the major fall sports for a large proportion of Colorado hunters. in addition to increasing numbers of out-of-state sportsmen. Production of pheasants In the Colorado Bird Farm for general distribution has been discontinued due to the extremely satisfactory responses of the birds in their native habitat. Occasionally birds are still released in areas that have suffered severe loss from hall storms or other types of natural catastrophes. In some areas, especially in the northeastern part of the State, they are becoming so numerous as to be somewhat of a problem for the farmers, as they destroy considerable quantities -7- �of corn and other crops before they can be harvested. Huuling seasons on the pheasant ha,·e been i-o satisfactory as to constitute as adequate management as it is possible to achieve without serious danger to the breeding stock. CHUKAR PARTRIDGE The 1941-"43 Biennial Tieport carried information that ;suggested the belief that the chukar partridge might be expected to fill a gap in Colorado"s game bird picture. Two years of a dditional production and dlstl·ibution of hatchery reared birds has led to the abandonment of the attempt.. to introduce this spe<'ies as a game bird unless the previous plants are e,·entually established on a , sufficiently sound basis to justify further experimentation. S:AGE GROUSE (SAGE CHICKEN) A limited season on sage grouse was provided for by the Commission during the fall in both 1944 and 1946. The seasons were short and the populations were not. depleted. However, it was felt by those in charge of management practices that the sage grouse range was so extremely limited in area that it would be unwise to open seasons on them after the war was over until a wider distribution of the species could be achieved through trapping and transplanting, or other methods. Attempts to raise the birds under bird farm conditions has never been successful. SHARPTAILED GROUSE During the season of 1945 the hunters were allowed to take their choice between sage grouse, sharptailed grouse and blue grouse. Apparently very few of the birds were killed. Although this species is distributed in the foothill regions of both slopes of the Rockies, its numbers are not great enough to justify an open season on them as a species. Experiments have been carried on with the idea of rearing these birds in captivity without success. PRAIRIE CHICKEN (GREATER) The prairie chicken, or pinnated grouse, has a very limited range in Colorado. Probably a radius of 50 miles in all directions from Wray, Colorado, would include almost 100% of these birds in the State. AP· parently they are doing well and are showing some increase in numbers, but due to the small district occupied by them, there seems to be no prospect of open seasons on them at any foreseeable date. BLUE GROUSE During the biennium, blue or dusky grouse seemed to be on the upswing from a very low stage. They are confined exclusively to the higher altitude timbered areas and are not likely to figure in any open hunting seasons in the near future. During the 1946 sage grouse season the hunter was given a choice of blue grouse, sha.rptailed grouse. or sage grouse within his legal bag limit. PTARMIGAN The ptarmigan probably has not changed materially In numbers or status since the preceding Biennial Report. It seems that in their high altitude habitat predators and poachers hold them down to a relatively small, but stable, population. QUAIL There are two major species of quail in Colorado, the gamble and scale quail. The scale quail, sometimes called Mexican blue quail, is a native to Southern Colorado, east of the Continental Divide. Its numbers apparently have never been very great in the State, as Southern -8- �Colorado seems to be about the extreme northern limit of the range or the species. They were bunted during the seasons of 1944 and 1945, as were the gamble quail, which was introduced many years ago from California to Colorado"s Western Slope, primarily in the lower drainages of the Gunnison and Colorado Rh·er systems. The only other s11ecles of quail In the State is the Bobwhite, which may Im ,•ousid~red as an introduced species, and have never been able to estaulish themselves satisfactorily in Colorado's envirn11111ent. There is Mme grounds for the belief that the Bobwhite may lmve been Indigenous in the small ar,·a around \\'ray, Colorado, oceuplcd by the prairie eblcken DOVES The mourning or turtle dove is native to Colorado and is abundant in the State during the nesting season. Opening seasons were provided on this species by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service during the seasons or 1943, 1944 nnd 1045. Very few birds were killed, however, a;:; the season did not open until after many or the birds had already migrnted Routh out of the Stall!, The hatch in Colorado was rather consistently good during the biennium. BANDTAILED PIGEONS During the current biennium handtalll·d pigeon;, were hunted for the first time in Colorado for many years. Their numben; have not been numerous in this Stnto in recent times, and with the C'lose or the 1945 hunting season It seemed quite likely that the shooting of the species would not be permitted until the population shows a decided in• crease. Popular opinion lr-d to thu belief thut thorn were many more bandtails in the Slate than actually existed. This mistaken bl•llef was due very largely to the fart that during l·herry season in the western part of the State large bands or pigeons did a great deal of depredation in the orchards. Apparently almoiit the entire po1mlation flocked to the cherry orchards aii soon as tho fruit bcc·ame ripe. SHORE BIRDS A gr, at muny spceles of shore birds are represented in Colorado in comparatively ~mall numbers. The San Luis Valley Is noted for its large heron rookery. This rookery, in a marsh near Saguache, ncc·omrnodated, during the ne:,ting season of 1945, about 600 black crowned night herons, about 300 snowy egrets and somewhere near 100 white faced glossy lbiSt.!S. Apparently thry had been on a rather rapid increase in thi- area over a cousldcrable period of years. DUCKS The nesting duck population of l'olorndo has prob,luly remained relatively constant durinir at least the Inst two bienniums. These provided hunters with their early shooting 011 ponds and marshes. During the major north and south migration large numuers of mallards rrosH the State from north to south and many of them winter in the agricultural nreas of the plain!I regions. Their depredations during t11e current biennium were extremely destructive in some Rectlons. Some estimate;; place their damages to unharvested corn <·rops at a million dollars or more per year. The United State;i Fish and Wildlife Service permitted ~hooting in unharvested <'oru fields during most of the win!Pr months. GEESE Many Canadian geese have ,·onsistently wintered in Colorado for many years. The numbers apparently inrreased during the current biennium over tho;;e that stayed with us during the preceding period. Some snowy geese fre11uenl the State earl! winter, although they do not figure to any extent In the hunter take. ,\ few gee;;e nest in the Stale, and most or the;;c are to ue found In the lower Yampa River Drainage and In the Canyon or the Green River In the northwestern part or the State. -9- �BEAVER Under existing Colorado law the State Game & l<'lsh Commission must exercise exclusive authority In the trapping and control of the beaver of the State, whether on private or public land. Xo authority exists under the Jaw for the trapping of this species by private trappers, or even br land owners suffering damage, unless, following ten days notice, the State's trappers fail to respond to the request for relief. The law further provides Ulal bea,·er taken from private lands, unless they are taken alive for transplanting pu1·poses, must be pelled by the Game & Fish Department trap1iers, and the pelts sold at public sale; 50% of the sale price to go to the owner of the land trom which lhe anlmale were taken. The annual take of beaver has averaged from nine to ten thou,.and. During 1943-'44 the Department's trappers live-trapped and transplanted 828 animals, and pelted 9,011. At auction. the pelts brought $208,905.50. In 1944-'46 live trapping accounted for 761 beaver and an additional 8,526 were pelted and the skins sold at auction, bringing a total of $219,666.25. The total take for the biennium was 1,579 live-trapped and transplanted to other areas ( on State or Federal lands J, and 17,637 pelted and sold at auction, bringing a total or $428,461.75. SQUIRRELS Colorado has no squirrels that figure importantly as game species. The ebert or tufted eared squirrels have been protected for many years. Chickaree or pine squirrels, although numerous, are too small to be attractive to most hunters. Both species are confined to the higher altitudes. The eastern red squirrel is to be found in most of lhe towns and C'ities of any size in Colorado, to which they are almost exclusively confined. having been introduced from eastern states by Colorado city dwellers. RABBITS AND HARES The current biennium saw an extension of the low cycle in a population of both hares and rabbits in lhe State. The fall of 1946 showed the first notlreable beginning of up-swing In their populations. The rabbit is represented in Colorado by the several sub-species of the cottontail. There ls probably more than one sub-species of this rabbit in the State. The hares are represented in Colorado by the snow shoe rabbit, or varving hare, and the blacktall and whitetail jackrabbits. FUR BEARERS As far as furbearers are concerned muskrats occupied the No. 1 place both in numbers and in the value of the pelts during the biennium. Skunks were second in importance, as far as numbers are concerned, and showed a decline during the biennium from the previous two-year period. In numbers weasels rank third with almost lhe same catch as taken during the preceding biennium. Bobcats ranked in fourth place in numbers and showed a slight decline from the preceding biennium. Foxes showed a decrease, as did also civet cats, raccoons and ringtailed cats. Mink were also slightly down in numbers fron1 the preceding biennium. Seasons were closed on marten during the last year of the preceding biennium, and the fl:rst year of the current one, but the 1944-'45 take was less than one-third as great as the take of 1941-'42. This may not necessarily indicate a decrease in population, as the 1941-'42 season was practically over before the impact of the war was felt in connection with trapping activilieR, and the 1944-'45 season came at a lime when few people were available as trappers and when other occupations were more remunerative. Most furs were at a peak price during the 1943-'46 period. -10- �PREDATORY ANIMALS The principal predatory animals of Colorado are coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions. Due to the high price of sheep and wool lhe United States Fish and Wildlife Service carried on a very extensive campaign against coyotes, and probably brought their numbers to an all-time low in the State. It is generally assumed that the bobcat population experienced somewhat of an increase, and without question the mountain lions increased in numbers very materially during the period. This was due, of course, to the fact that young men, who bad previously hunted them for the $50.00 bounty paid by the Game and Fish Department. had been drawn into the armed services and the packs of hounds used in hunting them had in many cases been neglected. COLORADO BIRD FARMS For a considerable number of years the Colorado Bird Farm activities had been conducted in two distinct units, one· located al Colorado Springs and the other at Canon City. During lhe period immediately preceding the 1943-'45 biennium, lhe Canon City unit had been devoted exclusively to the rearing of quail. During the summer of 1945 a severe flood of the Arkansas River swept through lhe grounds of lhe Canon City farm and destroyed all of the quail. Due to the history or re-current floods in the area, it was decided at that time to discontinue the farm at Canon City and transfer the entire bird rearing activities to the farm near Colorado Springs. By the beginning of the biennium most or the areas of the State suitable to the introduction of pheasants had been adequately stocked as far as the introduction of birds for breeding purposes was concerned. As a . result the farm, during the biennium, served primarily as an experiment station in the rearing of chukars, quail and native grom1e. All experimentation wlth the native species of grouse proved uni<uccessful, but enough information was gained to lead to the belief that methods may be devised for lhe 1:1uccessful propagation for some, if not all or the species of native birds, which the Department feels can be distributed to other areas or lhe State to very good a dvanLage. FEDERAL AID TO WILDLIFE The war years drew nearly all of the technical staIT from tho Federal Aid to ·wildlife Division of the Game and Fish Department's activities. During the 1943-'45 biennium tbe staff was composed of one administrative officer, one secretary, and three field men, one in charge or mountain sheep investigations, one in cbarge of turkey trapping and transplanting, and one doing research in connection with sago grouse studies. Little could be accomplished due to the extreme shortage of personnel, although all projects were kept on an active status. However, during the latter part of the biennium plans for Intensive surveys and investigations were being outlined to be put into operation as soon as the return or personnel from the armed forces made It possible to pick up the work where it was dropped at the opening of hostilities. These sun•eys im•olved, among other things, the working out of a population trend system to supersede the previous policy of the Department in attempting complete population censuses of the big game herds annually and a trend system to evaluate game range utilization. Both of these systems iu,·olved the iaurveying oi study plots in all of the principal areas of the State, and sorne work was accomplished during the winter months by the limited staff during the slack periods in their other work. It was also during the biennium that negotiations were made for the acquisition of the Square S Ranch property located on Piceance Creek, which bas since been designated as the Little Hills Game Experiment Station. Turkey trapping, to a limited degree, was carried on during the ~-ar years, and the first trap for the bighorn sheep was set up in 1941 and resulted In the taking of 30 sheep in the early part of 1945. These were liberated in the Geneva Creek area, south of Mt. Evans, and along the western edge of the Sangr·e de Cristo Range. -1]- �FISH PRODUCTION 1943-1945 Trout 1944 19-15 r---Production Unit llelaire Hatchery ____________ .. Bellvue Hatchery _____ Buena Vista Hatchery Cedaredge Hatc,hery _ Coaldale Ponds _________ _ _ Colt Ponds _____ __ _ _ ___ Cry•tal River Ponds. _________ Denver Hatchery --•---------DuranJ<o Hafubery __ E.stes Park Hatchery __________ Glenwood Snrings Hatchery ____ Hershman Ponds _____________ La Jara Hatchery __ .... ·----Loveland Ponds ______ _______ Pru,s Creek Ponds _____________ Monument Lake Hatchery ____ Parvin Lake Hatchery ________ Pitkin Hat.chery ______________ Rio Grande Ponds._·----"--- _ Rye Hatchery ______ .. ___ ___ Tarrynll Lake ______ __ ________ Walden Hatchery --- ___ __ Wray Hatchery ___ __ ________ 1"um.ber Legal Pounds Size R,72!P1 2 19,928 12,123 57,fiS-J 7,945 60,218 7,787 35,024 2,886 11,14-1 11,028 42.708 37,073 156,788 236,467 51,782 19,207% 188,360 8,062 u.~53 1,608½ 7,720 14,469 57,059 10,327 38,398 5,000 25,000 425 2,975 ll,030 40,197 290 279 21,850 211,916 9,660 11,075 3,096 46.694 300 313 11.070 22,094 1,195 8,540 ' Number Smaller Size 68,260 96,686 193,911 399,655 15,33h l,364 148,251 721,200 'i0,000 317,620 302~-000 Number Number Legal Smaller Pounds Size Size :22,603 68,161 1,100 15,522 196,-133 66,754 •l,988 26,990 462.285 6,272 75,926 378,845 6,300 23,115 7,317 25,372 37,375 139,732 39,678 lJ0,024 172,039 24,069 191,754 707,352 240,842 14,804~ 66,5fi6 4,102 o 55,516 903,066 14,64'1 40,410 12,597 48,008 234,570 9ss:ooii G,175 22,306 1as:iioii 53.130 156,414 21,260 16,997 3,261 181,818 138,449 30,860 168,000 -2-2.oiio 6,756 6,208 29,112 41.166 10,800 650 488 6,600 16,631 131,300 Wann Water Fish 876 70,000 660 316,065 Las Animas Hatchery__________ Wray Hatchery _______________ 102,416 ANNUAL FUR CATCH (Exclusive of Beaver) 1943-45 Total Number 1943-4,1 175,355 13,897 10,368 1,010 1,485 ·rota] Amount 1943-44 $206,475 30.600 156,029 8,476 1,260 918 1,146 356 661 1.881 12,196 879 754 Ringtail Cat -------------- ----Totals ______________________ 20n,203 16 64 19 Total Amount 1944-45 $124,764 8,958 22,206 6,047 683 2,914 466 7,584 581 233 221 10 43 $253,100 131,665 $174,659 Svecies Muskrat ------------- ·----•---Skunk __ ·--------------------Coyote -----------------------Mink -------------------- .____ Weasel ______ ------------Marten ---------------------- Badger ------------- -- c------Bobcat ____ -----"------------Fox --------------------------· Civet Cat --,------------------Raccoon ----------------------Opossum ---------------------- Total Number 1944-45 114,860 6,179 6,968 611 623 126 394 1,019 324 393 83 BIG GAME KILL 1944 and 1945 PERCENT OF REPORTED KILL BY SEX, AGE, AND SPECIE, 1944-1945 Date Bucks m: ===~===~U~ Does 17 .3o/o 16.9% Fawns 0.8% 0.2% Bulls 9.6% 4.5% Cows 3.2% 4.7% Calves 0.4% 1.4% Bear 0.8% 0.8% Licens~ Sold 61.221 63.190 BIG GAME LEGAL KILL BY SPECIES, SEX, AND AGE 1944-1945 DEER Bucks ,---~ 1944 14,648 5,202 1946 15,604 7,197 19,850 22,801 Does ~ 1944 3,758 1,331 1946 3,694 1,706 6,089 5,400 Fawn~ ~ 1944 181 65 246 -12- 1945 37 26 63 Tota.ls ,--A.---., 1944 1946 25,185 28,214 �ELK Bulls 194.4. Cows 1944 711 194.5 1,164 285 288 2.827 1,489 991 2,086 70a Calves 1946 1,185 Totals 1944 1945 350 204 83 30 l,4.i9 113 437 KfLL, 1945 3,931 3,35 5 87 ==========--====- ANTELOPE 1944. 191-S ______________ _ 831 NUMBER OF DEER AND ELK KILLED WlTHIN THE NATIONAL FORESTS National Fon"St Deer White River ____ ___ _____ Uncompahgre -----------------· IJ:oly CrOBS ------- -·----·-----Gunnison ---- ·------·------------Arapahoe -----------··--·------- --· Montezuma · · - - - - - · · - ·-·--San Juan --·-···---·--·-·--··---San Is abel __ ------· _____ Pike - ··•------------------··-----· Rooseve lt ____ ____ ·------ ___ _ Grand Mesa --------------··-··-Cochelopa - ·· ------···------·---- Routt . - - - ----~- ---------- •·---Rio Grande • ---------- ---------- 1946 2,495 2 ,111 1,906 1,563 1,267 1,042 810 808 711 688 671 624 413 24.2 National Forest Elk - 1946 White River _____ -·· ______________ 1,391 San Juan Holy Cross ______ •.. ____ __________ 4.02 379 Gunnison ___________ ·-~. ___ 326 Rio Grande____________ ____ •• ---------····-•· 230 Arapahoe __ • 181 UncompahlO"e ___________ _______ 125 Routt ______________ _________ _ 102 - ------•-T- --- ___ Cochetopa --·-----------··-----·· Roo,;evelt ---------------- 30 Pike ______ ----------------------- 26 99 3,290 15.il91 GAME BlRD KILL, 1944 AND 1945 Year Pheasants 1944 -----318,571 1045 _____381,471 Ducks 400,000 447,912 -- =--- Geese 2,500 2,500 Incidentally, the value of the annual take of wild meat and fish by ihe holders of Colorado hunting and fishing licenses amounted in 1943 to $4,384,272.00. There are no exact figures available on the value of deer and elk skins, fats and feathers salvaged for the war effort but the total ls considerable. Pollowing is a breakdown o[ the annual expenditures or sportsmen in Colorado based on latest available figures ; 1. Hunting and fishing lleenses ...... .. .. .. ... .. ... $ 767,243.00 2. Ammunition, etc.. . .. . ..... . .. . . ... . ... ... . .. . .. . 1,391,984.00 3. Firearms, etc............. . . ....•. ... .. .... . . . .. . 1,113,600.00 4. Fishing tackle, etc....... . ... .. ..... .. . . .. . .. . . . . 3,957,526.00 5. Clothing. etc. . ....... .. . . ... . ... . ..... ........ . 5,709,425.00 6. Transportation (all types) .. ........... . ... . ... . 2,264,567.00 7. Boats (rental, upkeep, etc.) ........... . ........ . 2:32,708.00 8. ·waterfowl shooting clubs (Assessments, etc.) . .. . !>35,000.00 9. Guide services, etc.......... . .. . . . . .. . .... . . , .. . 122,000.00 HJ. Dogs (feed, care, training, etc.) . . .... . .. . ... . .. . . 975,875.00 11. Meals and lodging, etc. . ... . .. . .... . ...... . . . . . 12,596,845.00 12. Miscellaneous {not included above) ... ..... ... .. . 3,642,740.00 TOT AL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . • . . . . . . $33,609,512.00 Adding indirect recreational values, the outdoors of Colorado is worth nearly $70,000,000 to our people. -13- �DEER AND BEAR KILL BY COUNTIES--1 944-1945 Antlered Km County Gru-tleld -• ----Rio Blanco ____ Eagle ·------Mesa --------- ---------- Gu.nnison Montroee Grand -------Delta --------Moffat Saguache _____ Bear Kill ~ 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1,890 8.187 2,953 3,377 1.686 1.394 576 402 491 681 134 585 0 589 715 431 570 618 198 316 0 251 221 0 0 245 108 0 195 129 146 0 0 86 0 45 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2,466 3.589 2,296 2,106 1,097 1,449 826 578 1,226 832 384 582 693 1,676 463 382 703 192 246 18•1 620 861 62 229 54 199 118 126 230 98 26 132 149 186 96 124 153 62 192 74 68 22 0 6 3,538 3,377 2,275 2,109 1,986 1,864 1,476 946 848 818 759 756 748 674 572 608 498 459 408 398 346 294 264 224 223 219 218 187 177 158 165 131 112 95 88 76 63 56 66 53 42 25 10 5,468 25,185 28,264 1,805 1,626 963 961 602 1,654 678 747 737 686 278 527 818 508 636 748 Montezuma __ _ 344 La Plata Fremont ~----- 466 1,360 Larimer Jackson 280 San Mia-uul ____ 292 Pitkin ----- 475 135 Summit 168 Ouray 163 Dolores 660 Park -· Chaffee 276 62 Archuleta Teller --------- 229 64 HinsdaJe -----Huerfano ____ ,. 199 118 Custer 126 Routt 177 Jefferson 98 Pueblo 26 C08tilln 132 El Paso 149 Douglas La.<; Animas _ 136 96 Mineral Rio Grande __ 124 153 Boulder 62 Gilpin Clear Creek ___ 146 74 Conejos 46 Lake 1-1 San Juan ----0 Otero 6 Alamosa -- ------- --------- --------- Total Total Kill Antlerleas Kill ~ -----19,860 1,284 858 488 224 0 489 196 106 827 396 498 264 279 248 846 294 178 224 178 219 218 180 177 168 165 131 ll2 96 88 76 63 56 66 68 42 16 10 4 238 128 825 183 90 228 57 98 81 70 86 0 0 0 0 0 0 68 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 47 0 12 8 0 0 22,801 5,336 674 0 0 0 0 0 9 -14- . ' 180 1945 16 7 15 12 28 14 12 24 10 10 2t 36 10 15 9 9 10 0 1 18 2 11 5 10 18 4 8 14 11 2 6 0 6 10 4 ' 10 8 8 l 10 8 l 3 26 5 0 8 18 0 0 5 0 0 2 6 8 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 242 0 3 0 2 3 l 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 268 �ELK KILL BY COUNTY- 19-44-1945 Antlerless Kill AnUered Kill ToLal Elk Kill ,----A----, Count, 1941 ------------------------------------------ -------- ---· - ----· ·--------- Garfield R io Blanco Gunnison La Plata -- Sagua,:he -Pitkin - .. El!.~le ·Grand San Juan ----H insdale ---Routt Mineral --...... Ouray Rio Grande Clear Creek ---Archuleta --Montrose Larimer ---________.,._______ Park Summit ___ _, __ Jackson Gilpin Teller Boulder MotYat Men ·-- Delta -----San Miguel ___ ---------Dolores ---··-Montttuma Jefferson ------------- -- --- -------- - --- ---- -- --------------------- -------------------- ----------· ----------------------- -------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------·------------- ------- Total 1945 1041 1945 1944 551 851 119 438 366 608 298 229 102 87 167 70 48 113 183 483 866 432 147 148 102 83 303 205 114 85 81 78 82 0 0 266 146 81 0 4 108 66 69 33 37 12 100 67 59 68 69 47 66 35 3'1 GO 33 16 10 20 19 5 8 6 1 36 113 80 14 44 59 10 0 1 0 6 14 76 91 66 69 62 13 --- ----------- 2,827 0 2·1 23 20 70 15 5 64 14.4 142 138 92 70 67 46 50 46 52 11 0 13 12 0 55 0 0 13 0 0 0 0 1 0 G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 63 40 64 57 0 1,439 1,104 0 139 54 19 108 114 10 0 1 0 70 86 14 76 141 0 0 96 194.5 854 556 233 220 223 216 174 136 124 105 113 104 87 45 33 28 22 20 19 Ill ll 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 138 109 13 0 0 1,916 3,931 3,356 0 --- -- --- DISTRI BUTION OF GAM E AN D FISH DOLLA R Occasional inquiries are made as to lbe distribution of Colorado's Game and Fish Department expeuditures. Here it is for the last regular biennial period, expressed in terms of both dollars and percentages of the total costs: . Administration ........ . .. . .. ...... . . ... .. ........ $ 71,050.08 Maintenance of property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 910.74 Education and publicity ... .. .. . ... .. . .. ... , . . . . . . . 6,465.32 Research ............. , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,523.50 Law enforcement ........ , ..... . . . . , , .. .. . .. .. . ... 100,001.33 Beaver Trapping se1·vice . . ........ , .. ... ... . . . . ... 109,303.33 Paid land owners on beaver pelts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72,043.59 Game control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,863.61 Game bird farms ....... , .... ... . . .. . .. . . , . .. ... , . 9,337.39 Federal aid to wild life-(State's Share) . • , . . . . . . . . 6,159.20 (Federal govt's share) .. . . . 18,477.61 Fish culture ... • ..... . • . . . .............. . ... . ..... 177,636.81 -15- 11.52% 0.14% 1.05% 0.73% 16.52% 17.73% 12.03% 5.72% 1.86% 0.91% 2,99% 28.81% �PERSONNEL THE STATE GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT 1530 Sherman June 30, 1945 STATE GA.ME AND FISH COMllllSSION PRESJDE..'ii', CARL NORGREN, D enYer , Colo. HARRY MORGAN, Dolores____________ · ---··---- ·-·---·-----···· ····-Vice p,..,id.,nt R. G. LY'J'TLE, Meeker·- ·----·· --·---- · · - · -· ·······-· · · ·-----········ · __ secretary OTIS McINTYRE, Colorado Sprinl!ll E. 'J'. HALL, Sterling H. G. KF..NDALL, Trinidad EXECUTIVE OFFICJ.;RS DIRECTOR, C. N. FEAST, Denvi,r, Colo. JOHN D. HART, Denver, Colo. ..•••·--·········--········ ..•.. - •••.•Assistont Direetor R. G. HAVlLAND-····-··············--·· •·-••·• ___ Supt. of Fish Hatcheries WM. l•'. HONN..••••••• · ---····-·-··-·:------····- ····-····-- - Cltief Ga,ne Warden G. N. H UNTER.-··--·--··--···--·---··-·- --· _ • • . --.Game and F°lBh Manager A. D. COLEMAN·--····-·-·---·-··-· ··-·-·--Supt. of Fur Resourc<S M. D. McDONALD••--·---·-···-······ •. Ass·t Sapt. of Fur Resources C. E. HAGIE..••.•... ~ .•.•...••• ··-·--·······-· ....Education and Publicity GRACE E. THREEWIT•. •. . ••••.••.._. ·-·· .........•.......••••••.Office Manager OFFICE PERSONNEL FRANCES AYRES- ... ····-· _ •....• Secretary and Senior Stenographer ETHEL FAIRCHILD. --···· ... Coun ter Clerk and Typist HELEN HADDOCK •. ... ••...... • • ...... . •••. . . • Senior Clerk LA VERNE HEWET'!'. ...... • •......Stenoirrapher FRANCF,S CARKOEK •.... • •••• _ .• • •. . _ •. . . • ... . Clerk.Typist GEORGIA DJANA..•.......·--···--Senior Stenog rapher and Fur Resource,, Assistant ACCOUNTS PERSONNEL ALICE R. AMOSS. .•.•.· --··· _. . ...•••.. . ·-···· Bookkeeper WILMA CLARK.............. .•. •..... ···- . -··· • Assistant Bookkeeper ELLEN GAILEY•. _• . · ···-· ...••.....•..........••.......•.•.•Machine Operator BETTY McKELVEY .•.••..... -·····-··· ········--· • • - .•.. • . Machine Operator HAZEL MORGAN •• -····- .••••......••..•.. ...•••...••••. Machine Operator GRACE SPRING ..••.•. ····-··· -........... .........••.... .... --···-·Senior Olerk M. A. CAVANAUGH.. ......••.•. ... .• . ••.....•••••Auditor CUSTODIAN OF BUILDINGS ARTHUR V. FRANICLlN, Custodian LAW ENFORCEMENT CHIEF GAME WARDEN WM. F. BUNN, Denvel' DISTRICT CHIEF WARD ENS • Meeker V. T. STEELE... ..• • . . JOHN E . LALL.• _.••• ··- ....•Denver PAUL WETZEL........... LF,O L. BROUX, Acting Dis trict Chief Warden, Pueblo JAMES C. GEN'J'RY••...... ..Bayfield Ft. Collins WARDENS Greeley W . L U RTON HOLMAN ·•······-· . Salida Cortez CHAS. G. HOLSWORTH...... Kremmling H. G. BAYNE_._ Walsenburg J. E. HUNN...... • •••.•...• Loveland I'. F. BRITTAIN _ -•··La Junta C. A. HURD ... .. -· Gunnison JAMES A. CAMPliEl,L Steamboat Springs DAN JONES.... -.. Palisade C. W . CLIFTON . Lamar LAWRENCE KIMSEY ·-··· .••Duran1<<> W. J. COMBS.... .. ......• Gypsum JAMF.S C. MALOY _ Canon City ED W . CORYELL. - ... • Canon City P. C. MONTGOMERY ...• -Ft. Morgan GEO. CROWLEY . Sa1<U&che R. R. REIGAN-·-··· _ .. . Meeker EARL DOWNER. Antonito A. W . ROGERS••.••••. ~ ,._Paonia A. D. DOWNEY. . ·- .. . Basalt C. W. SCOTT.- ...••• ·-·Trinidad JAMES W. DROMJIIOND... - ·-··Wray ROWE SHAWVER ••........ ..Denver WM. J . FORGETI _ .. ··-·· .. F;vergreen GEO. STEELE...•_ Hot Sulphur Springs CLARENCE GOAD ·-· ·-· -···-··.Alamoea V. L. TURNER...·-··· ••. _Idaho Springs J . BROWNLEE GUYisR .. ,. Boulder WM. WELLS.... • ..... --· Greeley SHERMAN E. HALL. --·· Montrose W. 0 . ADKINS _ L. W. BALLARD J . F. ANDREWS.••..• -··· OSCAR PATTERSON.• _..... GAME CONTROL WINTER FEEDING Gunnison L. E. EVANS...- ..•.•...•...• Gunnison ....•• -···-·--·-···---···-··-· · ·········Basalt - 16- �FUR RESOURCES DEPT. A. D. COLEMAN, Superintendent FUR INSPECTORS ARTHUR DE GUELLE ___________Olathe WM. H. DOBB$ ____ - _$teamboo.t Sprinp B. L. DENTON ___________La Veta WM. W. NASH _______________ Alamosa CURTIS. WILLIAMS_, _______________________________________________________Denver TRAPPERS JOHN BETZ. -•------------ ___Gunnison S. S. PALM _________ ------- __Ft, Collins S. L. CO'l'TRELL________________ Granby WM. T. ROLAND ______Steamboat Sprin,..s C. B. DAVWSON__________________ Craig JAMES A. RUSSELL_____________Wald•n F. W. DUNHAl\l ___._______________Meeker WM. G. SCBULTS ______________ Alamosa ALLEN FITZGERALD ______ Buena Vista THOMAS A. STOCKHAM _______ -1)el(a CHARLES E. GJLL __________ __Montrose JAMES TATlJM________ Glenwood Sprin1(11 WM. LOWE________________________Delta HARRY N. TERRELL.-Glenwood Springs WM. A. MASON ________________ .Durango ROBERT TERRELL _______________Basalt FRANK MAYSE________ Colorado Springs J. L. WALDRON.____________ Kremmlinir FRANK MILLER ___________ Westcliffe E. T. WILSON _________________ Yampa HAROLD OVERMEYI-;R.. Steamboat Sp'ga FRANK WOODRUFF __________ Evergreen RESEARCH AND GAJIIE MANAGEMENT G. N. HUNTER, Mnnng-er, De.nver LEONARD HUDNALL__ _ ___ •.•Wray C. R. JONES-_______________ DeR\•er WALLACE STAPLES._._________________ • - -···--- -----------------1't. Collins PITTMAN ROBER'J'SON THEODORE SWEM •• Wildli!e Technician GERALD EMORY_______Field Assistant ETHEL ERICKSON Senior Stenographer DENNIS GENE MUTZ ___________ Trapper EDDIS ALEXANDER _ Field Assistant DWIGHT ROBERT. _____. ..Field Assistant MARTIN BURGET._______ _ __ .Trapper WM. G. WJNKLER. _______Field Assistant GEORGE JONES.-•••••• Hotchery Helper FISH HATCHERIES R. G. HAVILAND, Superintendent BELLAIRE HATCHERY GLENWOOD SPRINGS R. O. RANKIN, Supt. _________Meeker WM. HENDERSON, SupL.Glenwood Spg,. J. C. LAMB. Helper. _ _ ________Meeker JAMES G. CALLAN, Helper_Glenw'd Spg~. BUENA VISTA HATCHERY BER:-.ARD DUf'FY, Helper_Glenw'd Spgs. LA JARA HATCHERY R. L. LIT'fLE, Supt. _________Buena Vista BERT ALLINGER, Su1>t, _______ La Jara WM. GISEL, Hel1>er ___ __ .•Buena Vista JAMES PJNKSTON, Helper _____ La Jaro CEDAREDGE HATCHERY LAS ANIMAS HATCHERY A. B. JENNINGS, Supt. _ ----Cedaredge E. W. WATSON, Supt. ________ Las Animns LESTER CARLSON, Helper_______Eckert COLTS PONDS L. I. W. BRUMAGE, Supt.. ______Lyons CRYSTAL RIVER PONDS A. L. DUMONT, Su11t, ______ Carbonda!e FRANK E. HUBER, Helper.-..Carbonda.Je CARL LUCKSINGER, Helper_Carbondale DENVER B.$.TCHERY HAROLD HALDEMAN, Supt,. ____Dupont OSCAR DA VIES, Helper__________ Dupont J. W. HALL, Helper___________ Henderson ROBERT LAMBERT, Helper.. ____ _Denver ARNOLD SCHMID, Helper ________Dupont DURANGO HATCHERY JOHN HENDERSON, Supt. _ ____Durango Wll. HLA V AClllCK, Helper _____ Durango WM. WARREN, Relper________ .Dnrango ESTES PARK WILLIS KENNEY, Supt,. ____ Estes Park DONALD SMlTH, Helper ___ Estes Park FT. COLLINS M. J. BENALLO. Supt. __ ..• _..Ft. Collins MONUMENT LAKE WM. WINNER, Supt,____________ Weston MICHAEL JAMES, Hell)er________ Weston PARVIN LAKE J. A. WlCRERSHAM, Supt._Llvermore RJO GRANDE PONDS FRED MITCHELL, Supt, _____.Monte Vista PITKTN ROBER'!' A. RAY, GEO. NORWOOD, JOE RAMlEREZ, HATCHERY Supt____________ Pitkin HeJper_________ Pitkin Helper __________Pitkin RYE HATCHERY JAMES GEIGER, Supt... ___ --- - .•. Rye TARRYALL RESERVOIR GUS w. wmTE, Supt, __________Jeffel'l!0n WALDEN HATCHERY JACK SIMSON, Supt, ________ .Walden WRAY HATCHERY CARL 0. PETERSON, Supt, ________Wray -17- �CANON CITY BIRD FARM BARRY .J. FIGGE, Supfrinund,nt, Canon City COLORADO SPRINGS GAME FARM ROBERT FORD, Superintendent, Colorado $prinn CLAIRE KELSEY, Helper, Color&do Sprinir,, PREDATORY ANIMAL CONTROL GURNEY CRAWFORD _ Grand Junction LYLE H. AUTREY ___________, _Pritchett ROBERT F. BAKER-----------· ___ Yuma ALBERT MARQUEZ___________ Denver ORVILLE A. RF..ICH----------· Snowmass ROLAND SCHAEFER ________ _Dove Creek JOHN L. SELPH________________ ---Dyke ROY O. SPANGLER ______________ La Veta THE STATE GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT CASH FUNDS . o, :10, 14 ACCOUNT 2146 6/ 30/ 45 Balance Bea-inning Year -· --$ 636,904.03 Cancelled Warrants, Pre,,ent Year 214.05 116.82 Cancelled Warrants. Prior Year•--------------------- Cash Deposits- Revenue Lesa Adiustmenta ____________ _ 767,289.57 $ 776,093.64 TOTAL CASH AVAILABLE DURING YEAR ____ ____ $1,408,663.47 $1,685,530.66 -- --- 114.50 142.56 909,179.96 EXl)e.nditures Game and Fish Pittman Robertson ____ ___ --------- -- --• 691,714.67 ----------- -24,868.22 $ 765,910.55 77,675.92 -- - $ 616,677.89 $ 843,586.47 $ 4,565.68 3,600.00 2,726.86 s 4,088.40 3,600.00 $ 10,891.94 Total Expenditures --- TraMfen General Fund 8% Hides _____ Attorney General ------··----- St.ock Inspection Board ------Total Transfers --------------- Total Expenditures Tranafen _ CASH BALANCE End a! Y ear ___ _ S 627,469.83 776,093.64 TOTAL EXPENDITURES AND CASH BALANCE AT END OF YEAR------ --------- _ ·-----------Sl,408,668.47 ACCOUNT 2147 Balance Beginning Year _ Ex.penditures __ ___ ------ -OASJI BALANCE at EnJ of Year_____ - 7,683.40 SU,260.79 $1,685,630.66 _, 19,870.00 260.00 s 19,810.00 19,000.00 ____ $ 19,610.00 s 610.00 T OTAL CASH BALANCES AT END OF YEAR______ $ 795,703.64 - 18- s - -s 851,269.87 $ 884,870.79 �THE STATE GAME AND FIS H DEPARTMENT REVENUE FOR FISCAL YEAR 6/ 30/ 44 Soldiers H. & F. Licenses _______________________________ $ Ladlea H. & F. Licenses ----------------------------3-Day Non-Res. Fishing - --- ---- - --------------------Non-Resident Fishing ------ - --------------------------Antlerless Deer and Elk ---------------- ----- ----· ---- -Non-Resident Smrul Game -------------------- --------Re11ldent Antlered Elk ---------------------------·----Resident Big Game _____________ _____ _ ·----------- ----Non-R<'sident Big Game ----- - - -------- -------------Resident Trappers - ------ - ------------------------Non-Resident Trappers __ ____________________ ______ R•ident Fur Dealers - - - -- - - - - --------- -----------Non-Resident Fur Dealers - - ---------------------------Lake. Park Licenses, Renewals_____ __________________ Preserve Licenses, Renewals _____________ ------------Gu.ide Licenses --- - - - - - - -- - -- ----------------------Seinlnir Permits ___ -------------- -·--------------·- ••• Rcluire Permits - ---- --------- ---------______ __________ _ Transportation and Importation ___ __ _________________ IR'lport.cra Licen11es _ ·-------- ------------------------- Taxidermist Licenses ---------- ----------------- __ ,__.... Fince and Convictions - -------------------- ----------Pittman Robert,ion -·---------------------- --- ------·· Rclundff _ ·---------- ------------------- __ _ Beaver Pelb Sales --------- - - -- ------------------- .• l\1iscellaneous Receipts ---- ------------- ---------- ---- ~ Miscellaneous Hide Sales - - - -- --------------________ ---- - - --_ Meat ______ __________________________________ 9,081.76 28,355.80 8,066.60 16.907.25 19,951.50 1.664.75 19-1,448.60 239,154.25 16,062.60 6,311.50 24.75 1,329.00 360.00 888.00 (20.00 360,00 42.00 81.50 863.76 -75.00 60.00 11,418.64 39,815.70 1,000.90 112,066.68 4,065.40 6 / 30 145 $ 0,15.60 184.40 41.60 110.00 47.00 2.00 260.00 10.00 1.00 26.00 9.76 675.80 7.20 1,000.00 Bea ve-r Tags - ------------------- ---- __ ________ ___ ____ _ Be.ave r Casters _ ___ ·------------- ----------- -----------Storaice Permita - ------------------------------------- Pheasant Permits ...--- --------- - -- - ----------------Pasture and Hay - - -------------- ------- - - ---------Scientific Permits ------------------------------ ----Beaver Park Licenses ------------- - --------------------Live Beaver ------- - --- ------- - - - --------·- ------Importation or Specimen - - - --------------------------Car Sales - - - ---------------------- ---------------Meal Bair Sales --- -----------------------------------Insurance _____________________________ ... ________ _____ _ Specimen Pcrmita _____________________________________ TOTAL REVENUE ____ _______ ____________________ $ 767,239.67 -19- 11,868.70 28,147.80 9,119.80 22,346.20 54,875.60 2,667.50 208,727.65 281,010.90 67,755.50 6,088.25 49.50 063.00 360.00 1,230.00 279.00 500.00 66.00 19.26 899.26 451.75 150.00 11,040.52 80,788.15 719.94 216,210.25 a.oo s 909,179.96 �EXPENDITURE!;I FOR FISCAL YEAR 6 '30 44 Hatcheries, Undatribull"d ---------------·. Bellaire Ponds - - -- -----•--·-----Buena Vista Hatchery - - -----Cedaredge Hatchery ______________ _ Cryatal River Ponds ____________ •• -----S Del Norte ------- ------------ --- ---------------------Denver Hatchery ----------------------------------- -- -Durango Hatchery --------------------------------Elstet Park Hatchery _ --------- ----------------- Ft. Collins Hatchery -- - - - - --------· --------------- • Glenwood Springs Hatchery ________ - - - · · - _______ _ Haviland Lake - ----------------------- --------- ------LaJara Tlatchery ___ ----------------------Laa Animas Hatchery •• ____________ ___ _ Monument Lake ____ - - - - -- -----------·-··---- _______ _ Parvin Reservoir ___ _______ ________ --------------Pitkin Hatchery ________ ----------------- -------------Retaining Ponds __ ------------------------------------Rio Grande Ponds -------------------------------------Rye Hatchery - ------------------------------- ________ _ Skinny .FiJlh Lake -------------------------------------Tarryall Reservoir __________________________ __________ __ _ Walden Hatchery _______ --------· ------------ _______ • __ _ Wray Hatchery ____ - -----------, ------------Total Hatcheries ___ _ _ __ , Administration ___ _ Restricted Cash- Refunds Fur Resources _ _____ ----- ----· ----- --· Conservation Comments ___________ _ Game Control _____________________ _ Education and Publicity ------------------------------Other Properties-Upkeep --------- -------------------Grune Wardens ____ , ____ • ---- - ---------------- ,--------Che~k Stations ----------------- ------ ----------------Research Projects _ ·-· ·--------------------------------Winter Peed ------- ------ ---------- _____________________ Undistributed Account ________________ ______________ _ 6,957.65 'i,807.80 5,065.94 16,636.64 16,20 26,860.29 13,173.70 6,760.39 8,371,56 6,655.87 230.65 9,946.23 2,312.62 6,380,24 2,029.98 11,423.19 10,400.12 10,323,54 6,826.44 170,922.44 71,050,08 182,744.90 2,520.45 3,944.87 910.74 100,001.33 2,182.48 2,341.02 33,863,61 2,423.13 6,974.37 24,863.22 4,271.45 7,823.80 10,891,94 354.42 11,379.03 9,000.62 7,537.80 22,809,22 61.115.78 21,035.« 16,043.96 1-0,695.21 12,551.50 120.48 11,755.81 2,578.28 5,778.62 1,898.66 15,082.87 14,258.39 12,835.45 8,710.41 1,015.15 8,588,59 6,921.90 7,712.15 2,974.11 7,997.41 3,772,29 Predatory Animal Control ----- ------- _ ---- . --------Pittman Robertson Projects___________________________ _ Canon City Bird FamL--------------- _____________ _ Colorado Bird Farm ------ ---- ---------------- ________ Transfe.r s - - ---- ------ ------------- -----·TOTAL EXPENDITURES ___________ •• _______ ___ $ 627,729.83 - 20-- 6/ 30/ 46 g $ 254,884.19 100,335.24 1,258.17 216,863,97 8,148.99 11,642.11 5,040.45 34,357.07 108,867,17 124,91 5,767.19 11,913.74 2,483.04 14,219.44 77,675.92 4,936.77 9,068.10 7,683.40 $ 870,269,87 �EXPENDlTU RES· ACCOU NTS 21'1 AND 2 U 7 (Mercha ndise and Services) June 30, l9H 10,565.62 7,934.56 Printing ·····•·••········-·····-··--····---········· 147.68 Clothing •••• •. -···································· A nlmal Food •••••..•••••...••.••••••...•.••••••.•••.••• 68,1-11.79 t96.i0 Dormitory Supplies ·········-···-···-···· •••.••••..••• Hardware •..•.....••.••••••••...••.••...••.....•••••• 6,457.37 12,235.JS Gas, Oil, etc. ····················-··················-·· 4,-161.13 Ti.res -············-············-····················· 8,828.53 Car Repairs •• ·····-········--····••·•-········-·-···· 2,177.78 Office Supplies ..•.....••..••••.•.••..••.•••• ···-······ 7,0J3.43 Rentals - · · · •.•••.••..••.....•••.• --·········-··--· ),7t'i,66 Building Repairs ·····-····-·················-········· Travel •.•••.•••••..••.••.•..••••...••.......•••.••••••• 67,317.30 kefunds-Gamc and Fish Llcense,i .•••.....•••.....•.•••. ISH.13 1.523.60 Damages ·····-··-··························-··-··-· 650,00 Bountie,. -·········--·-·-··-··········-·-····-····· Telephone and Telegrams.••.••••....••.••..••..•..••...• 5,UOG.94 Coal ..... . ................ ··············-············S Fxpreq,s __ ·--------------------------------------------- Po,Lage ...... ············-·················-·········· Car License; (nsurance . . .. . -······-················-···-········ _ __.,. _________________________________ _ Capltal-E<1ui1>ment ·······-············--··········-·· Salaries ···-······-······-·-·······-·············-··· Janitor ······-·········-·······-···-········· MedicineSupplies ----------------------________________________ _ Miscellnneous Hatchery and Wildlife..•..•..•....••..••.•• Retirement -- ~---------------------------------------~~:!:i~:i~~pport --······-········-········· ••••..••• Compensation --- ·-------------------------------------Refunds-Beaver Pelts ·····-·························· Easement Fund Rents ·············-·····-············· 'l'ransCers General l•"und --------------------------------Dues and Fees •••. . -·····················-·······-Land Purchases .. . .•..• ···············- ..••.•••.•• June 30, 1015 $ 14,.41.98 20,578.18 268.80 68,993.84 1,226.02 4,801.46 21,122.9:l 8,849.21 12,603.06 1,563.56 11,079.49 1,943.71 95,676,85 1,033.17 821.00 900.00 8.715.73 1,715.16 3,705.85 8/iij.21 3,886.15 79,419.Sl 815,066.97 334.90 116.83 5,2•13.01 8,590.11 1,399.02 3,304.08 617,68 3,650,07 21,8•16.66 286,118.12 6,639.18 425.93 66.81 8,247.78 50.00 3,29C.92 3,225.00 72,043.69 260.00 10,891.94 10:11a~21 3,141.00 75,086.21 -,:o·si1ii 1.500,00 75.00 80,000.00 TOTALS ..••••••••.•••.• ····-········ •..•..•••••$ 627,729.88 $ 870,269.87 STATUS OF DEPARTMJ,;NTAL ACCOUNTS Allotment 'i 1/44 6/30/45 Revenue--Refunds ____________________ _ A-Salaries ··-········-·•··········· .$ 824,500.00 Jl-Mtce. and Opr. ····-····-···-•·· • 209,276.00 50,000.00 B-Deficiency Bill• ··-··············-· 75,000.0(, Bl-Beaver Pelt Refunds -···········. 25,000.00 ~apital ·-···--··········•···-···· D - State's Share Retirement ••...•.... 9,500.00 3,225.00 E-Compensation ·-···-··--·········· F-Minor Improvements• ___ ,_,.. _______ _ 4,500.00 21,000.00 G-New Structures• -····-······-····-· 15,000.00 80,000.00 Expenditures 7, 1 '44 6/30 45 $ 1,268.17 294,102.50 270,382.25 $ TOTALS ···-········-···-······-$ 896,842,08 9,539.51 1943-44 1,Hce. and Qpr, .••.•·-···--· 3,227,13 1948•44 Capital ···-··--- ······-·-····· 3,~88.14 194S•H Minor Improvements - - - - · · · 1943•44 Predatory Animal •...••..••...• 46.84 Transfer--Attorney General - - - - · · - · Genmil Fund (8% on Hides) -········· S 827,958.11 DEPARTMENTAL TOTALS ··--·$ 982,653.20 -21- 30,307.50 --61,167.25 50,000,00 86.21 -10,701.71 1.233.~6 8•1.0U 3.507.80 20,366,28 9V2.20 634.72 14,173.10 77,676.92 TOTALS --···---········-····$ 817,000.00 41,~2!.6:J $-Rearing UnH,i ···-···--·····-···-· 15,000.00 T-Stream Improvements ••··•······-· 5,000.00 U-Reservolr Screening -············· 434.20 V-AutomobUes --···············--·· 3,470,8-1 -W-Englneering -····-····-··: ..•••••• 14,415.41 X-Hatchery Improvements ······--··· TOTALS 2146 ACCOUNTS -····-·-$ 912,043,20 TOTALS 2147 ACCOUNT ••••.•••• 19,610.00 6/30 1 45 S -1,268.17 75.086.21 35,704.71 8,2fi6.l l 3,l.U,00 i=:ft~~11ot:::!! ~~~:~~.:::::::_--::: ----- Balance 781.416.95 23,230.69 11,126.06 826.90 2,32•1.08 $ 85,583.0.; I 8,290.94 3,873.95 5,000.00 434.20 2,715.52 2,956.2~ $ 68,883,9t 725~32 11,159.13 9,256.85 3,037.00 3,288.14 16,34 3,600.00 ,1,083.40 282.66 190,18 ..:s:-soo~iiii -1,083.40 --$ 851,269.87 $ 61,673.83 610.00 S 870,269.87 $ 62,288.33 19,000.00 �STATUS OF FEDERAL AID TO WILDLIFE PROJECTS Projt•ct No. Allotment 4R-1943• ··-- - - $12,491,60 4R-19«• - ----- 19,344.02 4R-17R-1915 • _ 37,209.90 8-L-5 . J;.R.]943• 6,242.50 19-C-1942• 10,357.60 19-C-1943* ,.310.50 1~-C -1944• ~.127 .57 19-C-1945 5,879.81 29-D-1943• •---- 1,650.00 W-D-1944 ~oa.oo ao-D-1913 1,721.50 32-D-19-14 8,-035.95 Square S Land - ----------- Acquisiti.111 10-n• !8D• . - 2,847.32 428.66 Ex1>•nditur(.J'!o; Transf,r $ 9,057.08 $ 3,352.07 18,486.76 10,439.34 200.00 5,991.72 7,392.63 7.169,59 2.881.59 4,509.50 1,380.99 363.91 1,213.30 2.525.05 233.48 3,008.75 1,067.89 50,000.00 2,239.83 312.32 Unencumbered $ P2.45 8S7.2i 17,830.56 State•• Shar" Due State $ 6.~54.r.6 17.80 · 43.78 ,3.02 5,245.0S l,2~0.31 26P.0l 439.09 608.20 5,510.90 13,90?.Sh 14,67~.51 150.00 4,606.76 5,511.64 5,431.95 2,164.75 3,449.63 l.09Ul 272,93 t•09.98 l,b93.o9 --------. 37.50(1.(1() $ 8,059.83 150.00 609,00 412.85 37,500.00 607.49 111.28 llnencumbered Balance of Proiec!J! -· - - - ---•• · -•···- - '32,789.08 Unallotted Balanc1>-Allotment Card _ __ _____________ 41,316.91 Unnllotted Balanc.- on Expenditure______ __ ______ .. $74,106.94 Expenditure card balance unencumbered is $23,905.44 from which Square S Land ncquisition of $50,000.00 and Project 8-L-5 of $200.00 hll!i been deducted. These two projecl8, Square S Land acquisition and 8-L-5 have not >·et been authorized by Government. The balance of the expenditure card of $28,906.44 plu• $60,000.00 plus $200.00 equals the balance of the Federal Allotment Card of $41,316.91 ,,!us unencumbered balanc<-s of various open projects $82,789.08. •These project~ after adjustments between each other will be closed and taken off or book!-o. -22- � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/5f890bb6785829e28ec831925187a80d.pdf c60f8f418faa7b6cf316f8f083994abb PDF Text Text ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/841919e27a4bb7883d5849f8d950d926.pdf d32bffe7b1ebb96bc9f99dbe3b513d4c PDF Text Text ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/7229f4da26513eb2c739eb2c3015b4f5.pdf f4d19b9da78560d26882eb0ca734b8d7 PDF Text Text ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Colorado Parks and Wildlife: Annual/Biennial Reports Description An account of the resource Agency annual and biennial reports beginning with the 1877 Fish Comissioner's report. Reports are grouped by title, which changed over the years. There are time periods when no report was issued; for example no reports were issued from 1965-1985 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/">IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Annual/Biennial Reports of the Game and Fish Department, 1926-1948 Description An account of the resource <p>Nine reports covering 1926-1948.</p> <p>Varying titles:</p> <ul> <li>1926-1931: Report of the Game and Fish Department of the State of Colorado, December 1, 1926 to June 30, 1931</li> <li>1934-1936: State of Colorado Department of Game and Fish, Biennial report, July 1, 1934, to June 30, 1936</li> <li>1939-1945 (4 reports): Biennial report, Colorado Game &amp; Fish Commission, <em>YEAR-YEAR</em></li> <li>1945-1947 (2 reports): The Colorado State Game and Fish Department, Annual Report, 1945-1946 and The Colorado State Game and Fish Department, Annual Report, 1945-1947</li> <li>1946-1948: State of Colorado Department of Game and Fish, Biennial Report, 1946 – 1948</li> </ul> <p>For more reports in this digital collection see:</p> <ul> <li>Preceding set:&nbsp;<a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/items/show/444">Biennial Report of the State Game and Fish Commissioner of the State of Colorado, 1899-1926</a></li> <li>Succeeding set:&nbsp;<a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/items/show/447">Annual Report, State of Colorado Department of Game and Fish, 1952-1962</a></li> </ul> Print copies in CPW Library: SH 11 .C58 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/">IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf