Texas Game and Fish, Volume 9, Number 4, March 1951 Page: 13
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Texas State Publications and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.
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.W. U HAT
oiF
IT?
involved; it also needs a shade of
realism for the mutual benefit of
sportsman and land operator.
The objectives of a valid wildlife
restoration program go far beyond
better hunting and fishing for today.
There are other considerations that
transcend all the recreational values
concerned, as important as they are.
The basic and ultimate aim is to
Director, Wildlife Restoration
assure the future of America. In this
responsibility, wildlife workers repre-
sent one of numerous related agencies
whose efforts have a common goal.
These agencies strive for the wel-
fare of America through the welfare
of its land. Since wildlife resources
also depend directly on the soil, the
relations are all tied closely together.
This emphasizes the urgent need for
a widely applied policy of land use
that will improve and perpetuate our
soil's productivity. Under such an ap-
plied policy, wildlife would share in
the benefits.
In a properly balanced picture,
wildlife has a definite place. Most fre-
quently it occupies only a minor niche,
but in some cases it tends to "take
over." In that event, reduction rather
than stimulation is in order. Overly
abundant deer can damage range just
as surely and as severely as can too
many domestic livestock. Under this
circumstance, a harvest of the surplus
deer eliminates damage that may re-tard the range for many years. This
protection of the range, in turn, safe-
guards the future of deer as a species.
A given wildlife technician needs a
rather thorough familiarity with the
land use program of the locality where
he works. Lumber production in East
Texas, rice culture on the coastal
prairie and beef production in the
Trans-Pecos are examples of some
wide variations that influence the
game picture.
In each type of use, the technician
faces the problem of "fitting" game
into the existing program. In a farm-
ing community, he will need to rule
out deer completely. If the range is
over-run with free ranging hogs, he
must forego supplemental feeding, ex-
cept in hog-fenced enclosures. In a
locality specializing in domestic tur-
keys, the introduction of wild turkeys
would be a serious error.
A land operator must be thoroughly
convinced of the validity of a manage-
ment method before he will undertake
it. He must be further assured that it
will not conflict with his interests.
Therefore, the technician must first
reveal his thorough understanding of
the entire problem, including a sound
and sympathetic knowledge of the
production and management of tim-
ber, rice or beef cattle, as well as of
game. Another requisite is unques-
tioned proof of his competence and
personal integrity. Thereafter, he must
demonstrate his proposals in opera-
tion. Then, if the operator has reason
to want more game, progress is pos-
sible.
What then, can technicians do?
What are they doing to restore wild-
life in Texas? Their efforts in connec-tion with the various wildlife species
may be summarized as follows:
(a) Census work to determine num-
bers and distribution, as indications
of whether each species trend is up or
down, and as basis for recommenda-
tions on hunting regulations, in re-
gions where the Commission has regu-
latory discretion.
(b) Investigations to determine fac-
tors responsible for decrease or in-
crease of a given species, including
diseases, predators, food shortages,
cover deficiencies, etc.
(c) Trial management to test prom-
ising methods of improving habitat
under different vegetative conditions.
(d) Application of tested methods
to demonstrate their feasibility and ef-
fectiveness.
(e) Trap and transplant surpluses
of species with which such work is
practical and beneficial.
Does the State of Texas conduct an
extensive habitat improvement pro-
gram without obligation from the
landowner? It does not. That is con-
sidered as the prerogative and respon-
sibility of the landowner. Many free
governmental improvements useful to
wildlife may be seen in Texas and
other states that are useless because
of neglect. The neglect stems either
from lack of original desire or subse-
quent interest, or both.
Currently, the program calls for
testing and demonstrating. Extensive
application on private premises, for
private benefits, appears to be a pri-
vate matter; not one that the State
can or should assume.MARCH, 1951
13
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Texas. Game and Fish Commission. Texas Game and Fish, Volume 9, Number 4, March 1951, periodical, March 1951; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1588346/m1/15/?q=%221951~%22: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.