M.on'se, syomin;
February 2),l948
Yr. Frederick . Ford, Secretary
Association for the Preservation of
American Grouse,
1630 Dime Building,
Detroit 26, Vichigan
Dear Mr. Fords
I am happy indeed to learn of your Association. I have been greatly
disturbed by the apparent lack of interest our native grouse. I grew up
with the prairie chicken in Minnesota. I have lived many years with the
blue grouse and ruffed grouse in our at western states. I have seen the
sharp-tailed grouse disappear from Jackson Hole, and I see the sage grouse
threatend in many places.
I wish I could contribute financially to your cause, but I have
already joined most of the conservation organizations of the United States
and !y pocket book just won't stretch any further, but believe mes, I am
most happy about your organization, and shall give it all the moral support
I can.
I have only one serious fear about your prospectus, and may I give you
qr thought on that? I note that you are stressing particularly the raising
of grouse for distribution. I sincerely hope that your organization Will
not go off predominantly on that tangent. Such a course could never succeed.
I confidently believe that the trend today us for natural reproduction in
native habitat, though of course I recognize the need for restocking of
totally depleted habitats. But let me stress the need for preserving suitable
habitat. That is the Number One problem in conservation today. For example,
the threat to our public domain in the west , research on methods to destroy
sagebtush by spraying from airplanes, and various projects to replace sage with
grass, I consider a far greater threat to our sage grouse than over-shooting
or destruction by predators. In one instance I am inclined to think that
over-browsing by elk, thus removing available budding opportunities in winter,
was the cause of disappearance of a population of sharp-tailed grouse. I
sincerely hope that you will.approach your problem from the ecological angle,
the only one that will succeed. Conservation today is a land problem. Let us
not forget that.
4ith all good wishes for your success,
Sincetely yours,
Olaus J. Murie
Director