And The I

,

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••••••••••••••

September, 1969

Volume 28

Number 9

••••••••••••••

• • •

By Paul D. Kline Game Biologist

Yesterda) a touch of autumn freshened the air. T'was a cool northwest breeze. I just had to take a '' alk in the woods, even though squirrel season hadn't ar­rived.

The timber was quiet. It was too early for the raucous blue-jays and red­headed woodpeckers lo be quarreling over acorns. That wou ld come in another month.

A few early-fallen leaves littered the trail. I could tell this lrail hadn't been used recently because the little spiny­backed woods spiders had it laced with their webs.

A fallen log offered a good spot to sit and watch. Maybe an old tom turkev . . would pass b) if I was quiet. The Con-servation Commission had stocked them here two years previous. Several broods of chicks had been reported since.

A whitetail doe crossed the trail about 80 yards upwind. She flicked her tail nervously and eyed me. Her red summer coat shone in the sun. It would soon be replaced by the heavy "blue" winter coat.

I didn't. move. A pair of good-sized fawns entered the trail. Their spots had faded. Giving me a final suspicious look, the old doe, followed by the fawns, melted in the brush. Their passing set me to thinking about deer and the season we had set for 1969.

About thirty years ago the Conserva­tion Commission had stocked deer in this area. Before that for many years there were none. They had been wiped out prior to 1900 by excessh·e hunting and through forest clearing.

The tiny herd introduced in the late thi rties had prospered, just as deer had over much of Iowa. By 1953 they had ac­tually become pests in some areas. The herd was estimated at 12,600 then, a seven-fold increase in six years.

A five day hunting season was held in about half the state to reduce deer

(Continued on page 68)

Iowa Vol. 28

Conservationist September, 1969 No. 9

Pub.1shed month1y by the 1owa Conservalior Com­Mission, Stale Off•cc Building. 300 4th Street Des Moines, Iowa 50319. Address all mai1 {subsc•iption<, chanqe of address. Form 3579, rnano.~scr pts. ma~o dems) to above address.

Subsc.r ption p•ice: two ye rs at $1.00

Second cas~ postaQo paid at Des Moines, lowd 1 N., Rights ~e~erved)

ROBERT D RAY, ernor FRED A. PRJ EWERT, Director DAVID R. EVANS, <;upt. Information and Ed uclllion KRISTINE ELIN, [;d or ROSS HARRISON, Editorial Assistant RUSSELL NELSON, Photographer WAYNE LONNING, Photographer JULIUS SATRE, • M nage

MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION KEITH A. tv' N U 1\,J C EARL A. JARV~S V co Charrman JI M D. BIXLER . ... .. JOAN GEISLER ... . LES LIC KLIDER ...... . W ILLIAM E. NOBLE ED W EINHEI MER ...

CIRCULATON

Amos Wiltor Junction

Council Bluffs . D.Jbuque

... Cherokee ...... Oelwein . Greenfield

. . 67.000

COMMISSION MINUTES J ul ) 1, 19.69

Held at D ec; :\Ioines

Dr. Keith A. 1\Ic~urlen, vice chairman, administered the oath of office to Jim D. Bixler, Joan Geis ler and Leslie L. Lick­lider who ha\ e been appointed to the Commission for six-year terms beginning July 1, 1969 through June 30, 1975.

Dr. l\lcXurlen was elected chairman of the Commiss ion for the ensuing year and Earl E. Jan is was named vice-chairman.

The Black Hawk County Conservation Board - Hickor·y Hills - Development project was appro\ ed for submission to the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation fo r qualification onl). to be acth·ated when sufficient fund~ become aYai lable.

Two land purchase options on the Vol­ga RiYer Lake ProJect m Fayette County totaling 228.5 <H' I es were approved.

Three land purchase options on the \Valters Creek Watershed totaling 3<10 acres were approved.

The fo llowing County Conservation Board Land Acquisition projects were approved: Poweshiek County Conserva­tion Board- Arbor Lake Count} Park, 36 acres; Scott County ConseiTation Board - Buena Vista- Wapsipinicon RiYer Ac­cess, 164 acres.

The following County Conservation Board development plans were approved: Carroll County Conservation Board ­Dickson Timber Preserve; Monroe Coun­ty Conservation Board- Miami Lake County Park Revision; Pocahontas Coun­ty Con sen ation Board N'orthwes t Rec­reational Park; :\Iarion County Cons< 1

vation Board - Roberts Creek County Park Revision.

The Commission r eviewed the master development plan for Lake Manawa, Pot· tawattamie County.

Accepted an opt10n for 400 acn's 111

the Riverton Area, Fremont County.

IOWA CO NS ER VATIONI Sf

• • • Dear Sirs:

We would jus t like to comment on lhc> roadside parks in your slate. They are dean \\ 1lh lots of faci lities. " "e would like to thank you and all the people concerned. It \\,ts a real pleasure to usc thrm.

Dear Sn:;:

Thank you.

T lw Pdl'l'ha I'.unily ~omcl'<la lc, X ew Jersey

Although I h::l\ e moYed to anotlwr slalP I J'cad regularly the IowA CONSER\\ TIONIST and en.JO) reading about the things I enjoyed doing in my state for sc many years-hunting, fic:;hing, hiking, boating, and }>icnieking.

It was with interest that I read the article of "Habitat Up- Ducks Do\Yn" in the .July iss ue. I definitel) agree'' ith the last paragraph in the article. but I don't think it goes far enough. I would like to see the duck season closed fo r as long as it takes to bring the breeding stock up to a le,•el of no great concern from year to year.

Controlled hunting " ·ith r estJ·il'tt>cl limits won't work. PPople JUSt cal}'t tell a teal from a wood duck; and 1·ather than miss taking a cluck home. they shoot at anything that flies.

The special teal ~eason is the worst solution to the problem I can imagine. l\la11y a ~ oung mallard or "woody" has fallen as a "teal" because it meant meat in the pan.

At the ~arne time. does it do any good to limit or close the ~ca~on in Iowa. or Xorth Dakota where I now live,when a !' tate like Arkansas has such liberal hunt­ing regulations ?

~o!! The only way to pre\ent controlled slaughter and enjoy good duck hunting in the future is to control the season federally.

Until this is done, I will buy my license and fill my limit as many times as is legal during a season-Just like e\'eryone else.

Don 't duck the next

Sincerely,

Lawrence E. Cook Grand Forks, :--:orth Dakota

issu e!!

or any of the other issues of the

IOWA CONS~ERVATIONIST.

Renew your subscription today. 24 issues for a .. bill" ( $1 } .

It's iust what it's .. quacked up" to be! GREAT! !

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IOWA CONSERVA TI ONIS T

ITORIAL

Ever wonder what Iowa would be like without wildlife? It's possible some people wouldn't even notice any change. But, there are over 674,000 licensed hunters and fishermen plus thousands of others who have vital stake in Iowa's wildlife resou rces . . The recreat~o~al and economic values of wildlife leave their mark on prac­

tically every citizen of the state. Farmers and businessmen benefit to an extent that few realize.

To begin with, hunting and fishing offer an excellent opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors, to become better acquainted with nature and the land we love.

Hunting and fishing are part of our heritage-a heritage that helped make this country great. As forms of outdoor recreation today, they give people a break from routine work with a day of fun and excitement in the fields and woods or on the streams and lakes.

But there is a definite economic side of this healthful recreation. According to a national survey, the average hunter and fisherman spends $80 and $90 re­spectively each year in pursuit of his outdoor pastime. Now, this kind of spend­ing certainly has an effect on our economy. (Just multiply $80 or $90 by 674,000 ! )

The typical nimrod will spend an average of eight and a half days at his sport each year and he will travel about 200 miles to get where the game is. Anglers put in about nine and a half days and average 300 miles annually.

Aside from ammunition, guns, rods, reels and other equipment sold chiefly at sporting goods stores, these hardy outdoorsmen plunk down millions on other items.

Clothing and boat manufacturers get a big share of the outdoor dollar. With the average hunter taking about five trips and the angler eight each year, all phases of the transportation industry share in the windfall. Hotels, motels, restaurants and room-and-board facilities provide meals and places to s leep while away from home.

This all adds up to a sizeable chunk of money in the economic stream. It proves that Iowa's wildlife and natural resources not only give people pleasure, fun and sport, but also contribute to the economic balance and business success of the state. -de

•r. Keith McNurlen (right), chairman of the Iowa Conservation Commission, pre­ented special awards of merit to Bill Horine of Nevada (center) and George Iarzeck of West Burlington, at a recent Commission meeting. The awards were rom the American Association of Conservation Information, of which the Iowa 'ommission is a member. Horine was cited for "stimulating awareness in the im­ortance of conservation on his radio and television prog rams, Outdoor Talk." Iarzeck received his award for "creating greater public interest in conservation nd the outdoors in his column, "Sportsman's Corner" and encouraging the teach­ng of conservation in schools."

Page 67

'New' Waters

Spark Planning For

1970 Sports If you are wondering why you are

reading an article about water recreation in the middle of September, just try to think of yourself as a person with a lot of foresight.

Consider next spring and summer and how you are going to take advantage of the 25,000 new acres of watertime fun that Is being added to Iowa by the Red Rock and Rathbun Reservoirs.

The waters section of the Iowa Con­sen·ation Commission has no choice but to be foresighted. It must prepare for over a million visitors to these new reser­voirs next season.

Plan s for this winter include construc­tion of a permanent waters station and several boat launching ramps at each reservoir. There will also be new camp­ing, picnicking and swimming facilities waiting for next season's visitors.

The Army Corps of Engineers and the Iowa Conservation Commission in a co­operative effort a re establishing these public use areas so that visitors can ap­preciate the outdoor entertainment which Iowa has to offer.

\Vith the new areas attracting all these people there is a higher risk of boating and swimming accidents.

One reason for predicting an increase in accidents is that recreationists think of the reservoirs as either a long, nar­row lake or a wide, slow-moving river. Actually, the reservoirs combme the character istics of both and produce situations that do not occur in either a lake or stream.

During the spring and early summer, flooding rivers bring the worst hazards of all-floating and partially submerged trees, limbs, barrels, and anything that is washed into rivers by hea,•y rains.

Part of the debris that comes into the reservoirs is washed up on the shore, some sinks to the depths, and some ends up stuck through boat hulls of unwary navigators.

Once the current is slowed down in the pool of the reservoir, snags remain until they sink or are washed to shore. There isn't a powerful current to concen­trate snags into small bunches or break up the snags and wear them down into less threatening obstacles.

Usually by the middle of summer the snags get caught on the banks. As soon

(Continued on page 69)

Page 68

DEC 67

5 1,000 LJC

DEC

DEC 6 7·8

2 8,500 LIC

.\ ho,e: T he map sh ows th e Lone-.,, dale-.,, a nd number of licen.;;es per area appro' ed f<>r the 1969 ~ea-.,on.

Belo'' : S ighting a doe, like t h i one, can :-.et an) one to thinking about th e joys of ~ature a nd " h at he proYid e-.. for Iowans.

IOWA CONSERVATIONIST

DEC 67 8

4

DEC 67

3 2,000 LJ C.

number~ "here they were too prone to help farmet·~ han·est crops. About 4.000 deer were killed and the remainder were dis llCrsed.

Another season. with a fe" more coun­ties opened. ''as held tn 1954 .. ince then "t> h<l\ c had annual state,dde seasons.

Dunng these 16 seasons. archers ha' c hanested 5.907 deer. gunners 91.775. In l 9GR the total han est was 13,771. An ad­ditional 1.:n5 deer were killed on roads and highways m collisions with vehicles.

Despite lhts annual harYest the herd has increased. The pre-hunting season estimate for 1969 is 32,659, nearly three ttmes the 195:! estimate. ·

Deer inhabit most woodland habitat in lo\\ a. But in most localities they are not as abundant as they could be. They are more dtspersed than in 1953.

Probably lhe habitat a\'ailable in Iowa

Some Thoughts On Deer Management

(Con tinued f r om page 65)

could support somewhere between 65 an1.. 1:!0 thousand deer. If they were that nu merom;. chances are theY would becom£ an intolerable nuisance t~ farmers.

The Conser\'ation Commission mus1 live with one inescapable fact: The max imum number of deer we can ha\ e iu Iowa \\ill depend not on what the habi · tal ''ill support, but primarily on what people will tolerate. This population lies some" here between the number we hare no\\ and the 65 to 130 thousand theo· reltcally possible.

With this thought in mind we have ad­justed deer hunting regulations for 1969 to permit a modest increase in the herd. Gun hunter quotas have been cut bv 2,500 in Zones 1, 2, and 5; and the nu~­ber of da~ s hunting reduced from three to two in Zones 3 and 5.

This should permit a harvest of near 12,000 deer, about 1,800 fewer than in 196 . The anticipated herd increase for 1970 will be about seven percent.

If we increase the herd gradually O\'er a period of years we will eventually. real h an optimum point of public tolerance Then we can adjust regulations to main tain the herd at that level.

People have asked occasionally whv we c!on'tturn to a "bucks only" season. Thi:-; certainly has been considered. If we want to increase deer numbers it would seem logical to shoot bucks only.

But, there is one hitch-hunters make errors. States that have "bucks only'' seasons report that anywhere from 20 tc 50 percent of the deer killed are does and fawns shot in error. This is a serious waste of a resource.

In the public hunting portion of the Red Rock Game 1\Ianagement Unit, l\Iari­on County, '' e are trying a "bucks only" season this year. The outcome will be considered in our future management.

Actually, if we were to shoot antlered bucks on ly there would be many more disappointed hunters. About 70 percent of lhe annual kill has been does and fawns. This indicates that hunting sue·

~ent :e 65)

!\"ere thai r wuld bee mners.

lission m et: The IIlli can have 1at the ba rilv on p~lation h ber we ha usand th

1 we have ions for 1~ in the be ~een cut lnd the

from

-

cess would drop from about 45 percent to 15 to 20 percent.

The Conservation Commission feels a dual responsibility. We must protect the resource-the deer-and at the same time permit maximum enjoyment from it. This means "e should maintain the deer herd at a maximum level consistent with agriculture.

At the same time we must permit hunt­ing at a level which will not deplete the herd. During the past 16 years we have ., uccessfully accomplished this.

1f anyone doubts thai deer manage­ment is big business they can consider these figures. It is anticipated that deer hunters will spend 700,000 hours in pur­mit in 1969.

More than 23,000 licenses will be sold, 1nd an additional 26,000 free licenses will be issued to landowners or tenants o hunt on their own lands.

All hunters will spend an estimated n4 million dollars for guns, ammunition, !{asoline, clothing, hotels, meals, licenses, "tc. Of course there is an additional

11est of~~, •• value in the know ledge that wild deer ex-wer than tst and can be seen in Iowa. increase f

What value can one put on the chance rcent. o sit on a log and watch a doe and twin •adualiY 01 fawns pass unmolested through the ntualiY rea woods? ic tolerao ions to mal

I O W A CONSERVA TI ON I ST Page 69

1969 IOWA H UNTING SEASONS AND LIMITS

GAME Pheasant Bob\\hite

Quail Hungarian

Partridge Ruffed Grouse Duck

Geese

Coot

Wilson Snipe

Rabbit (cottontail and jack)

Fox and Gray Squirrel

Raccoon (hunting only)

Deer (gun)

Deer (bow)

SEASON Nov. 8 Dec. 31 Oct. 25-J an. 31,

19t0 Nov. 8-Dec. 31

Nov. 1 Nov. 16 Ocl. 25-Nov. 23

Oct. •1-Dec. 12

Ocl. 25-Nov. 23

Oct. 4- Nov. 22

Sept. 13-Feb. 15, 1970

SHOOTING HOURS

8:00 a.m.-4 :30 p.m. 8:00 a.m.-4 :30 p.m. ,

8:00 a.m.-4:30p.m.

8:00 a.m.-4 :30 p.m. % hr. Before Sun­

rise to Sunset 72 hr. Before Sun­

rise to Sunset lh hr. Before Sun­

rise to Sunset __..;_;.:

% hr. Before Sun­rise to Sunset ---6:00 a.m.-6:00p.m.

SepC13-Dec. 3l None

Nov. 1-Feb. 28, 1970

Dec. 6-7-8, check zones and restrictiOns

Sept. 27-Nov. 27

12 noon Nov. 1 to 12 midnight Feb. 28

8:00 a.m.-4:30p.m.

:!;2 hr. Before Sun­rise to % hr. after Sunset

DAILY BAG LIMIT

8

2

2 4

Check Species Laws 5 I

Check Species Laws 10

8

10

6

None

POSSESSIO X LIMIT

6 16

4

4 8

5

20

16

None

12

None

Possession and Bag Limit-One Per Year

Water Recreation - 1970 .. (Cont inued from page 67)

as the water level begins to stabilize, the reservoir becomes a lake with a very slight current.

The shoreline of the reservoir is per­haps the most important hazard to avoid, if possible. Debris, stumps from flooded forest floors, submerged rocks and count­less other obstacles lie partially or com­pletely concealed. About the only way to insure against running into one of these is to avoid the shoreline completely.

At each rese1 \ oir there will be a new water station. These will be the head­quarters for the water safety patrolmen and information centers for reservoir visitors.

There will be one permanent employee who will be aided during the boating sea-

son by several temporary helpers. They will patrol the reservoir, maintain the boat ramps and try to inform boaters about water safety.

Roy Downing, superintendent of the waters section, stated very simply, "We cannot begin to regulate boating and water safety only through enforcement. The public has to be made aware of what lies in store for them if they don't take a cautious look at water recreation.

"It's always much more fun to be care­free and not worry about accidents-the old 'ii would never happen to me' atti­tude. This is the type of thinking that usually finds boats hung up on a tree stump, or a skiier with a pair of broken legs."

allY whr season. 11: ered. If

DEER DISTRIBUTION

It is chiefly through personal contacts made on their patrol that the waters offi­cers inform the public about water safety. They are conscientious people, concerned for the welfare of water recre­ationists.

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'bucks on frol!l 20 re . 8 are doe~.

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BEST

GOOD

FAIR

POOR

Their stations are not only devoted to the maintenance of their equipment, but a lso to the need of informing the public about their area. There is always some­one at the station to answer any ques­tions from visitors.

The off season is a good time for boat­ers to evaluate their watertime fun. Iowa provides about as large a variety in wa­ter recreation as exists anywhere in the midwest. There is no need to travel hundreds of miles to enjoy yourself.

There are onl) a few things the Com­mission asks of the people who uie state waters. We want them to enjoy them­selves and take advantage of what Iowa has to offer but realize that our recre­ational facilities are for everyone, to be enjoyed now and in the future.

Page 70 IOWA CONSERVA TI ON I S T

-'Hotfoot'n Harey'

In Great Shape For

Another Season

Hot foot'n it a"ay from a hunter, thic; little targe t can moH' at tremendous :-.peed ... for hort distance .....

The cottontail rabbit, better known as "Hotfoot'n Ilarey", promises to gi\'e Iowa hunters another successful season this fall.

H. H. made his 1969 debut Septembe1 13 and for four and a half months after. his show will continue. If the season i:­anything like the past few years. and biologists say that it Is going to be. lfarey will again lead all game species in Iowa for the number taken.

The hunting season this fall allows for a daily bag limit of 10 and no possPssion limit. Shooting hours are from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00p.m .. and the entire state ts open.

Cottontail::; make spol'l for hunters of all ages. Harey ts an explosion of speed. a remarkably agile tnckster. and an ex­cellent morsel for anyone's table.

Rabbits don't require much to sur\'i\'e and to reproduce in the great numbers Lhat made them famous. Food (torn and alfalfa), water and a little under­brush to hide in, and a rabbit is set up for a good life.

Their requirements are so well meL in our state that sometimes their numbers

<. -•

' ... - ...

--• •

-

get a little out of hand. One p,erson once said, "It's a good deal for us that those little bunnies are so good to eat, or they might wind up eating us."

This statement is a tnfte absurd. It im­plies that rabbits are meat eaters, which isn't :so. and it implies that hunters con­trol populations of rabbits. which a lso is incorrect.

It does. though, in<llcate the fantastic reproductive capabilities of Hotfoot'n Harey. Australia (whose rabbits are \ ery close cousins to our cottontai l) can testify to the destruction of grass, grain, and gardens b~ masses of rabbits that latk the natural enem1es and predators \\ htch keep then population in check.

\rithout these checks their numbers inc:rease so fast and to such g reat he1ght~ they caused Jos:->es of many millions of dollars to crops and pastures.

In Iowa there isn't much danger of ex­treme over production as there has been in Australia. Our natural predators like the fox, owl, cats, dogs, the elements, and parasites, as well aR dic;easec;, have kept the popu,atwn of t.ottontalls fairly sta-

.... -:

.... > ' • • •

A little tracking s;now with some good cover provide.:; e~cellent rabbit hunting.

By Ross Harrison

S taff Writer

ble. These checks on the population never allow the rabbit numbers to out­grow their food supply.

Hunters take a considerably small per centage of the total population. For the past few years the harvest has been more than one and a half million annuall) and most of these were taken from the south­ern two tiers of counties. Southern Iowa has prime rabbit habitat "·ith miles of diverted areas interspersed with corn­fields and brush.

I n the early fall the rabbit population II .JII 'u~ is higher than any other time of the year. It makes a challenging hunt to try and pick out a rabbit from the color­matched grass and thickets when then' isn't any snow on the ground.

As the season progresses and the first snow comes, the population begins to de­cline. This is not due to hunting pies­sure, but more from natural mortality. The snow makes the rabbit more vulner· able to man and to its natural enemies.

Even though the population is usually down later in the fall, hunters turn out in greater numbers. Rabbits are easier to trail and make better targets against a white background of snow. This is an excellent time to give youngsters their first hunting experience.

A .410 is a great beginning gun for a youngster and it is very effective on rab bits. Number 6 shot g-ives the best re suits because it doesn't bring as much hair into the meat as larger sizes.

Hunting H olfoot'n IIarey is a fast mo,·­ing, quick shooting sport. Find a large brush pi le near a cornfield and chances are good that then' ''ill be several bun­nies inside.

Beat on the brush, send a beagle in after them or just relax and wait for them to come ouL Either way, once the first shot is fi red, g<'l readv for another When one jumps, others take a larm and you' ll see what the saying "off like a scared rabbit" means .

A splendid day of hunting can only be topped by a fine rabbit dinner.

For this season a nd for many to come. the cottontai l will provide a great sport for thousands of hunters. It's easy to understand-in the field or on the table, Jiotfoot'n Ha rey gua ran lees satisfaction.

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I 0 WA CONSERVA T IONIST P<1ge 71

• • oun 1 u us a1 s

un 0

an

reat By Ross Harrison

Staff Writer

Squirrel City!!! That's what hunters call Iowa's wood­

ands in the fall. Iowa has had some of 'he best "bushy-tail" shooting in the mid­

.vest the past few years and it looks as hough 1969 will be another great sea­:~on.

'I his fall the season runs from Septem­)er 13 through December 31, with a bag imit of six and a possession limit of 12 liter the opening day. The entire state s open to hunting.

There are two kinds of squirrels that 'an be hunted in Iowa-the fox and the {ray squirrel. Fox squirrels are red like l fox and they Jive in small woodlots and n the edges of large timbers. They are nore abundant than gray squ irrels.

Occasionally hunters bag a solid black ;quirrel. These are mutations of the fox ;quirrel and are identical to them in ~very respect but color.

Gray squirrels are a little smaller than he fox squirrel. They are colored gray md they usually live deeper in the .voods.

For the past several years, squirrels 1ave ranked as the number three game pecies in Iowa, right behind cottontails md pheasants. They provide a type of 1Unting that can be the most relaxing ,f outdoor sports.

For a good hunt, just sit down, relax tnder a big oak tree in the early morning 1r late afternoon. and don't move for .everal minutes. Keep your rifle handy. r he squirrels know you are there, and or a short time your presence will keep hem hidden.

Then curiosity usually gets the best of hem. One will poke his head out of his tole to see if you are still there. Many imes, if you don't move or frighten them, hey will put t hemselves up for an ex­ellen t target.

Patience and si lence are the key fac­ors that make a good squirrel hunter.

unt

0 Sma ll, fas t and cagey, the fox squirrel makes a challenging target.

After you shoot one, stay where you are. Keep an eye on the downed game, but maintain your position. Where there is one, there are probably two, three, or more.

An important reason for the success­ful bushy-tail seasons is the good supply of foods available. They diet on corn , acorns and hickory nuts which are abun­dant in Iowa.

Another explanation of Iowa's sub­stantial squirrel population is the fact that squirrels are excellent parents. Their nests are high in trees and emer­gency enemy-escape routes are well planned.

Young squirrels aren't freed from the nest until they can run, climb and fend for themselves almost as well as an adult. Their speed and ability to find a safe hid­ing place puts them out of the reach of most predators.

Diseases rarely cut into squirrel popu­lations because they live in segregated communities. They possess a strong ter­ritorial feeling that keeps them from ranging far and wide. As a result epidemics are held in check.

With all these factors acting to supply a good squirrel season year after year, biologists bel ieve that our timbers have just about reached the saturation point.

For the past few years the squirrel numbers have remained fairly stable and no change is expected. There haven't been any drastic changes in habitat and certainly there will be a continual sup­ply of food as long as Iowa produces corn.

Iowa has a great deal to be proud of with its squirrel crop. Since they are found all over the state, everyone can enjoy the hunt and the excellent eating that squirrels provide.

Relaxing early in the morning in a beautiful timber area, the squirrel hunter can forget his daily routine and concentrate on his exciting quarry.

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