PENNSYLVANIA GAME NEWS 
 
BUILDING 
By JAMES N. MORTON 
T HE whole-hearted and widespread interest among sports- 
en's organizations and individuals during the past several 
months in creating better natural conditions for wildlife is most 
encouraging. 
Many organizations throughout the State have appointed com- 
mittees on Game Food and Cover. Membership in the committees 
is chosen from widely separated districts in order to get men who 
are acquainted with the problems in each vicinity covered by the 
organization. Many of these committees have functioned in a 
highly satisfactory manner. Great numbers of temporary retreats 
and shelters have been provided in areas devoid of natural cover. 
Game feeding shelters, under which food can be placed during 
adverse weather, have been built throughout the State. Cooperative 
arrangements with farmers in providing food and cover have been 
carried out on a scale never before equaled. This good work must 
be continued and carried forward on a larger scale if we hope to 
maintain a sufficient crop of game birds and animals for harvest- 
ing during the open hunting seasons. 
The turn of the seasons has again brought us to the time of 
year when it will once more be necessary to make preparations 
in order to insure a supply of natural food and cover during the 
coming summer, fall and winter. There has probably never been 
a time within recent years when this work has been more neces- 
sary. It is a well known fact that wildlife faced a crises during the 
severe winter of 1935-36 when all kinds of birds and animals were 
endangered because of difficulties in securing natural food and 
in finding sufficient cover for shelter from the elements. This crisis 
was reflected in a badly depleted supply of stock for breeding dur- 
ing the past season, hence a limited supply for shooting during 
the last hunting season. 
There is now a splendid opportunity to overcome the losses 
sustained during the period above mentioned. The past winter 
has been extremely favorable to wildlife. Only for very short 
periods was there severe weather, and the lack of snow 
made it possible for wildlife to more easily reach available 
food supplies. 
In addition to the favorable winter, the Game Commis- 
sion during recent months carried on the heaviest game 
restocking program in the State's history. Thousands of 
birds and animals have now been released to restock the 
depleted coverts. But such restocking is not going to solve 
the problem if those interested in the welfare of wildlife do 
not assist in making all areas attractive to the released stock 
and to the native birds and animals which inhabit the terri- 
tory. A consignment of birds can be released any place, 
but it is not possible to make them remain there unless 
conditions are to their liking. 
Things for which arrangements should be made immedi- 
ately are the preservation of part of the existing natural 
growth which provide food and cover for farm game species; 
the planting of food patches and of berry-growing shrubs 
and vines, and the building of additional temporary retreats 
and shelters. 
Almost every farm has some waste bit of land such as 
ravines, stony hillsides or stream banks. Too often these 
spots, as well as woodlots, are pastured to a state of barren- 
ness. Just small portions of the woodlot, if fenced apart, 
would provide shelter, food and protection to a surprising 
number of very useful birds and animals. 
Farmers should be encouraged wherever possible to leave 
some brushy growth along ditch banks, fences and other 
areas where they do not interfere with farming operations. 
Such growth provides wildlife with nesting cover, travel 
lanes, food supplies, and places from which to escape from 
the attacks of natural predators. The same growth which 
assists in creating a more favorable environment for game 
birds and animals likewise is essential in conserving the 
song and insectiverous birds. It is a well known fact that 
it is possible for landowners to receive an enormous value 
 
BETTER FARM 
Provision for game food and cover 
is one of the most pressing game 
management problems. Herein are 
outlined many helpful suggestions 
for sportsmen and others interested 
in providing more favorable game 
habitats. 
each year through the destruction of insect pests by game and 
insectiverous birds. 
A considerable amount of soil erosion can be prevented by 
allowing a heavy grass or shrub growth to remain along gullied 
areas, stream banks and on steep hillsides. Everyone knows of 
the evils of soil erosion and of the tremendous toll taken in good 
soil each year from practically every farm. The breaking of fields 
into smaller units and permitting strips of sod or low shrub 
growth between fields, the provision for strips of trees and shrubs 
along steep hillsides and the retaining of growth along gullies 
where there is rapid run-off of water will go a long way toward 
preventing this destructive washing away each year of valuable 
soil. These methods used to prevent soil erosion will, at the same 
time, be useful to wildlife in providing food and cover. 
A farm can be made more attractive by having a supply of 
game food producing shrubs and vines along fences, ravines, and 
in woodlots. Much of the growth which provides food and cover 
for wildlife is also extremely attractive and highly prized orna- 
mentally. Who is not delighted in the spring of the year with the 
blossoms of the juneberry, the redbud or the dogwood? During 
the fall of the year, as the trees and shrubs in woods and fields 
 
Brushy growth along fence rows is very essential in providing favorable 
conditions for game and for song and insectiverous birds.