SILVER AND CHINOOK CATCHES Information recently received from the Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission

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2 Page 2 JULY '2 Hunting regulations for 195 for the ain subject of discussion by the Gae Coission at its eetings this onth Following its hearing on July 13 tentative regulations will be published Final regulations will be adopted at the eeting in Portland on July 27 hile final figures are not yet available indications are that this year's catch of spring chinook in the illaette River will surpass by far the nuber of fish taken by anglers in 1955 During a check of anglers at Devils Lake in Lincoln County on opening day of trout season 21 boats were counted between 9 a and 4 p Catch for the 35 anglers interviewed consisted of 4 cutthroat trout 112 inches 2 cutthroat 81 inches 2 perch 81 inches and 4 bass weighing fro 3 to 41/2 pounds The herd of bighorn ountain sheep at Hart ountain was increased by six new labs as of early June and several ore were being expected ith the 7 laba born last year the original herd of 2 sheep transplanted fro British Colubia in 1954 now nubers 32 anials The sheep are in an enclosure of about 1 acres of soe of the roughest area on Hart ountain The fishery division has been conducting tests on the Snake River to deterine the growth of channel catfish and extent of the fishery Field agent Hoer Capbell reports fish have been running generally fro 12 to 18 inches and weighing fro 1 to 4 pounds but larger ones have been caught Taken in a net were a 24incher weighing 7 pounds and a 31incher weighing 14 pounds Caught by hook and line near Hoestead were four big ones with the following easureents: 14 inches 2 pounds (2 fish); 1 inches 31/2 pounds; 31/2 inches 17 pounds VER Adult chukars in rearing pen at the Heriston gae far (Photo by Harold C Sith) k` SILVER AD CHIOOK CATCHES Inforation recently received fro the Pacific arine Fisheries Coission tabulates catch data for silver salon in an experiental lot of arked fish released in Oregon The various fisheries took the fish as follows: ashington troller 9 per cent; British Colubia 5 per cent; Oregon 25 per cent; California 11 per cent The river gill netters took 27 per cent the river sport fisheries 2 per cent and the spawning stock was 18 per cent Hirou Heyaoto of the ashington Departent of Fisheries reported on the experient and advised that escapeent figures were derived fro hatchery counts and sport catch figures fro boathouse reports in part For Colubia River fall chinook Jack Van Hyning of the Oregon Fish Coission reported that a group of arked fish was taken as follows: 72 per cent troll fishery 15 per cent river fishery and 13 per cent escapeent The 15 per cent river take was divided as follows: approxiately 2 per cent sport fishery and 13 per cent coercial Oregon State Gae Coission Bulletin VOLUE XI JULY 195 UBER 7 Published onthly by the OREGO STATE GAE ISSIO 134 S Alder StreetP Box 413 Portland 8 Oregon IRIA KAUTTU Editor H C SITH Staff Artist EBERS OF ISSIO Don itchell Chairan Taft Delbert Gildersleeve Baker Kenneth G Denan edford J H Van inkle Oregon City Eler H Balsiger Klaath Falls ADIISTRATIVE STAFF P Schneider Director C B alsh Assistant Director D DeCew Controller H R angold Chief Supply and Property Arthur Higgs Attorney C J Capbell Chief Basin Investigations R C Holloway Chief Info and Educ John ckean Chief of Oper Gae Div H J Rayner Chief of Oper Fishery Div George Kernan Engineer REGIOAL SUPERVISORS Leslie Zuwalt Region I Route 1 Box 325 Corvallis J Vaughn Region II Box 977 Roseburg L athisen Region III 222 E 3rd Bend H Brown Region IV Box 742 La Grande C Lightfoot Region V Box 8 Hines Entered as secondclass atter Septeber at the post office at Portland Oregon under the act of August Please report proptly any change of address Send in both the old and new address with notice of change At the present tie the Bulletin is circulated free of charge to anyone forwarding a written request JUE EETIG OF THE GAE ISSIO At its eeting on June 15 the Gae Coission considered the following: BIDS Accepted low bid of $7 by To Lillebo for construction of achine shed for Klaath anageent Area; and low bid of $ by Roy Schrader Construction Copany for expansion of Oak Springs hatchery OPTIO Authorized exercise of option for $42 to purchase ccorkle tract for hite River anageent Area KLAATH IDIA RESERVATIO Heard delegation fro Klaath Indian Reservation request that reservation be closed to hunting for nonindians by Coission regulation atter deferred for consideration to July eeting DEVILS LAKE Delegation fro Devils Lake Fish Protective League subitted further recoendations in regard to anageent plans for Devils Lake o change was ade in the plan to treat the lake but Coission announced it would review stocking progra in relation to species of fish before any restocking of the lake was done ACCESS Authorized $15 for access developent on Isthus Slough CLOSURE Passed eergency angling closure below Fish Coission racks on etolius River RESOLUTIO Passed resolution protesting separation of fishery functions fro the U S Fish and ildlife Service and creation of a new fishery departent RIVER ILL DA Considered atter of fish protective facilities at River ill Da on the Clackaas River GAE SITUATIO Heard a preliinary review of current gae conditions fro gae division staff prior to final report on conditions and recoendations to be subitted in tie for consideration by the Coission at the July eeting on hunting regulations BUDGET Adopted annual control budget POLICIES Instituted a review of all past policies adopted by the Coission GAE EAT DISPOSAL Under new policy salvaged gae eat of good quality will be disposed of in following order of priority: (1) donation to local charities with agencies assuing handling charges wherever possible; (2) sale to civic groups; (3) sale to individuals (exclusive of Coission and State Police eployees); (4) in absence of deand sale to rendering plants etc o eat will be sold for resale in arkets etc

3 a1111 AKI Ig r/41 Arip:ysixtEri u Aisi 51 geiloppo By Vic asson Chief Biologist Upland Gae THE practices used in the anageent of any wildlife species are subject to frequent alteration in order to confor with the evaluation of their effects and changing conditions Artificial propagation and release of gae birds has long been a popular upland gae anageent practice This article explains soe of the changes that have occurred in Oregon's artificial propagation prograrh Although it is now recognized that gae fars have definite liitations they ust be credited with having an iportant part in the establishent of the ringnecked pheasant in orth Aerica Following the first successful introduction of the pheasant on this continent in the illaette Valley in 1881 breeding stock was eagerly sought by other states across the nation By 193 this deand was so great that r Gene Sipson of Corvallis started rearing pheasants in captivity for sale as breeding stock These birds were widely shipped both for direct release and for propagation at other gae fars Thus these first gae far reared pheasants were the original nucleus of any of the flourishing pheasant populations of today In 1911 the Oregon Gae Coission acquired r Sipson's gae far and appointed hi gae far superintendent for the purpose of rearing stock for all available habitat in Oregon Production in the early years was relatively sall aounting to less than 5 birds annually up to 1922 ew gae fars were added and production increased to a peak of 75 birds by 1941 During the war years operations were considerably curtailed but by 195 had reached another high of 72 birds Although all available habitat in the state had by then been stocked and restocked any ties it was still believed that gae far birds added considerably to pheasant populations and the success of hunters A high production and release of pheasants was considered a sound anageent practice It was also popular with the sportsan as it produced a tangible product that could be seen and counted; thus he felt his license fees were being wisely spent However by 1951 research and deonstrations in Oregon and other pheasant producing states across the nation indicated that any early beliefs in the values of artificial propagation were not based on facts Recognition of the sall contribution large scale releases of pheasants were aking to established populations and hunter success led soe states to abandon copletely their gae far progras Survival studies in Oregon showed that an average of less than 3 per cent of the young birds released during the suer were harvested by hunters even under extended seasons and bag liits The projected cost of each gae far bird bagged under these conditions was excessive Evidence of the sall contribution of gae far birds both to the increase of established breeding populations and to the overall pheasant kill in Oregon is illustrated in the following charts In Chart I the total pheasant liberations since 1945 are plotted with the statewide spring breeding densities of pheasants Presuably the effect of substantial liberations of gae far pheasants in one year should be reflected in an increased breeding population the following spring For exaple the 195 liberation of over 71 pheasants should have resulted in a decided increase in breeding populations available in the spring of 1951 As shown in Chart I this did not occur as breeding populations continued to decline until 1952 and then started a gradual increase after the liberations had been reduced to half the peak level of 195 The fact that breeding populations continued to decline during years of highest artificial production and releases serves to substantiate research findings on the relatively sall contribution of liberated stock to established pheasant populations The assuption by any hunters that gae far birds provide a ajor share (Continued on Page 4)

4 Page 4 JULY 195 Chukar one week old GAE FAR PROGRA (Continued fro Page 3) of the annual pheasant kill has no sound basis For exaple the 1954 total kill of pheasants was coputed at 292 birds by the hunter questionnaire survey The total pheasant releases in 1954 was 3995 birds of which approxiately onehalf were hens Thus if all cocks survived until hunting season and 1 per cent of the were bagged by hunters it would have aounted to only per cent of the total kill If it is further assued that the adult hens released all produced broods equal to those in the wild they could have provided possibly an additional 15 cocks for harvest By cobining the two figures and assuing a 1 per cent harvest of all these potentially available cocks it would still have aounted to less than 12 per cent of the total kill Chart II showing statewide pheasant kill as copared to total pheasant release further illustrates that total gae far releases have little effect on the statewide pheasant kill Total kill data is available only since 195 the year the hunter questionnaire survey was initiated The lowest annual kills of pheasants recorded to date are for 195 and 1951 which were also the years of the largest pheasant liberations Although there is a siilarity in trend of the total kill and total release fro 1953 through 1955 it is undoubtedly ore coincidence than actual relationship since there is such a arked contrast on years of extensive liberations On the basis of these and other facts discussed in detail in the Septeber and October 1951 Bulletins the Coission authorized a 4 per cent reduction in the 1951 pheasant production and ade other changes in the propagation progra It was agreed that funds forerly used for heavy production and release of pheasants could be ore profitably spent in iproveent of the habitat for wild populations and in the diversification of gae far production to include additional gae bird species for introduction into suitable habitat areas odern anageent concepts indicated that pheasant production should be based largely on the needs for restocking of depleted coverts and in suppleenting wild populations rather than as a direct easure for increasing hunter success In line with this policy a full scale habitat iproveent progra has now been in operation for several years and gae fars have undertaken the production of chukar partridge European grey partridge and bobwhite quail Pheasant production has been altered to fit the apparent biological needs The chukar partridge was chosen for large scale introduction in eastern Oregon Selection of this bird was on the basis of its successful establishent in neighboring states and the fact that it inhabited a type of terrain not coonly occupied by any of our native species Fro 1951 through 1955 pheasant production averaged 37 birds per year while an average of 97 chukars were produced annually for initial stocking As of ay 195 over 45 chukars have been released in 17 eastern Oregon counties In western Oregon a stock of lowland huns or European grey partridge fro Denark has been aintained for introduction into the illaette Valley Low egg production has curtailed the release of this bird but this proble is now being overcoe In 1954 a breeding ( Si 4445 I ion f 8 L) ant 5? 1232 j ' "iiā 419 r cr osa" s '11 re/vey Per / Acp 19 / YEARS CHART Kill) /95 5/ YEARS CHART II stock of northern bobwhite quail was raised fro eggs acquired fro the Kansas Fish and Gae Coission These birds are being held at the Heriston gae far As soon as an adequate production is achieved this stock will be used to suppleent existing populations of bobwhites throughout the state Gae fars are currently aintained near Corvallis Heriston and Ontario All pheasants allocated for western Oregon are produced at the Corvallis gae far located on the E E ilson gae anageent area north of Corvallis The Chinese strain of ringnecked pheasants is produced at this station Birds are shipped fro this far as adult breeders held over the winter and released in the (Continued on Page 5) I /

5 JULY 195 Page 5 GAE FAR PROGRA (Continued fro Page 4) spring; as young birds 8 to 1 weeks old released in the suer; and as adult cocks fro 14 to 1 weeks of age released iediately prior to and during the season A stock of grey partridge is also held at this station Pheasant production for all eastern Oregon counties is centered at the Ontario gae far in alheur County The ongolian strain of ringnecks is reared at this station since they are considered better adapted to eastern Oregon conditions Releases fro Ontario are as adult breeders in late spring following egg production and as young birds fro 8 to 12 weeks of age in the suer Facilities are not available at this station for holding large nubers of adult birds until fall or for early spring release The Heriston gae far in Uatilla County has been devoted alost entirely to chukar partridge production since 1953 Chukars are shipped fro this station both as 8 to 12 week old birds in the suer and adults held over the winter for spring release A stock of northern bobwhite quail is aintained at this station as well as sall nubers of valley and ountain quail The scheduled production at each gae far in 195 is listed below: Bobwhite quail at the Heriston gae far The annual pheasant production of the gae fars is allocated on a county basis The nuber of birds to be released in each county is deterined by the acreage of suitable pheasant habitat available the density of the wild populations and the hunting pressure which the county norally supports Areas with good wild pheasant populations generally receive fewer birds than areas with low pheasant populations The addition of a few birds in low density areas akes a ore noticeable contribution to pheasant hunting than the addition of any birds in sections containing high densities of wild birds Each liberation site is selected prior to the release of any birds Each site ust contain the essentials of food cover and water and offer the best possible chance of survival to the liberated bird The consent of the landowner is always obtained o releases are ade if the owner objects nor are releases ade on private shooting preserves Areas of potential crop daage are avoided in aking pheasant releases The nuber of birds liberated at any one site depends on the suitability and needs of site and the total nuber of birds allocated for the county involved axiu releases of young or 4 adult birds at one site have been set for pheasant liberations Larger releases Pheasants Chukar Grey Bob Total Partridge Partridge hite Production Corvallis Ontario 1 1 Heriston ay be ade on cooperative shooting areas or heavily hunted lands that are open to the general public In no case are entire truckloads of birds released at just one site Adult cocks in the fall are stocked in areas offering the best possible chance of their being harvested during the hunting season Returns on these birds seldo exceed per cent and often run as low as 15 to 2 per cent even under these circustances State gae fars are no longer utilized strictly for pheasant rearing The operations of odern fars have been so diversified as to be valuable also in the production of new species for initial introductions in aintaining sall stocks of native species for specific projects and in producing shrubs and trees for use in habitat iproveent work A full scale shrub nursery is aintained at Heriston and a saller unit at Corvallis The present trend in pheasant propagation on these fars is toward a saller annual production and release In the past this progra has been subject to periodic changes wherein production was increased or decreased for various reasons Oregon gae fars are still aintaining sufficient pheasant breeding stock to insure the propt restocking of productive habitat that ay be depleted by adverse weather disease or soe other catastrophe Gae fars still have a place in the anageent picture but their priary value at present lies in the production of (Continued on Page ) ABOUT THE AUTHOR ilfred V "Vic" asson is a native of eastern Oregon and went to high school at t Vernon He then attended Oregon State College graduating fro the fish and gae anageent course in 194 He first started work on a teporary basis with the Gae Coission in 1941 and also spent soe tie with the U S Forest Service Following service with the 17th Gen Hosp in the US Ary fro 1942 to Deceber 1945 Vic returned to the eploy of the Gae Coission His first assignents were gae work in Grant and Lake counties and then he took over the district gae agent job in the Uatilla area Prootion to his present position as chief in charge of upland gae cae in early 1953

6 Page JULY 195 ESTER ASSOCIATIO EETS I 3TH AUAL FERECE ILDLIFE anageent ust Progress with estern Developent" was the thee of the 3th annual conference of the estern Association of State Gae and Fish Coissioners held in Vancouver BC June 7 8 and 9 The eeting was attended by representatives of the eleven western states and province of British Colubia Association ebers Also represented were various governental and conservation agencies of both Canada and the United States "Continental Resource Probles" and "Recent Technical Advances in Fish and Gae anageent" were subjects of two of the general sessions Technical sessions were devoted to progress reports on the following topics: Fish Guiding Screen and Ladder Developents; anipulating Hunting Pressures; Techniques and Survey ethods in Fisheries anageent; Techniques and Survey ethods in Gae anageent; and Fishery Research Findings "A Coissioner's Place in a Progressive ildlife Research Progra" was the subject of one technical session By for of resolution the Association took the following actions: Protested transfer of fisheries functions of the U S Fish and ildlife Service to new agency of the Departent of Interior and requested action be delayed until all agencies concerned are granted an appropriate hearing; also stated Association stood ready to assist Adinistration in efforts to bolster present fisheries branch of the Service in order that it can better carry out its present and future duties Opposed S 3444 calling for creation of FederalState land study coissions and proposing disposal of public lands to private ownership without public hearings and without securing opinions of federal agencies now charged with anageent of such lands Opposed use of water evaporation preventives on western reservoirs by the Bureau of Reclaation until every effort is ade to explore their detriental effects on fish wildlife and all aquatic plants and anials Recoended passage of S 2372 clarifying and strengthening Public Law 732 the Coordination Act relating to integration of wildlife conservation progras of state and federal jurisdicton with water resource developents Urged Congress to recognize federal responsibility to provide onies for the peranent aintenance and operation of fishways salon hatcheries and other facilities constructed with federal funds to alleviate or itigate daage to the salon fishery on the Colubia River by federal river developent projects Requested Congress to enact legislation as follows: 1 That state gae and fish laws apply to all federally owned or controlled lands except national parks and Indian treaty lands; (2) that ilitary authorities be required to observe state gae and fish laws and state enforceent agents be allowed on ilitary reservations for purpose of enforcing such laws; (3) that congressional approval be required for all ilitary withdrawals sought by the Defense Departent which are over 5 acres in size Urged federal state and city agencies having holding reservoirs now closed to angling to develop suitable plans for the ipleentation of angling in waters under their control since no public health probles are involved and ost such reservoirs are accessible to large urban centers of population and could provide a great expansion of angling areas Requested Secretary of the Interior to take iediate action to: (1) order that no further reduction of waterfowl areas in the Upper Klaath Basin through hoesteading be allowed; (2) support legislation which will peranently set aside land and water areas and water supplies for waterfowl anageent in the Upper Klaath Basin Urged Congress to give iediate attention to aending the Federal Power Act so that the Federal Power Coission ust first secure approval of the State through appropriate license before a federal license and perit ay be issued for the construction of facilities in streas falling wholly within the boundaries of one state Coended Congress for $4 appropriation of recreational needs and wildlife habitat developent on national forests and urged enactent of legislation to assure sufficient oney each year to aintain and expand such needs within the Forest Service Urged Congress to appropriate sufficient funds fro general treasury to aintain various divisions of Fish and ildlife Service and that not less than $ a year be ade available to the Service for the next ten years to corn (Continued on Page 7) Grey partridge at the Corvallis gae far GAE FAR PROGRA (Continued fro Page 5) gae birds for initial stocking they cannot be expected to supply birds of any species in sufficient quantities to support the hunting load Good hunting of upland birds is dependent on the successful production of wild stock Failure of the wild crop results in poor hunting regardless of the nubers of gae far birds that are released The actual availability of pheasants for hunting is largely dependent on the tolerance of the landowner both to the pheasant and to the hunter In these days of intensive faring and increasing huan populations any irresponsible action by a hunter that arouses the resentent of the landowner serves not only to decrease further the area available for hunting but also the nubers of birds available to hiself and others A given area of land will provide only a certain nuber of birds for harvest even under ideal conditions The hunter should well consider that the key to better hunting in any cases lies in his cooperation with the landowner and not in the nuber of gae far birds that ay be released in any one year Six Roosevelt elk were transplanted recently fro Vaughn ountain in Douglas County to the head of Rock Creek in the north Upqua area This is the third successful trapping attept there since the elk trap was installed in 1953 That year 9 elk were oved and 3 ore were trapped in 1955

7 : : : : : ; ; ; 'I' : : : : : : : JULY 195 Page 7 H ''Z t4 HO ov F71 L 1 clw w4 LI la X 1 Z 4 E 1 g ii 8 14 >:'''' '4 z 4 4 g Clle g r4 12w g w ;5 Z E 8 G c) 1 [ go El Clw 4 >'14 Z a I4ra ;1'4 1 X rat 4 O Z a o D 5 r) U / ;w c4 e Z g w po 'rc'' P4 a I't Z a E w <1 u g 4 PC4 4 z 4 2 Z It:ct:i 1 4 9'' g E V F O 1 eu a '4') Q4 Xoco wad O ṆtT4 Pog RXH c441=441ocooo OO O444:4ci;ot: OOLOp 2=1:1 O sw;a; i_7_lw 17ci >a O O 1 C c44c t: " O lc O ::4 :114 1r```;'' ' c '9' 1 4? r :: :4 4 c cow" o : :4 T ks' 931; '=4 8 `8 71 =O C c :C4 " 1 to ' so Tf: _ 1 ' 4 : ''' 'f 9 2 O 1 z1::7_ 1 l co 1 " 111 x= C : c" "tso :=:= 'O : 4 oi 4 O c" 'd' R : O ;:! 52 8 c 4i (O ci " OO c444ci 9 1 i "" 4 co 1 C7 1 Ow c4 :1 iii v'1 I 8 8 t :cr ' 1 "; C i t P ': T "' 8 ''''1 ` "'g 1 9 1==X 44gc x X 4444:::: X 1 c4c14 t1 :: : 74 ic4 11q88;78g987q112=7_ 11 Gz7' 8 "=1 ' 13 4C 444 4w1 = n1rr 1 1 o V;34 14 pl: 44(414 1 Z 71X c 1=13 44 o p ol =w 444:isn 44 c 4 xt y X 41 ACX1 47Z co d <rci 9 99 r u1 t ii F In9 c444 1rCxxx "" x: : (74 Fl cc t` 7 r _ 7 4 Cl i to = P bi o i'i A " :4G >: G Fi2 G?gg gl'l 'gaf z 'or9:'7=g9i95 2iaii 4 c2ael:; P1411AAL17a5 : O : i 44 cc 44 A 1 T) X R41c4 _ : w X Cl o 4 R TRAPPIG SEASO DURIG the trapping season Oregon trappers reported catching fur anials which sold for $ A breakdown of anials taken by county and revenue received is shown in the accopanying table It has been copiled fro the reports of only 3 per cent of the 1598 licensed trappers The other 37 per cent (59 trappers) failed to file a return As in previous years ore uskrats were trapped than all other fur anials cobined This year's catch however is less than half the reported take of 1947 when prices were considerably higher Beaver led the list as a revenue producer for the fifth consecutive year Over 115 of these furbearers were taken They brought a onetary return of over $137 to the trappers of the state Longhaired fur anials were again lightly trapped as their pelts had little value on the fur arket The "Davy Crockett" fad was of too short duration to aterially reduce the large stocks which had accuulated in warehouses fro previous trapping seasons The supply was uch greater than the deand and as a result prices paid to trappers for these furs did not advance ESTER ASS EETS (Continued fro Page ) plete the waterfowl wetland acquisition proga Recoended to all public agencies concerned that radioactive wastes be disposed of in appopriate underground depositories since ocean disposal causes public reaction that can result in irreparable daage to the fishing industry and radioactive aterials once disposed of into arine waters cannot be retrieved Endorsed proposed withdrawal of the Kiskokwin waterfowl area for anageent and protection of nesting waterfowl Endorsed request of Fish and ildlife Service for withdrawal of soe 33 acres of public land along the Salon River headwaters in Idaho fro all fors of entry to be set aside for the preservation of salon spawning grounds in their natural state and to continue to provide angling on this strea Showing up frequently in anglers' creels are arked brown trout fingerlings stocked in ickiup Reservoir in 1953 The fish show an aazing growth rate ranging in size fro 18 to 22 inches Fish released a year later run in size fro 13 to 15 inches

8 E ot a native of Oregon if was introduced into the illaette River about /888 A/though fairly widely distributed it is ost abundant in backwaters of the Colubia and I/ la rnehe Rivers; Owyhee Reservoir and nuerous coastal lakes Spawn in ay and June when water teperature reaches 8: est is built by the ale usually near soe cover Eggs are deposited on suberged rootlets logs rocks or vegetation L 111 vo 1 ; jilk Yr") ;' ;" rl_ '' ; 41 4:rit fi:: ) )ite47 Like weedy udbottoed lakes sloughs or other sluggish waters Eat crayfish frogs other sall fishes insects and other ania/ ites ) % ) \ Largeouth Bass dstr Eggs hatch in 3 days est & young are savagely protected by ale for 3to 4 weeks after hatching ature during 2nd or 3rd year I axillary extends back of eye Genera/ color is dark green above sides and below greenish silver; dark band on side of body white belly Head is large with wide outh Sallouth Bass axillary does not extend back of eye Oregon State Gae Coission Bulletin 134 S ALDER STREET P BOX 413 PORTLAD 8 OREGO oitebo STATE 4111t41/1414 GAE ISSIO