OREGON STATE GAME COMMISSION ULLETIN MAY 1970
OREGON S T A TE GA0A,REEGCOMMISSION ULLETIN Volume 25, Number 5 May 1970 Roil E. SHAY, Editor 'H. C. SMITH, Staff Artist A. L. MILLER, Photographer Published Monthly by the OREGON STATE GAME COMMISSION 1634 S.W. Alder Street P.O. Box 3503 Portland, Oregon 97208 JOHN W. McKEAN, Director MEMBERS OF COMMISSION George L. Hibbard, Chairman Oregon City John P. Amacher, Vice-chairman Winchester J. Pat Metke Bend Joseph W. Smith Klamath Falls James W. Whittaker Pilot Rock Permission to reprint is granted provided proper credit is given. Second-class postage paid at Portland, Oregon. Please report promptly any change of address. Send in address label from a recent issue with notice of change. Include zip code number. Bulletin is circulated free of charge. The Cover Deep snow in much of western Oregon and the Cascades during the winter of 1968-69 was cause for elimination of antlerless permits and a subsequent decrease in deer harvest during the 1969 season. Photo by Al Miller 74 Daectet waft This Bulletin provides a summary of the information obtained from a five percent sample of hunters who reported their 1969 hunting experiences. In addition to the usual tabulation of hunter reports by game management units, the yield of animals and recreation is also summarized by the 14 new Administrative Districts that are to be used as a base for coordinated planning. The Game Commission desires to present information about the fish and wildlife resources in a manner that will be useful to all agencies and people who will be engaged in the planning process. The development of a common data base for each of the Administrative Districts and the State of Oregon can be a great aid to the Game Commission in planning programs for the future. Fish and wildlife production are seldom the primary uses of land or water. The welfare of those resources is dependent upon the plans and programs of primary land and water users. For this reason knowledge of planned future uses of land and water for all purposes is an essential prerequisite for long-range planning by this department. -John McKean OREGON ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICTS SUMMARY OF 1969 DEER AND ELK SEASON HARVEST Admini- Counties DEER strative In * District District Numbers Days Harvest Numbers ELI( Days Harvest 1 Clatsop, Tillamook 8,340 45,630 1,100 9,470 43,190 934 2 Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington 7,510 41,090 2,560 580 2,120 65 3 Marion, Polk, Yamhill 7,030 37,110 3,290 130 760 13 4 Benton, Lincoln, Linn 12,090 64,140 6,460 810 3,270 89 5 Lane 15,030 83,930 6,520 1,510 6,120 139 6 Douglas 12,720 77,410 5,290 2,570 10,390 268 7 Coos, Curry 6,610 40,820 1,890 4,040 19,210 479 8 Jackson, Josephine 12,970 82,870 4,330 430 1,800 32 9 Hood River, Sherman, Wasco 6,930 31,470 1,600 760 5,420 168 10 Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson 29,620 147,890 8,390 450 2,610 78 II Klamath, Lake 37,580 199,910 11,550 70 310 9 12 Gilliam, Grant, Morrow, Wheeler, Umatilla 47,440 225,190 20,340 16,830 106,640 2,882 13 Wallowa, Baker, Union 35,650 173,240 20,500 27,790 175,430 4,635 14 Harney, Malheur 15,680 71,200 7,680 560 4,670 127 GENERAL SEASON TOTALS 255,200 1,321,900 GRAND TOTALS **264,900 1,492,690 101,500 66,000 381,940 9,918 General season. " omits duplication of hunters participating in more than one season. HUNTER SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAM Instructors Approved Month of March 14 to Date 3,868 Students Trained Month of March 502 to Date 150,915 Firearms Casualties Reported in 1970 Fatal 0 Nonfatal 2 Page 2
1969 BIG GAME HARVEST Big game hunters in Oregon experienced a surprisingly successful 1969 season. The 349,500 licensed hunters who enjoyed 1,920,000 days of recreation pursuing big game were rewarded with a harvest of 101,500 deer, 9,918 elk, 440 antelope, 3,600 bear and 4 big-,- horn sheep. The 1969 hunting season followed the most severe winter on big game animals in half a century. Game Commission biologists found winter losses on the black-tailed deer ranges of western Oregon and some of the mule deer ranges of eastern Oregon to be the heaviest ever observed. In some areas up to 50 percent of the deer were lost. The outlook for the '69 deer season was not optimistic. For the first time since 1952 antlerless black-tailed deer were totally protected during the general deer season. It was known that all yearling bucks and 66 percent of the adult bucks perished in one intensively observed black-tailed deer herd. Thus, the 1969 western Oregon deer season was also shortened 7 days. Excellent hunting weather favored deer hunters throughout the season. Elk hunters were not as fortunate. Mild weather prevailed through much of the Rocky Mountain elk season. Elk also suffered winter losses in western Oregon. However, approximately the same number of elk hunters in 1969 reported taking 500 more elk than were harvested in 1968. DEER SEASON The general deer season opened on October 4 and closed on October 22 in eastern Oregon and on October 26 in GAME BULLETIN western Oregon. The extended deer season in western Oregon ran only 11 days and the popular Polk-Willamette Area was not opened. Only six permit deer seasons were held and permit holders were required to use their general deer tag on these seasons. There was no opportunity for a hunter to harvest more than one deer in 1969. During all deer seasons 264,900 hunters enjoyed 1,492,690 days of recreation harvesting 101,500 deer. The 96,560 black-tailed deer hunters spent 654,900 days afield to take 32,430 blacktails. The 168,340 mule deer hunters were afield 837,790 days to take 69,070 mule deer. Bucks totaled 73,510. Overall hunter success was just over 38 percent. There were 20,300 fewer deer hunters than in 1968. Despite the greatly reduced buck crop available in western Oregon, 20 percent fewer general season hunters (87,700) took 49 percent (19,600) as many blacktail bucks as were taken in 1968 during the general season. The 167,470 general season mule deer hunters harvested 67,760 deer. There were 18,450 fewer antlerless mule deer permits issued in 1969 and 17,230 fewer mule deer were harvested. by M. E. Cummings Chief Biologist, Big Game Management The 46,400 hunters possessing antlerless deer permits harvested approximately 15,000 antlerless animals. s during the early, extended, late and archery seasons bagged 14,140 additional deer. ELK SEASON The 66,000 elk hunters in 1969 numbered just 100 more than in 1968. They spent 381,940 days hunting to take 9,918 elk. This was 508 over the number harvested last year. Yearling Rocky Mountain bull elk provided the increased take. Yearling bulls jumped from 60 to 70 percent of the bulls taken. The total harvest consisted of 7,800 bulls and 2,118 antlerless elk. Overall hunter success raised to 15 percent. s were required to make a choice of hunting either Roosevelt or Rocky Mountain elk. Elk tag sales fell from 68,630 in 1968 to 66,300 reflecting the increase in price from $7.50 to $10. Roosevelt elk season opened November 15 and extended through November 23, a reduction of 3 days from 1968. Despite the shorter season and publicized elk winter losses only 600 fewer hunters chose to hunt Roosevelt elk. These 19,700 persons hunted 87,870 days and reported taking 2,000 bulls compared with 2,990 taken in 1968. success dropped from 16 percent in 1968 to 10 percent in 1969. Forty-eight participants in the two Roosevelt elk permit seasons took an additional 38 antlerless elk to bring the total number of Roosevelt elk harvested to 2,038. The Oregon Game (continued page 7) Page 3
Units by Region Numbers SUMMARY OF 1969 DEER SEASON HARVEST Days Bucks 1-2 Pt. GENERAL DEER SEASON Bucks 3 Pt.+ Antlerless General Season Success 1-2 Pt. Bucks* Additional Deer Harvest Early Late Seasons Seasons Harvest Deer Harvested Per Sq. MI. Alsea 7,700 41,660 940 790 1,730 22 54 20 2,730 Clatsop 4,480 2.08 3,610 22,760 190 130 320 9 59 0 0 320.33 McKenzie 11,050 63,040 850 1,150 2,000 18 43 450 2,940 5,390 1.32 Nestucca 710 4,290 60 60 120 17 50 0 0 120 Polk.35 2,730 12,350 170 240 410 15 41 0 620 1,030 1.71 Santia m 10,840 56,640 660 940 1,600 15 41 90 2,260 3,950 Siuslaw.89 3,330 17,850 410 470 880 26 47 0 600 1,480 1.51 Trask 4,350 22,380 320 240 560 13 57 0 1,010 1,570 1.50 Willamette 2,990 18,770 210 190 400 13 53 0 700 1,100 Wilson.66 2,690 12,160 300 190 490 18 61 0 0 490.84 NORTHWEST 50,000 271,900 4,110 4,400 8,510 17 48 560 10,860 19,930 1.18 Applegate 2,790 17,640 340 560 900 32 38 40 I10 1,050.77 Chetco 2,240 15,610 380 340 720 32 53 0 0 720.43 Dixon 5,460 33,190 1,000 920 1,920 35 52 340 80 2,340 1.00 Elkton 1,890 11,310 380 300 680 36 56 50 20 750.79 Evans Creek 1,720 9,920 190 360 550 32 35 20 80 650.81 Melrose 4,480 26,840 790 750 1,540 34 51 110 170 1,820 1.50 Powers 2,640 17,410 280 810 1,090 41 26 40 20 1,150 1.16 Rogue 6,690 43,370 570 1,130 1,700 25 34 150 90 1,940 1.09 Sixes 2,770 16,060 290 350 640 23 45 20 0 660.68 Tioga 1,620 9,750 110 320 430 27 26 0 0 430.44 SOUTHWEST 32,300 201,100 4,330 5,840 10,170 32 43 770 570 11,510.88 Deschutes 10,240 60,080 1,050 1,110 210 2,370 23 49 II 0 2,480 1.74 Keno 1,320 7,280 110 120 230 17 48 10 240.24 Fort Rock 6,550 32,260 850 920 1,770 27 48 0 1,770.93 Grizzly 3,880 18,480 490 280 410 1,180 30 64 0 1,180.79 Hood River 750 3,520 80 40 120 16 67 0 120.32 Klamath 6,420 34,050 1,070 1,030 2,100 33 51 0 2,100 1.70 Maupin 680 2,770 150 60 210 31 71 0 210.33 Maury 2,770 12,760 380 320 300 1,000 36 54 0 1,000.96 Metolius 2,410 10,560 300 360 660 27 45 0 660.85 Ochoco 12,860 57,010 1,920 1,090 900 3,910 30 64 0 3,910 2.48 Paulina 6,000 30,640 850 510 170 1,530 26 63 0 1,530.75 Sherman 1,490 6,210 340 150 150 640 43 69 0 640.32 Sprague 4,350 22,270 590 570 1,160 27 51 0 1,160 1.36 Wasco 4,480 20,910 550 210 760 17 72 4 40 840.85 CENTRAL 64,200 318,800 8,730 6,770 2,140 17,640 27 56 150 50 17,840 1.03 Baker 6,380 31,300 1,660 1,170 750 3,580 56 59 8 3,660 2.44 Catherine Cr. 4,650 23,260 1,130 660 980 2,770 60 63 2,770 4.81 Chesnimnus 1,940 8,600 340 450 210 1,000 52 43 1,000 1.57 Columbia Basin 510 2,070 60 40 110 210 41 60 210.08 Desolation 1,900 9,790 450 280 340 1,070 56 62 1,070 1.55 Heppner 9,300 45,610 1,470 1,000 1,280 3,750 40 60 2 3,770 2.53 Imnaha 3,950 17,940 940 680 580 2,200 56 58 2,200 5.46 Keating 3,710 17,790 1,130 410 980 2,520 68 73 11 2,630 3.30 Lookout Mtn. 1,940 7,450 580 340 410 1,330 69 63 1,330 2.49 Minam 1,770 9,300 300 210 240 750 42 59 26 1,010 1.1 I Murderer's Cr. 6,680 32,690 1,280 1,070 880 3,230 48 54 2 3,250 2.67 Northside 6,850 32,050 920 940 1,260 3,120 46 49 47 3,590 3.33 Sled Springs 3,610 17,580 600 470 980 2,050 57 56 2,050 2.37 Snake River 3,270 17,180 530 940 510 1,980 61 36 12 2,100 2.76 Starkey 2,480 13,010 360 340 150 850 34 51 2 870.57 Ukiah 3,350 16,830 490 490 150 1,130 34 50 1,130 1.49 Umatilla 3,910 20,480 430 410 380 1,220 31 51 2 1,240 1.65 Walla Walla 790 4,630 60 150 60 270 34 29 270.96 Wenaha 730 3,880 150 110 130 390 53 58 390.95 Wheeler 7,580 32,960 1,170 1,000 1,020 3,190 42 54 3,190 2.37 NORTHEAST 75,300 364,400 14,050 11,160 11,400 36,610 49 56 530 590 37,730 1.95 Beulah 5,150 21,980 1,640 1,180 220 3,040 59 58 0 0 3,040 1.13 Hart Mt. 790 3,050 150 150 300 38 50 20 0 320.12 Interstate 5,770 36,360 1,320 770 2,090 36 63 0 0 2,090.96 Juniper 320 1,450 40 40 80 25 50 0 0 80.03 Malheur River 3,990 19,010 750 790 90 1,630 41 49 0 0 1,630.57 Owyhee 840 3,370 80 220 300 36 27 0 0 300.10 Silver Lake 5,980 30,410 1,070 710 1,780 30 60 0 0 1,780 2.03 Silvies 4,490 22,280 1,250 970 2,220 49 56 0 0 2,220 1.29 Steens Mtn. 2,350 9,450 600 660 1,260 54 48 20 0 1,280.68 Wagontire 430 2,580 40 40 80 19 50 0 0 80.03 Warner 2,180 11,080 700 340 1,040 48 67 0 20 1,060 1.20 Whitehorse 1,110 4,680 250 360 610 55 41 0 0 610.13 SOUTHEAST 33,400 165,700 7,890 6,230 310 14,430 43 56 40 20 14,490.49 GENERAL SEASON TOTALS 255,200 1,321,900 39,110 34,400 13,850 87,360 34 53 2,050 EARLY SEASON TOTALS 17,200 58,690 2,050 LATE SEASON TOTALS 34,940 112,100 12,090 GRAND TOTALS **264,900 1,492,690 38 101,500 1.06 * of total buck kill. ** omits duplication of hunters participating in more than one season.
Units by Region Numbers Days 1969 ELK SEASON HARVEST Yearling Bulls HARVEST Success Yearling Bulls* Alsea 760 2,940 37 47 0 84 II 44.35.04 Clafsop 7,040 31,840 421 295 0 716 10 59 7.22.74 McKenzie 1,510 6,120 62 77 0 139 9 45.37.03 Nestucca 130 1,430 4 I 0 5 4 80.38.01 Santiam 140 1,000 10 5 0 15 II 67.03.00 Trask 680 1,940 40 18 0 58 9 69.65.06 Willamette 200 430 7 19 0 26 13 27.12.02 Wilson 2,040 9,760 164 33 0 197 10 83 3.50.33 NORTHWEST 12,500 55,460 745 495 0 1,240 10 60.82.08 Dixon 370 1,730 15 20 0 35 9 43.16.01 Elkton 970 4,220 92 46 7 145 19 67 1.03.15 Melrose 750 2,120 40 13 0 53 7 75.62.04 Powers 540 2,510 47 5 0 52 10 90.55.05 Rogue 430 1,800 15 17 0 32 7 47.24.02 Tioga 3,980 19,020 304 127 31 462 12 71 4.11.48 SOUTHWEST 7,040 31,400 513 228 38 779 11 69.85.09 Deschutes 90 700 7 3 0 10 II 70.06.01 Keno 70 310 3 6 0 9 13 33.07.01 CENTRAL 160 1,010 10 9 0 19 12 53.07.01 ROOSEVELT ELK TOTALS 19,700 87,870 1,268 732 38 2,038 10 63.76.08 Adult Bulls Antlerless s Per So. Ml. Elk Harvest Per So. Mi. Grizzly 40 350 6 0 2 8 20 100.03.01 Hood River 70 1,060 18 12 0 30 43 60.18.08 Maury 20 140 0 0 0 0 0 0.05.00 Ochoco 600 2,840 79 18 22 119 20 81.38.08 Wasco 690 4,360 110 28 0 138 20 80.69.14 CENTRAL 1,420 8,750 213 58 24 295 21 79.26.05 Baker 2,610 21,630 336 49 58 443 17 87 1.74.30 Catherine Cr. 770 6,950 79 31 48 158 21 72 1.34.27 Chesnimnus 2,930 18,330 181 143 150 474 16 56 4.60.74 Desolation 2,740 18,470 342 68 93 503 18 83 3.97.73 Heppner 2,610 16,940 220 63 91 374 14 78 1.75.25 Imnaha 1,820 12,370 159 86 136 381 21 65 4.52.95 Keating 850 2,960 116 22 87 225 26 84 1.07.28 Lookout Mtn. 70 350 6 0 9 15 21 100.13.03 Minam 1,770 11,270 238 43 102 383 22 85 1.95.42 Murderer's Cr. 1,020 4,770 141 10 80 231 23 93.84.19 Northside 1,010 7,050 159 12 97 268 27 93.94.25 Sled Springs 3,760 19,060 183 171 292 646 17 52 4.35.75 Snake River 2,040 11,840 189 118 121 428 21 62 2.68.56 Starkey 5,310 34,880 410 176 128 714 13 70 3.47.47 Ukiah 3,720 23,020 354 119 128 601 16 75 4.89.79 Umatilla 4,340 27,730 263 185 63 511 12 59 5.77.68 Walla Walla 1,510 8,160 147 58 108 313 21 72 5.39 1.12 Wena ha 4,330 26,500 238 165 171 574 13 59 10.54 1.40 Wheeler 260 1,570 31 5 7 43 17 86.19.03 NORTHEAST 43,470 273,850 3,792 1,524 1,969 7,285 17 71 2.63.44 Beulah 650 4,410 73 21 31 125 19 78.24.05 Malheur River 480 4,550 61 14 28 103 21 81.17.04 Silvies 280 2,510 31 13 28 72 26 70.16.04 SOUTHEAST 1,410 11,470 165 48 87 300 21 77.19.04 ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK TOTALS 46,300 294,070 4, I 70 1,630 2,080 7,880 17 72 1.58.27 STATE TOTALS 66,000 381,940 5,438 2,362 2,118 9,918 15 70 1.17.18 * of bull harvest Area Units 1969 ANTELOPE SEASON (88% Return) Tags Issued Report Cards Received Number Did Not Hunt Number Hunted Reported Harvest Success I Ochoco, Maury, Silvies, Murderer's Creek 150 132 3 129 71 55 284 2 Pauline, Wagontire, Fort Rock, Silver Lake 100 94 0 94 44 47 248 3 Warner 50 45 3 42 21 50 103 4 Juniper, Hart Mtn., Steens 225 195 9 186 85 46 461 5 Beulah, Malheur River, Owyhee 175 148 0 148 95 64 385 6 Whitehorse 125 108 2 106 79 75 238 7 Portions of Hart Mtn. Refuge 15 15 0 15 14 93 22 TOTALS 840 737 17 720 409* 57 1,741 *Estimated total harvest - 440 GAME BULLETIN Page 5 Days
Page 6 Photos by Ron Shay
HARVEST (continued) Commission cancelled the scheduled spring archery season when it became apparent the severe winter conditions would make that season unnecessary. Rocky Mountain elk season ran from November 1 through November 19. For the second year in the southeast area the bag limit was one elk from November 1 through November 14 and one bull elk from November 15 through November 19. Rocky Mountain elk hunters increased slightly from 45,600 in 1968 to 46,300 but were well below the 48,400 hunters in 1966. They hunted 294,070 days to harvest 7,880 elk. This was 1,730 more Rocky Mountain elk than was taken in 1968. The success for these hunters jumped from 13 to 17 percent. The Rocky Mountain elk harvest consisted of 5,800 bulls and 2,080 antlerless animals. In the southeast area where any elk has been legal for several years, 674 bulls and 293 antlerless Rocky Mountain elk were taken by 4,360 hunters. On the Rocky Mountain area permit seasons, hunters had varying success. At Troy 150 hunters bagged 27 antlerless elk; 224 Elkhorn Area hunters took 82 antlerless animals; and on the Mill Creek Watershed 71 hunters harvested 18 bulls and 29 antlerless elk. ANTELOPE Antelope tags were increased from 785 in 1968 to 840 in 1969. s enjoyed weather conditions favorable for hunting but found antelope widely distributed and difficult to locate. Reporting hunters were 57 percent successful, indicating a harvest of 440 antelope. BIGHORN SHEEP Six sheep tags were issued, three for the Hart Mountain area and three for Steens Mountain. Four trophy rams ranging from 5 to 11 years old (2 from each area) were taken by the six hunters. During the past 4 seasons 15 trophy sheep have been harvested. BEAR The 10,400 black bear hunters reported taking just over 3,600 bear. The Siskiyou National Forest in southwestern Oregon was added to the areas where bear is classified as a game animal. For the first time a season bag limit of one bear was established. BOW HUNTING About 10,800 archers took 640 deer and 64 elk. Archery regulations were also more restrictive in 1969 as a result of severe winter conditions and fewer animals were harvested. There was no open season in 1969 on mountain goats or cougar. Although the outlook for the 1969 season was not optimistic, hunters did have a reasonably good season. Weather conditions were generally favorable and hunters rose to the challenge by hunting just a little harder. Severe winter losses usually affect hunting seasons for two years, but if Oregon hunters in 1970 again hunt just a little harder they should enjoy another favorable season. Year Deer Taps Issued Deer Harvested Success General Season s Number Harvested DEER HUNTING TRENDS 1952-1969 MULE DEER of Success Antler less Harvest Antler less General Season s BLACK-TAILED DEER Number of Antler less Harvested Success Harvest Antler less 1952 188,250 77,897 41 126,719 53,030 61 68 20,570 39 61,531 24,867 40 32 5,210 21 1953 204,808 105,275 51 121,356 64,607 53 61 24,652 38 83,552 40,668 49 39 13,045 32 1954 215,047 112,622 52 134,617 76,877 57 68 22,410 29 80,430 35,745 44 32 8,043 22 1955 230,585 133,834 58 148,566 90,126 61 67 37,752 42 81,919 43,708 53 33 13,446 31 1956 233,842 146,568 54 146,568 85,394 58 68 37,978 44 87,274 40,277 46 32 13,340 33 1957 221,960 116,409 52 140,627 81,873 58 70 26,853 33 81,333 34,626 43 30 8,877 26 1958 233,885 116,251 50 139,183 71,250 51 61 19,308 27 94,702 45,001 47 39 15,251 34 1959 248,701 146,003 59 138,856 88,261 64 61 23,686 27 104,750 56,670 54 39 20,108 35 1960* 259,739 157,504 61 141,102 96,122 68 61 28,254 29 110,725 61,382 55 39 20,133 33 1961 265,326 163,939 62 147,597 97,951 66 60 30,538 31 101,971 65,988 65 40 24,529 37 1962 263,838 139,712 53 143,580 76,776 53 55 24,977 32 108,343 62,936 58 45 21,932 35 1963 258,375 117,619 45 136,676 64,678 47 55 15,403 24 105,603 52,941 50 45 16,754 32 1964 271,339 143,023 53 148,215 84,665 57 59 I 9,93 I 23 110,555 58,358 53 41 18,807 32 1965 277,857 119,369 43 143,618 71,637 50 60 19,242 27 108,281 47,732 44 40 13,348 27 1966 285,961 147,975 52 147,975 88,516 56 60 22,821 26 110,384 59,459 52 40 14,687 25 1967 287,600 142,000 49 153,950 87,180 57 61 29,518 34 109,250 54,820 50 39 15,089 27 1968 303,109 151,380 50 163,260 89,020 55 59 21,250 24 111,940 62,360 56 41 10,250 16 1969 280,981 101,500 36 167,470 *1960-64 estimates of hunting pressure revised. 67,760 40 78 13,850 20 87,700 19,600 22 22 0 0 ELK HUNTING TRENDS 1933-1969 State ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK ROOSEVELT ELK Year s Bulls Cows Success s Bulls Cows Success s Bulls Cows Success 1933 2,440 579 0 579 23% 2,440 579 0 579 23% No Open Season 1940 6,152 1,340 1,179 2,529 4 I % 4,809 1,152 1,179 2,331 48% 1,343 198 198 15% 1945 8,597 2,398 2,267 4,665 54% 7,270 2,176 67 2,243 3 I %, 1,327 222 0 222 1950 22,802 3,157 2,234 17% 5,391 24% 16,726 2,210 1,234 3,444 21% 6,076 947 1,000 1,947 32% 1955 29,309 4,228 1,855 6,083 21% 21,504 3,361 1,749 5,110 24% 6,205 867 106 973 16% 1961 51,349 9,707 2,384 12,091 24% 36,514 7,098 1,863 8,961 25% 14,835 2,609 521 3,130 21% 1962 52,991 7,998 2,178 10,176 19% 39,432 6,460 1,925 8,385 21% 13,559 1,538 253 1,791 13% 1963 54,724 10,082 3,606 13,688 25% 41,216 6,959 3,606 10,565 26% 13,508 3,123 3,123 23% 1964 62,898 11,846 5,311 17,157 27% 41,010 7,576 4,879 12,455 30% 21,888 4,270 432 4,702 21% 1965 67,387 8,066 4,200 12,266 18% 47,651 5,768 3,594 9,362 20% 19,736 2,298 606 2,904 15% 1966 68,178 8,030 3,372 11,402 17% 49,504 5,529 3,189 8,718 18% 18,674 2,5C1 183 2,684 14% 1 967 64,200 7,660 2,870 10,530 16% 46,100 5,220 2,690 7,910 17% 18,100 2,440 180 2,620 14% 1968 65,900 7,160 2,250 9,410 14% 45,600 4,170 1,980 6,150 13% 20,300 2,990 270 3,260 16% 1969 66,000 7,800 2,118 9,918 15% 46,300 5,800 2,080 7,880 17% 19,700 2,000 38 2,038 10% GAME BULLETIN Page 7
BIRD SHOOTERS HAVE GOOD YEAR Upland game bird and waterfowl hunters wound up the 1969 season with a total of more than 1,533,300 game birds of all species for one of the better seasons enjoyed in a number of years. This is the kill figure provided by hunters in the annual questionnaire survey recently completed by the Game Commission. Almost 175,700 shotgun enthusiasts took to the fields last year for upland game birds and reported bagging around 900,700 birds, an increase of almost 40,000 from the take of 1968. Chukar hunters found fine shooting, taking more than 160,000 of these challenging targets, an increase of almost 70,000 birds from the 1968 season. The Waterfowl Season Excellent Final hunting results at the Sauvie Island public shooting area show that hunters took just over 22,100 waterfowl, mostly ducks, in the 44 days of shooting on the island. Almost 11,150 nimrods checked into the area and enjoyed a success ratio of about two birds per man. In comparison, 9,900 hunters took 13,700 waterfowl during the same number of shooting days in 1968. Summer Lake registered a rise in both the number of hunters gunning the area and the take of ducks and geese. At this popular public shooting area more than 8,000 hunters checked through the station with well over 13,- 900 birds. The goose kill, mostly snows, climbed from about 1,800 taken in 1968 to more than 6,400 the past season, while the take of ducks increased from 6,800 birds to 7,300. Although Warner Valley is an excellent waterfowl gunning area, it number of doves, pigeons, and grouse compared favorably with the previous season. Pheasant hunters enjoyed a fair hunt last fall, taking just a few more birds than they did in 1968. Quail gunners found the going tough as evidenced by a drop in the bag by almost 43,000 birds from the previous year. success on quail was expected to be down considerably last fall as a result of the previous severe winter which hit quail populations hard. Waterfowl hunters reported one of the best seasons in a number of years, increasing their take by well over 100,000 birds from the previous season. s took over 568,900 ducks and 63,600 geese for a total bag of over 632,500 birds. draws very few hunters, mainly because of the long distances required to reach the area in addition to the lack of overnight accommodations once they get there. Nevertheless, 186 nimrods made the long trip to Warner and took 262 ducks and geese in 37 days of shooting. The success of these hunters almost doubled from hunter success in 1968. At Camas Swale near Eugene, 404 hunters obtained permits during the 18 shooting days scheduled for this area. Checkout cards show a bag of 542 ducks compared with the take of 378 birds by 391 hunters the previous year. Except for frequent hunter checks during the season, complete records are not kept at the Klamath public shooting grounds. Reports by hunters during the season, however, and field checks by Game Commission biologists indicate one of the best gunning years in a long time. Success was especially high on the upper Klamath marshes. GIESLER AWARDED Cal Giesler, hunter safety supervisor for the Game Commission, received the Golden Beaver Award for Conservation Education at the annual convention of the Oregon Division, Izaak Walton League last month. Cal was recognized for the outstanding contributions he has made to the conservation movement in working with young people and school teachers throughout the state. Under his leadership more than 150,000 youngsters have received training in safe gun handling and sportsmanship. He has acted as wildlife counselor at many outdoor schools, teacher conservation workshops, and forest conservation tours. He has visited summer camps and schools throughout the state talking to young people about wildlife conservation. In his spare time, and he rarely has any, he assists in judging 4-H contests and counseling Boy Scouts on conservation and wildlife merit badges. Other award winners and the categories were John Mosser of Portland, Citizen at Large; Wendell Haley of Portland, Waltonian of the Year; Carl Schmadeke of Hillsboro, Professional; and the Northwest Section of the Sunday Oregonian, Communications. The Oregon Division of the Izaak Walton League presents the Golden Beaver awards annually to individuals or organizations who are judged to have made outstanding contributions to conservation in the previous year. 0%1001 os trart 4.141-44"4 SAME CO111110101 1634 S.W. ALDER STREET P.O. BOX 3503 PORTLAND, OREGON 97208