File:Bulletin (Pennsylvania Game Commision), no. 11 (1911) (20312871060).jpg

Title: Bulletin (Pennsylvania Game Commision), no. 11
Identifier: bulletinpennsylv11penn (find matches)
Year: 1911 (1910s)
Authors: Pennsylvania Game Commission
Subjects: Game protection; Birds
Publisher: Harrisburg, Pa. : Pennsylvania Game commission
Contributing Library: Penn State University
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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secured by havinj^ parts (jf abandoned fields plowed. Soils very often contain thousands of seeds of many kinds dropped years ago. They germinate only when influenced by the sun and other con- ditions. Plowing brings about favorable conditions for part of these weed seeds. Sportsmen quite frequently secure the cooperation of farmers by purchasing a few shocks of buckwheat or unhusked corn or a patch of uncut corn which is allowed to remain in the fields. It should be kept in mind that to be most useful the corn or buck- wheat should be left near good cover. Perhaps arrangements could also be made to permit a strip of uncut grain or hay to remain along the edges of some fields. A strip four feet wide will do much good. If wheat stubble is cut high it provides some cover to birds seeking the waste grains in the stubble field during the fall of the year.
Text Appearing After Image:
Photograph by Game Commissioner Ross L. Leffler, McKeesport. An easily constructed Bob-white food shelter, built by Boy Scouts. Hoy Scouts could help immensely in providing food lor game and song birds if each troop would arrange for a patch of sun flowers. These provide excellent food for song birds and for game l)irds. A small patch near good cover would not re(;uire much work for the returns which would be secured for the birds. It is planted any time up to the middle of July in rows far enough apart to permit cultivation. Eight or ten pounds per acre should be sown and cultivated the same as corn. A small patch of broom corn could also be planted near good game cover. This is very good quail food. It is planted about one to two weeks after the first corn is planted, that is May 1st to June 15th. It is planted at the rate of about 4 pounds per acre. The seed is placed in rows 14 i 3y2 feet apart and covered about 1 inch deep. It must l)e cultivated by harrowing or hoeing frequently. After the seed ripens in the fall the tops of the stalks should be bent down so that the seed hangs about 18 inches above the ground. In many sections it will also be possible for the Scouts to secure berry bushes or other game foodplants for planting in clumps around stone piles or other places where permission can be obtained to plant. The Scouts should also start now the building of feeding shelters under which game can be fed this winter. If shelters are built now game will have become accustomed to them before next winter's snow makes artificial feeding essential. Plans for shelters are shown under Emergency Winter Feeding in this Bulletin. EMERGENCY WINTER FEEDING Many thousands of game animals and game birds are fed each winter in Pennsylvania with various kinds of grains, scratch feed, and occasionally with hay and alfalfa distributed especially for that purpose. During the past few years this feeding program has been stressed continuously by the Game Commission and s))lendid assist- ance has been given by organized and individual s))ortsmen, farmers, rural mail carriers. Boy Scouts and others. In many sections of the Commonwealth, Boy Scouts have organized successful feeding campaigns, and they, as well as farmers, are entitled to special com- mendation for their good work. For the welfare of our game, particularly game birds, everyone interested must do his bit in plac- ing suitable food where it will do the most good. We have much to learn concerning the most desirable game foods and the best methods of feeding game in an economical way. It is difficult to determine how to feed the maximum amount of game with a minimum amount of food and effort, for animals other than game, rodents particularly, are likely to get more of it than the game for which it is intended. Definite knowledge of the kinds of food that are most tempting and beneficial to game is of great importance and in this field there is much opportunity for investi- gation and experiment. IVIany methods in the pro))er distribution and placing of winter feed have been employed in this Commonwealth with varying de- grees of success. Throwing grain from an airplane has been tried; numerous types of artificial shelters have been built; natural shelters such as thickets, hollow logs and sheltered rock ledges have been used and grain has been scattered in the open and ears of corn have been placed on twigs or stubs two feet above the ground so that they would protrude above the snow. 15

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