s. G53 V-\o;rur„9 IMPOITAMT FO PUBLISHED MONTHLY EXCEPT AUGUST BY Published Monthly Except August By The OKLAHOMA GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT Room 118, State Capitol Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

For Hunters, Fishermen, Trappers, Naturalists and Wildlife Conservationists. STATE Out-of-State subscriptions $1.50 per year. Free upon request to Oklahoma residents. OKLAHOMA Circulation, this issue 30,000

Entered as second-class matter September 19, 1947, at the post office at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, under the Act of August 24, 1912.

JUANITA MAHAFFEY ALDEN KIMSEY Editor Staff Writer

WALLACE HUGHES LARRY GAFFNEY MRS. DORIS STEWART PAGE Art 8 Photography Photography Circulation Migratory Game Bird Seasons 3 Doves 4 Fairview Regional Office 6 Oklahoma's State Bird 8 Snakes Alive! 10 t The Water Cycle and Pollution 1 2 @o*t&env4rtto*t 'THecutAi 'TfCaay 76iny& A Slush Pit that Will Stand 1 3 The Press Says 14 CONSERVATION through the years has taken on new meaning to many people. June Convictions 16 In the dictionary it is described as "the act of keeping from decay, loss, or injury; the July Convictions 18 official care and preservation, as of such natural resources as oil, coal, forests, or Important Notice to Oklahoma Game and Fish News Readers 20 fisheries". To professional workers in conservation the definition is summed up as Oklahoma Birds 22 "wise use" of resources. Letters to the Editor 23 To conserve is not to totally prohibit the use of soils, wildlife, waters, forests Buffalo (Back Cover) and minerals by man. But failure to conserve—to use wisely—will bring about its VOL. X No. 9 own prohibition to man. For the peoples of the earth have become too numerous, their COVER requirements too high, to pursue any course other than the practice of strict conservation. Egrets are increasing, thanks to federal laws pro­ To use unwisely will destroy the resource. tecting them. They will leave Oklahoma this month to return again next June. This beautiful Conservation, too, means an adapting of human needs to the earth, or vice versa. pair was photographed at Lake Overholser in August by Wallace Hughes. Man must sow in order to reap. His livelihood depends on the soil—be he factory worker, merchant, farmer, teacher, or professional. When people, farms, factories, cities, highways become numerous, something has to give way, as in the case of the buffalo. They were slaughtered, yes—too many, too fast. But they would have dis­ COMMISSIONERS appeared anyway. There wasn't room for 60 million of the big animals to live on and

Maurice Finklea, Warner Chairman with the prairies as we now have converted the prairies to human needs. Louis Burtschi, Chickasha Vice Chairman A state or federal agency created for conservation of a natural resource—wildlife Raymond H. Lucas, Howe Secretary James W. McMahan, Okemah Member for instance—cannot work unto itself alone. It must link its aims and efforts to other Rev. C. C. Morgan, Fairfax Member agencies created for conservation of soils, forests, water. One is lost without the other. George F. Schultz, Medford Member Arthur Hall, Elk City Member Wildlife has a stake in all of these, and without them—no wildlife. Dan Tankersley, Oklahoma City Member Gov. Johnston Murray—.Ex-Officio Member Conservation to a school child in a rural community can mean beautifying the school yard, planting an ugly gully to green grass, the laying of walkways so his feet ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF do not get muddy in the rain. If the project is introduced as a group workplan for all E. W. Dahlgren Director the boys and girls in the school, its multiplies in meaning to each child and to all. A. D. (Bob) Aldrich Assistant Director O'Reilly Sandoz Game Such projects often snowball into community conservation—improving and using E. M. Leonard Fisheries wisely those things that are near at hand to work with. O. L. Curtis Federal-Aid Juanita Mahaffey Public Relations The human resource is most important. Too often, in our thinking, we fail Clay Boyd Enforcement Louis Nelson Accounting completely to include this as the sixth and greatest of natural resources. There are Permission to reprint is granted provided proper many men, for example, who are keen on wildlife conservation. They know what it credit is given. Oklahoma pictures and contribu­ tions are welcome and will be published when means to their hunting and fishing sports for which they spend hundreds of dollars. possible. Address communications to Oklahoma Game and Fish Department, Oklahoma City, Okla. Many of these same men have never given a thought (or a dollar) to provide a taste of these pleasures to an underprivileged boy. Conservation means many things. But it will take the combined meaning and a working together for conservation of the SIX natural resources—soil, water, forests, Member Society of Associated minerals, wildlife, and PEOPLE—to preserve America from "decay, loss or .ujury" Industrial Editors Affiliated with as Webster put it ... J. M. International Council of Industrial Editors Forty-Day Dove Season Opens September I; Ducks and Geese October 27-December 25

OKLAHOMANS WERE granted a 40-day shooting alongside of any type of stationary hunting blind: Pro­ season for doves, extending from September 1 to October vided that the taking of migratory game birds from or by 10, inclusive, this year. Federal regulations for this game means, aid, or use of any sinkbox (battery), motor-driven bird were announced in mid July. Although the season conveyance, motor vehicle, or aircraft of any kind is pro­ has been 30 days only for many years preceding 1954, hibited; also prohibited is the taking of waterfowl by the extra 10 days are not expected to extend the actual means, aid, or use of cattle, horses, mules or live duck or shooting, nor increase the number of doves taken in this goose decoys, the concentrating, driving, rallying, or stir­ state. The first cool days of September usually send most ring up of waterfowl and coots by means or aid of any of the doves south out of this state. motor-driven land, water, or air conveyance, or sailboat. BAG AND POSSESSION LIMITS for doves remain However, injured or dead waterfowl and coot may be at 10, and no person may possess doves or other migratory picked up by means of motorboat, sailboat, or other craft. game birds longer than 90 days after the close of the BAITING REGULATIONS have been clarified this season. year by federal regulations as follows: Migratory game SHOOTING HOURS are from one-half hour before birds may not be taken by the aid of salt, or shelled or sunrise to sunset daily for doves. Shotguns only (no rifles), shucked or unshucked corn, wheat, or other grains, or or bow-and-arrow, may be used for dove shooting. Shot­ other feed or means of feeding similarly used to lure, guns not larger than 10-gauge, must be incapable of shoot­ attract, or entice such birds to, on, or over the area where ing more than three consecutive shots and the plug in any hunters are attempting to take them. As used herein, the shotgun must be incapable of being removed without dis­ terms "shelled or shucked or unshucked corn, wheat, or assembling the gun. The state law forbids shooting from other grains" or "other feed or means of feeding similarly or across public roads, highways or railroad-right-of-ways. used", shall not be construed as including properly shocked An Oklahoma hunting license is required, except for certain grain, standing crops (including aquatics), flooded stand­ exemptions as specified by state law. The federal duck ing crops, flooded harvested crop lands, or grains found stamp is not required for dove shooting. scattered solely as a result of normal agricultural planting or harvesting. A SIXTY-DAY SEASON has also been prescribed COOT BAG LIMIT is 10 per day or in possession. for ducks and geese, coots and mergansers, starting October 27 and extending to December 25. Shooting on opening THERE IS NO OPEN SEASON on Swan, plover, day begins at 12:00 noon, and continues to sunset. On woodcock, rails and gallinules. the remaining 59 days, shooting hours are from one-half Given a choice by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service hour before sunrise to sunset. of any 60 consecutive days between October 1 and Janu­ ary 10, the Oklahoma Game and Fish Department selected BAG LIMITS for ducks allow five daily, 10 in pos­ the dates above prescribed after carefully evaluating all data session after the second day, but not more than one wood on waterfowl. Oklahoma, with other states of the central duck in the day's bag or in possession. This year American flyway (as this issue of Oklahoma Game and Fish News and Red-breasted Mergansers are to be considered as part of goes to press), is making an effort to secure a 75-day the daily bag limit on ducks. migratory waterfowl season, with duck bag limit of 4 daily JACKSNIPE or Wilson's Snipe will be legal game for and 8 in possession. Flyway managers were disappointed 15 days, December 1-15, in Oklahoma. Bag limit is 8 per that a season of this length was not listed in the selective day, 8 in possession. regulations granted the states by the U. S. Fish and Wild­ BAG LIMITS for geese will be five daily, including life Service. If the 1954 regulations should be thus liberal­ in such limit not more than (a) 2 Canada geese or its ized within the next month, announcement will be made subspecies, or (b) 2 white-fronted geese, or (c) 1 Canada through this magazine, the press, and radio and television. goose or its subspecies and 1 white-fronted goose. Not The October 2 7-December 25 dates for ducks and geese more than 1 day's limit may be possessed at any time. were chosen because the ducks hatched three to five weeks FEDERAL DUCK STAMP obtainable at U. S. Post late this year. It is likely that waterfowl migrations Offices at $2 is required of all duck and goose hunters through Oklahoma will be later than usual since a late above 16 years of age, in addition to state hunting license. freeze and cold weather on the breeding grounds in Canada FIREARMS REQUIREMENTS for ducks and geese are were responsible for retarding the hatch. Unforeseen the same as stated in paragraph 3 above for doves. Migra­ weather early this fall might produce an early flight, but tory game birds may be taken with the aid of a dog from this is not expected. land or water (including a blind, or a boat or other craft COMPLETE PRINTED regulations will soon be avail­ not under tow, but not including any boat or other craft able from offices of the State Game and Fish Department in having a motor attached or any sailboat unless such boat, Oklahoma City, Pryor, McAlester, Fairview, and Chicka­ craft, or sailboat is fastened within or tied immediately sha.

OKLAHOMA GAME 8 FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, 1954 PAGE 3 DOVES BY ALDEN KIMSEY

I am not really Roy's cousin. He has somewhere picked up the habit of using "cousin" in place of a real name. Roy kept watching the bare plowed wheat fields, the square sections of pasture, and the dark lines of the elm, Osage orange, ash, cottonwood, and black locust in the fence rows. He was hunting doves the way a hawk hunts, with his eyes. I hat shot once at the only dove we had seen in range. It had come in to the pond early that morning. I missed. The empty shell in the pond and the cardboard disc of the wad on the far bank kept reminding me that there had been only one dove.

oy stood up. "Ten o'clock, cousin," he announced, glancing at the sun and then at his wrist watch. "Let's drive the section lines." We drove the section line roads that ran straight as taut wire and were bumpy and dusty. We saw a dove teetering on a barb-wire fence, another lone-wolfing it across the open wheat field, and a group of five doves flying parallel to our road, but a good sixty paces out in We found doves taking their beauty nap in the fence rows. a pasture. We saw no large groups of doves even in the pastures that had produced heavy crops of croton or dove- weed, a choice food of the mourners. WEE WERE in the shade of a cottonwood by a pond. It was noon when Roy pulled the car off at a cotton­ With a couple of days off, back in our old dove shooting wood grove. We walked in to the old windmill on the haunts, it could have been real good. But it wasn't. Roy other side of the trees. The blades bit noisily into the hot had stopped talking and he would grunt when he got hold wind, metal squeaked on metal, and a steady stream of of a twig that was too big to break. He was cracking good water came out the pipe into the metal tank. The cottonwood twigs with his right hand. He would put a pump and wooden derrick had new additions of rusty twig across his index and middle finger and then push bailing wire and galvanized strap iron since we had last his thumb through it. been there. When Roy does anything but keep ready it is because Dove season had opened that morning. But we had things have gone wrong. not heard any other hunters. In the days when the wind­ I tossed the empty 16 gauge shell into the pond. It mill was newer and less noisy and Roy and I were a few floated brass down in the strings of matted green algae. years younger, opening morning had been full of shot­ The water was stagnant even though heavy rains during gun noise. August had filled the ponds. But this time it was quiet, here where we had hunted Usually I take what the weather man says with a doves years ago. grain of salt because in Oklahoma a good way to make a Roy was working out toward the white-faced cattle liar out of yourself is to say what the weather will do standing in the shade of the fence row. He kept looking the next day or even the next hour sometimes. at the ground. Then he circled back to the tank. But sitting there with Roy, looking at the empty sky, "Not even a last year's hull," he reported dismally. the dust devils out on the wheat fields, and with that hot "Hunters aren't cutting down the dove population around south wind in my face, I would have said it wasn't going this tank." to rain maybe for six months. I would have been dead wrong but that's how it looked. If it did rain the farmers "Anyway we aren't," I offered. But Roy was hunting were ready. They had plowed up the wheat stubble so with his eyes again, looking at the sky. Then he moved each drop could soak in deep. fast and got in under the umbrella-shaped elm tree. "A place can sure change." "Get down!" he said. "Yeah, cousin," Roy snapped a twig, a large one that I slid into the blob of shade. It absorbed my man out­ made a large noise. line. Sand burrs dug prongs of fire into my knees and

PAGE 4 OKLAHOMA GAME 8 FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, 1954 elbows. 1 lay down on the sand and peered back out at sitting with his back against the bole of the elm tree and his the sky, a blue bowl turned upside down over the whe^t eyes were closed. I thought about how the doves might be country. in the shade too. And I got an idea. Four doves were flying in toward the tank. They "Come on, siesta is over," I told him. "I think I know looked like four streamlined pellets of clay thumbed on a where we can get lots of doves." piece of blue cardboard. Roy groaned and opened one eye. He was about as Roy got out from under the tree when they got close comfortable looking as a bird dog under a porch step. enough. He knocked the lead bird, and the next in line I doubt if he would have ever opened his other eye if I as it turned down in a dive to escape. I swung my gun hadn't repeated the three words, "lots of doves". He opened muzzle in front of one of the two doves remaining as that other eye. it came out past the windmill. The gray form hurtled down "Cousin, you tempt me. Almost." in a depression pawed out by the cattle. I walked to the "I know how to get into a batch of doves." exact spot. It was hard to see even when dead. "Hah!" Roy replied. "This time of day the doves are shaded up somewhere." He can get more out of one t the first of September and the opening of dove "Hah!" than anybody I know. season, water is usually scarce in western Oklahoma. The "I agree," I said. "Only I think that I can be more doves concentrate at the windmill tanks and the ponds specific as to where they are taking their beauty nap." with water in them. Hunting is best in the late afternoon. Roy stared at me. "You going to pot doves out of a If it rains and fills the ponds and natural depressions, tree?" this type of hunting is not so productive. Roy and I found it like that, too much water, and all the wheat stubble and "Let's not end a beautiful friendship so repulsively," grain plowed under. I said and handed him the pump. "Put some dynamite in that cannon before these doves get caught up on their Back in the old days doves nested on the wheat sack time." fields and came in to feed on the ripe grain. Hunters were often able to take a thousand doves from one stubble field. A hunter could get under a bush or down in the w e walked to the nearest fence row. It was overgrown weeds by the stubble field and pick the angles he wanted and rusty barb-wire hung like old cob webs from the until he had killed a limit. New farming methods which trunks of the trees. For many years now the fence row use "summer fallowing" or plowing ended this stubble must have been cattle proof with no need for new wire. shooting. It was the only such place for miles. Rows of trees and trees Surveys by the Oklahoma Game and Fish Department not in rows are scarce in the wheat country. have shown that in order to survive modern farming I told Roy that we would each take a side and walk methods and high-speed machinery, the doves have begun it out. I crossed the ditch to the other side of the row of to nest in shelterbelts, trees in cemeteries, and in the fence trees. Roy had glanced my way once but kept silent. rows rather than in the open fields on the ground. Sun­ Ragweed made a jungle, a hay fever patient's night­ flower, croton, and other preferred native foods replace the mare, on my side. The weeds were covered with red dust. great amounts of wheat and domestic grains once eaten. Roy had it easier on his side of the fence because the plowed Roy and I retrieved our dead birds and got back under wheat field came up under the trees. But then walking the the elm tree. A single incomer came across the tank for fence row was my idea. I suffered in silence. My hand got either a drink or just to look. Roy half crawled and then slippery on the grip of the shotgun. pumped and the dove came down dead before it hit the "Hey," Roy said. "You're about as subtle as a wild ground. elephant in a celery patch. These doves you mentioned sure "You are a humane shooter," I told Roy. "That one don't mind a little noise." has a D.O.A. tag on him." (Concluded on page 7) "Incomers are my meat." Roy was politely modest. He shoots "out-goers" and "cross-in-front- ers", "divers" and "climbers" all with the same cool efficiency. This was waterhole hunting, a popular type in western Oklahoma. You sit in one place and wait, like in a duck blind, only it is the offer of a drink of water rather than decoys that brings the seed-stuffed birds in range. Forty-five minutes passed and there were no more doves. Roy was

CROTON, or Doveweed, is o favorite food of doves in Oklahoma .. . Photos by Alden Kimsey KEY PERSONNEL of the northwest region who work in or headquarter Breedlove, regional information-education supervisor; George Merri­ at the Fairview office are pictured here. Left to right: John King, field, regional game biologist; D. H. "Mac" McClanahan, regional regional fisheries biologist (recently promoted to assistant fisheries ranger supervisor; and Miss Verla Ewbank, secretary-office manager. division director and assistant Dingell-Johnson coordinator); Byron Their combined service record totals 35 years. Fairview Regional Office Northwest Oklahoma

[HE OKLAHOMA Game and Fish Department's north­ the Fairview office, they are listed herewith with brief west regional office at 114 North Main street, Fair- introductions: view, was opened December 15, 1951. This one and the REGIONAL RANGER SUPERVISOR—D. H. "Mac" McClanahan, other three regional offices at Pryor, McAlester and Chicka­ 55, appointed district game ranger under the first state game and sha are operated by the department to bring all available fish commission, 1928. Has worked on special assignments at services within easy reach of the public. various times as ranger in all parts of Oklahoma, headquartered as district ranger at Sayre in his early service years, later at Bartles­ Each office is staffed with a ranger supervisor, regional ville, now maintains residence at Canton. In addition he has worked game biologist, fisheries biologist, information-education in the fisheries division, game division, and in the federal-aid-to- supervisor, pollution-control officer (one officer handles wildlife (Pittman-Robertson) section; was one of Oklahoma's early advocators of habitat improvement for wildlife. Enlisted U. S. Coast both the northwest and southwest region), habitat im­ Guard, 1942, served two years before returning to game ranger provement project leaders, and a secretary-office manager. duties. In December, 1951, was appointed to his present position The Fairview office, located near the center of the as ranger supervisor. region, in Major county, serves a total of 19 northwest DISTRICT RANGERS who work under McClanahan's super­ counties, as follows: Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, vision in the northwest are: Claude Beeson, Elk City; Billie Burns, Cimarron, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Harper, Cheyenne; Rhomney Chaffin, Clinton; Victor Davis, Hooker; N. B. Dixon, Kingfisher; R. D. Gray, Buffalo; Guy Hamman, Pond Creek; Kingfisher, Logan, Major, Roger Mills, Texas, Woods, D. W. Kolb, Canton; E. W. Prier, Guthrie; Arnold Purviance, Moore- and Woodward. The area embraces roughly 31 per cent of land; and Bill Severe, Enid. the state's area and 13 per cent of its population. POLLUTION CONTROL OFFICER — L. E. Crawford, Lawton, Major installations of the state game and fish de­ works both the northwest and southwest regions. (See game and partment located within the northwest region include: the fish department service record in Oklahoma Game and Fish News, January, 1954). state fish hatchery at Byron (Alfalfa county) ; game man- agment and public hunting lands located on the perimeters HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT LEADERS—Jack Williams, Stillwater; Truman Twombly, Laverne; and Walt Stidham, Clinton, of Canton and Fort Supply reservoirs. Both of the latter are in charge of the Pittman-Robertson (federal-aid) supported are leased to the state game and fish department by the habitat improvement program in the northwest region. U.S. Corp of Engineers. The Great Salt Plains National REGIONAL GAME BIOLOGIST—George C. Merrifield, 32, spent Wildlife Refuge and adjacent Salt Plains lake lie within early years in Seattle, Washington, enlisted U. S. Marine Corp, the northwest region also. 1938, served until 1946, in South Pacific and Alaska. Following discharge from Marines was security officer for U. S. Immigration In order that the public, whom they serve, may be­ and Naturalization Service in Seattle. In 1950 entered Oklahoma come better acquainted with personnel headquartering at A&M College, Stillwater, obtained B.S. degree in wildlife con-

PAGE 6 OKLAHOMA GAME 0 FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, 1954 through the midwest. Employed by State Highway Department, Fairview Office (Continued) 1951-52, in the division of statistics, Oklahoma City. Attended night school. Hills Business College. Took present position with the State servation, 1953, then worked on fellowship under the Oklahoma Game and Fish department, November, 1952. Besides handling the Wildlife Cooperative Research Unit, studying upland game on the varied business of a regional office, Verla often fills in for one of Canton perimeter area. August, 1953, was appointed as regional the other employees by showing conservation movies to local groups. game biologist at Fairview office. —ALDEN KIMSEY. REGIONAL FISHERIES BIOLOGIST—John E. King, 27, born Cushing, Oklahoma. U. S. Army (Infantry) service, 1945-47. En­ rolled Oklahoma A&M College, Stillwater, following military serv­ Antelope Census ice, majored in wildlife conservation and fisheries biology, obtained B.S. degree, 1951. Was employed for a time by Wright McGill A CENSUS of pronghorn antelope in Texas and Cim­ fishing tackle manufacturers in Denver. In 1951 was assigned to job arron counties in the Oklahoma panhandle is on the of fisheries biologist. (Note: as of July 1, 1954, John E. King was current work schedule of the game division of the state assigned to a new position as assistant fisheries division director and Dingell-Johnson (federal-aid-to-fisheries) coordinator. He will work game and fish department. In the past two years several out of the central office at Oklahoma City). shipments of antelope have been brought in from New REGIONAL INFORMATION-EDUCATION SUPERVISOR—Byron Mexico and Colorado and released on ranches in the area. D. Breedlove, 29, born Picher, Oklahoma. In 1953 attended North­ O'Reilly Sandoz, game division head, has said that the eastern State College, Tahlequah. Entered U. S. Army, 1944, served ranchers and farmers of the Panhandle have cooperated overseas in Pacific Theatre, held 2nd Lieutenant rank as assistant adjutant general, discharged 1947. Entered Kansas State Teachers well with the state department in protecting the antelope, College, Pittsburg, Kansas, and went from there to Oklahoma A&M, and upon these people lies the responsibility for making Stillwater, where he obtained his B.S. degree in wildlife conservation, the restocking program a success. and began work on M.S. degree. Was assigned as traveling wildlife The current census will determine how many young exhibit supervisor, 1951, where his work was largely conservation edu­ cation in public schools, a job which took him to all parts of the state; have been raised by the brood stock since release. Much was transferred to present assignment as regional information- of the observation will be made by R. D. Gray, game education supervisor late in 1952. ranger pilot from Buffalo, in one of the game and fish HATCHERY, REFUGE AND AREA MANAGERS—Clyde Burleson, department airplanes. Assisting him are George Merrifield, Byron, state fish hatchery superintendent; John Steele, Canton, Can­ Fairview, biologist; Victor Davis, game ranger from ton reservoir perimeter public hunting area. Hooker; and Larry Gaffney, photographer, who will SECRETARY-OFFICE MANAGER—Miss Verla Ewbank, born near Longdale, Oklahoma, attended grade and high school at Fair- record the census work on movie film for showing to view. Following high school traveled as a musician in church work television audiences statewide.

behind me. They turned back across the trees well ahead DOVES of my gun. (Concluded from page 5) "Some trick," I murmured, admiring so agile and wise a performer. II Le was needling me about my idea. I fought the I worked my way through the weeds to a spot opposite shoulder-high weeds, and tried to think up a stinging Roy. "Jump shooting quail in a cotton patch couldn't be retort. Then any answer to Roy became unnecessary. He more fun," he greeted me through a break in the trees. fired the legal number of shells in an evenly spaced row. I crossed the ditch and we stood there resting and Roy I watched my side of the trees but not a twig moved. began asking questions. "It's obvious enough to be diffi­ cult," I told him. "You find where the doves are ganged Roy said, "Never touched a feather." up, you jump them and shoot them." I grinned at the trees separating us. "Hah!" Roy said. "How many were there?" "A bushel, cousin. At least. Let's go!" "No," I said, "it really is obvious. What is the scarcest We made a few yards. "Ante over!" Roy bellowed. commodity?" My gun got caught in the weeds as I moved to get my "Water, usually," Roy answered without a second feet set. Some guys tweak the bill of their cap before they thought. "But not this year." shoot. I have to get my feet set. Three doves looped out "What's next?" over the green wall. They spotted me and flared off elusive "Well, trees, I guess, but—" as puffs of smoke in an electric fan. My shot went wide of the target. Then a fourth dove's "All right, a scarcity of water gives good waterhole nerves cracked. He bolted out from a lower part of the hunting." trees. He made a level flight out over the tops of the rag­ Roy grinned. "Those August rains fixed the waterhole weeds. I held a little high on him with the second barrel. hunting so we just substitute trees for water." When I squeezed the trigger be dropped in the weeds. I "Right." I didn't say a word about how I had got my found him at the bottom of a trail of feathers. idea for this new kind of hunting by watching Roy sitting Roy started his war. Doves had come out his side of in the shade of the only elm tree near us. He didn't ask the trees also. because he was already out of sight along the tree row, I walked back to the fence row. The familiar warble hunting doves shaded-up in the elm, Osage orange, ash, of dove wings swung up my gun. Three birds had jumped cottonwood, and black locust trees.

OKLAHOMA GAME 8 FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, 1954 PAGE 7 Our Creator Must Have Looked With Favor On

For He Gave The Scissortailed Flycatcher Everything Except A Beautiful Voice

BY ORVILLE ALLARD

THIS IS THE SCISSORTAIL as he is most frequently seen by Okla­ countryside. Raised head feathers make his head appear large for his homans. Telephone lines are favorite resting places. Here the forked body. The bird can raise or lower these head feathers at will.— tail—best identifying feature—is closed as the Scissortail surveys the All photos by Wallace Hughes.

But Oklahoma is not the only state where the Scissor­ . MN THE BEGINNING, when the world was still new and tailed Flycatcher is loved and respected. Texans also admire the Lord was still in the process of creating living the Flycatcher—some of them to the extent that they things, He must have said to Himself: believe the Lone Star State should have adopted it as the "And now I shall bring forth a bird that combines official state bird, instead of the Mocking Bird. all of the best-loved characteristics and talents of other So much do people of Texas esteem the Scissortail birds, save one—the ability to sing—and it shall be recog­ that they have dubbed it the "Texas Bird of Paradise". nized by its scissor-like tail and its diet of harmful insects." The Scissortail's overall length is only about 14 So, this Lord molded the Scissortailed Flycatcher—a inches—seven to 10 inches of which is given over to its small, feathered bundle of courage, grace and beauty. forked tail—but this relatively small bird has the courage Then the Old Master Painter dipped His brush in a of the eagle, the gracfi'of the swallow, and the maneuvera­ passing cloud and gave the bird a coat of grey. From the bility of a hawk—its forked tail opening and closing like sunset He added a dash of red, and from the falling a pair of shears as it flies. shadows He took a bit of darkness to streak its wing and Having little fear of man, the Scissortailed Flycatcher tail. seems to realize that its food and habits are such that the And He assigned the bird to a land of sun and farmer and all mankind should regard it as a feathered flowers, giving it permission to follow the more direct friend. rays of the sun to a temporary home farther south when Perhaps Oklahomans see the bird most frequently the winds grew cool. sitting on a telephone line along the roadside, watching Thus did Oklahoma—proverbial home of the Red for some flying insect, after which it sets out in hot pursuit, Man—also become the center of the nesting area for Scissor­ catching the hapless bug or fly in mid-air. tailed Flycatcher. Eons later, Oklahoma chose the master So swift and graceful is the Scissortail's flight that creation of feathered vertebrates as its official State Bird. the bird is known in some quarters as the Swallow-Tailed

PAGE 8 OKLAHOMA GAME » FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, 1954 Flycatcher (as well as the Texan Bird of Paradise), be­ cause of its beauty. The sunset tinge to the Scissortailed Flycatcher may be seen—if you are close enough to note—where the wings join the body, on the breast and sides, and, in some indi­ viduals, a spot on top of the head. Occasionally these splashes of color are yellowish instead of an orange-red. Unfortunately the Great Creator did not see fit to give the Scissortailed Flycatcher a beautiful voice. Maybe He thought making the Scissortail a song bird, as well as endowing it with all its other good qualities, would be showing excessive favoritism. So the best the Scissortailed Flycatcher can do when it tries to sing is to utter twittering notes like its cousin the Kingbird, or a harsh double-noted call repeated in rapid succession. Proof that the bird is a friend of the farmer is seen in the fact that about 98 per cent of its diet is made up of insects, including grasshoppers, boll weevils, and boll worms, cucumber beetles, and squash bugs. The other two per cent is composed of berries and seeds. ^.MOTHER SCISSOR­ The Scissortail is a great harrier of predatory birds TAIL feeds her twelve and will attack anything from a Sparrow Hawk to an day old nestlings who Eagle, alighting on the back of the other bird in mid­ have not yet developed the long forked tail of air and pecking mercilessly until the larger bird flees in the parent birds. The terror from the Scissortail's wrath. little ones will leave the As a lover during mating season, the Scissortailed Fly­ nest at fourteen days. catcher stages his greatest aerial performance, going through Even though the father a rapid series of ascents and dives, and issuing harsh screams Scissortail sometimes brings home the food, to attract the favorable attention of the lady of his choice. he always transfers it to The female lays from four to six eggs, generally the mother's beak so white, in a nest constructed of plant stems, thistledown, she can give it to the cotton or wool felted and lined with moss or cotton. This babies. nest is built from five to 20 feet above the ground, usually in small trees or bushes, but sometimes on the crossbar of a telephone pole. Papa Scissortail helps feed the young, sharing re­ sponsibilities with his wife. The nesting area includes Ok­ lahoma, Texas and Kansas, but sometimes the bird shows up in remote places. He has been seen as far north as Nova Scotia. It winters in Mexico and Panama. ±MALE AND FEMALE Oklahoma adopted the Scissortailed Flycatcher as its T Scissortailed Flycatch­ ers have great senti­ official state bird by an act of the legislature in 1951. mental attachment for each other especially during mating season. Here the male bird goes into an aerial dance to welcome back his mate from a trip afield in search of food for the little ones. Regardless of which parent goes foraging, he or she re­ ceives a joyous enthusi­ astic greeting from the mate that waits at home to guard the nest.

^NATURE'S METHOD of air conditioning a home is employed by ' Mother Scissor tail as she stands in her nest on a hot summer day. She shades her babies with outspread wings, permitting air to circu­ late, cooling the young birds. This series of pictures was made by Wallace Hughes, game and fish department photographer-artist, who kept the birds under observation at intervals during nesting season near Okarche, Oklahoma.

PAGE 9 SNAKES ALIVE!

k^ NAKES ARE ALWAYS good for a story in the newspapers. The long hot summer of 1954 will probably go down in herpetology history as one THIS HOG-NOSED SNAKE is all bluff. To scare off enemies he flattens the front part that gave birth to more snake stories than any in of his body, rears a triangular head, hisses loudly, and viciously darts his head. If that recent years. Here are a few collected from Okla­ doesn't work, the "Puff Adder" as some call him, suddenly rolls on his back, opens his mouth and thrashes his head from side to side. Then it becomes motionless, feigning homa newspapers the past two months. death. TYPICAL OF the average person's inability IT WILL NOT BITE even if you force a finger into its mouth, says Dr. Anna B. Fisher, biology head at Northwestern State College, Alva. Her snake story was told by M. G. to identify even the commonest of our reptiles, Scarlett, NSC's journalism head, in the Woods County News of July 22. The photo is by is a story from Morrison. On a hot August Professor Scarlett, courtesy of that paper. morning George Christie speared with a pitch­ fork a snake at the local elevator. Some thought it was whole new crop of baby snakes in the barrel. (That's a bullsnake, others a copperhead. No one ever positive­ what the paper said!) This was indeed most unusual. ly identified it for the paper. Some of the young Snakes that lay eggs normally lay them in a place where fry succeeded in getting the snake's head in a noose and natural incubation will occur, and this lasts a period of fastened it to young George Hornberger's bicycle. Away from two to eight weeks, not just one night. the lad pedalled, up and down the main thoroughfare, A PIGMY RATTLESNAKE, SO identified by Earl smaller males chasing, and the writhing snake sailing Cravens, manager of the Tishomingo National Wildlife along behind the bike. Afterward Johnny Hoggatt, who Refuge, and seldom found in that southern part of Okla­ is five feet tall, determined the reptile's length by lying homa, paid with its life for biting two 10-year-old alongside it on the ground. The snake beat Johnny's five cousins, Roger and Michael Baker. The 14-inch snake first feet by some inches. sank its fangs into Mike, who warned Roger to stay away. "THEM BOOGERS travel in pairs," Ralph Moreland of But Roger jumped on the reptile with both feet in an Atoka told his sons Henry and Bill, as they watched a attempt to kill it. Both boys went to the hospital with rattlesnake from their truck bed. They had just killed one badly swollen legs, but recovered. snake, when sure enough, up through the brush came a A DOG AND CAT were responsible for two other Tisho- second, larger than the first, his head up about a foot mingoans getting "snake-bit" soon after the Baker mis­ off the ground and looking around. The Morelands have hap. Jackie Matteson, 3, reached beneath a cot in the yard killed eight rattlesnakes in the log woods this year. to pick up his kitten. A copperhead bit his finger . . . Mack A "COONTAIL" rattlesnake, measuring seven feet, was Essary went into the brush near the Washita river to killed July 3 by a hay crew working four miles southeast rescue an abandoned pup, and came out with fang marks of McCurtain, Haskell county. The snake had swallowed on an ankle without ever seeing what struck him. Both a whole rabbit just before it was beheaded by the mowing recovered after medical treatment. machine. Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes are dubbed A FOUR FOOT blue racer invaded the living room of the "coontails" in eastern Oklahoma because of their markings Hoyt Fergusons at Cleveland, Oklahoma, via the family which are similar to the black rings of the raccoon's tail. fireplace. Neighbors, armed with shovels, helped search If the Haskell county report is correct, the hay mowers for and kill the intruder under the television set. To get killed one that was but two inches short of the official to the top of the Ferguson chimney, the inquisitive reptile state record. had to crawl atop the two-story house and on to the MRS. BEATRICE PRYOR of Gage found a large snake chimney. "drinking water from a flower box on her front porch" RETURNING FROM his corn field in the Red River —that's what the local paper said. She seized a hoe, bottoms on a July evening, a Choctaw county farmer chopped off its head. Raising the snake up on a stick was stopped by a rattlesnake in the road. The snake coiled to take it away for burial, Mrs. Pryor saw a number of as Shaw approached, but minutes later was headless after white eggs drop. These she shoveled up and tossed in her a few blows from the farmer's hoe. "Killed one biggern'n backyard trash barrel. Next morning she discovered a this right beside my house last year," said Farmer Shaw.

PAGE 10 OKLAHOMA GAME 8 FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, 1954 BATHTUBS WERE a popular household utility through Game and Fish On Television the record breaking Oklahoma heat the past summer. Harvey McDill, Bartlesville, decided to while away some "OUTDOOR OKLAHOMA" is a continuous series of pro­ time in his bathtub on a July day, but was stopped in grams presented four times weekly in four Oklahoma cities his tracks by a three-foot snake that had taken refuge there. to acquaint Oklahomans with wildlife of their state and Mac thought the snake was a toy someone had put there their state game and fish department. This program can for a prank, and turned on the cold water. The snake made be seen on these stations: a very much live attempt to get out of the tub. It had Oklahoma City, KWTV, Channel 9, 12:45 P.M., come in via the plumbing from underneath the house. each Saturday. NOTHING UNUSUAL was related in a snake story that Tulsa, KOTV, Channel 6, 12:00 Noon, each Satur­ appeared in the Northwest Oklahoman published at Shat­ day. tuck, July 23. The item stated simply that a copperhead Lawton, KSWO, Channel 7, 8:00 P.M., each Wednes­ snake was killed in west Gage Saturday. Our compli­ day. ments, however, to the paper for a complete identification Ada, KTEN, Channel 10, 5:15 P.M., each Saturday. of the snake from a reliable book-source, and a thorough description of the snake given to local readers. (Why do Yep, We Were Wrong. not more news writers positively identify snakes and other That 'Crappie' Was A Drum! wildlife about which they publish stories?) A GOOD WAY to learn how widely read your copy AT MCALESTER the night of August 4 the Pittsburg is, is to call a fish by a wrong name. That is what hap­ County Sportsmen's Club held their annual snake hunt pened on page 21 of the July-August issue of Oklahoma to rid the city lake of deadly snakes. Last year club mem­ Game and Fish News. In an article describing the crappie, bers killed around 300 snakes, but the number went down giving biological facts, range, world record weight, etc., to less than 75 this year. Shotguns are used, and anyone we used a picture of Richard Usher of Perrin Air Force may participate. Future hunts will be in the early spring. Base, Texas, holding a fish caught last year in Lake EXTREME HOT WEATHER and lack of water this Texoma. The first weighed 5 pounds, 7 ounces, and summer made danger spots of the springs in the Ouachita came to the editor's desk identified as a crappie ... a National Forest, said the Talihina American. Poisonous remarkable weight for a crappie indeed! snakes concentrated in the cool and wet areas, said forest On close examination of the photograph, which alas rangers. All attempts to drive the snakes away were un­ came too late, we agree with our several readers who successful. Travelers were cautioned to look carefully wrote us after receiving their magazine in July. The when filling water jugs at the springs. "crappie" was a drum, and its weight was not at all out YES, THERE WERE MANY snake stories in Oklahoma of the ordinary for that species. newspapers this summer. But relax, ladies and gents. Dr. Brill's Outdoor Guide for Oklahoma gives the record- A. I. Ortenburger, Oklahoma University's herpetologist, weight crappie for this state as 4 pounds, 12 ounces. Two says by way of the Norman Transcript that there's not of this weight have been caught, the Guide says, one by much to worry about. Of Oklahoma's something over Don Price of Oklahoma City at Lake Murray in March, 100 snake species, the harmless ones are far in the majority. 1947, the other by Cornelius J. Green, Canute, at Clinton They are not only harmless, but beneficial to farmers in Lake, April 12, 1953. destroying small animal pests. But anyone who goes on Our apologies to all readers of Oklahoma Game and nature trips, fishes or camps, should know the poisonous Fish News, and thanks to the six individuals who wrote ones, rattlesnake, copperhead and cottonmouth, and how to us of the error . . . Editor. perform emergency first aid for snake bite, just in case . . . Juanita Mahaffey. Two Tails Odd But Not A Freak

: : ; 4 THIS UNUSUAL "twin-tailed" six lined Race- runner was captured at Lake Texoma near the Oklahoma University biological station. Odd as it is. Dr. O. C. Carpenter, Professor of Herpet- ology at the station, reported the specimen is not a freak. Lizards have the ability to regener­ ate or grow a new tail when the original is lost.

THIS LIZARD'S TAIL was not lost but severed enough to activate the regenerative cells that, instead of replacing the original, just added a second tail. This eludes the thought that the lizard may have been hatched having two tails.

SIX LINED RACERUNNERS are found all over the state inhabiting the relatively dry areas where sandy, loose soils support low vegetation. During night hours of the warm months this four-legged reptile slumbers in a burrow usually about ten inches deep, hibernates during winter. Eggs are laid in the burrow . . . Bob Jenni.

OKLAHOMA GAME 8 FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, 1954 PAGE 11 The Water Cycle and POLLUTION iv,EARL Y EVERYONE knows about the water cycle—how moisture falls from the clouds, pursues many useful paths on earth, is purified by plant transpiration and natural evaporation to rise again and be precipitated once more. It is a continuous process arous­ ing attention only when too much water or too little—flood or drought —occurs. Familiarity with this everyday miracle and its minor deviations from the norm through the centuries has imbedded the misleading belief that water, like matter in general, is in­ destructible regardless of what is done to it; and that practically speaking it has only one characteristic to be considered: Quantity (how much or Compiled from U. S. Public Health Service and National Wildlife Federation Reports. how little) at a specific place. Reprinted from Wisconsin Conservation Bulletin, April, 1 954. In a sense nothing could be further from the truth. When you destroy the population has doubled since 1900, teriorate even before it reaches earth usefulness of anything, you have, for but total water use has increased six —falling raindrops pick up atmos­ all practical purposes, destroyed the times. pheric dust on their way. However, thing itself. In this sense, water can Furthermore, water is not free. even after it has fallen, and is flow­ be destroyed; and it can be destroyed Treatment of water to make it suit­ ing seaward, the quality of water is because of its other important char­ able for use costs money. The present high enough for nearly any human acteristic: Quality. national water bill runs to hundreds use: "Pure enough to drink," as the When pollution impairs the quali­ of millions yearly, not including the saying goes. ty of water to the point of unfitness cost of capital investment in building But when water comes into contact for human use, we have, in effect, and equipment. with human activities, quality or destroyed that water. We shall never The more polluted our waters be­ "purity" degenerates fast. again recapture that particular come, the more costly their treatment We say that water is polluted when amount of water for our use. It has for the various uses they must meet. it contains substances that make it been lost, for one round of the water Polluting our rivers, lakes and unclean or unfit for our use. There cycle, forever. bays and then trying to "purify" that are two main forms of pollution in But why be concerned about losing water to usable condition is like lock­ our waterways. some water? Isn't it nearly every­ ing the barn door after the horse is The first is silt—the soil that where, like the air, and free? stolen. makes our rivers brown and muddy That, too, is a general misconcep­ What is wanted is prevention rath­ and fills up the reservoirs behind our tion. We are short of water in many, er than cure. We must attack the pol­ dams. Bad farming, overgrazing or many places, especially in heavily lution problem at the point where deforesting multiply immensely the populated areas where demand is the wastes are discharged rather than soil particles normally carried by greatest. where the water is used. flowing water as a result of natural The demand for water (and its No water except that in the labora­ erosion. Raindrops striking the earth total cost) increases as population and tory, of course, is 100 per cent pure. are like miniature bombs that blast industry expand—only more so. Our The quality of water begins to de­ (Please turn to page 19)

PAGE 12 OKLAHOMA GAME 8 FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, 1954 Here, Mr. Oil Producer, Is A Simple Suggestion That Can Help YOU, Help Your Company, Help Your Community, Help Your State, To Keep The Streams Free Of Oil Field Wastes At Points of Origin: /t S(M4&Pitl6*t0WiUStand BY L. E. CRAWFORD, Pollution-Control Ranger

Many who permitted salt water to flow directly into B IEING CLOSELY ASSOCIATED with the oil industry in the streams are now using underground disposal systems. Oklahoma for many years, we have watched the wonderful The waste BS oil is being burned or used on oil field roads. progress that has been achieved especially in production. Slush pits containing drilling fluid highly impregnated Through the years it has been the policy to get oil and with caustic soda or other chemicals are no longer being more oil, regardless of cost or conditions. In so doing cut and the contents permitted to enter streams and lakes. little attention has been paid to the disposal of oil field (Many fish, wildlife and domestic stock have been de­ wastes which naturally accumulate. stroyed by this one item alone.) The near-by streams were, and in some instances The accompanying sketch illustrates a modern slush still are, used as disposal channels for these wastes. Many pit that is suggested by the pollution-control section of the streams through central Oklahoma have been ruined by salt state game and fish department. This type slush pit was water, waste oil, and/or drilling fluid. The fish have been made possible by cooperation of the Continental Oil Com­ killed and other wildlife has been driven to less desirable pany of Ponca City and the Fleet Drilling Company of areas or has perished. Some of the best recreational areas Ada. It is estimated that a pit of the dimensions shown have been rendered useless. will hold fluid from a well 8,000 to 10,000 feet deep, State agencies charged with enforcement of pollution depending on the amount of water encountered. Many of laws, for a long time, sat idly by and permitted one natural the oil and drilling companies have adopted this type of pit. resource to destroy another. Not until seven years ago Pits constructed in this manner have never been was any effort made to prevent this destruction of fish known to break or "wash out" as a result of surface and wildlife. water. It will be noted that this pit is built into a hillside, In 1947 the state game and fish department began a with the deep side of the pit being in fact the low side. campaign to rid the streams of this menace. At first their The object of this plan is to have the weight of the fluid efforts were scarcely noticeable, but in due time several thrown against the solid earth, earth that has not been of the larger oil operators began to realize that the plan disturbed for centuries. This prevents the freshly disturbed advocated by the department's pollution-control officers a'oil from carrying but a small amount of pressure. was a sound business proposition. Gradually they are Another advantage is that this pit can be "pushed beginning to cooperate. in" and eliminated much sooner than the ordinary pit. SLUSH PIT

DEPTH IS MEASURED FROM TOP GROUND NOT TOP OF DIKE

S'DiEP-UPHIU &JDE

K UHOtR ORDINARY „Cr CONDITIONS WIS ' RESERVE PIT WOULD BE SATISFACTORY FOR n WELL /0,OOOFT. OOP

- DOWNHILL SIDE •150'- THIS TYPE SLUSH PIT /S I. SUGGESTED BY THE STATE GAME/FISH Stricter Enforcement, More Fishing , MUSKOGEE TIMES-DEMOCRAT — Three local residents were spotted using the old hand-crank "telephone" device to catch fish out on Grand River below Fort Gibson dam. The spotter, an employee of this newspaper, immediately turned their names over to game rangers . . . We notice that arrests this year by game rangers show a large number of persons fined for possession of undersized game fish. It's quite a temptation to keep some of those nine and one-half inch long bass, especially when they're fat as butterballs. But we've never done it and no true fisher­ man would ever do it. With the increased fishing activity in this area you can expect increased activity on the part of game rangers. Wild Turkeys Observed Harnessing the Washita And you can't expect them to be very lenient on law violators . . . Ah-Se-Quu A-Dah-Ne- WOODS COUNTY ENTERPRISE — More DAILY OKLAHOMAN—A most important Di by John Lewis Stone. than one Oklahoma turkey grower has found step towards the ultimate preservation of the there are wild turkeys in Oklahoma, and Washita valley from flood devastation was Lots of Visitors some of their reports have been aiding the taken recently v.hen the senate approved the game and fish commission with reports on construction of the Foss and Cobb creek res­ SALLISAW TIMES—As an indication oi how its propagation stock has been faring. ervoir projects. Neither is in the "big dam" the influx oi tourists and sportsmen caused in George Lewis, a turkey grower north of category. Both dams will be built in con­ this area by Lake Tenkiller, the Army En­ Waynoka, found out there are wild turkeys formity with the theory that the only way gineers report that 55,500 persons visited the in his neighborhood. He found the turkeys to control floods is to prevent their forma­ lake over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. roosting in trees near his farm, but they tion. The water stored up will supply the flushed as he sighted them, indicating they needs of communities that suffer occasionally Proposed Amendment were wild birds, apparently from matings of from drouth. And the proposed dams will ENID DAILY EAGLE — The Oklahoma five hens and two toms the game department make a real contribution to the cause of soil Game and Fish Commission, long a political had placed in the community. conservation. This Washita valley improve­ football in the state, would cease to be a ment project has demonstrated pretty success­ politician's plaything if an amendment pro­ Deer Multiply fully that the place for a dam or reservoir is posed by the Oklahoma Outdoor Council, TAHLEQUAH STAR-CITIZEN — Wonder ii up near the head of a stream and not far state sportsmen's organization, were submitted farmers would report to this column any deer down the stream where the accumulated floods to the people and voted upon favorably. The observed in their area. The Spavinaw Hills are already moving ruinously towards the Council's proposal would establish the Game and Gruber herds are almost intermingled, and open sea. All Oklahoma will derive a measure and Fish Commission as a constitutional deer are known to be crossing the Grand of benefit from these projects at Foss and on body. It would have six members with stag­ toward the prairies oi the west. All oi this Cobb Creek. gered terms of eight years, with the require­ means possible open seasons over all oi east­ ment that there be three members from each ern Oklahoma in the near iuture. Bear In Berries of the two major political parties. A pro­ fessional director, to be in active charge, Vacation Spot TALIHINA AMERICAN—R. J. Rankin and would be removable only for cause and after PONCA CITY NEWS—Oklahoma as a vaca­ Preacher Baxter, both oi Talihina, swear they a public hearing. He would be hired by the tion spot is coming into its own. Tens of came iace to iace with a bear (June 13) while Commission . . . An activity supported by thousands who once drove day and night to picking huckleberries about three miles south sportsmen through their purchase of hunting find a fishing hole in the north woods or the oi Gaines Store at Big Cedar. Rankin said the and fishing licenses, has had constant changes Rocky Mountains have learned that right here bear was young, with deep brown iur and in personnel and programs . . . with each at home, or within a few hours easy driving, guessed his weight at 175 pounds. Rankin and there are scenic wonders galore. Whether you Baxter got a good look at the bear irom about new state administration . . . The thing does are in favor of big dams or against big dams, 20-30 yards. As soon as the bear spotted the not have and should not have any partisan they have added thousands of acres of fishing two men, he turned and scooted. nature. It is for the improvement and exten­ waters to the many rivers and streams that sion of the state's wildlife resources and criss-cross Oklahoma. should receive general support if submitted to Task For All the people. The state sportsmen are literally Favors Change of Trotline Law LAWTON CONSTITUTION—A doff of the paying their own way for hunting, fishing ALVA REVIEW COURIER—We believe the fishin' cap to area anglers who have already and conservation in Oklahoma, and the wild­ present setup in the Game and Fish Depart­ begun their private conservation program life program by its very nature calls for a ment is really on the ball. Daily the state where trotlines are concerned. By cutting non-political approach and administration. game rangers are using more vigilance against down the number of hooks baited, the fish­ people who take their game and fish by catch- ermen are helping to preserve a great number Simple Fish Story as-catch-can rules, no holds barred. There is of catfish in southwest Oklahoma's lakes RUSH SPRINGS GAZETTE—I needed a a law we would like to see changed—the . . . Conservation isn't just a job for the new popping bug, so I made me one. I trotline law. The law reads that you can use State Game and Fish department; it's a task selected a couple nice feathers from one of a trotline with not more than 100 hooks, for all outdoorsmen . . . Under state law it Mommie's old hens; tied them up nice and but for some reason the law was placed in is permissible to run coons during the off pretty. Went to a farm pond Tuesday after­ the statutes without specifying how many season. But sportsmen complain of coons be­ noon late and caught 25 bass and bluegills. trotlines you can use. One trotliner over at ing killed out of season. It's a touchy prob­ The largest bass was in the 3-lb. class. The the Great Salt Plains admitted he caught over lem and probably has no real answer except bream were in the % -lb. class. Now I think 1,000 pounds of channel cat in less than a that some folks would rather break the law that makes a good fish story . . . Fish Lines week . . . Sports Spasms by Barker. . . . Frosty Troy. by Warren Morris.

PAGE 14 OKLAHOMA GAME 8 FISH NEWS SEPTEMBER, 1954 Is It Enough? Longer Dove Season Unwanted? Law Abiding LIVESTOCK NEWS, Oklahoma City — .OKLAHOMA CITY TIMES—We see by the WYNNEWOOD GAZETTE—The people of American farmers probably feel pretty proud papers that Oklahoma will have a 40-day Garvin county must be most law abiding if of the job of soil conservation they are doing open season on doves this year. We speak the conviction record of the Oklahoma Game nowadays. But is it enough? We still suffer with no authority in game regulations, but and Fish News can be taken as a measure. increasingly costly and dangerous land losses our guess is that iour-iiiths oi the sportsmen For the past year there have appeared only from wind and water erosion. Many are still who like dove hunting would vote to have a few cases arising in this county, and then overcropping. We are still far short of putting only a five-day season instead oi 40 days. just an occasional case of pollution by an oil every single acre of land to its wisest use—be Two good dove hunts are all most hunters company. With that kind of record, it may it woodland, pasture or cropland—based on want . . . R. G. M., The Smoking Room. be assumed that every fisherman who goes the characteristic of the field's topography fishing asks permission from the owner of and its soils . . . Wise land use is profitable. Net Profit the waters where he fishes unless he is on Depleted soil can be rebuilt, but it is a heavy HUGO DAILY NEWS—Driftin' along in public waters. He will also have on his person and needless expense that this nation can ill foam flecked stream whose liquid softness is a legal fishing license to show the game afford . . . Unfortunately for future genera­ cradled protectively in the sheltering arms of ranger if he is checked. He will not try to tions, America has not reached the point a rock strewn canyon, the only audible sound take fish in any manner declared illegal by where necessity prohibits a certain amount the whispering of bird life and the only dis­ the state. The fish he takes home are all within legal limits as to size and number. of wastefulness and abuse of our land. But cernible movement the sudden flick of furry haste as some forest dweller slides from the It is possible there are many violations by with population steadily increasing, that time thirst quenching water to a place of con­ people who do not know they are doing is bound to come, and it will get here all the cealment, more than repays the fisherman for anything illegal. But if the truth were known, sooner if we do not give more thought to the those intervals when the canny fish refuse there are probably many violations that go by problem now before it becomes acute. even the most hunger provoking morsels . . . because there is no one interested enough or Prediction Casting Around With Joe Anderson. who is willing to take the responsibility of GUTHRIE DAILY LEADER—Lately we have reporting to a game ranger ... In spite heard some good reports about the number oi of the lack of convictions from this county, quail seen in the county. From the talk, it there are bound to be too many violations of the law. Each fisherman should appoint him­ looks as if the birds are doing line. There is self as a public official for his own regulation plenty oi cover and ieed. Barring any radical . . . Just Plugging. changes in the situation, bird hunters should have some full bags when the season opens in November. Song Birds Protected HASKELL NEWS—Song birds in Haskell Foxy Tale, But True are protected in two ways—killing them is a MARIETTA MONITOR—Mrs. R. R. Good- violation of Federal law, and it is moreover son, who lives northeast of Thackerville, a violation to shoot air rifles, shotguns and started to her cellar during a thunder storm. other firearms in the city limits. The laws of She saw a fox heading toward her chickens. sportsmanship make it revolting to the nor­ She had seen a fox in the yard last week mal person to kill the harmless and beautiful but had been too startled to do anything, creatures which most citizens prize as an im­ and the fox had killed several baby chicks. portant part of the beauty and pleasure of When she saw the fox the second time it their gardens . . . Parents should take the made her good and mad. She took after him. advice of the town council and put the fire­ forgetting the storm. The fox grabbed a big arms in storage until such day as they care white rooster and headed for a hole in the to take their sons and daughters on hunting fence corner. By this time Mrs. Goodson had excursions in the field during legitimate hunt­ reached the fox. She caught hold of his tail Cavorting Coyote ing seasons . . . Mayor R. B. Edwards. and still he did not drop the chicken. With BROKEN ARROW LEDGER—This is the that she planted one foot on his neck and kind of story that makes our Eastern friends Trust An Oklahoman! really bore down. A neighbor girl arrived think six-guns are standard equipment out DAILY OKLAMOMAN—Ted Wolie, Okla­ with a pan and beat the animal over the head our way, but here goes anyway. A young homa City, now a lieutenant in Korea, iound until he was dead. The rooster ran away un­ coyote was cavorting in Broken Arrow's resi­ the area near Munsan simply covered with harmed. Mrs. Goodson has the fox tail to dential section—much to the delight of the pheasants. But no shooting was allowed in prove her story. neighborhood small fry. Where the varmint the area. Ted decided he'd come up with a came from was a mystery, but he was ready way to kill pheasants legally in Korea. He Plain Good Business to go back when an assemblage of youngsters made himseli a bean-shooter. Oi course he's AFTON AMERICAN—How much are lakes took out after him. When last seen he was shooting rocks at the pheasants, not beans. and streams worth to Oklahoma? The Okla­ headed for the business district with several Ted started a iad. Now dozens oi the GI's are homa Game and Fish Department reports that club-waving boys in pursuit. hunting pheasants near their camp and they're last year out-of-state sportsmen purchased getting the birds with bean-shooters . . . $150,969 worth of non-resident fishing li­ Maybe Vernon B. Snell. censes. Not only was this money a help in SAYRE SUN—Nimrods may have some providing the game and fish department with excellent wild turkey shooting in the vicinity Crows Damage Melons revenue to promote and provide better fish­ in the not too distant future, Claude Beeson, FAIRVIEW REPUBLICAN—Sportsmen are ing for those of us who live in the state, but local game ranger, advises a number of the asked to help eliminate the crow population the figures mean more when you look at large fowl have been set free along the creek in Major county by D. H. McClanahan, di­ them this way: It means that almost 50,000 banks north of here . . . We never thought vision ranger supervisor for the state game people came into our state, rented cabins, we would live to see the day, but Claude and fish department. A farmer living eight bought bait and fishing equipment, ate in our also advises the game and fish department miles southwest of Ringwood has reported restaurants and spent money in a way that is perturbed over the decrease in the cotton­ heavy losses to watermelons inflicted by people on a vacation generally spend it. This tail population. It seems there aren't enough crows. He said around 250 are working in year even more will be here. Some of them rabbits to satisfy the appetites of coyotes his immediate area. As crows go, this is not will visit our town—let's make them feel at and they have been filling up on farm pro­ a large number, but each crow eats an esti­ home because it's just plain good business. duce. mated four ounces daily.

OKLAHOMA GAME 8 FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, 1954 PAGE 15 Conviction Record, Game and Fish Law Violations, June, 1954 County Defendant Charged With Disposition 1- -Alfalfa George E. Black, Huff, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.25 court costs 2- -Atoka Rex Stewart, Haileyville, Okla. Hunting without permission $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 3- -Atoka Bill Ammons, Haileyville, Okla. Hunting without permission $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 4- -Blaine Albert Becker, Lahoma, Olka. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.25 court costs 5- -Blaine Mervin McGolden, Ringwood, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.25 court costs 6- -Blaine Kenneth Goodwin, Enid, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.25 court costs 7- -Blaine Elsie Wilson, Enid, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.25 court costs 8- -Blaine Johnie Bailey, El Reno, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.25 court costs 9- -Blaine W. M. Jones, Enid, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.25 court costs 10- -Blaine Earl J. Ruth, Enid, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.25 court costs 11- -Bryan Corine Howard, Coalgate, Okla. Fishing without license $5 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 12- -Bryan William F. Smith, Coalgate, Okla. Fishing without license Paid $3.75 court costs, purchased license 13- -Bryan Herman L. Jackson, Pampa, Texas Fishing without license $10 fine and $8.75 court costs $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 14- -Bryan George Walker, Dallas, Texas Gigging in closed season 15- J. L. Swindell, Lewisville, Texas $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs -Bryan Fishing without license Paid $3.75 court costs, purchased license 16- -Bryan Hattie Morgan, Idabel, Okla. Fishing without license 17- $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs -Bryan Dickie Wallace, Santa Fe, New Mexico ' Fishing without license $5 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 18- -Bryan G. L. Watson, Idabel, Okla. Fishing without license 19- $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs -Bryan Eddie F. Fisher, Hugo, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 20- -Bryan Henry R. Deering, Dallas, Texas Fishing without license 21- $5 fine 8 $8.75 court costs -Bryan J. J. Chance, Shawnee, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 22- -Bryan W. V. Watson, Chickasha, Okla. Fishing without license 23- Paid $3 court costs, purchased license -Bryan Emogene Watson, Chickasha, Okla. Fishing without license Paid $3 court costs, purchased license 24- Earl S. Smith, Okla. City, Okla. 25- -Bryan Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 26- -Bryan H. J. Smith, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 27- -Bryan T. H. Scott, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 28- -Bryan C. G. Patterson, Wichita Falls, Texas Fishing without license $5 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 29- -Bryan L. W. Young, Enid, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 30- -Bryan J. C. Koiner, Denison, Texas Possession undersized game fish $ 10 fine 8 $ 8.7 5 court costs 31- -Bryan Nathan Story, Denton, Texas Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 3 2- -Bryan Donald Thomas, Hobbs, N. Mexico Fishing without license Paid $3 court costs 33- -Bryan Ann LeRouax, Tulsa, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 34- -Bryan Robert LeRouax, Tulsa, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 35- -Bryan Harley L. Ghere, Los Angeles, Calif. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 3 6- -Bryan J. S. Veazey, Enid, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 3 7- -Bryan Charles Hendricks, Tyler, Texas Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 38- -Bryan Leo Hooper, Clovis, N. Mexico Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 39- -Bryan Bert Waldo, Sherman, Texas Fishing without license Paid $3.75 court costs, purchased license 40- -Bryan Lindon C. Gregory, Sherman, Texas Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 41- -Bryan Robert Rucker, Ardmore, Okla. Fishing without license Paid $3.75 court costs, purchased license 42- -Bryan Wallace Elliott, Ardmore, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 43- -Bryan F. F. Cooper, Dallas, Texas Fishing with improper license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 44- -Bryan George L. Scruggs, Houston, Texas Fishing without license Paid $3.75 court costs, purchased license 45- -Bryan Johnie Claypool, Borger, Texas Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 46- -Bryan H. W. Claypool, Borger, Texas Fishing without license $5 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 47- -Bryan Martin B. Hall, Pauls Valley, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 48- -Carter Wallace C. Lynn, Ardmore, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 49- -Cherokee John G. King, Tulsa, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 50- -Cherokee Arthur D. Tripp, Stilwell, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 51- -Cherokee Raymond L. Kirk, Kellyville, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 5 2- -Cherokee C. A. Winters, Jr., Tulsa, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $50 fine 8 $11.55 court costs 53- -Cherokee P. W. Gifford, Dallas, Taxes Possession undersized game fish $50 fine 8 $11.55 court costs 54- -Cherokee R. R. Morrison, Daingerfield, Texas Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 55- -Cherokee Dr. Edward H. Biggins, Muskogee, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 56- -Cherokee Jack McCollum, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $100 fine 8 $1 1.25 court costs 57- -Cleveland Ohio Oil Co., Okla. City, Okla. Pollution (Case #3468) $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 58- -Cleveland T. H. Buttler, Okla. City. Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 59- -Cleveland Bob McDonald, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 60- -Cleveland Hubert Suratte, Taloga, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 61- -Cleveland Allen Ford, Okla. City, Okla. Possession undersized game fish deer area $18.50 fine 8 $5 court costs, -Comanche Will Brown, Walters, Okla. Hunting with light 8 gun in known 37)^ days in jail $3.50 fine 8 16^ days in jail 62- -Comanche L. B. Mason, Lawton, Okla. Hunting without license $10 fine 8 $10 court costs $10 fine 8 $10 court costs 63- -Comanche C. E. Cook, Devol, Okla. Hunting without license 64- L. M. Marshall, Lawton, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs -Comanche $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 65- -Delaware Alford L. Nipe, Tulsa, Okla. Fishing without license 66- G. R. Housely, Miami, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs -Delaware $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 67- -Delaware L. J. McDonald, Tulsa, Okla. Possession undersized game fish 68- J. R. Suhler, Dallas, Texas Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs -Delaware $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 69- -Delaware H. C. Wood, Dallas, Texas Fishing without license 70- J. J. Pundt, Tulsa, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs -Delaware $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 71- -Delaware Don D. Collins, Hoit, Kansas Fishing without license 72- Benjamin Witmer, Kansas City, Mo. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs -Delaware $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 73- -Delaware Richard Richardson, Joplin, Mo. Fishing without license 74- O. R. Bruner, Kansas City, Mo. Fishing without license $10fine8$7.50 court costs -Delaware Paid $7.50 court costs 75- -Delaware K. B. Peck, Tulsa, Okla. Possession undersized game fish 76- Dan Harrel, Wheaton, Mo. Fishing without license Paid $7.50 court costs -Delaware $10fine8$7 court costs 77- -Delaware Donald L. Hill, Fairview, Mo. Fishing without license Walter S. Cantrell, Enid, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7 court costs 7 8- -Garfield $10 fine 8 $7 court costs 79- -Garfield Wesley Maycumber, Enid, Okla. Fishing without license Darrell Goe, Covington, Okla. Fishing without license $100 fine 8 $15 court costs 80- -Garfield $100 fine 8 $15 court costs 81- -Garvin Sohio Oil Co., Tulsa, Okla. Pollution (Case #6437) Parker Drilling Co., Tulsa, Okla. Pollution (Case #6478) $100 fine 8 $15 court costs 82- -Garvin $100 fine 8 $15 court costs 83- -Garvin Seaborn Drilling Co., Tulsa, Okla. Pollution (Case #6181) Geo. Cameron, Jr., Okla. City, Okla. Pollution (Case #6479) $100 fine 8 $15.50 court costs 84- -Garvin $ 1 00 fine 8 $ 1 5.5 0 court costs 85- -Garvin Robers Briscoe, Gainesville, Texas Pollution (Case #6485) 8 6- -Garvin G. C. Parker, Tulsa, Okla. Pollution (Case #6487) (CONTINUED NEXT PAGE)

PAGE 16 OKLAHOMA GAME 8 FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, 1954 Conviction Record, Game and Fish Law Violations, June, 1954 (CONCLUDED) County Defendant Charged With Disposition 87—Garvin Cimarron Oil Co., Tulsa, Okla. Pollution (Case #6484) $100 fine 8 $15.50 court costs 88—Garvin Farris Current, Whitehead, Okla. Hunting without license $10 fine 8 $9 court costs 89—Grady W. R. Stevens, Norman, Okla. Fishing without license $20 fine 8 $9 court costs 90—Grady Robert Johnston, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $20 fine 8 $9 court costs 91—Grady Hubert Sparks. Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $20 fine 8 $9 court costs 9 2—Grady L. D. Davis, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $20 fine 8 $9 court costs 93—Grady Robert Haynes, Dallas, Texas Fishing without license $20 fine© $8 court costs 94—Grady J. T. Knight, Chickasha, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $9 court costs 95—Grady F. K. Bullard, Chickasha, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $9 court costs 96—Greer Jesse T. Battleson, Altus, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 9 7—Haskell Earnest Mathews, Kinta, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $ 1 0 fine 8 $ 7.5 0 court costs 98—Johnston Lehman Ray, Stonewall, Okla. Fishing without license $ 10 fine 8 $ 8.5 0 court costs 99—Johnston E. F. Eason, Ardmore, Okla. Fishing without license $10fine8$8.50courtcosts 100—Johnston Billy Eason, Ardmore, Okla. Fishing without license $ 1 0 fine 8 $ 8.5 0 court costs 101—Johnston George Vieregge, Lubbock, Texas Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 102—Kiowa H. L. Sagely, Lone Wolf, Okla. Illegal seining $25 fine 8 $2.60 court costs 103—Kiowa Bert Brunkler, Lone Wolf, Okla. Illegal seining $25 fine 8 $2.60 court costs Gerold Beutler, Lone Wolf, Okla. 104—Kiowa Illegal seining $25 fine 8 $2.60 court costs 105—Kiowa D. L. Anderson, Lone Wolf, Okla. Illegal seining $25 fine 8 $2.60 court costs 106—Latimer M. E. Morgan, Panama, Okla. Fishing without license $25 fine 8 $3.50 court costs 107—Latimer Darrell A. Doty, Colo. Springs, Colo. Fishing without license $50 fine 8 $2.75 court costs 108—Latimer Leo F. Clark, Okla. City, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $2.75 court costs 109—LeFlore B. W. Ritter, Stuart, Okla. Snagging game fish $25 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 110—LeFlore E. E. Hamner, Tulsa, Okla. Illegal fishing (snagging) $ 1 0 fine 8 $ 7.5 0 court costs 111—LeFlore Robert Manusco, Dow, Okla. Netting in restricted area $25 Fine 8 $7.50 court costs 11 2—LeFlore Mrs. Vestel Morris, Wister, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 11 3—LeFlore Mrs. Charles Palmer, Henryetta, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 114—LeFlore Lloyd R. Hayes, Keota, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs I 1 5—LeFlore O. W. Marshall, Carlsbad, N. Mexico Fishing with improper license $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs II 6—Lincoln Bill Aufieger, Stillwater, Okla. Illegal seining of minnows $ 10 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 11 7—Lincoln Waiter Battie, Stillwater, Okla. Illegal seining of minnows $10 fine 8 $10 court costs 11 8—Lincoln Earl Franklin, Chandler, Okla. Illegal fishing $25 fine 8 $10 court costs 11 9—Lincoln Gene Allen, Chandler, Okla. Illegal fishing $25 fine 8 $10 court costs 120—Lincoln Mrs. Mildred Waukerly, Tulsa, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $10 court costs 121—Lincoln Floyd Plastire, Tulsa, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $10 court costs 122—Logan Norman K. Hackney, Britton, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $11.50 court costs 123—Love Doris Gee, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 1 24—Love Willam Smith, Norman, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 125—Love Thelma Hall, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license Paid $8 court costs 126—Marshall Mrs. Dave Linn, Dallas, Texas Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs Dave Linn, Dallas, Texas 127—Marshall Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 128—Marshall O. E. Patty, Dallas, Texas Fishing without license Goyle Hill, Tulsa, Okla. $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 129—Mayes Fishing without license $ 10 fine 8 $ 7.5 0 court costs 130—Mayes K. B. Pogue, Sapulpa, Okla. Possession undersized game fish W. P. Bunch, Catoosa, Okla. $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 13 1—Mayes Possession undersized game fish $ 10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 13 2—Mayes Gerald Stevens, Tulsa, Okla. B. G. Lenard, Tulsa, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 133—Mayes Violating safety zone $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 1 34—Mcintosh Bernet Jackson, Eufaula, Okla. Billy R. Smallwood, Checotah, Okla. Hunting without license $ 10 fine 8 $ 8.5 0 court costs 135—Mcintosh Fishing without license $ 10 fine 8 $ 8.5 0 court costs 136—Murray Norma Hill, Midwest City, Okla. L. fllingsworth, Nowata, Okla. Fishing without license $ 1 0 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 13 7—Nowata W. J. Smith, Pharoah, Okla. Selling fish without proper license Paid $16.95 court costs 138—Okfuskee Charles E. Osborn, Okla. City, Okla. Pollution (Case #2892) $125 fine 8 $13.20 court costs 139—Oklahoma Jackson Truman, Okla. City, Okla. Selling game fish $20 fine 8 $5 court costs 140—Oklahoma Frank Reed, Jr., Kansas City, Mo. Seining without license Served 35 days in jail in lieu of fine and costs 141 —Oklahoma William Charles Ewing, Abilene, Texas Fishing with improper license $10 fine 8 $10 court costs 142—Oklahoma Clyde Beeler, Bethany, Okla. Fishing with improper license $10 fine 8 $10 court costs 143—Oklahoma Delbert O. Dye, Odessa, Texas Snagging fish $10 fine 8 $10 court costs 144—Oklahoma E. J. Vernon, Dallas, Texas Fishing with improper license $10 fine 8 $10 court costs 145—Oklahoma Paul Garrett, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing with improper license $10 fine 8 $10 court costs 14 6—Oklahoma Dean Updegraft, Okla. City, Okla. Illegal fishing $ 10 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 147—Oklahoma R. W. Davidson, Henryetta, Okla. Illegal fishing $ 10 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 148—Okmulgee Clark Dodsworth, Dallas, Texas Possession undersized game fish $ 10 fine 8 $ 8.5 0 court costs 149—Okmulgee Don Spayed, Bartlesville, Okla. Pollution (Case #5259) $10 Ofine 8 $14.30 court costs 150—Osage Tommy H. Holmes, Ponca City, Okla. Seining game fish $25 fine 8 $10 court costs 151—Osage Allen Cathey, Miami, Okla. Fishing without license $20 fine 8 $10 court costs 1 5 2—Ottawa Jack Robeson, Miami, Okla. Fishing without license $ 1 0 fine 8 $7.75 court costs 153—Ottawa Lloyd Rambo, Ashland, Okla. Illegal fishing $ 1 0 fine 8 $ 7.7 5 court costs 154—Pittsburg Olan Rambo, Ashland, Okla. Fishing without permission $ 10 fine 8 $ 3.8 0 court costs 155—Pittsburg Pete Rambo, Ashland, Okla. Fishing without permission $ 1 0 fine 8 $ 3.8 0 court costs 156—Pittsburg Richard Falis, McAlester, Okla. Fishing without permission $10 fine 8 $3.80 court costs 1 5 7—Pittsburg Levi Ackley, Ada, Okla. Hunting without permission $10fine8$3.80 court costs 1 5 8—Pontotoc Levi, Ackley, Ada, Okla. Pollution (Case #5656) $ 100 fine 8 $ 21.5 5 court costs 15 9—Pontotoc Levi Ackley, Ada, Okla. Pollution (Case #5657) $ 100 fine 8 $ 1 6.15 court costs 160—Pontotoc Peck Gale, Roff, Okla. Pollution (Case #5668) Paid $11.55 court costs 161—Pontotoc Iley H. Shuffield, Antlers, Okla. Fishing without license Served jail sentence 1 62—Pushmataha Mrs. Odie McManus, Maysville, Okla. Fishing without license $ 10 fine 8 $ 8.7 5 court costs 1 63—Pushmataha James, D. McNeill, Antlers, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 1 64—Pushmataha Carl H. Hampton, Edmond, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 1 65—Sequoyah Cleveland Kimzy, Okla. City, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 1 66—Sequoyah William Galloway, Dallas, Texas Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 1 67—Sequoyah Mrs. Wm. Galloway, Dallas, Texas Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 168—Sequoyah Mrs. T. E. Williams, Shawnee, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 1 69—Sequoyah Clyde D. Brown, Tulsa, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 170—Sequoyah C. P. Poyner, Tulsa, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 171—Tulsa E. J. Mitschke, Woodward, Okla. Illegal fishing $25 fine 8 $17.40 court costs Fishing without license 1 72—Woodward $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs

OKLAHOMA GAME 8 FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, 1954 PAGE 17 Conviction Record, Game and Fish Law Violations, July, 1954

County Defendant Charged With Disposition 1—Adair Cicero W. Terripan, Stilwell, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 2—Adair George Scott, Stilwell, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 3—Blaine Richard Gilbert, Stillwater, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.25 court costs 4—Blaine Albino Ruiz, Fay, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.25 court costs 5—Blaine Garlon Jarnagin, Selling, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $7.25 court costs 6—Bryan W. W. Hunt, Colbert, Okla. Fishing without license $5 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 7—Bryan H. L. Home, Colbert, Okla. Fishing without license $5 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 8—Bryan Dr. Dowell, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 9—Bryan Robert H. Jones, Colbert, Okla. Fishing without license Paid $3.75 court costs 10—Bryan Welford Ray John, Ardmore, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 11—Bryan Emory Henry, Ardmore, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 1 2—Bryan Margret Smith, Ardmore, Okla. Fishing without license Paid $8.75 court costs, purchased license 13—Bryan Mattie Jones, Ardmore, Okla. Fishing without license Paid $8.75 court costs, purchased license 14—Bryan Mrs. Chas. Jermstead, Tyler, Texas Fishing without license Paid $3.75 court costs, purchased license 15—Bryan Louis V. Dias,« Santa Maria, Calif. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 1 6—Bryan Anna Lou Martin, Tyler, Texas Fishing without license Paid $3.75 court costs, purchased license 1 7—Bryan Charles Martin, Tyler, Texas Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 1 8—Bryan Travis Faircloth, Dallas, Texas Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 19—Caddo T. J. McSpurett, Carnegie, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $2.25 court costs 20—Canadian Ed Ford, Okla. City, Okla. Hunting without license $25 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 21—Carter Hildebrandt Trucking Co., Lindsay, Okla. Pollution (Case #7382) $100 fine 8 $15.50 court costs 22—Carter Lone Star Gas Co., Okla. City, Okla. Pollution (Case #7383) $100 fine 8 $15.50 court costs 23—Carter Amerada Pet. Co., Tulsa, Okla. Pollution (Case #7392) $ 1 00 fine 8 $ 15.50 court costs 24—Carter Amerada Pet. Co., Tulsa Okla. Pollution (Case #7393) $ 1 00 fine 8 $ 15.50 court costs 25—Carter Guy Horn, Healdton, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 26—Carter Bill A. Gray, Ardmore, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 27—Cherokee Ivan Sexton, Tulsa, Okla. Illegal fishing $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 28-—Cherokee Bob King, Guymon, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 29—Cherokee Charles Helm, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 30—Cherokee Ernest King, Guymon, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 31—Cherokee Robert D. Balboa, Tulsa, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 32—Cherokee Duard Carter, Tahlequah, Okla. Illegal seining $25 fine 8 $8 court costs 33—Cherokee Dvon Sexton, Tulsa, Okla. Illegal seining $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 34—Choctaw Rocky Nolan, Tulsa, Okla. Illegal fishing $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 35—Choctaw Bill Davis, Tulsa, Okla. Illegal fishing $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 36—Choctaw A. L. Treat, Tulsa, Okla. Illegal fishing $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 37—Cleveland James Ray Palmer, Purcell, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 38—Cleveland Clark Gaylord, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 39—Cleveland Sidney E. Green, Okla. City, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 40—Cotton Kewanee Oil Co., Walters, Okla. Pollution (Case #2932) $150 fine 8 $12.50 court costs 41—Custer Delbert L. Hoffman, Weatherford, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $17.40 court costs 42—Garvin Sohio Oil Co., Okla. City, Okla. Pollution (Case #6482) $100 fine 8 $15.60 court costs 43—Garvin Sohio Oil Co., Okla. City, Okla. Pollution (Case #6486) $100 fine 8 $15.60 court costs 44—Garvin Amerada Pet. Co., Tulsa, Okla. Pollution (Case #6480) $100 fine 8 $15.60 court costs 45—Grady L. M. Howell, Alex, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $9 court costs 46—Grady L. G. Lawson, Riverton, Wyoming Fishing without license $50 fine 8 $9 court costs 47—Grady Carl E. Davis, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $25 fine 8 $9 court costs 48—Grady Roy Sparks, Ninnekah, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $9 court costs 49—Grady Ray O'Briant, Chickasha, Okal. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $9 court costs 50—Greer Kay Haddad, Enid, Okla. Fishing without license $25 fine 8 $7.50 court costs 51—Kay Robert Bohannon, Ponca City, Okla. Telephone fishing $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 52—Kingfisher E. H. Ratcliff, Crescent, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 53—Kingfisher Ivan A. Lindell, Kingfisher, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 54—Latimer Lonnie May, Wilburton, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $3 court costs 55—LeFlore Ben Donald Huppt, Tulsa, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $3 court costs 56—LeFlore Mrs. R. E. Sloss, Arkoma, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 57—Lincoln Glen Collins, Prague, Okla. Illegal fishing $ 10 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 58—Lincoln William Alberry, Okla. City, Okla. Illegal fishing $ 1 0 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 59—Lincoln Eddie Carr, Jr., Paden, Okla. Illegal fishing $ 1 0 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 60—Lincoln Herman Rowland, Tulsa, Okla. Illegal fishing $ 1 0 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 61—Lincoln Commodore Fuller, Okla. City, Okla. Illegal fishing $ 1 0 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 62—Lincoln I. W. Parker, Shawnee, Okla. Illegal fishing $ 10 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 63—Lincoln William D. Collins, Prague, Okla. Illegal fishing $ 10 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 64—Lincoln Norman Glen Vanhorn, Prague, Okla. Illegal fishing $10 fine 8 $10 court costs 65-—Lincoln Jack Adams, Okla. City, Okla. Illegal fishing $ 1 0 fine 8 $ 1 0 court costs 66—Lincoln Miller Chilcoat, Seminole, Okla. Hunting without license $ 1 0 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 67—McClain John Bourbonnais. Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $5 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 68—McClain Murle White, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.50 court costs 69—McCurtain W. O. Willis, Idabel, Okla. Killing illegal deer $50 fine 8 $4.50 court costs 70—Major Floyd Klein, Enid, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $17.50 court costs 71—Major Mrs. Mary L. Allen, Enid, Okla. Fishing without license $ 1 0 fine 8 $ 1 7.50 court costs 72—Major Carl Lovingier, Ringwood, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $17.50 court costs 73—Major John Owens, Enid, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $17.50 court costs 74—Mayes Andy Rutledge, Tulsa, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10 fine $7.50 court costs 75—Marshall L. H. Odell, Shawnee, Okla. Fishing without license Paid $8 court costs, purchased license 76—Marshall Roy Gibbs, Ardmore, Okla. Illegal fishing $25 fine 8 $8 court costs 77—Marshall Glenn Reed, Ardmore, Okla. Illegal fishing $25 fine 8 $8 court costs 78—Oklahoma C. A. Vandervoot, San Pedro, Calif. Fishing with improper license $ 10 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 79-—Oklahoma Olen Smith, Wichita, Kansas Fishing with improper license $ 10 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 80—Oklahoma Billy J. Dennis, Edmond, Okla. Illegal fishing Paid $16.05 court costs 81—Oklahoma E. E. Jackson, Okla. City, Okla. Back dating fishing license (license dealer) $25 fine 8 $10 court costs 82—Osage L. A. Weese, Wichita Falls, Texas Fishing with improper license $ 10 fine 8 $ 10 court costs 83—Osage Monroe Franklin, Pawhuska, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $10 court costs 84—Ottawa James Thomas, Miami, Okla. Gigging in closed season $10 fine 8 $7.75 court costs 85—Payne W. W. Williams, Langston, Okla. Fishing with improper license $10 fine 8 $9.25 court costs (CONTINUED NEXT PAGE)

PAGE 18 OKLAHOMA GAME 8 FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, 1954 Conviction Record, Game and Fish Law Violations, July, 1954 (CONCLUDED) County Defendant Charged With Disposition 86—Payne Mrs. Norman Hartwick, Okla. City, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.25 court costs 87—Payne Mrs. J. H. Pettyjohn, Albion, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.25 court costs 88—Payne Arthur Horning, Midwest City, Okla. Hunting without license $10 fine $9.25 court costs 89—Payne A. M. Edmondson, Ponca City, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $18 fine 8 $9 court costs 90—Payne Harold Brantley, Okla. City, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10fine8$9.25 court costs 91—Payne Elmer Bartlett, Perkins, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 9 2—Pottawatomie Noble Boykin, Shawnee, Okla. Fishing without license Paid $10.50 court costs 9 3—Pushmataha Mrs. Imogene Jones, Tuttle, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 94—Pushmataha L. H. Grubis, McAlester, Okla. Possession undersized game fish $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 9 5—Pushmataha W. F. Lacek, Clayton, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 9 6—Pushmataha H. F. Lacek, Clayton, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 9 7—Pushmataha C. O. Lawrence, Olney, Okla. Gigging in closed season $10 fine 8 $8.75 court costs 98—Sequoyah William C. Tyler, Henryetta, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 99—Sequoyah Bob Anderson, Hopkins, Minn. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 100—Sequoyah Earl Dial, Edmond, Okla. Fishing without license $10 fine 8 $8 court costs 101—Stephens J. E. Jackson, Duncan, Okla. Pollution (Case #12997) Acquitted by jury 102—Wagoner E. B. Hancock, Tulsa, Okla. Unlawful wading in safety zone $5 fine 8 $12.70 court costs 103—Wagoner Jay Silas, Tulsa, Okla. Unlawful wading in safety zone $5 fine 8 $12.70 court costs

the Armadillo into a garage. Four trips around the inside of the garage, and a couple of big jumps were made before MORE the professor finally caught the animal. Armadillos in Oklahoma will cease to become news ARMADILLOS if the frequency of this type of report continues. IN STATE Movie Emphasizes Farmer-Sportsman Goodwill A NEW MOVIE added recently to the state game and fish 1^1 ,ew reports of Armadillos captured and department's lending library emphasizes the need for killed in Oklahoma, have come this summer to this pub­ friendly relations between sportsmen and farmers. The film entitled "You and Your Farmer Friends" is in color lication. and sound, and runs for 22 minutes. It was produced In Mayes county, far to the northeast, A. D. (Buck) recently by the Kansas Fish and Game Commission at a Aldrich, regional information-education supervisor for cost of more than $7,000. The Oklahoma game and fish the state game and fish department, reported (in June) department's print was obtained for $145 and is being an Armadillo captured by C. A. Saffell of Pryor. It is widely shown to sportsmen clubs, hunters and fishermen believed that this capture was the farthest northeast that this fall. the odd, hard-shelled animals have been found in this state. Donald and Ray Harkey, farm boys living two miles west of Whitefield in Haskell county, east-central Okla­ New Farm Pond Booklet Published homa, returned from church on a Sunday late in June "Farm Ponds for Fish in Oklahoma" is the title of to discover that their dog had cornered an Armadillo under a new booklet published by the state game and fish de­ the porch of their home. They promptly clapped a wash partment. It covers all information that the owner or tub over it and consulted an encyclopedia to see what they potential builder of a farm pond might wish to know, had. from selecting the site to stocking and fishing. Free copies At Ada in Pontotoc county, Mrs. Virgil M. Sinnett may be had from state game and fish offices in Oklahoma found another Armadillo "eating up the only flower I City, Chickasha, Fairview, McAlester and Pryor. had growing in my garden." She reported it to East Central State College officials, and the animal was taken there for THE LARGEST REPTILE in modern times is the study by Dr. Clifford Dennis, biology instructor. It was leatherback, a marine turtle. Specimens have weighed al­ quite a capture. Mrs. Sinnett used a water hose to chase most 1,500 pounds and measured eight feet in length. The Water Cycle and Pollution (Fwmpagen) soil particles loose and incorporate thing that goes down the drains of a but an unnatural concoction of man them with the water—and the quali­ city and into its sewer system—the and an offense to society. ty of water is impaired. This silt used water from toilets, bathtubs and Silt is chiefly a problem for farm­ would be a priceless asset if it were sinks, washings from restaurants and ers, foresters and soil conservationists. allowed to stay on the land. laundries, hospitals and hotels, etc. It is basically a land problem, and it The second form of pollution con­ Industrial wastes are the acids, will be solved in rural areas. sists of our unwanted wastes. These chemicals, oils, greases, and animal But the problem of sewage and wastes are of two general types: sani­ and vegetable matter discharged by wastes is a water problem. It must be tary sewage, and industrial wastes. our factories. solved by the communities and fac­ Sanitary sewage includes every­ The water that Nature gave us is tories which cause it.

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OKLAHOMA GAME AND FISH NEWS State Capitol Oklahoma City 5, Oklahoma

PAGE 20 OKLAHOMA GAME 8 FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, 1954 Waurika Lake Fertilized Soil Judqe Winner SEVEN TONS of mixed fertilizer have been placed in the new public fishing lake near Waurika by the state game and fish department. This treatment is designed to clear the water and increase the growth of plant life for fish. Fertilization has shown that fish yields may be in­ creased several times over non-fertilized waters. The Waurika lake is one of several constructed or planned for areas where fishing waters are scarce. These are financed by federal-aid-to-fisheries funds, under the Dingell-Johnson congressional bill of 1951. Seventy-five per cent of the moneys come from federal excise tax on fishing tackle and twenty-five per cent from state fishing license fees. The lake near Waurika will probably be opened for fishing next ear.

State's Record Bluegill

John Thornton and Trophy TOP INDIVIDUAL Soil Judge in the nation for the second year running is 17-year-old John Thornton of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. John is a Washington county 4-H Club member. He is show holding the 1954 trophy awarded him following the third National Land Judging contest held in Oklahoma City, April 28-30. Approxi­ mately 1,000 contestants took part in the event. First two days of the event were devoted to training schools that emphasized the importance of land appreciation and judg­ ing and brought out the importance of application of these DR. LELAND C. BRANDT, Cherokee, shows his prize bluegiii, which principles to good soil conservation. Included, too, was he caught in Labrue lake near Byron May 14, 1953. It- is the largest a training period on pasture and range judging, in which of the species ever caught in Oklahoma waters. The Cherokee sports­ man's bluegill was 12'2 inches long, six inches in depth, 2 V2 inches various grasses that add materially to range conservation thick, and measured 15 Vz inches around. It weighed 2 pounds, 1 Vi were studied. ounces . . . N-E Photo courtesy Enid Morning News.

TRIPLETS

SPARKLE, a three-year-old doe at Robbers Cave State Park near Wilburton is the proud mother of Triplets, born in late May. Last year she had twins. The family, with the father Bambi (who failed to get into the picture) are cared for in a wire enclosure by A. M. Spain, park superin­ tendent at Robbers Cave. THE TRIPLET FAWNS have been a major at­ traction at the park the past summer and many visitors have made trips specifically to see them.

ROBBERS CAVE lies in the midst of some of Oklahoma's best deer hunting area and one of the hunter-check stations each deer season is located at the state park. State Game and Fish Commissioners are this year considering a possible statewide deer season, the regulations for which will be announced this month . . . Oklahoma Planning b Resources Board Photo.

•••'''•: •"': ' - .- •:• :'". '" OKLAHOMA MR BY WALLACE HUGHES band of black at the tip of tail are best Gulls and Terns identification marks. Length average, \SYi inches. Wingspread, 48 inches. FRANKLIN'S GULL (Larus pipixcan). Common spring (April to early June) and Fall (late August-November) migrant. Com­ monly seen following the farmer's plow in HERRING CULL the spring. Found in small or large flocks, sometimes in the thousands, on the larger lakes of the state. Adult, in spring: Head, black. Incomplete white ring around eye. Underbody and tail, white. Back and upper wings, dark gray. Wing tips, black with white markings, separated from gray by a band of white. Feet and legs, dusky red. Bill, dusky red, black tipped. Eyes, dark. Adult, in fall: Same, except head, white, with dark markings extending from eye to eye around back of head. Immature: Similar to fall adult, back and wings, brownish gray. Tail, white with broad black band near tip. Average length, 14 inches. COMMON TERN (Sterna hirundo) . Spring (April-May) and Fall (September-October) migrant. Rather common. Occurs in small flocks on the larger lakes of the state. Most often seen on the wing. Graceful and swal­ low-like in flight. Hovers and plunges into the water while feeding. Rests on sandbars, islands and other objects in the water. Slight­ ly larger than a Domestic Pigeon. Adult in spring: Mostly white, with pale gray upper wings and back. Primary wing feathers, dark­ er than rest of plumage. Crown of head ex­ tending to nape, black. Bill, red-orange with black tip. Feet and legs, red-orange. Tail, deeply forked. Adult, fall and Immature: Like spring plumage but without black cap. Black­ ish markings extend from eye to eye around back of head. Bill, blackish instead of red. Average length, 15 inches. Wingspread, 31 inches.

LEAST TERN (Sterna albifrons). Summer resident, May to October. Found around larger lakes, Salt Plains and along sand bed rivers. Our smallest Tern. Hovers and plunges into water while feeding. Adult, in spring: White, with light gray back and upper wings. plumage in four years. Appear a little whiter Black cap. White forehead. Bill and feet, HELERRIN G GULL. (Larus argentatus) . Spring each year until adulthood. Consult Peterson's and fall migrant, occasionally found in yellow. Adult, fall and Immdture: Black cap Field Guide or Pough's Audubon Water Bird absent. Dark markings from eye to eye winter. Not common. Largest gull found in Guide for plumage details. Length average, Oklahoma. Near size of small goose. Gulls around back of head. Bill, dark. Feet, dull 24 inches. Wingspread, 56 inches. Weight yellow. Average length, 9 inches. Wingspread, are mainly scavengers, clean up dead fish 2J/£ pounds. and other refuse found along shorelines of 20 inches. lakes. Found on larger lakes throughout the RING-BILLED GULL (Larus delawarensis). BLACK TERN (Chlidonias niger). Com­ state. Expert and graceful in flight. Most Spring (February-May) and Fall (Sept­ mon spring (May-June) and Fall (late July- often seen in flight, in small to large flocks. ember-November) migrant. Rather common September) migrant. Found around lakes Swims, riding higher and more buoyantly in around the larger lakes of the state. In the throughout the state. Found in small to large the water than most swimming birds. Rests spring will follow the farmer's plow, pick­ flocks. Follows the farmer's plow in the along shorelines, sandbars or any object in ing up insects, etc. turned up by the plow. spring. Slightly larger than the Least Tern. the water that offers a good foothold. Adult: Similar to the Herring Gull, but smaller. Adult, in spring: Head and underbody, black. Head, underbody and tail, white. Back and About the size of a crow, but with longer Wings, back and tail, gray. Undertail, white. upper part of wings, gray. Wingtips, black wings. Adult: Head, underbody and tail, Feet and legs, dark reddish-brown. Adult, fall marked with white. Feet and legs, pink. white. Back and upper wings, gray. Wing- and Immature: Head and underbody, white. Bill, yellow with red marking on lower tips, black marked with white. Bill, yellow Dark markings eye to eye around back of mandible. Eyes, yellow, rimmed with red. with black ring near tip. Feet and legs, yellow head. Wings, back and tail, gray. During Immature: First year birds are completely or pale greenish. Eyes, yellow with red rims. August, mottled appearing birds, changing dark. Dark brown wings and tail, body more Immdture: Often mistaken for second year from spring plumage to fall plumage are or less streaked brownish-black. Attain adult Herring Gull. Smaller size and an inch wide often seen. Length average, 9J/2 inches.

PAGE 22 OKLAHOMA GAME & FISH NEWS—SEPTEMBER, I954 LET TERS

TO THE SEES IMPROVEMENT Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1109 S.W. 37 June 28, 1954 EDITOR FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS I have been following the activi­ ties of the Game and Fish Department with much interest. I have enjoyed the fine hunting and fishing that exists in Oklahoma for 15 years. In my opinion, based on my being in the field over most of the state, our hunting and fishing is improving rapidly. Congratulations on a fine job. DELBERT J. LACEFIELD

Nashville, Tennessee COMMENDS A RANGER July 26, 1954 Seminole, Oklahoma June 7, 1954 THIS IS TO THANK you for the loan of your film "Okla­ homa Game Ranger" for our annual officer's school just passed. THE OKLAHOMA PRESS Association held our Spring con­ It was used several times and helped to create the universal feel­ vention at Lake Murray June 3-5. May I express our sincere ing that this was the most informative session in the five years of appreciation for the many courtesies extended by your Mr. law enforcement officers' training school in Tennessee. Many Howard Sparger, game ranger at Lake Murray, The assistance thanks for your interest and help in our program. Yours for con­ and eagerness to be of help added to the enjoyment of the editors, tinued hunting and fishing! publishers and their families attending the convention. Please accept our thanks for the many courtesies shown us by Mr. DANIEL GRICE, Sparger. Game S Fish Comm. MILT PHILLIPS, President Photographer Oklahoma Press Association

'•>l APPRECIATIVE READER FAVORS HOOK-AND-LINE FISHING Warr Acres, Oklahoma Alex, Oklahoma July 18, 1954 May 13, 1954 I AM A NATIVE OKLAHOMAN, 47, and have fished and I APPRECIATE Oklahoma Came and Fish News and am of hunted since I was three. I am interested in conservation very the opinion that you of the conservation department are doing a much. In spite of the good job you are doing, some of our fine job. I think your television programs are of great value. When may I hunt with a crossbow? streams are being depleted of fish by those who are not good sportsmen. I would like to see the taking of fish with hooks as HAL CRONKHITE the only lawful way to take them. GEO. B. SMITH EDITORS NOTE: There is no mention made in the state game and fish code (Title 29 of the Oklahoma Statutes) of the use MEDITATION OF A FISHERMAN of crossbows. However, in the deer hunting regulations annually made up for archers, crossbows are specifically pro­ Colony, Oklahoma hibited. June 1, 1954 SATURDAY WHILE FISHING Cobb Creek, I chanced upon God molding characer. The setting was perfect, green foliage, GOOD STORY frogs chirping, birds singing, sun shining, warm but not hot. Okemah, Oklahoma Two boys, ages 10 or 12, with their dog, were fishing—shoes Rt. 2, Box 157 off, pants rolled up, dogwood poles, chalk line twine, washers or nuts for sinkers, no profanity, no evil throughts. They were I JUST FINISHED reading "Big Water" by Bill Thompson catching (as was I) goggle eye, pumpkin seed perch and mudcats. in your July-August issue. It was a very good story indeed. It turned the time back some 40 years when my brother, a I believe the commercial fisherman does the sports fisherman al­ neighbor boy, and myself, spent many hours on this same creek most as much good as the people who put the game fish in our and the same fishing hole. I gave them my string of fish which lakes and streams. Let them both work together and we'll have made a good mess. Boys of that age have so much fun. What are better places to fish in years to come. Thank you for the wonder- we doing for posterity? With such beauty, how can anyone ul book you put out. doubt there is a God? MALCOLM WESLEY TIM H. KENDRICK

A PROTEST HELP FOR A RARE BIRD Ardmore, Oklahoma Austwell, Texas 1107 3rd, N.E. Aransas National Wildlife Refuge July 13, 1954 April 26, 1954 FROM REPORTS we receive from Oklahoma, it is apparent I RAN ACROSS the most incredible news in your July issue that your department and magazine have been most helpful in (Press Says section)—that of protecting the rattlesnake. If ever providing your readers and the people of Oklahoma with infor­ there was a more horrible information, I have not read it. There mation aimed at saving this rare bird (the Whooping Crane). were two small boys recently bitten by a rattlesnake near here. Their legs were swollen up horribly. Is that what the so-called It is our personal feeling that it is only through a public educa­ hunters want? The stated reason for such action is that the killing tional program such as you people have been doing, that the would upset the balance of nature . . . Plainly it can be seen whooper can be kept winging its way north and south each year. that such an argument doesn't have two legs to stand on. I don't We have great confidence in the American Hunter in permitting think the honorable Legislature would even consider such an safe passage for the whoopers if he is properly informed of their ccentric bill. appearance, the importance of not shooting and the reasons for doing so. LEMUEL HOWELL JULIAN A. HOWARD EDITOR'S NOTE: Frankly, Mr. Howell, we don't either! Refuge Manager FAVORS ROUGH FISH REMOVAL A LITTLE SPORT" Tulsa, Oklahoma Glencoe, Oklahoma June 14, 1954 4636 S. 31st W. Ave. I AM STRONGLY in favor of the removal of rough fish WE ENJOY Oklahoma Game and Fish News very much. from Oklahoma lakes. Anyone who has bothered to inform him­ I liked the article on the Bluegill. He is really a little sport. Our self knows that a body of water will support only so many club lake may be overstocked with them. They are small, but pounds of fish per acre, regardless of species or size or num many. Our lake is five years old and producing some good fish. I have not been influenced or pressured by others. NIMROD JOSEPH L. BURKE Return Postage Guaranteed :i Okla. Game and Fish Dept. ;-' -"- -*^te Library Oklahoma City 5, Okla. Jniianapolia, Inj. ! GIVE MY PLEDGE AS AN AMERICAN TO SAVE AND FAITHFULLY TO DEFEND FROM WASTE THE NATURAL RESOURCES OP MY COUNTRY - ITS SOIL AND MINERALS. ITS ". FORESTS. WATERS. , • AND WILDLIFE •

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V ••- >\tMm Ii. i jL^Wi THE BUFFALO WILL CKOSS WITH \T?OMESTIO CATTLE - THESE Ce.0SfES AZE CALLEP "CATTALOS" - AVEKASE OLP AANS'- PAKT/OPLAKLY X>OKWO THE N1ATIN&- (W CALF KEAKINS SEASONS