Game Conditions in the Dakotas 
 
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ITH all the careful planning for 
the protection and propagation 
of our wild life, the one big fac- 
tor we still have to combat is the gen- 
eral climatic conditions from one season 
to another. The year 1931 was an es- 
pecially hard one for all waterfowl as 
well as upland birds through the Da- 
kotas. 
The extremely dry weather in 1930 
stunted the general crop growth and the 
wild undergrowth as well, so when the 
winter of 1931 came, with a more gen- 
erous than usual covering of snow, most 
birds were much exposed to the ele- 
ments. The farmers had cut and hauled 
off their fields every bit of roughage 
and hay, which left the fields unusually 
bare, and with little or no growth in the 
marshy land, there was scant shelter 
there. Tall grasses, which grew along 
the few creeks which contained water, 
offered shelter, but the birds crowded 
this cover, and many could not find 
refuge. Thus, when in the latter part 
of January and the first part of Febru- 
ary, we had several snow storms accom- 
panied by a high wind and snow of a 
fine sifting texture, hundreds of birds 
perished within a few days after each 
storm. 
There was a general theory that our 
pheasants were starving. Many inter- 
 
After a general survey of the situa- 
tion, it was found that the birds were 
not starving, for nearly every crop ex- 
amined contained from one-fourth to 
two ounces of'weed or thistle seeds, with 
perhaps a kernel or two of corn, and 
the bird was in good flesh. A careful 
study of the situation disclosed that the 
birds died of strangulation, caused by 
insufficient shelter. Hundreds of birds 
were caught right out in the open fields, 
and many crowded along the fences 
piled high with Russian thistles, but 
the drifting snow soon covered fields, 
fence rows and all. The constant blow- 
ing of this fine snow into the face of the 
pheasant, who had little or no shelter, 
caused the snow to melt on his face, and 
the melting snow and chilly wind made 
the eye water, which in turn would run 
down to the nostril. In due time the drop- 
let of water would freeze as the temper- 
ature dropped with the storm and the 
bird sat quietly awaiting the storm's 
abatement, with the result that he was 
forced to breathe through his mouth. 
 
ested farmers and sportsmen, as well as 
the game department itself, very gener- 
ously placed feed in the fields for these 
birds, who apparently suffered the great- 
est casualties. 
 
By LILLIAN E. BEYERS 
This constant gasping for breath finally 
caused the tongue to freeze and the 
pheasant would be found with his mouth 
wide open, and full of snow, in a dead 
or dying condition. 
S EVERAL hundred prairie chickens 
wintered in these quarters, but they- 
seemed to stand our winters better, as 
not a single chicken was found in my 
tramps through the fields. Their cus- 
tom is to burrow into a snow bank and 
remain completely concealed until the 
storm is over, at which time a whole 
flock will be seen braving a farmer's 
fodder stack for an early meal, but, with 
the coming of spring, they all disappear, 
going west of the Missouri River to the 
virgin prairie for nesting and rearing 
of their young. 
Our lakes brought a new condition 
also. The continued drought of 1931, 
found the lakes and rivers at a danger- 
ously low level. There were no rains 
or "run-off" water to freshen the water 
in the early season, and, with the dry 
hot summer and excessive evaporation, 
all bodies of water that were left at all 
reached dangerously low levels. Even 
the muddy old Missouri played a losing 
hand, and in many places could be 
waded across in August and September. 
When the severe winter weather set 
in and several feet of ice were in evi- 
dence, many fish died from what was 
termed the mineralization of the water. 
But now, as I sit by my window and 
see the water from the rapidly melting 
snow running through the fields down 
to the already swolen creeks and rivers, 
I am happy to know that each body of 
water will be well filled this season with 
fresh water, so fish should rapidly come 
into their own. Fish need very little 
assistance from man, if Nature will 
give them but half a chance, while 
with our upland game birds, man has 
done much to propagate them over these 
prairie wastes and to hasten their in- 
crease. 
I N A general survey of the migratory 
waterfowl conditions for the fall of 
1931, it was found that the migration of 
ducks and geese through South Dakota 
did not exceed twenty-five percent of 
the 1930 migration. There was no evi- 
dence of a general flight of Canvasbacks, 
Redheads and Bluebills, Mallards, with 
a sprinkling of Bluebills, migrating 
through South Dakota on the 17th and 
18th of November. Geese chose another 
route of migration In 1931, as they were 
conspicuous by their absence along the 
 
Missouri river, their favorite course 
through this state. A few White-front- 
ed geese remained on the Missouri in 
the southern part of the state during 
the latter part of October. 
Canada honkers in limited numbers 
were in evidence on the 17th and 18th 
of November, along that portion of the 
Missouri river forming the boundary 
line between South Dakota and Ne- 
braska. Nebraska hunters had splendid 
shooting on the 18th, but on the 19th, 
the birds had all moved south. An in- 
teresting condition existed in the Sand 
Lake region of South Dakota and Ne- 
braska. During the fore part of October 
and prior to the opening of the season 
in Nebraska, looal ducks were very 
much in evidence across the line in Ne- 
braska. During the first half of No- 
vember and after the close of the season 
in South Dakota, great flocks roosted on 
the rivers and lakes of South Dakota, 
much to the disgust of the Nebraska 
hunters. This condition was so notice- 
able that it should prove to the most 
skeptical the value of refuges located at 
strategic points throughout the duck 
areas. 
Fortunate for the ducks this year, 
however, the very inclement weather 
conditions combined with the shortened 
gunning season just past to conserve 
the supply. 
As this is written, thousands of wild 
ducks are making their way northward 
in  their  restless quest for nesting 
grounds, and it is the sincere desire of 
every good sportsman that they are 
made comfortable enough to remain 
here and rear their families before re- 
turning to the southland next fall, thus 
affording good sport to the hunter and 
excellent study to the naturalist. 
N OT so many years ago, wild ducks, 
as well as most of the other species 
of wild life that inhabit this section of 
the country, found an abundance of 
food and suitable nesting places. The 
increase was in such proportions that, 
when the earlier pioneers wished a fowl 
for a meal, it was an easy matter to 
"bring home the bacon" in just a short 
time without much effort on their part. 
An early settler reports it as no "tall 
story" to have brought down as many 
as ten geese with a single shot. 
But civilization brought with it ex- 
tensive cultivation and, by the general 
tilling of the soil, our wild life has 
been robbed of its natural haunts and 
foods, so that many have migrated to 
other parts (as is the case with our 
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