OREGON STATE GAME COMMISSION UllETIN SEPTEMBER 1960 STATE RED HAT DAYS GAME COMMISSION THE GOVERNOR'S Red Hat Days publicity materials and plan Red Hat Committee has announced that the Red Days events. More emphasis willbe Hat Days program will be continued placed on use of outdoor posters and again thisfall.Kickoff date for this newspaper,radio,and televisioncov- ULLETIN annual landowner-hunter good relations erage. campaign has been set for September 23. The Committee has pointed out that Red Hat Days has received national although some progress has been made, recognition since its inception in 1955. the record number of hunting casualties SEPTEMBER, 1960 The Izaak Walton League of America last year and numerous reports of van- Number 9, Volume 15 adopted and issponsoring a national dalism and trespass attest to the fact program patterned after Red Hat Days that much remains to be done. It has Published Monthly by the here in Oregon. also been emphasized that individuals OREGON STATE GAME COMMISSION The Committee has advised that the must assume more responsibility in re- 1634 S.W. Alder StreetP. 0. Box 4136 organizational setup has been changed porting unsportsmanlike conduct and in Portland 8, Oregon somewhat. No county chairmen will be being willing to testify in court in such MIRIAM KAUTTU SUHL, Editor H. C. SMITH, Staff Artist appointed this year although the men cases. MEMBERS OF COMMISSION and women serving in this capacity in The Red Hat Days Committee has J. H. Van Winkle, Chairman Oregon City previous years have done on outstanding saidthatconsiderationof a broader Rollin E. Bowles Portland year-round good outdoor manners pro- Max Wilson Joseph job. Also the well-known pledge cards John P. Amacher Winchester and buttons have been dropped, at least gram is continuing and that if such a Joseph W. Smith Klamath Falls for this year. program develops, it would undoubtedly ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF More reliance will be placed on local be a projection of the Red Hat Days P. W. Schneider Director C. B. Walsh Assistant Director groups, particularly sportsmen and other program into other outdoor activities and John McKean Chief of Oper., Game Div. conservation organizations, to distribute at other seasons of the year. C. J. Campbell Chief of Oper., Fishery Div. R. C. Holloway Chief, Inf. and Educ. H. J. Rayner Chief, Research Division AUGUST MEETING OF THE Grove Lake in Clackamas County and W. D. DeCew Controller of Drews Reservoir and Dog Lake in John B. Dimick Chief, Supply and Property William E. Pitney .. Chief, Basin Investigations GAME COMMISSION Lake County. A. V. Meyers Chief, Lands Section The Oregon State Game Commission COLUMBIA RIVER REGULATIONS. George Kernan Engineer H. R. Newcomb Personnel Officer at its meeting on August 19 acted upon Representatives of the Fish Commission Roy C. Atchison Attorney thefollowing matters inadditionto discussed the need for protecting the fall REGIONAL SUPERVISORS adopting hunting and trapping regula- chinook salmon at the mouth of the Co- Leslie Zumwalt, Region I, Route 1, Box 325, Corvallis tions for small game and furbearers. lumbia River and suggested a closure to J. W. Vaughn, Region IIBox 577, Roseburg BIDS. Accepted a bid of Armco for angling during the period the river was L. M. Mathisen, Region IIIParrell Road, Bend W. H. Brown, Region IVBox 742, La Grande $3,850 for improvement of Dailey Reser- closed to net fishing. The Game Commis- W. V. Masson, Region V Box 8, Hines voir (Jackson County), and bid of Colt sion felt that a further restriction of Entered as second-class matter September 30, 1947, at the post office at Portland, Oregon, Construction Company for $19,275 for Oregon salmon anglers would not be ef- under the act of August 24, 1912. pipeline at Roaring river hatchery. Re- fective so long as the Washington an- Please report promptly any change of ad- dress. Send in both the old and new address jected all bids for development of Lofton gling regulations affecting the same runs with notice of change. Reservoir and instructed staff to try ne- of fish remained much more liberal. It At the present time the Bulletin is circulated gotiating the job at a lesser cost. free of charge to anyone forwarding a written was suggested that the Washington fish- request. FISHER. Authorized purchase of 20 eries department be approached to see or more fisher from British Columbia what action it would take, and the Ore- for release in the state as a start toward gon Commission would consider the mat- the cover rehabilitation of the species. The last terfurtheratitsregularangling documented sighting of a fisher in Ore- Antelope in southeastern Oregon. (Photo regulation hearing in January. by William C. Lightfoot) gon was in 1949 near Waldo Lake in CAPITAL OUTLAY.Projectsap- Lane County. proved for proceeding by force account RESEEDING. Authorized expenditure or a call for bids included: levelling of BULLETIN of $1,000 plus a supply of bitterbrush 31 acres at Klamath Management Area; seed on hand to assist the Forest Service concreting ponds at Wizard Falls hatch- HUNTER SAFETY inreseeding burnedoverbig game ery; headgate at Summer Lake Manage- TRAINING PROGRAM ranges in northeastern Oregon. ment Area; gasoline tank, oil house and COTTONTAIL RABBITS.Granted steel drain pipes at Klamath hatchery; Instructors Approved permission for the release of cottontail ditching of water canal at Ladd Marsh; Month of July 17 rabbits in the Surf Pines area in Clatsop Gold Ray ladder fishway extension; oil Total to Date 1,118 County. furnace for Hood River hatchery resi- OIL LEASE. Approved amendment dence; drilling of well at Rock Creek Students Trained of drilling lease to Humble Oil Company hatchery; water control at Sauvies Island Month of July 461 to clarify the status of the lease on any Management Area; hay storage shed and Total to Date 4,848 interest of the Game Commission in the seed storage bin at White River Manage- subsurface rights of Summer Lake bed ment Area. Firearms Accidents Reported 1960 proper. NEXT MEETING. The dateof the Fatal 4 CHEMICAL REHABILITATION. Au- next meeting was set for 10 a.m. Wed- Nonfatal 10 thorizedchemicaltreatmentofOak nesday, October 12. Page 2 September, 1960 D GA E PROSPECTS By R. U. Mace, Chief Biologist, Upland Game GAMEBIRD REGULATIONS for The inventory of breeding popula- A high carry-over of adult birds, coupled most species were established at the tions in western Oregon this spring re- with good production, should improve August 19th meeting of the Game Com- vealed an average of 30.6 pheasants per chances this fall. Since heavy cover is mission. Seasons on doves, pigeons, and 100 acres, the highest carry-over in the abundant, a dog is necessary. The land- grouse were set on July 15 in order to past four years. Although the average owner's permission must be secured here, publicize dates in advance of the Sep- spring density in eastern Oregon was as elsewhere in the state, before hunting tember openings. 19.3 per 100 acres, approximately half on private property. Desires of individuals and groups ex- that of 1959, ample breeding stock re- Although better production has im- pressed at the public hearings, and pro- mained available to provide good hunt- proved the outlook in eastern Oregon duction data gathered by the staff served ing if the nesting season proved suc- over last year, pheasant populations do as a basis for setting season dates and cessful. not approach 1958 levels and spectacular bag limits. The regulations are designed Brood counts were made throughout success is not anticipated. to provide maximum recreation in line the state the first two weeks of August Quail: with the crop available for harvest. Table to determine production. A total of 924 Approximately half as many valley 1 summarizes 1960 seasons for game hens was observed with 85 per cent hav- quail were present this spring compared birds, including both upland game and ing broods. This compares to 77 per cent to 1959. The decline was most apparent waterfowl. with broods in 1959. Production per hen in the productive central and southeast- Let's look at each species individually in eastern Oregon averaged a third more ern Oregon quail habitat. Production per and discuss the hunting prospects for than last year while the average in west- hen was good with broods averaging 10 this fall. ern Oregon dropped slightly below 1959. chicks each but quail numbers remain Pheasants: Approximately 35 per cent of the broods below those of last fall. Pheasant hunting ismost popular were less than six weeks of age, indicat- The valley quail season is concurrent with more hunters participating and ing late hatching. Early nest losses due with the pheasant season and the daily more birds being killed than any other to unfavorable weather conditions appar- bag of 10 birds applies statewide. While upland game species. A comparison of ently were heavy. the bag limit is less than last year, when hunting season results based on the Recognizing the high percentage of 15 birds were permitted in eastern Ore- questionnaire surveyispresented in late broods, the Commission delayed the gon, it is still generous. Good hunting Table 2. Information is complete for all opening date until October 22. The bag should be available for those who enjoy species since 1957. limit of 3 roosters daily and 12 in pos- the sport, especially in parts of Lake, Although the 1959 pheasant kill fell session is the same as last year. Since Harney, Grant, and Crook Counties. short of 1958, it exceeded that of any the season extends through November All quail are included together in the previous year on record. A good crop 20,recreational opportunities will be general season due to difficulty in dis- was produced in western Oregon but the great.