OREGON STATE
GAME COMMISSION
APRIL, 1959
OREGON
RE
N S T A TE
GAME
ULLETIN
from the twelve western states and the
province of British Columbia. P. W.
Published Monthly by the
OREGON STATE GAME COMMISSION
1634 S.W. Alder StreetP. 0. Box 4136
Portland 8, Oregon
MIRIAM KAUTTU, Editor
H. C. SMITH, Staff Artist
MEMBERS OF COMMISSION
Portland
Rollin E. Bowles, Chairman
Kenneth G. Denman
J. H. Van Winkle _______ _ _______
Medford
Oregon City
Ralph T. Renner
Lakeview
Max Wilson
Joseph
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
P. W. Schneider
Director
C. B. Walsh
Assistant Director
W. D. DeCew
Controller
John B. Dimick
Chief, Supply and Property
Roy C. Atchison
Attorney
C. J. Campbell _ Chief, Basin Investigations
H. J. Rayner
George Kernan
Portland will be host June 29, 30 and
July 1 to the 39th annual conference of
the Western Association of State Game
and Fish Commissioners, whose membership includes the fish and game agencies
April, 1959
No. 4, Volume 14
R. C. Holloway
John McKean
Western Association to
Meet in Portland
Chief, Info. and Educ.
Chief of Oper., Game Div.
_Chief of Oper., Fishery Div.
Engineer
_Chief, Lands Section
Personnel Officer
A. V. Meyers
H. R. Newcomb
REGIONAL SUPERVISORS
Leslie Zumwalt, Region I,
Route 1, Box 325, Corvallis
J. W. Vaughn, Region II
Box 977, Roseburg
L. M. Mathisen, Region III Parrell Road, Bend
W. H. Brown, Region IV Box 742, La Grande
W. V. Masson, Region V
Box 8, Hines
Schneider, game director for Oregon, is
this year's president, and Ben Glading
of the California Fish and Game Department is the permanent secretary.
The meeting will follow the traditional pattern of a general session each of the
three mornings with the afternoons de-
and two cattleguards on Fish Lake management area; $1,428 for replacement of
water supply line at Wallowa Hatchery;
At its meeting on March 20, the Game
Commission took the following actions:
KEEP OREGON GREEN: Authorized
$8,000 for 50 pellet feeders to be dis-
its annual contribution of $250 to the
Keep Oregon Green Association.
BOOTH KELLY LUMBER COMPANY: Heard representatives of this
firm discuss deer damage problems on
tree farms and possible solutions that
tion of memorandum of understanding
with Forest Service looking toward future negotiations for development of
the cover
Gene Morton, superintendent of Wizard
Falls trout hatchery, grades trout with the
fish grader which is his personal invention
and now is in use at practically all of the
Game Commission hatcheries. (Photo by
Milt Guymon)
Trillium Lake.
SANDY RIVER ACQUISITION: Authorized acquisition for access purposes
of three tracts of land in the Oxbow project on the Sandy River at a cost of $16,100.
DESCHUTES RIVER ACCESS: Au-
thorized submission of a bid to State
Land Board for tract of 160 acres in
Tetherow Bridge area; also exercise of
option of the Berg tract for $2,000; and
instructed application be made for with-
1$6,,,
95
:;
*.
CEtOt'
EXPOSITION
Page 2
Sport Fishing Institute; Ernest Swift,
MARCH MEETING OF THE
GAME COMMISSION
Please report promptly any change of address. Send in both the old and new address
with notice of change.
At the present time the Bulletin is circulated
free of charge to anyone forwarding a written
request.
Assistant Secretary of the Interior; E. L.
Peterson, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture; Dr. I. N. Gabrielson, president of
the Wildlife Management Institute; R.
H. Stroud, executive vice president of the
voted to special sessions for Commissioners and technical sessions on fish, game,
law enforcement, and information and education.
would be mutually satisfactory.
TRILLIUM LAKE: Authorized execu-
under the act of August 24, 1912.
scheduled. Among these are Ross Leffler,
executive director for the National Wildlife Federation; Dr. Peter Larkin, Director of Institute of Fisheries, University of
British Columbia; L. C. Binford of Portland and Clarence Anderson, director of
the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Delegates will be welcomed officially
by Governor Hatfield and Mayor Schrunk.
All sessions will take place at the Multnomah Hotel.
1947, at the post office at Portland, Oregon,
Entered as second-class matter September 30,
For the general sessions several
speakers of national repute have been
drawal of two power sites for recreational
and fishing purposes.
CHEMICAL LAKE TREATMENT:
Authorized preliminary investigations to
determine feasibility of treatment of
Thompson Reservoir and Devils Lake.
CAPITAL OUTLAY: Authorized fol-
tributed to various hatcheries; $3,532 for
three trap nets.
NEXT MEETING: Set April 17 as the
date for the next meeting.
Big Game Hearings
In May
On March 20 the Game Commission
determined that in the event the Legislature passes Senate Bill 234, a public
hearing will be held at its Portland office
on May 22 for the purpose of receiving
information pertinent to 1959 big game
hunting regulations. Tentative big game
regulations will be announced on the
25th, and a second hearing will be held
on June 5.
The present law requires that all
hunting regulations be formulated in
July. The purpose of the recommended
amendment is to allow a longer period
for the public to learn of and apply for
big game hunting opportunities.
A third public hearing would be held
in mid-August to determine regulations
pertaining to upland game birds, water-
fowl, and furbearers. A much better
measure of game bird production will
be available in August, and the Commission will have an opportunity to coordi-
lowing expenditures: $2,500 for metal
storage building for Southeast Region;
$571 for hayshed at Wallowa Hatchery;
nate upland game and waterfowl regu-
$2,010 for construction of boundary fence
attend the public hearings.
lations.
All interested persons are invited to
April, 1959
By R. U. Mace, Chief Biologist, Big Game
I DENTICAL PROCEDURES are follow-
/*" ed each year in determining the big game
kill. Since 1948, a report card has been
issued with each deer and elk tag. The
law requires these to be filled out and
mailed after the close of the season. Information on all reports received before
January 1st is summarized to show the
date, area, sex, age of kill, and other
facts of interest. This summary provides
an accurate breakdown of kill percent-
who fail to reply are questioned a second
time and then personally interviewed in
Deer Seasons:
order to obtain a complete return. This
year, replies were received from 5,047,
or 94 per cent, of those questioned.
The questionnaire survey is used to
change in deer hunting regulations. For
the first time, antlerless deer were hunted on a unit basis. Only those with per-
geographic unit. In measuring the 1958
deer kill, 112,972, or 48 per cent of all
report cards issued, were tabulated. A
card summary completes the kill analysis.
similar manner.
Results of the report card summaries
survey provides an accurate estimate
of big game kill figures. Results for the
1958 season are presented here.
Kill
based on report cards alone would be
selected at random from all who purchased hunting licenses during the year.
Every individual has an equal opportunity of being chosen under such a system.
Each selected hunter is mailed a simple
questionnaire asking for a report of his
success during the previous season. Those
GAME BULLETIN
(Continued on Page 4)
Table 3
SUMMARY OF GENERAL DEER SEASONS
bag an animal. Consequently, kill figures
tionnaire survey is conducted. Names are
over the distribution of hunters.
A long season was authorized, extending from October 4th through October
26th. Management unit permits became
valid on October 18th and those hunters
with a permit and an unfilled tag could
take any deer after that date.
Combining information from the report card summary and the questionnaire
that successful hunters tend to report
more readily than those who failed to
To determine the total kill, a ques-
cent years and provided some control
of percentages determined by the report
cannot be projected to determine accurate total kill figures. Experience reveals
too liberal.
animal at the end of the general season.
This procedure was similar to that used
on northeastern Oregon elk ranges in re-
applied to the number of licenses sold
determines total kill. Prorating the total
ages by sex for each county or other
of those issued, was summarized in a
mits were authorized to take an antlerless
compute the average success of all hunters during general seasons. This average
among the counties and units on the basis
total of 19,412 elk reports, or 46 per cent
The 1958 season marked an important
Mule Deer
Year
Tags
Issued
Bucks
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
166,618
163,628
173,429
171,252
188,250
204,808
215,047
230,585
233,842
221,960
233,885
23,141
36,865
26,471
37,850
32,366
39,916
54,357
51,933
47,155
54,829
51,715
Black-tailed Deer
Antler less
Bucks
20,426
24,652
22,384
35,570
32,309
26,044
18,863
16,644
20,395
17,580
19,312
19,657
27,623
27,702
30,203
26,937
25,282
29,566
Antler less
Total
5,210
13,045
8,043
13,385
13,340
8,360
15,220
39,785
57,260
44,051
57,162
77,659
105,236
112,486
131,091
119,741
114,515
115,364
Per Cent of
Hunters
Successful
23.9
35.0
25.4
33.4
41.3
51.4
52.3
56.9
51.2
51.6
49.3
Page 3
Table 1
Big Game Harvest
1958 GENERAL DEER SEASON
of
Hunters
Bucks
Antlerless
9,339
4,575
1,619
720
1,082
549
1,565
1,154
Baker
Benton _____ 4,670
Clackamas ___ 3,602
3,931
2,433
5,272
7,420
1,601
Clatsop
Columbia
____
Crook ____
Coos
Curry _______
Deschutes _14,603
Douglas
Gilliam
Deer
County
Per Cent of Area in Harvested
Hunters
Square Per Square
Successful
Miles
Mile
Kill
Number
County
____
11,056
855
17,017
10,400
Grant
Harney
Hood River __ 1,713
__ 7,917
Jackson
3,712
Jefferson
2,395
Josephine
_17,784
Klamath
15,163
Lake
15,435
Lane
3,465
Lincoln
6,540
Linn
7,907
Malheur
3,021
Marion
3,621
Morrow
Multnomah __ 417
4,145
Polk
Sherman _____
Tillamook
Umatilla
Union
Wallowa
Wasco
Washington
Wheeler
Yamhill
806
8,664
7,624
6,351
6,350
5,490
2,012
8,486
2,668
TOTALS and 233,885
AVERAGES
Total
1,937
2,838
734
3,884
4,167
416
6,738
5,383
313
2,014
1,446
733
6,194
4,985
4,229
1,310
1,720
3,910
481
1,213
60
1,138
343
2,432
2,211
2,514
3,438
1,526
477
3,311
651
653
33
1,290
1,334
70
3,030
1,471
102
471
503
129
1,399
2,011
3,514
723
1,364
1,395
274
618
26
1,088
105
2,210
1,022
983
993
552
343
1,596
607
6,140
2,773
1,000
1,419
900
2,424
3,491
767
5,174
5,501
486
9,768
6,854
415
2,485
1,949
862
7,593
6,996
7,743
2,033
3,084
5,305
755
1,831
86
2,226
448
4,642
3,233
3,487
4,431
2,078
820
4,907
1,258
81,281
34,083
115,364
280
337
351
487
(Continued from Page 3)
3,084
647
1,890
820
646
65.7
59.4
27.8
36.1
37.0
46.0
47.0
47.9
35.4
49.8
56.8
57.4
65.9
24.2
31.4
52.5
36.0
42.7
46.1
50.2
58.7
47.2
67.1
25.0
50.6
20.6
53.7
55.6
53.6
42.4
54.9
69.8
37.9
40.8
57.8
47.2
1,611
2,980
1,622
3,041
5,062
1,211
4,532
10,132
529
2,817
1,794
1,625
5,973
8,270
4,594
1,006
2,294
9,870
1,173
2,059
424
739
830
1,115
3,231
2,032
3,178
2,387
716
1,707
709
96,350
49.3
ticipation at the start resulted in a fair
2.0
4.3
0.5
harvest the opening weekend. Approxi-
mately one-fourth of the total w e r e
bagged the first two days, as shown in
1.7
1.4
1.5
1.2
0.5
1.7
1.1
0.4
Figure 1. Hunting pressure and success
increased substantially during the last
nine days when the unit permits became
valid. High success during the last two
weekends resulted in harvest comparable
to past years.
Results of the general deer season are
summarized in Table 1. More tags were
2.2
0.7
0.8
0.9
issued than in any previous year, exceeding 1956 by a very small margin.
1.1
0.5
1.3
0.8
1.7
The average success of hunters declined
from 52 per cent in 1957 to 49 per cent
in 1958, but increased hunting pressure
2.0
1.3
0.5
0.6
0.9
0.2
3.0
0.5
4.2
1.0
1.7
1.4
0.9
1.1
2.9
1.8
resulted in a slightly higher kill. Complete 1958 kill figures, including archery
seasons and controlled hunts, totaled
116,474 deer compared to 116,589 in 1957.
Oregon continues to rank high nationally
from the standpoint of total deer kill.
Preliminary reports indicate that the
1958 figure was topped only by Utah,
by a margin of less than 1,000 animals.
The 1958 buck kill shows little change
from that of previous years. A substantial
shift is evident in the antlerless harvest,
however. This was the predicted result
of issuing permits by management units.
A breakdown of the antlerless kill is presented by county in Table 1 for comparison with past years. The same information is presented by management units
in Table 2 (page 6).
Prior to last year, there was little control over hunter distribution and exces-
1.2
Figure 1
17
16
15
sive pressure was exerted on central
14
Oregon ranges during the hunter's choice
season. Through use of the unit system,
DAILY PERCENTAGES OF
13
1958 DEER KILL
it was possible to reduce the antlerless
kill in popular Deschutes, Klamath, and
Lake counties and achieve a substantial
increase in such counties as Malheur.
Equally important were results in
12
liBucks
A n Ile/less Deer
e; 9
1.2
The outlook for the 1958 season was
not optimistic. Weather conditions at the
start were unfavorable on many eastern
Oregon ranges. Despite this, heavy par-
western Oregon where some control was
8
needed over the number of hunters on
a7
the more open areas. By issuing permits
on a unit basis, it was possible to obtain
a necessary harvest of antlerless deer on
6
the Tillamook Burn and other ranges
4
3
Oct. 4
5
6
7
8
9
10
II
12
13
14
15
Dole of Season
16
17
18
19
20
21
22 23 24 25
26
which are becoming less productive due
to re-growth of cover. The resulting shift
in hunting pressure increased the 1958
antlerless kill in western Oregon by approximately 7,000 over the previous season. This increase was accompanied by
(Continued on Page 5)
April, 1959
Table 6
Big Game Harvest
1958 GENERAL ELK SEASON
(Continued from Page 4 )
a corresponding decrease in the antlerless mule deer tally.
Of the 87,026 hunters who obtained
unit permits, an average of 39 per cent
were successful. Success varies between
Number
of
Hunters
Bulls
13
8
1
1
1
Coos
5,972
205
4,
560
23
646
560
23
646
4019
5
1
1
243
243
1
1
1
1
25.0
2.4
88
28
88
28
Wasco
1,495
4
42
821
215
46
615
119
7.7
12.5
9.4
11.2
16.1
2.2
16.3
10.7
13.0
15.2
4.4
13.4
Baker
13,619
2,306
352
Grant
3,789
1,643
236
25
3
393
nual kill has averaged 110,870 deer with
Malheur
Morrow
Umatilla
Union
Wallowa
Wheeler
244
1,821
7,408
5,625
5,728
1,168
cessful.
EASTERN OREGON
SUB-TOTALS
TOTALS and
AVERAGES
County
Benton
Clackamas
Clatsop
Columbia
units and that factor was considered
when permit quotas were established.
The first year an effort was made to obtain an antlerless kill similar to that of
1957.
Curry
Douglas
Jackson
Klamath
Lane
Lincoln
Marion
Tillamook
This prediction was close with
34,083 being taken in 1958 compared to
34,404 the previous year. Experience
gained during the past season will be
most useful in planning future unit hunting regulations.
Table 3 compares the results of general deer seasons since 1948 when a sepable. From 1948 through 1951, bucks only
During the past several years, the an-
51 per cent of all hunters being sucIn addition to the general season kill,
887 deer were bagged on seven controlled
to- hunts while archers took 223 animals
from twelve areas. This information is
summarized in Tables 4 and 5 (page 6).
Elk regulations in 1958 were similar
1,643
363
56
201
594
14
187
821
745
1,144
27
16
70
30
212
821
745
1,144
97
20.0
8.3
28,829
3,623
495
4,118
14.3
42,448
5,266
495
5,761
11
12.1
15.7
15.9
27.3
15.7
3
25
12.3
11.6
11.1
13.2
13.6
22
21
20
19
18
17
DAILY PERCENTAGES OF
16
1958 ELK KILL
15
Ant/srlsss Elk
Bulls
14
13
12
ill'
11
Z. 10
!'
8
7
6
5
sented in Table 6. A record total of
4
42,448 hunters purchased tags. This rep-
3
the previous high in 1957 and 88 per cent
7
27
16
23
vember 1st through November 16th along
resents an increase of 12 per cent over
7
27
16
24
to those in effect during recent years.
The general season extended from No-
Results of the general season are pre-
1
Figure 2
Elk Seasons:
County.
Total
127
31
Crook
Gilliam
were legal. The average annual kill was
49,565 and the individual hunter had a
29 per cent chance of being successful.
Since 1952, some antlerless deer have
been taken during the last of the season.
fifty spikes was confirmed in Clatsop
Antler less
WESTERN OREGON
SUB-TOTALS
arate deer tag first made records avail-
the Coast and ended on November 25th
elsewhere in the state. The bag limit included bulls with three or more points
per antler in northwestern Oregon, spikes
in the south Coast, Cascade, and northeastern sections, and ooth sexes in southeastern Oregon.
Two changes were made regarding
bull elk regulations. The first required
possession of the scalp and eyes with the
antlers while in the field. This was designed as an enforcement measure to discourage repeated use of antlers as evidence of sex. A second change defined
the minimum length of an antler point
as two inches in order to discourage the
killing of spikes in the three-point area.
Despite this regulation, an illegal kill of
Per Cent
Hunters
Successful
Kill
2
(Continued on Page 7)
GAME BULLETIN
Nov.1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
II
12
13
14
Dole of Season
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22 23 24
24
Table 4
Table 2
ANTLERLESS DEER KILL BY UNIT
DURING GENERAL SEASON
Permits
Unit
Alsea
Applegate
Baker-
Sumpter _
Beulah
Butte Falls
Catherine
Creek
Chesnimnus
Clatsop
Columbia
Basin
Coquille
Deschutes
Desolation
Douglas
Kill
Success
6,000
400
1,906
31.8
72
18.0
1,400
2,500
500
746
956
199
53.3
38.2
39.8
800
595
500
348
271
232
43.5
45.5
46.4
200
500
1,000
500
1,000
Evans Creek
400
2,500
Fort Rock
Green Springs 500
300
Grizzly
Heppner
3,000
200
Hood River
600
Imnaha
2,500
Interstate
1,000
Keating
1,000
Klamath
39
205
404
210
442
111
746
337
166
889
42
243
1,050
580
342
19.5
41.0
40.4
210
1,164
72
342
3,286
712
111
42.0
38.8
36.0
48.9
32.9
71.2
24.2
3,000
600
3,500
1,000
259
1,500
1,500
500
5,000
300
2,000
2,000
2,500
500
700
1,264
243
1,199
547
73
883
851
205
1,248
42.1
40.5
34.3
54.7
28.2
58.9
56.7
41.0
25.0
59.0
32.6
43.9
52.1
54.2
34.7
710
200
3,000
1,000
800
1,000
791
800
1,500
522
4,000
90
2,500
1,500
171
94
Lookout
Mountain._
500
Malheur River 3,000
Maupin
200
700
Maury
10,000
McKenzie
1,000
Metolius
Minam Pack
459
Murderers
Creek
Nestucca
Northside
Ochoco
Owyhee
Paulina
Polk
Powers
Santiam
Sherman
Silver Lake _
Silvies
Siuslaw
Sled Springs
Starkey
Steens
Mountain
Tenmile
Trask
Ukiah
Umatilla
Umpqua
Walla Walla
Warner
Wasco
Wenaha
Wheeler
Whitehorse
Willamette
Wilson
____
TOTALS and 87,026
AVERAGES
Page
6
Antler less Per Cent
Issued
177
652
878
1,303
271
243
2,030
447
271
481
174
376
511
196
1,287
42
506
1,027
42.0
44.2
27.8
29.8
67.4
55.3
29.6
21.0
40.5
42.0
58.0
34.2
24.1
47.0
67.7
44.7
33.9
48.1
22.0
47.0
34.1
37.5
32.2
46.7
20.2
68.5
34,083
39.2
CONTROLLED DEER SEASONS
Number of
Season
Per Cent of
Tag Holders
Bucks Antler less Total Successful
Kill
Tags
Issued
Dates
Astoria Watershed, 10/25-10/26
50
300
Corvallis Watershed, 10/28, 29-11/22, 23
East Goose Lake, 11/22-11/25
Hart Mountain, 9/27-9/28
Mill Creek, 11/29-11/30
Snake River Pack, 10/4-10/26
Wallowa Pack, 8/30-9/3
134
250
200
500
500
TOTALS and
228
18
311
576
887
154
55
1,934
96.0
55.7
61.2
91.2
68.5
37
94
82
74
83
83
123
11
73
48
167
82
138
83
141
16.6
28.2
AVERAGES
Table 5
45.8
ARCHERY SEASONS
Elk Kill
Deer Kill
AntlerArea
Bucks
less
Baker, 8/30-9/21
Canyon Creek, 8/30-10/26
Century Drive, 8/30-9/21
Eagle Creek, 8/30-9/21
Hart Mountain, 9/6-9/14
Keno, 8/30-9/21
Lost Creek, 10/4-10/17
Malheur Refuge, 9/13-9/15
McDonald Forest, 10/4, 5, 11, 12
Mt. Emily, 8/30-9/21
Rogue River, 12/6-12/21
White River, 8/30-9/21
10
15
3
9
10
9
6
9
TOTALS
91
Table 7
Season
Desolation Unit
Heppner Unit
Imnaha Unit
Minam Pack Unit
Sled Springs Unit
Starkey Unit
Sumpter Unit
Ukiah Unit
Umatilla Unit
Walla Walla Unit
Dates
4
21
5
5
AntlerTotal
less
Total
1
1
2
3
4
4
6
19
25
12
10
30
12
17
19
14
47
14
5
Bulls
61
2
3
7
7
1
0
11
1
15
132
223
-
4
1
-
4
2
CONTROLLED ELK SEASONS
Dates
11/15-11/25
11/15-11/25
11/15-11/25
11/15-11/25
11/15-11/25
11/15-11/25
11/15-11/25
11/15-11/25
11/15-11/25
11/15-11/25
General season, unit hunt sub-totals
Astoria Watershed
11/16
11/22-11/23
Blue Ridge
12/13-12/31
Bridge Creek
Number of
Permits
Per Cent of
Permit Holders
Kill
Bulls
Antler less
200
300
100
100
100
300
100
200
150
250
Total
52
93
29
33
44
118
22
73
69
78
52
93
29
33
44
118
22
73
69
78
26.0
31.0
29.0
33.0
44.0
39.3
22.0
36.5
46.0
31.2
611
29
134
19
148
112
42
32
65
33.9
38.7
44.7
12.7
29.6
37.3
42.0
10.7
16.3
27.3
Mill Creek Watershed 11/ 8-11/12
Shaw Mountain
12/ 6- 1/31
Tillamook Burn
11/ 1-11/ 2
1,800
75
300
150
500
300
100
300
400
Special area sub-totals
2,125
138
443
581
TOTALS and
3,925
138
1,054
1,192
11/29-11/30
10/ 4-10/17
Clatsop
Elgin
AVERAGES
Table 8
611
3
7
4
26
127
28
14
120
98
28
29
15
14
3
65
Successful
30.4
ANTELOPE SEASONS
Number of
Hunters
Kill
Per Cent of
Hunters
Successful
I (Deschutes-Lake)
II (Lake-Harney)
III (Harney-Malheur)
185
188
181
111
85
118
60.0
45.2
65.2
TOTALS and
AVERAGES
554
314
Area
56.7
April, 1959
Big Game Harvest
(Continued from Page 5)
above the number sold in 1948. For comparative purposes, the 1958 harvest of 5,761 is slightly more than the 5,430 taken
in 1948. However, individual hunter success declined from 24 per cent to 14 per
cent during the ten years. Although the
elk kill has remained fairly stable, hunting pressure continues to increase with
an inevitable decline in individual hunter
success.
The western Oregon kill of 1,643 animals compares very closely with the 1,655
taken in 1957. Coos, Clatsop, and Douglas
counties furnished most of the animals.
Spikes were legal for the second year
along the south Coast, making up 47 per
cent of the Coos and 42 per cent of the
Douglas County totals.
In northeastern Oregon, Wallowa
County continues to be the most productive, followed by Umatilla, Union, and
Grant counties.
Success was highest on the opening
weekend with 32 per cent of the total
being taken the first two days. Kill by
date is illustrated in Figure 2. Antlerless
elk taken on the northeastern Oregon
Scenes like this will be common on April 25, opening day of the trout season.
Going Trout Fishing?
Trout anglers have been waiting imApril 25,
when the general trout season opens in
all sections except streams in Zones 1
(coastal), 3 (Umpqua), and 4 (Rogue).
For these the opening is delayed until
patiently for the big day
controlled seasons. A total of 1,800 unit
May 30, except the following sections of
the Umpqua and Rogue will open April
25: That part of the North Umpqua and
tributaries above Soda Springs Dam; and
permits was issued for the last eleven
days of the general season. Hunters
taries above Laurelhurst (Peyton
management units increased hunter success at the end of the season.
Table 7 summarizes the results of
bagged 611 antlerless elk for an average
success of 34 per cent. In addition to the
unit hunts, eight controlled seasons were
authorized on problem areas. The 2,125
permit holders averaged 27 per cent success in taking 581 animals. With the exception of three controlled seasons where
checking stations were operated, the information in Table 7 is based on report
cards submitted by hunters. Consequently, this represents the minimum kill.
Archers reported taking six elk. The
combined total for all 1958 seasons was
6,959 compared to 7,506 in 1957.
Antelope Seasons:
Limited numbers of antelope continue
to necessitate hunting restrictions. The
1958 season extended from August 23rd
through August 27th. This period precedes the rut and coincides with the time
that horns are in prime condition for
trophies.
Trophy hunting is encouraged and
only bucks with horns at least as long
as the ears were legal. A total of 200 tags
was authorized for each of three areas
in order to distribute hunting pressure.
Those who obtained a tag the previous
year were ineligible to apply.
Results of the hunts are presented in
Table 8. Of the 554 hunters who reported,
GAME BULLETIN
that part of the Rogue River and tribuBridge); Big Butte Creek and tributaries
above Cobleigh road bridge; and Elk
Creek and tributaries above Burnt Peak
road crossing.
314 were successful. Individual success
averaged 57 per cent compared to 54 per
cent in 1957 when a similar number of
tags was issued.
Summary:
Deer continued to provide the most
recreation f o r hunters with nearly a
quarter of a million citizens participating
in 1958. The total harvest of over 116,000
nearly equalled that of the previous year.
Compared to other states, Oregon main-
tains a high position with regard to the
total kill and individual hunter success,
which approximates 50 per cent.
The most important change during
High lakes and reservoirs and their
tributaries within the national forest
boundaries in the Cascade Mountains
will open on May 30.
The general trout bag limit remains
the same as before: 10 fish per day, not
more than 5 of which may be 12 inches
or over; 20 fish in possession or in 7 con-
secutive days and not more than 10 of
which may be 12 inches or over.
For detailed information on regulations, anglers should consult the 1959
angling synopsis. Copies are available
at all license agencies.
of handling the antlerless deer harvest.
Experience gained last season will be
most useful in planning future refinements to the system.
Elk hunters increased to an all-time
high in 1958. The total kill compared
favorably to that of past years but increased hunting pressure has reduced individual chances of success. Elk hunters
experienced 14 per cent success, which
is much lower than the 50 per cent enjoyed by deer hunters. The illegal kill of
protected animals remains a serious problem resulting from heavy concentrations
of hunters, particularly in C 1 a t s op
the 1958 season involved use of the man-
County.
agement unit system in harvesting antlerless deer. This replaced the hunter's
pressure and antlerless kill through the
issuance of a limited number of permits
As the number of hunters increases,
further restrictions may become necessary in order to manage Oregon's b i g
game resources and assure an orderly
harvest. Future changes will be made on
the basis of the best information avail-
per area. A more even distribution of kill
able and the expressed desires of the
choice season in effect since 1952. It pro-
vided a means of controlling hunting
resulted, with a shift from the central
Oregon ranges to western Oregon and the
far eastern sections of the state. Unit
hunting appears to be an efficient method
public. Such an approach will maintain
hunting as an important form of recreation during Oregon's second century of
progress.
Page 7
i
Oregon
The Nutria in
ARTICLES in several recent issues
of nationally distributed outdoor magazines have called attention to the nutria
and the ominous threat its introductions
pose to waterfowl habitat and farm crops
throughout the United States. Oregon is
one of many states mentioned as having
thriving colonies of this South American
rodent along its streams.
Even though nutria were reared in
captivity in Europe as early as 1882, they
were not raised successfully in North
America until 1931. Since that time, nu-
tria farms have been established in all
sections of the United States. Farmers
have had to operate on profits from the
sale of breeding stock as no suitable market has developed for the fur. Because of
low pelt prices, many animals were allowed to escape or were intentionally
liberated.
In 1940, a hurricane washed out a
large nutria farm on Avery Island in
Louisiana, liberating the entire stock.
These animals found the marshes and
bayous to their liking and were soon denuding the region of all vegetation. Some
idea of the magnitude of the population
increase which followed might be gained
from reviewing reported catches of Louisiana trappers. During the winter of 1943
only 400 nutria were trapped, but by
1946 the reported take had increased to
18,000. In 1953, 160,000 were taken and
by 1955 the annual catch exceeded 418,000.
While this phenomenal increase in nutria numbers was being recorded, muskrats decreased. In 1945, trappers harvest-
ed 8,300,000, but by 1955, the muskrat
take had dropped to 1,800,000. As the
nutria population increased, the aquatic
vegetation normally utilized by muskrats
as well as wintering waterfowl disappeared at an alarming rate. How to bring
the animals under control and preserve
the marshes for native wildlife became
one of the major problems confronting
conservation agencies along the Gulf
Coast.
In Oregon, the stage is set for a similar disaster if the animals find conditions
along the streams suitable. Thousands of
nutria have been purchased in the past
ten years by over 500 residents of the
state. The sale price has been as high as
$1,000.00 a pair. A demand for the fur
has not developed and, as a result, farmOregon State Game
Commission Bulletin
ers are now accumulating a surplus of
animals with a poor outlet for pelts and
a diminishing market for breeding stock.
Furs taken from wild stock in
1958
brought trappers an average return of
only $1.29 per skin.
Reports of nutria being trapped in
widely separated areas of the state dur-
ing the past winter indicate many of
these rodents have already been liberated or allowed to escape. Oregon statutes
prohibit the release of any wild bird or
animal imported from other states or
countries or raised in captivity without
first obtaining a permit to do so from
the Game Commission. Laws do not, how-
ever, prevent the importation or raising
of exotic birds or animals in captivity.
One party was apprehended and convicted last year after liberating his entire
stock of 35 nutria.
Actually, nutrias have existed in the
wild state in Oregon in several localities
since the late 1930's but have not increased appreciably in any area despite
their high reproductive rate. The first recorded colony thrived along the Nestucca River for several years before it dis-
Oregon placed 21st in the number of
hunting licenses sold and 24th for angling
licenses sold during the 1958 fiscal year
according to figures issued by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service covering license sales for the 48 states.
The combined total of 34,941,729 licenses sold in fiscal 1958 exceeded all
previous records. The angling license
sales of 20,177,605 accounts for the in-
crease as the hunting license sales of
14,764,124 is slightly below that of 1957.
appeared entirely. Another colony on Elk
Creek near Toledo has persisted but not
increased noticeably. In the last 15 years,
Licenses issued in Oregon this period
totalled 277,249 hunting and 377,721
trappers have also reported catching a
few nutrias annually in the Willamette
Minnesota led in angling license sales
with a total of 1,409,851, while Michigan
took honors in the hunting licenses with
a total of 1,154,851.
Valley and along the Columbia and
Grande Ronde Rivers. A catch of 31
animals in the state in 1945 and again in
1955 was the largest number reported
taken during any winter.
Nutrias require large quantities of
succulent vegetation and are especially
fond of alfalfa, clover, root crops, and
garden produce. These diet preferences,
along with their habit of digging burrows
in dikes and stream banks, make their
presence in agricultural areas a constant
damage threat.
The Game Commission has been concerned about these illegal liberations, but,
fortunately, none of these early releases
have increased sufficiently to become a
nuisance. With thousands of nutria now
in confinement in the state, the chances
of escapements and illegal releases have
increased many fold. Additional releases
could trigger an irruption similar to that
experienced in Louisiana, leaving in its
wake denuded marshes, weakened dikes,
C. E. Kebbe
and ruined farm crops.
angling.
*
*
*
A Willamette Valley justice of the
peace has hit upon a new angle in imposing sentences upon juvenile game law
violators. A seventeen-year old boy con-
victed of fishing without a license was
ordered to write a 1,000-word article on
the reasons for angling regulations and
fish and game conservation in general.
Such a sentence might be effective with
some of the adult violators too.
*
*
*
Fewer brant were taken this past season which ended January 30 than in 1957
despite more favorable hunting weather.
Twenty - one successful hunters were
checked with 37 brant and 23 others were
unsuccessful. The winter inventory revealed 1,121 brant wintering in Oregon
compared with 2,778 in 1958. Similar decreases were recorded on other wintering grounds from Canada to Mexico.
OREGON STAFF
1634 S.W. ALDER STREET
P. 0. BOX 4136
PORTLAND 8, OREGON
GAME COMMISSION