~OSTMAS TI!It U und~Uv~rabl~ Fo,. Any lteaaon, notify scnctcr, 8tatln~t rt-a"--n. on Form 35<17, ro•ta~:c ror which I• I!'UArantced

Sbtf' Conservation Commiasion 1 0th and Mulberry Sta Drs Moint's 8 Iowa

VOLUME 5 AUGUST 15, 1946 NUMBER 8 STATE FAIR EXHIBIT 25 YEARS OLD

~,! Passing Years Prove Wisdom of Construction of Fairgrounds Fish and Game Building ~.- HE Modern Fish and Game Ex- I •ther T ibit at the Sta-te Fair Grounds WHAT MAMMAL IS : an re bes its twenty-fiflh birthday THAT? 'th :tur g the current fair. It bas suf­ 'er many growing pains in the ~nd By Thom as G. Scott alist oa , but it bas now reached a C o o 11 ern t h •e \\' lllllife Resenrch of pr d status as one of the finest. U n it (lllo- :ven prior to 1921 exhibits of (Part I of two parts) is~ and game bad been attempted rtSt· tt be fair but they were primiti:ve MAMMALS are commonly called uris· :1nd meager. "animals." This can lead to and Mac Coon, who was in charge of misunderstanding because the term trred be show for many years, used to "animals" includes not only the i the ·ecall the 1920 layout with mixed I mammals but also birds, fishes, 'ea~ !motions. The aquarium consisted and in fact, all living organisms not i'allY ,f se:veral stock tanks in which :va­ belonging to the plant kingdom. ojec· ious s pecies of fish were held. If Just what then are mammals? ~nse. he v.isitor wished to see the cat­ In Iowa a mammal may be defined tsb, for instance, Mac would dip as a warm-blooded creature having nto the catfish tank with a dip net, a backbone, a body covering of Jog· told the fish up for inspection for hair, and two pairs of limbs. Mam­ I'deJV . . few minutes, and then replace mals nurse their young at the nent hem in the water. The first permanent exhibit constructod in what is now the Fish and Game Building mammary glands (breasts), hence ·ons. at the fair grounds was the beautiful aquarium built in 1921. This was the first attempt It was a ha rdy soul, or at least at the Slate Fair Grounds to display a fish collection in a modern manner. the name mammal. Some mam­ oasis ne who brought along his over­ mals such as whales, porpoises and .e of hoes, who could approach the sea-cows either have no bind limbs st is anks through the mud, close or have nearly lost them. ; tbt nougb to observe their contents. Fair Visitors To Miss Mac and Sammy r OD Mammals in Iowa History siZt 'be overflow from the tanks- and here was plenty ran into a dug­ As with all forms of wildlife the lion that the wolves were fighting. eeD ut mud puddle in which a flock of G EORGE B . COON, or Mac, as mammal life of Iowa has been Leisurely replacing the skunks, ttillr emi-domestic wild ducks paddled he was familiarly called by greatly affected by settlement of Mac separated the snarling wolves nd splashed. thousands, and one of the most the land. The first white settlers colorful features of the Fish and and, turning to his helper, said, W. E . Albert, State Game War­ to enter the state found mammals Game Exhibit, will not be there "Paul I just live for the State 1919 that no longer occur here. There en from until his death in Fair. If they ever quit the fair 932, and a firm believer in conser­ this year. Mac, father of the State were herds of elk and buffalo on exhibit I think I'll call it quits, atton through education, decided Fair Fish and Game Exhibits, keep­ the open pratrie, and deer were too." hat bit and miss display of our er of the animals, early day game seen in the openings along the ative fish and game was undesir­ warden, father confessor of mod­ December 7 the Japs attacked edges of groves. Valuable fur­ ble. Albert made plans for the ern conservation officers, spinner Pearl Harbor and the army took b e a r e r s , especially muskrats, 1odern exposition, and over a pe­ of tall tales, lover of life, and show­ over the State Fairgrounds. In minks, otters and beavers were iod of several years the present man extraordinary, is dead. He died 1942 the fair was cancelled and present wherever habitats were plendid fish and game building and "in harness" in Farmington State when fair time rolled around in '43 available. An occasional black bear quarium. were constructed. Park at the age of eighty. with no fair coming up, Mac Coon was encountered in the timber Albert's plan was severely criti­ During the last prewar fair, called it quits for good. along the water courses. Wolves ized in many quarters. He was while holding an armful of deodor­ In all of Mac's thirty-five fair and coyotes proved troublesome ccused of spending the hunting ized skunks and entertaining a years, employees recall only a sin­ and made vigilant care of domestic cense money without regard to group of wide-eyed youngsters with gle instance when harsh words es­ stock necessary. he best interests of sportsmen. a running commentary of harmless caped his lips. The provocation was The mammal~, probably more 'he buildings were known as "Al- yarns and wisecracks, Mac was in­ never repeated. than any other form of wildllfe, ball games, automo­ I Oth and Mulberry-Des Moines, Iowa it becomes a boy. A boy is nature's biles, boats and airplanes with ROBERT D. BLUE, Governor of Iowa answer to that false belief that equal fervor, but will not watch the I~ L F. T. SCHWOB, Director there is no such thing as perpetual clock. The man who invents a pmg' (No Rights Reserved) motion. A boy can swim like a clock that will stand on its head fish, run like a deer, climb like a and sing a song when it strikes Tt squirrel, balk likf> a mule, bellow will win the undying gratitude of The feller I envy the most is the ~nap MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION like a bull, eat like a pig or act millions of families whose boys are feller whose wife cleans all the fish tre F. W MATTES, Chairman ...... Odebolt like a jackass, according to cli­ forever coming to dinner about he brings home. WlO MRS. ADDISON PARKER ...... Des Moines matic conditions. supper time. Jil.e E B. GAUNITZ...... Lansing ~m~ R. E. STEWART ...... Ottumwa He is a piece of skin s tretched Boys faithfully imitate their When I hear a feller say catch dads in spite of all efforts to teach ro1ti E. G TROST ...... Fort Dodge over an appetite. A noise covered fer ketch, minnows fer minners, wm ). C. JENSON ...... Council Bluffs with smudges. He is called a tor­ them good manners. A boy, if not and call a fish pole a rawd, I keep JU! F. ). POYNEER ...... Cedar Rapids nado because he comes at the most washed too often, and if kept in a a safe distance away from him to unexpected times, bits the most cool, quiet place after each acci­ pervide aginst his gittin' ingered. pe·~ ~~ JAMES R. HARLAN, Editor unexpected p 1 aces and leaves dent, will survive broken bones, hornets, swimming holes, fights and ta~E CIRCULATION THIS ISSUE ...... 50,000 everything a wreck behind him. v; He is a growing animal of super­ nine helpings of pie. (P. S. And Jes' about the quickest way to Subscript on Rate. .40c per year al lative promise, to be fed, watered I hope that answers the question hurt a feller's feelins is ter tell him 3 years for $1.00
season) provides a won­ cious and necessary top soil, and derful excuse to get out into the your only goal is the amount of open where a fellow can find that money you can garner during mental relaxation that is so re­ your stay here, then you just can't freshing to the spirit and that ignore the above figures. And that sweeps the cobwebs from the mind. goes for every one of you that reads And then, too, you know, if a fel­ this column today. low goes fishing and gets nothing -Frank Powers but the relaxation well, then there Cedar Rapids Gazette are no fish to clean, and that is a The effectiveness of a game and reward of some kind or another in - fish law enforcement organization itself! The daddy of them all, the Mississippi, as seen from an overlook in the new national deJJends quite largely on the abilitY monument area in Allarnakee and Clayton counties. See Iowa first. Jim Sherman of that organization to gain the con· -Iowa City Press-Citizen Photo. fldence and support of all the people. - IOWA CONSERVATIONIST Page 59 WE ATE A SNAPPER and gourmets who could offer more thoughtful opinions; but here is \ how one family reacted: By Richard F. Trump The gal who does the cooking, Grndunte Assistant, and who is usually the sharpest lown S'tnte College critic of the lot, thought it was [ T LOOKED like beef, smelled good meat. She said it tasted some­ like fish, and tasted like snap­ thing like veal. ling turtle. Our five-year-old, whose current That's of course just how a good favorite on the phonograph was a mapper should taste, but I mention record ::thou t "Myrtle the Turtle," ; the did not try to bide a certain I fish he fact for the benefit of those Nho like to say that muskrat tastes amount of sympathy for the rep­ ike rabbit, eel like salmon, rattle­ tile. He ate mostly crackers and make like chicken, and cattail milk that night. roots like mashed potatoes. If you Our two-year-old, who confines his speech to essentials, just said, ~ers, N~t to pick a quick argument, k~ep ju& make such a statement around "More." n to ::>e4ple who eat. As for myself, I've already said M. Jut if you say that snapper it tasted like snapping turtle. I might add, however, lbat in the ta~es like turtle, you're safe. • tl Vben I first met the hero of this future smart turtles will not cross my path. kim tal~ he was taking an overland 3hlade in one of those dime-store shape than one would expect at an River is beginning to show some calls him afield. talljiles. I'd never use a knife on ordinary resort. The price is rea­ signs, at least, of resuming a more I only hope lhat as the farmers, he skin of a snapper, even if I sonable and the opportunity for normal water condition after the in co-operation with soil conserva­ tad one sharp enough; it's like rest and relaxation just as great recent heavy rains. Lake Mac­ tion officials, increase their efforts arring through a couple of layers as though one were to drive several bride, I discovered as the result of toward erosion control in Johnson f sandpaper-super grade! hundred miles north. Fish abound a mid-week expedition, also bas lited county they will call upon the Once inside, things went more there and there is little one could improved tremendously from last .ap­ sportsmen of the county whenever moothly, and by the time I bad ask for in the way of rest and re­ weekend's muddy condition-and y,ht they need their assistance. If they • in· emoved the leg, shoulder, and hip laxation that is not found in this the fish are starting to bit again. • do so, I am sure they will be willing and lUSCles from beneath the shell, beauty spot south of Strawberry While the bass and the bluegills 1ere was a sizeable pile of meat and eager to help. ?Ped Point. weren't too enthusiastic the other t the pan. ' night, they nevertheless were ris­ -Ron Tallman, ;ter· Last Sunday was typical. The Iowa City Press-Citizen fig· From that point on, it was a co­ beach was swarming with people ing to our offerings and giving us perative venture. After checking swimming, sunning themselves, some fun even if they didn't hit will GREEN PASTURES CALL sbbrook and Sater, "Cooking Wild resting. with that slam-bang vigor that arne," which we found at the pub­ It would be a safe bet that if e a There are a great many attrac­ means hooked fish and meat in the c hbrary, the better half selected tive state parks but for real beau­ icebox. Heery Woods State Park was 1e better parts of a half dozen ty in a wooded wonderland, we be­ Meanwhile, these muddy waters located 25 miles or farther from !Cipes on turtle cookery. And that lieve Backbone State Park is the of recent days again emphasize, to Clarksville it would have more ght we had snapper. attraction for local people than it jOU finest of them all. all who will recognize the fact, that Now I know there are epicures -Oelwein Register SOIL CON~ERVATION IS ONE does in its present location. For waY some reason we are all prone to and OF THE PRIME NEEDS OF THE overlook the good things we have t944 • DAY. And it behooves all of us­ l ur fishermen and hunters and farmers in our own back-yards. 'Ou]d and all people-to get behind and Don't misunderstand us - the oner support in all ways possible the park has a lot of visitors, especially )a!tr efforts in behalf of soil conserva­ on Sundays and holidays but the local people do not avail themselves tl:~ tion that will be instituted in the of its pleasures through the week pt! new Johnson county soil conserva­ • fOl tion district. To continue to allow in the numbers one would expect. a state of affairs where untold tons Clarksville is very fortunate in of our rich top soil are washed into having this wonderful park so close the streams in time of heavy rains and we would like to see a greater is to permit the waste of one of use made of it by this community. our most priceless and irreplace­ Many cities pay thousands of dol­ able possessions. lars annually for upkeep of parks If all of us would but support that can in no way compare with the efforts to conserve our soil we Heery Woods. would in time find our faith and Incidentally, Ben Hamilton, our our efforts rewarded. For the present custodian, is doing a swell farmer, better farming practices job of maintenance at the park. te would mean bigger crop yields and -Clarksville Star a more certainly continuing fertil­ an The fox family is evenly distrib­ tiO' ity of his soil; for the fisherman, uted over the countries north of ~~1111 Dick Trump met thia eleven pound anappinq turtle while it was takinq an overland soil conservation practices would the equator but there are no true or· ortcut from one pond to another on the Skunk River bottoms. It was an eventful foxes native to any of the countries pi' ~etinq lor both. Richard Trump Photo. assure clearer streams and a less south of the equator. Page 60 IOWA CONSERVATIONIST

(( What Mammal • • • (Continued from page 57) Ti made it possible for the seltlers to survive the early days in Iowa. vat1 The severe cold of winter demand­ Gull ed sturdy homes, warm clothing, Oko and beat-yielding foods. Sometimes bers Jam • two winters passed before the land could be brought under cultivation, F J and even then there was little Ewa chance of marketing the bulky , I products, for roads were nol good R and railroads were not always near. DBQ During this period of early adjust­ eta ment the utilization of mammals yeu was essential, and they were bunt­ The shrews aTe interesting mole-like ani \ mals. Their forefeet, however, are not on ri.r ed lo man's advantage. Not only larged and they have external ears. Mos were they utilized directly in the predators seem to avoid these animah as ,f ~ food. Below, large short-tailed shrew; preparation of food, clothing, can­ above, common shrew. Tom Scott Phcto. hlD) dles, and other items of need, but 'iy their skins were of such value tbat - I ~ they could be exchanged for cash describing the method used for \1C or bartered for tbe essentials. classification of mammals. Mtm­ p When the settlers learned that mals are placed in classes a.nd money could be earned lbrougb the given names principally according Bit sale of skins, many of them turned to differences in fur, size, feet and erJ Old Oscar, the live loot black sturgeon. will probably be seen at the State Fah for the last time this year. Here Old Oscar rests quietly in the number one aquarium in to hunting and trapping as a pro­ skull. The general scheme of clas­ rna\ company with some lesser relatives. fession. sification is to start with large · •I With the building of roadways groups of mammals possessing cer­ cor relatives range from the Red River and extension of the railroads, the tain similar general characteris­ to l OSCAR THE and Hudson Bay drainage to the settlers found agricultural opera­ tics These large groupings are A STURGEON north through the St. Lawrence tions progressively more profitable. in turn dtvided into smaller lot3 on t. waterways east and down the Mis­ New settlers came, miles of fences the basis of other cbaracteri~ics, pro By E. B. Spcalro~ ing his tremendous appetite. it. State Oscar i!s a native of Wisconsin Ac1 and was immigrated to Iowa from IT'S A LONG W AY TO ELDORA 1~ent his home in the trout hatchery near Roy Chastain, conservation offi btgbv Madison in 1925 when be was only cer in charge of Pine Lake Stale Coun' twenty-five years old. At that Park, recently received a letter Ap) time be weighed sixty pounds. from H. W . Johnson, a marine sta­ ~licat When weighed in at lbe last State tioned in Kyusbu, Japan, request­ Perrnl Fair in 1941 be weighed ninety ing a cabin reservation at the park, JliAgJ with the explanation, "I am con­ ne pounds and bad reached a length 1 of nearly five feet. During the five templating a discharge from the f ~ll 1 intervenmg years he gamed twenty service I am looking forward to or l.1 pounds but failed to lengthen no­ a continuous Civilian 'career.' Be­ ear ticeably and now, at forty-six, Os­ fore I start on this career, bow­ Apl car has developed the proverbial ever, I would like a month or t'll n middle-aged spread. thereabouts of so-called peace Prope The rock sturgeon is found in (civilian style)." Pkob, Iowa and is distributed widely in lPPro Rest and success are fellow~.­ Tho oposaum io about tho 1izo ol a cat, w ith a wbiti1h face, pointed non , batt the Mississippi Valley. Some of its .John Ray. rounded ean, cmd a acaly preheuUe taiL ul\>lsl IOWA CONSERV ATIONI ST Page 61 COJ\11\flSSION ACTION JULY, Adjourned. 1946 Reconvened July 9. The July meeting of the Conser­ Instructed Fish and Game super­ vation Commission was held at intendent to convey recommenda­ Gull Point Lake Reserve on Lake tions for first and second choice for -lOkoboji July 8 and 9, 1946. Mem- migratory waterfowl season to the bers present were E. G. Gaunitz, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service by James C. Jenson, F. W. Mattes, telephone. 1 F. J. Poyneer, R. E. Stewart and Appointed Paul Leaverton of Ewald G. Trost. Humboldt Assistant Superintend­ The Commission: ent of Game. Reappointed F . W. Mattes chair- Appointed Walter W. Trusell of man and Mrs. Addison Parker vice Sioux City to the position of Su­ chairman for the coming fiscal pervisor of Predator Control. Yefl.r. Approved transfer of Robert Cooper from Strawberry Point ke ani­ f\,.ccepted gift offered by G. w . not eo­ Hatchery as Fisheries Superintend­ Most Cl~rk, Fort Dodge, of oil painting ent to the Spirit Lake H atchery as as of Governor Robert Lucas, to be Fisheries Supervisor. sbew; hupg in the Lucas House at Iowa Photo. Approved part-time employment Prior. to 1921 fish were dis~1ay~d in a series of ordinary stock tanks. The specimens City. were HJted out of the tank m dip nets so that they could be examined. The over­ of Mathew Roche as lake patrol­ flow about the tanks filled the duck puddle seen at tho left of this picture taken in :pcpressecl appreciation to Nancy man at Twin Lakes. about 1920. I for Mfairs' shows, its true ttris· to t.e ready for the 1947 fair season. Bedford to construct a booster in­ now the fish and game building was value lies in the fact that the visi­ ; are ltlthorized acceptance of option stallation inside the Lake of Three the beautiful aquarium. It was built tors leave the building with a bet­ son to purchase right of way road Fires Park area. in 1921. The next year the present ter understanding of the needs of pro~erty south of Lake Manawa at Denied request of J. E. Schlott walls were built and the fair wildlife. $LID. to construct a boathouse on state crowds of that year enjoyed an It is a tremendous task to get spe· ..A!lopted resolution favoring two property at Lake Manawa. outstanding exhibit of fish and the show ready each year, and it is billl in congress prohibiting the Approved payment of the regu­ game in a building only half roofed a job that is participated in by all 1e of dr~down of Mississippi River lar salary to conservation officers over. Before the next fair the members of the conservation or­ "tUgb po s except in dire emergen cies. who were employed by the commis­ building was completed in its pres­ ganization. One of the most im­ sion for a length of time equal to ent form, and although the exhibit portant parts is collecting the vari­ ~es, proved rating system for con­ :;eqation officers, effective imme­ the probationary period before lak­ within the building itself changes ous specimens that are seen at the ~a~ jialely. ing and passing the conservation from year to year, no major altera­ show. Only a small part of the animals and fish are held over year t we .Authorized appointment of a officer examinations . tions have been made on the build­ after year. Many of them are, of (all ~ oJlServation officer from the eligi­ Authorized the making of a re­ ing since 1923. course, common and easy to secure; ying :>iljty list to fill the position vacat­ quest for approval in giving train­ The exhibits for the past twenty­ !d by Ed Sybil. ing to veterans under the G. I . Bill however, it is the rare and unusual ~- five years have followed a general Authorized director to proceed of Rights. pattern with major displays of na­ specimens that give the show its lrtiil' Meeting adjourned. snap and sparkle and it is for these tiD II" vith necessary emergency repairs tive fish, game birds and animals that employees are on watch sev­ rat o dam and spillway at Lake Wap­ forming the nucleus. Many minor 1~ eral months ahead of exhibit time. Jilbt llo immediately from Fish a nd No topic in the wildlife field exhibits have been placed and some ;arne funds. more controversial than that of ofel· predator rela tionship~ , and on none of these have been crowd pleasers. The bulk of the fish shown are Accepted Brudick option for perhaps is there more loose th ou~ht taken by fish collection and rescue rgin: and positive opinion passed on In­ This is particularly true of the rop!b 100 on strip of land along east sufficient consideration of the evi­ reptile display. Although the in­ crews from the overflow waters of ·eon ide of Commission's Brown Lake dence that is available. variable comment of the spectators the Mississippi in the course of roperty for construction of an all­ is, "I just can't stand snakes," the their regular work. Unusual spec­ 2,ked Science moves, but slowly, c r eep­ tqllll· reather road to the lake. ing on from point to polnt.-Tenny­ congestion at the reptile cages has imens are placed in holding ponds and Approved development plan for son. necessitated spreading this exhibit until fair time and are then trans­ liglow Park on Brown's Lake. out so that all the crowd can see ported in live fish trucks to the iden· The owl is not accounted the wlset· tJl)OD Approved recommendation tb.at for living retlredly.-Thomas Fuller. in lhe cases. show. After the fair most of the oe i> building at Brown's Lake be sold display fish are released in public :unes ::>the Izaak Walton League for the fishing waters where they may be 250 the organization paid for the taken by anglers. cie5 !ase. p ll't • With the abandonment of the Approved continuance of Fish Ledges Zoo as a war measure, nd Game Cooperative Research practically all of the birds and ani­ rogram being carried on at I owa mals shown are cripples from the tate College. wild or specimens seized as contra­ Accepted and approved ease­ band from individuals who have lent for improvement of a public taken them illegally from the wild. ighway adjacent to the Ringgold At the close of the current fair, ounty Wildlife Area. birds and animals able to care for Approved Glenn Hoffman's ap­ themselves will be released in suit­ lication for a scientific collector able habitats, the remainder will ermit. be held over at the game farm at Agreed to cooperate with the Boone. ine Lake Wildlife Club in soil era­ on work on the watershed areas The diffcnwce between the south­ en• mu:,;krat and the northern musk­ E Upper and Lower Pine Lakes t·at Is chletlv a difference of texture ear Eldora. and distribution of fur fiber. The Approved request of Mr. Harri­ :,;a It wa tet· mnr~hes of Louisiana produce peltries in which the hair >n Dickey to place steps from his is coarser and of a scanter growth roperty at Pillsbury P oint to Lake than Is found In the sweet water peltrles. koboji in accordance with plans The beautiful Fish and Game Building at the fair grounds was completegarter- and that is predominately haemolytic. its of ammonia in a glass of water our resources. Our pioneers ~ecu 0 bullsnakes. It destroys red blood cells and dis­ are often helpful to some people in. area rupts capillaries. If a sufficient preserving their courage and pre­ were exploiters of our natural 1 The pit vipers have thickened, resources because it was expe­ for sa somewhat triangular shaped heads, quantity of r ed blood cells is de­ venting undue excitement. Alco­ holic drinks arc harmful and should dient for them. We must be or tra bulky, heavy bodies with short, stroyed by the venom, it is impos­ balan1 sible to carry enough oxygen from not be used. conservationists because it is thickened tails. Naturally the rat­ expedient for us. lion tlesnakes have rattles which def­ the lungs to the body and the vic­ A weak solution of potassium per­ The conservation of our wild­ Comn tim is in reality nuffocated. manganate can be used for a wound initely identify them. The copper­ life is but a single segment in huntu head does not have rattles, but its antiseptic. Raw grains of it should Since blood venom is generally lhe great conservation move­ era) r not be rubbed into the cuts. Nor coloration aids in quick identifica­ slower acting than nerve venom, men t, yet it goes hand in band 'l'be tion. Its head is bright coppery individuals bitten by rattlesnakes should cauterizing with acid, a hot with the conservation of our soil, ~lfe lll iron or burning with gunpowder brown. The body is light brown and their kin have more time to water, and forests. Proper land, Mus~ be used. Any one of these measures with distinct hour -glass- shaped receive a doctor's treatment before limber, and water use form the lnd It g reatly increases. the probability of copper-brown bands. resulting fatality than if they were only permanent means by which levee Biles from the massasauga and bitten by a coral snake. tissue infection. Don't waste a we can increase and perpetuate chicken by applying its viscera to copperhead are seldom fatal. The The degree of danger inherent to wildlife. timber rattler is much more dan­ a bite by a poisonous snake de­ the wound. The birds and animals and the gerous because it is a larger snake, pends upon the size of the snake, A person in snake country who fishes on exhibit at the State hence it is capable of injecting a puncture of flesh by one or both keeps his feet and legs protected Fair serve to interest and amuse greater amount of poison. The fangs, condition of the snake as to and who looks before he reaches many people, but back of all this prairie rattler is of little impor­ recent prior discharge of venom, is subscribing to good insurance lies a deeper motive. The dis­ tance in Iowa because of its uncom­ protection afforded to the v1ctim against make bite. play is designed as a sugar­ mon occurrence in the state. in the form of heavy trousers, leg­ coated pill attracting the atten­ A bite from a non-poisonous gings or boots, locality of the bite, A hen blue wing teal banued at Leech Lake in the Yorkton area of tion of the public to the end 9nake is similar to a series of pin­ whether on extremities or close to Saskatchewan was bagged the fol­ that the importance of conser ­ pricks arranged in the shape of a the body, and size of the victim. lowing day near Princeton, Minne­ vation may be impressed upon sota. The airline distance from "U." The bite of a pit viper leaves A large snake IS capable of carry­ Yorkton to Princeton is 563 miles. the consciousness of the people, two punctures rather close togeth­ ing more venom and injecting it who in the end determine the er where the fangs enter the flesh. deeper than a small snake. Less Iowa commercial fishermen catch rr..te of progress or retrogression Any snake bite is potentially venom may be injected by one fang almost 4,000,000 pounds of market­ able fish each year on the Missouri of a state or a nation. dangerous. Even if bitten by a than by two. A snake that bas re- and Mississippi r ivers. I O WA CONSE R V AT ION I ST Page 63 -RE­ qo STATE GETS JURISDICTION OVER 7,000 ACRES llub OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER WILDLIFE LANDS lred 1 to the By F. T. Schwob tan­ Conser\' ntl o n Director rts- lard of 1~W A sportsmen. especially those a drainage ditch was placed in the lity m southeastern Iowa, will be Muscatine Slough which runs pleased to know that the State through Lake Odessa and lateral Conservation Commission has ap­ ditches drained the water into the proved and accepted a permit is­ main ditch and to a pumping plant sued by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife at the levee in th~ lower end of the Service to use a part of the land area. This drainage project de­ "'.l.IS, anh water now in federal owner­ stroyed much of its recreational hot sht> and under jurisdiction of the value. Because of the limited E U.S. Army engineers in Louisa and a mount of land thal was success­ be De~ Moines counties along the Mis- fully drained and that could pro­ sisUppi River as public shooting duce agricultural crops this part of ;s- grtds and wildlife refuge man­ the drainage district was constant­ lhe ag en t areas. ly in financial difficulties. The }ve he permit to the State of Iowa construction of Lock and Darn No. · if thrl>ugh the State Conservation 17 along the area in the Mississippi River caused the abandonment of Conservation Officer Dan Nichols surveys the damage caused by a winter freeze-out Coomission was granted in accord­ on Lake Odessa, the result of drainage and low water. an~ with, and subject to, the pro­ this part of the Muscatine-Louisa vis£ns of the permit granted by County drainage district several the War Department to the U. S. years ago and the U. S. army engi­ retary of War is authorized to 21, 20, 17, 18, 7, 8, T74NR2W, con­ Fisi and Wildlife Service as ap­ neers acquired the entire area as grant leases of lands, including taining approximately 2,900 acres. proted by the War Department on a part of the flood plain of the Mis­ structures or facilities thereon, in All of Turkey Island in Sections Jan~ary 17, 1946, under the au­ sissippi River necessary in the de­ reservoir areas for such periods 15, 16, 21, 22, T74NR2W, contain­ thoity granted in the "Flood Con­ velopment of the nine-foot channel and upon such terms as be may ing approximately 380 acres. lock and darn system. deem reasonable: Provided, that trolAct" (Pub. 534, 78th Congress) That part of Atter Island more preference shall be given to fed­ apploved December 22, 1944. Since the abandonment of the than one-quarter mile above Dam It eral, state, or local governmental Tie permit covers a five-year drainage dis trict the area bas re­ No. 17, containing approximately per~d commencing October 1, 1945, turned to a natural wildlife haven. agencies, and licenses may be 105 acres . .n and ending September 30, 1950, It is considered one of the best granted without monetary consid­ e waterfowl areas in the state and eration, to such agencies for the Island No. 354, known as Brass and may be extended or renewed. Island, containing approximately 7 provides fine duck bunting for hun­ use of areas suitable for public All improvement or development 20 acres. ' plaJs must be approved by the offi­ dreds of hunters. park and recreational purposes, e, :er of the army having immediate If a.n outlet control structure when the Secretary of War deter­ Island No. 73, containing approx­ jursdiction over the premises. can be built at the lower end out­ mines such action to be in the pub­ imately 10 acres. lic interest. The water areas of Thcluded in this permit is the let so that water levels can be I slands No. 70, 69, 67, 66, 65, 64, all such reservoirs shall be open ·rapt known as the Lake Odessa stabilized and enough water re­ 63, 62, 54, 55, 53, 50, 49, 48, 57, 58, to public use generally, without <\.rea, one of the best wildlife and tained in the area to maintain fish 59, 60, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 4 7, charge, for boating, swimming, ..• ·etreational areas in the state. life during the critical winter pe­ containing 565 acres. bathing, fishing, and other recrea­ rhis 6,500-acre area extends from riod, it will provide some of the fin­ Flowage tracts No. 51, 51A, 52, tional purposes, and ready access ust below Port Louisa on the Mis­ est bass and pan fish fishing in the 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, lying between issippi River to a point just be­ state and at the same time im­ to and exit from such waters shall Flint Creek Levee District Levee ow Toolesboro and from the bluff prove its value for migratory be maintained for general public and the Mississippi River in sec­ o the river. waterfowl and fur bearing ani­ use, when such use is determined tions 6, 5, 32, 8, 9, 16, 21, 28, 27, 34, by the Secretary of War not to be The Fish and Wildlife Service mals. T75NR2W, containing 205 acres. contrary to the public interest, all as kept under its jurisdiction a Public access, parking facilities, other such rules and regulations as Black Hawk Island No. Ia. ection in the northeast part of the and places to launch boats so the the Secretary of War may deem Island 51 in Sections 22 and 27 rea and another in the south part area can be used by the public, are ' necessary. No use of any area to T73NR2W containing approximate- or sanctuaries wherein no hunting included in the development plans. ly 500 acres. >­ which this section applies shall be • r trapping will be permitted. The Each island and tract of land will Des Moines County- be posted with appropriate signs permitted which is inconsistent ~ alance will be under the jurisdic­ Garner Island Tract No. I a. is stating that they are public recre­ with the laws for the protection of ion of the State Conservation Island No. 42 in Sections 9, 10 and ational areas. fish and game of the state in which :ommission and will be public such area is situated." 13, T72NR1W, containing approxi­ unting, fishing, trapping and gen­ Obtaining the permit for these The permit includes the follow­ mately 78 acres. ral recreation areas. recreational lands and waters is in >· ing land and water areas: Ia. Island Tract No. 45 in SeC­ The tract, originally a fine wild­ accordance wi tb the policy of the Louisa County- tions 9, 10, 3 T22NR1W, containing fe area, was made a part of the Conservation Commission to ac­ 8 acres. quire jurisdiction over every avail­ Island No. 343 in Sections 9, 10, ruscatine-Louisa County drainage Iowa Island Tract No. 37 in Sec­ l5, 16, 75NR2W, approximately nd levee district in the 1920's. A able acre possible of sub-marginal tion 9 T22NR1 W containing 4 110 acres. !vee was built along the river and lands such as these tracts and re­ acres. storing and developing the areas Flowage tract No. 18, 19, 20, 14, Flowage Tract No. 32, 33, 34 and ;e for maximum production of fish 21, 22, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 35, lying between Flint Creek and game to provide more and bet­ 38, 39, part of 41, 42 43, 44, 47, 48, e Levee and the Mississippi River in ter fishing, hunting, and natural 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, Section 3 T72NR1W, containing .e places for general outdoor recrea­ 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65, containing 136 acres. tion. approximately 880 acres between That part of Huron Island in Section 4 of the "Flood Control the Muscatine Island Levee District Flowage Tracts Iowa Islands 29 s· Act" reads as follows: Levee and the Mississippi River in • 31, 32, 33 and 38 in Sections 9 • 10• r· "The Chief of Engineers, under sections 16, 17, 20, 21 and 29, 6 T72NR1 W, containing approxi- the supervision of the Secretary of 75NR2W. mately 305 acres. War, is authorized to construct • A part of the Lake Odessa Area Tract Ia. Island No. 30 in Sec­ maintain, and operate public park Flowage tracts 126, 127, 128, 129,' tion 16 T72NR1W, containing 3 and recreational facilities in reser­ 130, 131, 132, 133, 162, 163, 164, 157, acres. voir areas under the control of the 156, 155, 154, 153, 152, 151, 150, 149, Much of the 6,500 acres in the Lake Tract Ia. Island No. 359 in Sec­ dena area is excellent duck hunting tor­ War Department, and to permit the 148, 147, 144, 135, 138, 139, 137, 136, tion 10 T72NR1W. tory. In fact, the area is considered one construction, maintenance, and op­ 142, 141, 140, 119, located in Sec­ tho finest hunting and fishing qrounda Little Cody Island Tract No. Ta. eration of such facilities. The Sec- tions 2, 34, 35, 33, 28, 27, 26, 36, 29, the entire 1tate. (Continued on pa~-;e 61) Page S. IO WA C ONSERVATIONIST

Fair Visitors • • • What Mammal ... (Continued from page 60) (Continued from p.lge :il) have Scalopus aquaticus. Sc1en Mac bad arranged for a special tific names need not be used except s bowmg of "his animals" to a by the research worker, who must group including several school record them so that there will be teachers. one mgbt after the build­ no doubt as to what mammal iE mg was closed to the public for meant. For example, the mole 1!' clean up. It was his mistake to let known by many common name!' other employees know of his plans such as garden mole, lawn mole in advance, and, in place of his common mole, etc., which might harmless skunk, the "boys" substi­ lead to the belief that there are tuted an animal with a full comple­ several different kinds. ment of artillery. All went well Iowa Mammals with the tour until the final demon­ I The Op ossum: The "possum" is stration, handling Mac's pet skunk. so well known as scarcely to re­ Then it happened. I quire description. It is an animal Mac's raving passion was a fear­ about the size of a cat with a whit­ ful and wonderful thing and it was ish face, pointed nose, bare round- 1 the inspiration for the best kept se­ ed ears, and a scaly prehensile tail. cret in the annals of fish and game. The fur is composed of long coarse Even now, the vision of this hair and soft underfur, which may faithful public servant sitting out­ show variation from the usual gray side the building whetting a book­ color. The long over or guard hair nosed knife designed for pruning may be black, giving a dark I peach trees is too vivid to reveal phase, or the underfur brown­ "who dunnit." tipped, giving a brown appearance. Sammy called it quits, too, short­ There are five toes on each foot, ly after Mac's death. and all except the inside toe of Each E Sammy was the magnificent, bmd foot are equipped with cltws. buck white-tailed deer that ruled Moles and Shrews: The moles the outdoor deer pen at the fair­ are readily known by their broad, Pr grounds for almost ten years. shovel-like fore feet. The eyes are Sammy, an orphan, was started on small and bidden in the fur, there I ~ a bottle by Mac when the fawn's is no external ear, and the snout tit spindly little legs were still too Sit is long and pointed. The common be weak to support his emaciated mole is found throughout Iowa It as body. Sammy broke his neck in a is possible that another mole, the fa suicidal rage in 1943 when a han­ un star-nosed mole, may be found in J>rl1 dler attempted lo move him into a northern Iowa. The star-nosed by th new deer range. mole has a fringe of fleshy proc­ or Sammy, like Mac, was a show­ Mac and S~my_ were the colorful team who for many years played Punch and Judy esses on the snout. ret man extraordinary, and the two at the State Fatr F1sh and Game Exhibit. J. \ The shrews are small mole-like ~Ol . seemed to have a gentlemen's mammals; however, their fore feet thi agreement, for when Mac was put­ are not enlarged, and they have tla lers. Apparently perplexed, Mac Tract Ia. Island No. 12 in Section tie ting on his act Sammy remained would turn around, remove his bat 34 T72KR1\V, contaming 70 acres. external ears. Shrews are some­ inconspicuous Wh~n Sammy had and scratch his head with one Ia. Island Tract No. 10 in Sec­ times confused with mice; but they ':1 the floor, Mac would pout a little hand, with the other reach in his tions 15, 22 'I'71NR1 W , containing may be known by the long, pointed but never try lo steal the show. pocket for a plug of tobacco and 38 'lcre~. muzzle, the very small eye, a nd the ~~ It was when the two were play­ take a bite. With the amazmg Ia. Island Tract No. 9 in Sec­ continuous row of reddish teeth. In JJ ing a duet that keeper, deer and speed of wild things, Sammy would tions 21, 22 T71NR1W. Iowa there are four kinds, two of but visitors were most happy. Pos­ bite off a sizeable chunk of the Flowage tracts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, which are long-tailed and two nu sibly the best remembered of their plug still in his keeper's hand. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, short-tailed. Small shrews with ex a acts was the tobacco chewing skit. When Mac scolded the animal for between Iowa River Flint Creek tails that are at least two-thirds ) At feeding time Mac would en­ his theft, Sammy would look up Levee and Mississippi River in Sec­ the length of the body are found tnd. ter the deer yard, place mash in into his face with sober, big-eyed tions 34, 3, 10, 15, 21, 22, T71&72- in the northern half of the state. atr the feed trough, and busily engage attention and solemnly chew his NR1W, containing approximately These are the masked shrew and tbii in cleaning up the pen. Sammy, stolen tobacco in perfect imitation 430 acres. Hoy's shrew, the latter being the meanwhile, would daintily dispose of the old man. Eagle Island in Sections 29, 32, smallest mammal in Iowa and very of his supper. When finished, the The pantomime invariably closed T72NR1 W, containing approxi­ rare. Both these shrews are less deer would approach the working mately 150 acres. than four inches in total length. man and nudge him several times when Mac would turn and wink at the now large human audience, That part of Aquaoka Island lo­ Shrews with very short tails, con none too genlly in the back with cated in Sections 27 and 28, T71- less than one-third th e length of looJ the curve of his well-formed ant- open the deer yard gate, and step out. But Sammy always had the NR1W, containing 35 acres. the body, are found throughout Sill last word. Lookmg straight al Long Island in Sections 27 and the state. They are the large short­ alw Mac's retreating back he would 28 T71NR1 W, containmg 20 acres. tailed shrew and the little short­ and 0( t pucker up his lips and blow the tailed shrew. They may be separat­ small boy's raspberry, "Phut-t-t-t." THER E I S SOMETHING IN ed by size, the small measuring lJ Mac and Sammy, we miss you COl\11\ION about three inches from tip of tail h1s1 I alw both. There are a few men who con­ to tip of nose and the larger, five tinually catch limits of trout. I inches. The large short - tailed Un1 can see them, each a different in­ shrew is the one most often found. st'll State Gets Jurisdiction • • dividual, but each possessing a (Concluded next month) 1'he (ContinUe rl from png e 63) common characteristic. This com­ They'll l'um you for worms or give "'iU Island 24 m Section 22 T72NR1 W , mon virtue, if it may be so called, you a sandwich with equal alac­ "'hi containing 70 acres is that they meet on common level eno rity. Fib a little? Yes, there is inl( Penn Island (Pin Island) Tract at the edge of the creek. There's a trace of it in all of them. A ten­ No. Ia. Island 22 in Sections 22 and that sedate banker from Daven­ real inch trout may grow six inches lnai 27 T72NR1W, containing 20 acres. port or that one-armed fellow from over night, or a 15-pound catfish the Ia. Island No 17, 18, 19 in Sec­ Illinois or the clever doctor from may take on another "five" in a S\U} tion 27 T72NR1W, containing 14 Sterling, the buxom gal from Wis­ few hours-but that's just fishin'. r, Sammetoo, an orphan, now a yearling consin and all the rest of the mot­ buck, Is boing groomed to take Sammy's acres. -Bellevue Leader has placo in the hearts of fair visitors. Samme­ Camp Island or Tract Ia. Island ley group. They all love to fish. 1\:very science has been an outcast e>tp too, you have a big lob ahead of you. No. 13 and Little Nigger Island or They respect one another's rights. Jim Sherman Photo. Tn ge1·so II. and