File:Bulletin (Pennsylvania Game Commision), no. 11 (1911) (20492064842).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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Text Appearing Before Image:
WHY MORE FOOD FOR GAME? If wild birds and animals are to live and propagate normally they must have an abundance of natural food. When there is a scarcity of natural food, due either to failure in fruit or nut crops, or to deep snows which cover nuts, seeds, and grit, it becomes necessary to sup- ply food by artificial means. In Pennsylvania it is particularly im- portant that game birds and animals be cared for in these days of strenuous hunting, when 600,000 sportsmen range the woods and fields in the fall. To meet the ever increasing demands of the hunter, game animals and birds must propagate to the limit of their natural ability; and to do this they must be healthy and well nourished. The im- portance of keeping game in sound condition cannot be too strongly impressed on the minds of sportsmen throughout the countrj^ and particularly is this true within a thickly settled and industrial State such as Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commis- sioners fully realize this and, through their Game Protectors and Ref- uge Keepers constantly endeavor to supplement the natural supply of food with grains placed in shelters. Sportsmen, too, throughout the State are becoming more and more interested in this vital phase of game conservation work. The natural food supply can be augmented by two principal methods: first, the planting of various kinds of shrubs, trees, vines and grasses which will eventually produce nuts, berries, and seeds desirable as food for game; and second, the distribu- tion of grains, nuts and dried plants, usually in winter when deep snows make this method expedient. The latter method is herein termed emergency imnfer feeding. When the early settlers came to America they found a balanced, though varied, assemblage of wild-life. There was sufficient food for all. Predatory species killed weaker animals, but these weaker animals w^ere always so abundant that they were not exterminated. The coming of civilization upset the balance which so nicely existed in primeval Pennsylvania. The white man killed game, w^hile the beasts of prey evaded him, and continued their killing. Game animals dis- appeared as their enemies became too abundant. The white man con- verted the primeval woodland into farms and towns. Vast areas, after the timber was cut, became waste land as the result of repeated forest fires. These fires destroyed much game, game food and cover. In more recent years the chestnut blight has practically eliminated The chestnut, Pennsylvania's best native game-food producing tree. The loss of this tree has taken away much of the food for wild turkeys, grouse, squirrels, and deer, causing the latter to invade the farms in search of food. It has become increasingly important to supply additional winter food for turkeys since these birds depended so extensively upon chestnuts.
Text Appearing After Image:
Photograph by Game Commissioner Francis H. Coffln, Scranton. Fij?. 3. BOY SCOtTTS SCATTERING GRAIN FOR GAME BIRDS 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 splendid assist- ance has been given by organized and individual sportsmen, farmers, rural mail carriers and Boy Scouts. In many sections of the Common- wealth, Boy Scouts have organized successful feeding campaigns, and they, as well as farmers, are entitled to special commendation for their good work. For the welfare of our game, particularly game birds, everyone interested must do his bit in placing 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 im))ortance and in this field there is much opportunity for investigation and experi- ment. Many methods in the proper distribution and placing of winter fped hflvp hppn pmnln^'od in this CnTnTnnTTn'ffllfli ^vifli varvino' dpoTPPS of success. Throwing grain from an aeroplane was tried in one in-

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