The purp , me assent ais of this paper

detachedly end objectively the history of the

t of

ut

Refuge and to correlate this m cant with the uetuaaions of its

wildlife potation. In doing this peru kl k l

of the area has

been combined with that gained from eonferenees with those new engaged

its msxsgesent and a study sacs in ehronolog eel order,

contained in the refuge files . Account Mot be taken of the fact that a

number of individuals have been employed on the refuge since its begin-

ins, and satinatos of wildlife and remarks concerning then. will reflect,

to nacre *xtent, the Personalities of these indtvidtwlss,

been mede to evaluate the iterial th r

e

I. OBJECTIVES OF REFUGE MCEENt .

A clear out statesant of the primary

gent of Soxubee is to be directed oanno

storrespond ft,q dating back to the establishment of the ref e, with

both the

.oral. and Centre1. of fiass indicates that the

objective

is to establish an upland m areaa for the purpose of d testing to

both pea and private inttires

hg.,;

d

gams Veda in this part of the Sit

numbers of t>pland gam are present, managed

allowed as a further dwonstration .,

is the Melogical Nanagess at F for the Re e, written by

S morel R. Lamb = nd the writer In November

ed, it was stated that prixeery menage erd, of

rooted towards door

turkey,

0fowl +pin never assume - primary

rtImportance,, but should be developed to the

nazi

carrying capacity .

ali,._, quirrels and for b"rers are

aidnrsd incidental species .

U. PAsM HISTCIRY OF AREA.

Considerable timbered land was al ign pres4at, but had bom cut

nweerous times and at time ,)f acquisition there was little that could

be considered sor bantable according to t* pric#6 an

prevail.i .

Land was divided into nn erous

under single ownership wore present, but in general IndividuAl farms

errand to )rage averaged about 50 aorss, The soil, w~.e -- and had

been farmed out, largely to a single crop,

a

valente

At the beginning of the os volt Act.niatrttion, wben an effort

was being wade to dopppulate s

giiml areas, the at

ion of the

resettlemeent admini strttion was drawn to the lane IyJAS

Tin* end Louisville, Mississippi.

out and was purchased in 1935 . This eon eis

acres and was to be meaageed #i+r pasture, timber

u

e.

Title was changed to

shorter afterwards to the Soil Cona ervas n

Work by these agencies included song

farm families, the building of roads and bridges, fir, tooere„ and

tel phess limes. S me pasture iisproveeerren

done and Ohoataw„ Patterson, and Bluff L--kes were

On Juno 14, 1940, the Executive her was ei

49,000 acre block as a wildlife reft e

Wildlife Service, with the Soil Coreer

custodian and a lease arrang t contemplated with the Lississi

State College. This arrangement continued r several rs

agreement was reached whereby the boundaries

Refuge assumed full control over its o

At percent it Is proposed that a 3 300 acre tract in the fatter;

LaIm vicinity be transferred to the Forestry S ool of

sieei

State College in return for a tract of similar sic*,

Jurisdiction lying between the leviles MUeton

public road bearing East from

III. MORIMON OF AREA.

The Rof*e, in its present Jbrm

exterior boundary. Ton thousa I

ship. It lies 18 miles South of StarkviLlee )€i s

Central part of the State. The town

of the southern border of the Refugee

boundary, and Brooksville star t south tern .

The sail is maw of the Lutkin series

e

chalk,# and Ao aerera fornaticn . It is insert

for agriculture.

The topography varies from

sea lovel ranging from approxi.et

.

occurs an the more rm. gad parts, but this is

considerable control work has been done,

h

so

a

pprc

ors of the ,

WKIa the

on a

F

ae

a as low as 6® below zero have been experiene

the growing season lone. Rainfall .

ually,

lard is woed1and and 25 per sent

vvrai z , The proportion of

tex .'toad

t, The principal cover

Black husk Oak +- Feet acs

loL2y, pins - hortlrtaf pins, and

d to r est acre LobIo3ly

k Hiekor -SPSAW Chestnut, oak

oaka Red G, Red gft - Rattan a s +oak-

tttoss d Hardwoods-cypress,

the met con berbaseovs types are bro tsedge

tar

th woes of the low leg fields

,Jots grass.

n

d4 a land ewtp arranpannt with the

monaern1ng Unds l

between etheda end will."a

n Lake vieioity, the rsf gee bonndatriss

refuge gereonnel ex5rdsi a ors da,

d

d

of t

p

,

e ottfo#aU7 atablishsda the joint

. , sac}e affective ssa, snt

zaorous houses still ronrined

houses families of squeters -were living

r slopes erosion was rappmV.

Thousands of head of liveasto* of every kind roamed the o at will

There was a4 huge annual burn,

fire-setting . Hunting was prohibited, but no rthelests occurred

throughout the year. Old houeo-sites presented a depressing s ear~ .

iith tangles of wire, old boards

Prior to the official establis

Biological Survey stationed Fred R .

His function was necessarily that o

the Soil Conservation Service, Ho made certain biological stigations

and helped lay the ground work fbr the eatabli . nt o the r

efuge

In June 1939 Saa l H, lamb was transferred to Nome.

the

Delta Refuge. Although restricted by

effort

toward effective refuge aanag+sasnt . A pate

three

vo rkere wore hired, and the fret of fecti .

poaching bestm. Official establishment in J 194 de for re

effective anagasent . PlantiMs wore wade in Bluff Lake,

and prote©timn intensified,

In 1941 the Refuge Staff was increased to include a so - labo

patrolman and a stark trolaan. Considerable soil ard ni tare funds

were slide available,

se enabled the kofn.7,o to awry

able amount of erosion control work, food a .. cover

repair. Old houeo-sites were *loaned

numerous stock pond das

repaired. During this year aquatic planting

Dea'Iar steeled an IDs ktcsa Creek,

s

type aeping dome

shunt of food strip was put

som control burning was cane .

bAU lb

of the refugep the bureau of

survey OrOW was ass

and reeds was started on surveying and permamoutly s

the Reft

The beginning of World `ar Il

tie work that had been begun . In e

and cover planting was done . Considerable r 'eage

breaks wWzs put in and cooperative farming begun an t

suitable land could be found . The boundary surveying

before the party had time to do more than

exterior boundary, and the war caused the termination of the subsiete e

work program .

In 1943 Mr. James Allen, orfginaU *I

der refuge manager, left to enter the army

was transferred to the nttaiatskeet Refuge and Lyle F . Seiko sent to

Noxubes to reepla ce hid .

A sale had been aonduoted riddin the re

of virtuali all the

abandoned buildings . A reclassification

*vented the

a

use had boon no

of food

ed with the Soil Conservation Service giving the Refuge u , control

over the land within its present boundaries, elgn a ting the land orig..

molly in the southern part of the refuge, and extending the Refuge

ward to include the Patterson lake area and land a tendin qMnd the

3tarkviile-Louisville Road . Mile this caused a drastic change

shape of the Refuge, it made little or no difference in

sags and

ehiminRted a part that was largely interspersed with private land .

In July 1944, lei o was transferred and J . R. Spencer temporarily

left in elarge . One patrolman had resigned and ano

place his. Protection seems to have lapsed . On August 15

Rucker, was eade Rsfurre Manager.

Rucker I .d .a tely instituted a vigorous pro .gram of

Sam doer and additional turkeys were released.

.

1.

Meanwhile ten years had ela

reversion tad grossed steadily .

skier, ash, *id other lour land species, sand the,

sl ds w

rapidly

returning to lakoLiy pine.

extensive prey .

o

was begun by Ituaker in an effort to postpone revs rsi

In 1946 ti*ber sales began

the r val of app - t y one.

thud of the tree in the better stands of

is now in progro

In the 6 years that have elapsed since the official establi-

t

cff the re a ,ur anjor poblns lave confronted its xuagownt, These

are r will

and malicious setting of Area,

ing, and interior holdings . Little can be don concerning Interior hh

ings by field personaol, and those

pssblerre. The trespass livestock sit ti

years, but it is eetimt .d t t the" are still be

eesscsefit

.

0

2,0QQ-3 000

cattle illopI17 ,using red lands, about IM has*„ am* otter

animas* Poaching has been brow t Wider oontr 1 to a far

gm Um forawally am the *AMA

graph on the following ;up shows the annual barn

r*seerds were lapt .

A. g,

,, The predominant tree s

ubs

and its ability to seed mad farsland is well men. Ock Urge, areas where

seed trees are sneers dirge and o

vets seed from reaching mineral soil, and on a

sitss where se*6.

lamps Oa'mt gam a foothold establishment le slow, i land at Scambe

in general is well within reach of seed tress ant oc sior.. tires e

pose the soil. Reversion has pr

ised with great rapidity r de r the"

it is oertaihly desirable to keep a portion of

for deer and turkey

gement .

peerativs fang can

do

than hold open a few hundred acres . If

eidental "cues and there is little eel" that can

not be economicaly possible, even with fire, to

acres in an open enough edition, the

gent - t be directed t

wards deer and turkey. Open lend is not essential, but it is eeirWs

fev the proper anagesrent of those species . Som definite

be worked out as to the awunt to be kept open a th

fioisnUy sloe. intervals and with fires hot enough to insure kill, of

woody grwth .

Under present =magement .13,p

45 s

and a 7,000 acre burn

believes %at it will be i aeoibe,

acreage this large and effedtively keep it from reverting. 004f

may rodas. Utter, contribute to fire protection,, and fines see legue us

growth, but reversion ie not stopped. It be slowed Or fire

resi t species way be favored

r

seeds ia.aorably .

It is believed that a better plan would be to do

sirabis open acreage before it is too late, to apportion WAS s O g.

th ub.ut the Refuge and too

This wig give an interspersion of

sever and vegetation, and hold land open for food

farming who n the opportunity offirs.

,

rel y

tc es or ratty*

H. jg Are . It 3s b Moved: that

u waterfowl refuge has always been discounted .

other waterfowl refuge in the States or w

Due to its limited water reas it *an

be classed as a waterfowl

refuge or aged as so oh, but it does afford protest n for a n

of thou eida of ducks each year and the numbers have inareasod steadily

Every effort shauM be tads to develop the a

utilize xubee a~ a ao ary waterfowl refuge .

The principal water feature is Bluff lake, an artificial un w

ment, varying from 900 to UM acres according, to waterlsvs s, There

is little fluctuation and sli water levels flood emsider.

sloe low titer land on the western

In addition to the lake there is the smaller

bert lake, Cowpin lake

f s sloughs Park s sl.

,

brake. There we also the Noxubee river 0 too, kf

Lynn Dry

s, Cypress, Jas, Tellow, and Talking Warrior or". ks.

y of them

are ir*4rait t t stre r, but they all furnish &%04*"the larger o ass are mwiah tood b y mallards

In the early spring in 1940, the writer s o

Cot

inapeat.d Bluff lake for desirable aqua

but blMeru rt could be found. In the fall of

1941A an tie plantings were made. Water shields, spotted pondvasd

long leaf pond weed, soft stem a, id

spike rash were used . It was also noted that

getetion was becoming establish" .ast ally.

eifclius., buraeel, wild ad I t, and smart 1004410

and were inar easing.

e

on lake al.

gestation . Nothing

At that time approve telly one

with flooded timber. This was

Spotted pondweed could be planted in

f the axes. of the la was

anything that could be considered waterfowl

.

At the present, Brae.nia and some pored ham filled the shelter

end arms of the lake . The flooded timber vdth the exeeption of -

cypress, is all dead and such of it is down. Tlrasen i and other aqua

have spread throughout the timbered area.

rah plantings of bulrush

and spike rush have spread along the shoreline, mid a oanaide ra .e

mount of natural food is available .

However, alligator wood and lotus

lake. These now cover a small area, but could in t spread over the

entire water ourfaae. Vigorous control should be begun before the sit.

uation

out of hand . Willows have be a established around all the

open shoreline of the lake and w:U1 prevent the further spree

sirable emsrgents . If labor and funds ar

available

eliminating this species should be organised,

shallow sites that should be producing spike rue

becomes available these should be dug out an over-p t

sirable specie . .

It Is doubtful if any further aquatic planting is necesssary, but

eneyargents could be planted along those parts of the shoreline where

they are not now established in o

istacnee of the lake itself is frequently threa en

it aeons iterative that the present dike be strengthen,

.pillwyr space provided .

Very little can be done with a

o

0 lake a

we

1

the stoakpwnds and furnish some food for wood ducks and mallard*

There is little opportunity for fareing for waterfowl use b

the fields near the siokerson and Do le arms

situated, and if it is possible to get these

should be given hit priori#r.

C.W

of Bluff lake has already been

toed supply has caused a steady tears

ring oaoh year. Graphs of January waterfowl eat tes and of the early

peaks as fob in quarterly reports a aay tre 0040 on the following -

These effectively tell th

show an increase of 1750% for the seven year

wee and increase of W W% for the sa period.

1. Gssaer , In 1442, eighteen pin e d goose were bro t to

Naxubes fsvrs Pea Iceland . These were shot by hunters on

adjoining the hake, or killed by predators

3 resin.

Geese have never used Bluff lake with any consist oy

tonal flocks of Blues and snows circle the lake or eve light for shortperiods and then leave . This

a fleck of 200 daeadas, blues and e ,

tune .

e

e e

Thnr* is little hope of ever evalopi g at lakes for goose us*

sin** its i rgins are largely wooded

.ss stock

leas sould be brought under control,* gr

bordering the Doyle an Dickereon are of the lake .

1. LMImn Prior to 0

Conservation Service atteeptad turkey sto

,

teation and these birds seem to have be pros t1y ki

Iamb assumed control, it was reported that a few turkee

anosatr7 were still present, In 1940 and

spent several days is an effort to deetor i n e whether or rAt those birds

were still present . No alas could be thund and there we" no recent

reports free local residents .

In the fall of 1941, lamb reported

No s were reported until the spring

September 3 turl*ys were brought in o as

without leaving the release point . In October 1943

in and ova of these immediatel died .

In the opring of 1944 Selko, estimated that 30 turkey, wow us ;

the refuge and in the fall Ruake r esti to d 4$ During the period

saber 29, 1944 to February 7, 1945, 18 more tur

Kentucky woodlands, Of this n

after release and 2 were in very poor

en

d. At the is

us

0

0

nd tion. This oweludeed the tur-

key stocking on Nozubse and gave a total of 20 birds

n to mve at

least survived initially. yolle

t

that there ware 65 turkeys on the refuge.

estimate to 75 acrd in the wring of 1946 it was

r t

that at least 100 were present .

In roviswieag the story of turkeys

there bas been a opeatular increase

population to insure gamA stocking if

protection can

ee it

apparent that

Undoubtedly there is saw admixture

ably always will be. Farsers an the

the oat*rior boundaries loop turkeys, arid a

can prevamt bids . The presmt birds are hardy

take oars of the*eelvve, and while pure sock

lieved that in a sitmtion like this it Is better to

than sons at all . It is not believed that any &Mor stocking will

be necessary.

gee far as maaagemert is aonoer ede the only won

the rage has made is that of protection &W resto*ing. Protection

will continue to be of primary impartsn aa,

Plans for future a nagement should include aoopora

*bore this is possible, and refe a ftrawd fce ttd

strategic locations where it is desired to

trate the ids and

a eoepperatar cannot be found . Holding a poroentago of area opencentral burning should be des

trespass stock sitetion is solved, migft

of aeetwo timber, both pine end hardwood should

ti] that predator control is necessary but stray dogs

The grsatsst single contribution to tuAwy e

:

elsin&tIa of the private interior holdings, or at least the e

troablessmra of these, With this done„ the trespass live4stoek e, dogs,

h:~m=m probbn will be autoentic

solved.

2. SH&U2 raw the refvge was first

b

of 1=4 were in a mere or less open edition, A hi en

burn carried

fire over mot of this land on a three or tour

brow edge and other grasses from beam too

e

and sass asturingp

0

after the

0

No figures are available but it iv prob ;-.ble that 3

or 4

*ere

pros" .,

These undoubtedl,_ increased 4th protecti .

control burning was done arA about 100 miles of fir

put in. Based on some ctual census work on

p le plots

sated in the fall of 1942 that there wars 7,

presort .

we are able to determine this is the is actual census work done and

other figures are pure estimat .s .

In the epr ng of 1943 Lamb reduced this figure to

narrative report covering the summer of 1944, Rucker estimates 10,C

a fUwe which seam. high . This vas reduced to about 3100 in the fail

of 1944, cad repeated the figure in the

given !br the summer and fail of 1945

Figures of this sort probably shops vs t

9

e

an fair numbers of quail on the refu e . Reversion has aealay re-

domed the open land by a number of thousands of acres

reflected 3n they gvwi l population . This rever

except en lands artifically t open by fire or other me

sent control burning program is aertaily of considerable benefit to

quails but it is merely slowin do

t stoppings,

woo4 growth .

It is obviously Jj"asible to manage

bee for q all with presort

gums s d persoimel. There will al ys be fair numbers ;pares in the

vicinity of cooperative farming, firebreaks, areas held open,

the present population is certain to decline .

e a

reason to regret this as private land on

i

e

e

continue

good quail shooting and it to doubtful if tee hurting on it a could

go care then pay a mall faction of tbo cost of sang ent.

2, Dves., yes are

The lack ofagrioulture prevent& #ei

ment as planned for Nozubes, little can be done it

titan to give them )rotection.

L. I ortaxit 12=W.- Binds .

i~

r~s wu

double-crested cormorants are present on Blur

and terns of several species are o

suitable habitat, but shore birds are occasionally fort wing

graatien periods. American and snowy egrets, bitterns

gent blue reran, am green herons all occur . wing

becoming numerous *

t

d

There leas been a nesting colony of grea

herons

and this may still be pres .

and american egrets, totaling about 50 nests in the fld

aft' '

the I& W. Bald eagles and ospreys can fr q sntlj

and eagles have been knven to nest there .

F,

t

P

1, 122""Aw ,114928~-

tims of the establishment of the refuge and have i reas rd =UI they

an

sbundant .

2, fts sa ~4inhs1

Mau ease

very hatted numbers* kink, always present, have increased until th q

are rear abuMant on Bluff lake and all major streams * Tars is 00 d*e

finite roe d of otter using the refuge,

watershed of the Noxuhes River $, and sign

otter, her been tbM on the refuge. They ,sill preb b

tinned protection, and any trapping program should exclude this

3 . Svatted andStrippedSkunk. Both are

increased somewhu t pith protection.

4, Red andy Fo ar Both sp of were co

at the time

the refuge was established. An epide

broiwa out in 1940-41, and notes in the

they became scarce until 1944 . Since that year

ed and now occur in ;fair numbers#

aurease and mbar possibly present a problem where turkey

g

t

eonaeroed.

5. Yildpat. Bobcats were rare

9

ore"ed and are ww fairly co h .

turkeys if they beocmae abundant .

6. pmy an# 'Fox$uirrIe Gray squirrels and the big fox

squirrels, var. to Scans ., have ahwa7s been

bas aavred them to increase until they are n

possible to told an$aul hunts for the" aai ,i s

be inadvisable at this time, since it would be d

deer and turkey population now an the ref s

e

. It u be

b

Sae

7.

F..1„M4f &t. .

furnished by the State of MMississaippi

on Lo$kfaaas Qreek. Prior to this rel e,

the State on streams on S .C.S, bend just South of the ref**. No fi#.o

secret are available but there aniaals have i t

sent in every strew of any rise on the refuo an

INA nearby. Some have made their

lodges an ooamen.

pro-

I

i

Beaver are protected b the State and

Is believed that at such time as the ref We ii,

that beaver are sufficiently numerous to be included

can be wade with the State to allow this .

should be trapped heavily,, as beaver in the IMm cc

dike.

Muskrats were present in lilted areaabers in bluff lake end in

son. of the larger strews and stockponda as early as 1 40

Increased and are now a n but not abundant . No houses I*VO

aand they live exclusively in bat* dene. There have already been Instances

of their burrming, in the Bluff lain dike. Ahen trapping permitted,

Bluff lake should be heavily trapiaed for a a a,a rats .

B. ,Rabbits. At the tiM of establishe

were common and rabbits were seldom seen,

bite became common . They are still mousy bit

no

f

d no

d eline of f

seems t

P

again an the increase and will far bably cause a reduation in the nether

of rabbits in the future .

9 .

r

No figures of anyany

the msbsre of a small aarnaaaeeeale present on the refuge, but PArrative reports

show that there had been a steady Increase a s indicated by tracks and

other signs . No special management has been dim tod toward these

lea, but protection has been given theca and it certain hat the ro e

am has a heavy population of fur bearers bbita# and

0 rat-ud rn gsmat might #ndtlude ANIMA al. bunts tar squirrels

wrwissi'to hold these befee doer and turkey have Increased to complete-

ly safe proportions . There isa th

and open *qadivol shooting sould increase the

tation to poach on

other "also .

l boe will never produeee fur to the ate*

n t as the muskrat

marshes of Loufisana, but a sizable catch of fauoe,

as well as some beaver and muskrat

trapping program will be difficult to administer . It say ve

worth less than the cost of administration, but could well be tried

Operlmsata~lly as soon as re

1

point bas been reached. Such a

value as a predator control masure,, bu

eat should be encouraged . In Bluff lake

muskrats should be heavily trapped as a mans of dike protection.

10. R!.Wj, before the

released by the State and 3,C.vo

established,

either p

poachers or were harraseod by dogs and driven off the ar

door were pesant . In the rei.xsteer a 1944,--45 0, the State redeseed 5 d

on the refuge, 3 budks and 2 does . Ac. further mleases have been de

In the stir and fall of 1945 and

trades were frequently seen aids in s ..ma instances - the

selves . It is estimated that there are no about 50 present on OR

refuge. These are not rrc.esarily inereases fm the 5 released but

are thought to be deer that drifted into the area from the sauthomst

part of

bee count This gives t refuge a residual stocking

which should be sufffioiert .

Anther releases are t

h

The refuge is no in splendid +aonditi for dear.

are sbvMaz t . Protection is nor* aeo

b

ful It paredation is a manses . Mamg nt sho

the eliwdnstices of the interior holdings sofa the rot**,

the most troublesome of these. This will solve the problem of troops"

0

b

h~3mans, dogs, and livestock,

Livestock, especially hogs, are detrimental

wild hogs living off the land will . kill and *at our fa

timber cutting arxl ccntrol bumming programs

dear. A percentage of the refuge should be kept open in

cooperative farming should be encouraged. Food patches should be placed

in strategic areas and artificial salt licks established to help keep the

deer off private land . If money mod labor are available the removal of

old wire fences an the filling in of old well

hazards .

33, . fka#- Fish are present in all suitable waters on the refuge,

tams fish include large -mouth bass,

game fish are represented by tarp, s

and others . Excellent fishing was to be hsk

mutt was made whereby the college

sits and retained the revenue . This

years until management wee transferr

d

he

t

S

us,

"a

0

u

issuance of f

Game and Fish Department - the present arrangement,,

the refuge are closed to fishing except Bluff Sa a and

"sums certain responsibility in mintaining grounds the dike

spillway,, In return for which they retain all re

While still fair, fishing in the lake has become progres

though the ysqrs . It is believed that this is due to an

ratio of game and non-game fish . There is heavy games

ospt for some trotlining for catfish

supervised netting would probably be beneficial in removing

a.

e e

.

Management of other Refuge

certain streams and ponds to pubs. 3

fore with deer and turkey.

the larger ponds ehich have no fish at the

those presort and subsequent restocking

only a tow large predatory

12. T„ 'bar. The Soil ana ation Service

same tibber

off the refuge prior to 1940, but no Umber cutting, had been &ne by tbo

Service until the spring of 1946. To this date one cattin unit has

been completed and approzi tely 1,#000# bdft. ed. Ono portable

mill is operating on the rot e .

Present plans call for lo, ing of pine only on all the "

timbered parts of the area, It Is esti mt ad that a total of 1,,000 000

5,00A„000 Met, can be rimed and that the esen

a

take approximately 3 years to complete . About one-third of the a

in oaah stand are taken and these are ma

Selectively b

stumps are laept low and the tree is

This actually amounts to little more than sa

detective ,# leaning, suppressed, and ove

should not nterially affect the composition of the forest a

prove the stand . Byr nitt1ng more light udh auttin

dew mum

.

The present deer and turkey

sereeunt of food and saver so vast Abe

ro

esent,

de the e

ee

nd

a

0

0

little effect. In times, populations, vo increased to s

tit tow and cover a e being fully utilized the sameament of the forest

will have a profound offset, Future plans should

II.

pulp wood from dine stanch of young

scattered blocks to bring in brush for deer use,

woods in the bottoms„ mid the Leaving of open stands of Umber an both

bottais and uplands tar turkey range . sacral )*rdw c s shod be

f9rvred over pines because of their great*

Timber will be one of the primary tea s of the

eat of

Noaeubes. Properly us d, it should net suffide returns through

years be offset the cost of refuge

lots for a splendid daaonstraticn of the joint swagown

tbrest gars .

SLUURT AND COMMAS*

In its early years the situation at

a was dished .

img&14 we could assume only partial w

such confusion end duplication in man

nt. Law s 'or

t

asst

datant. Squatters lived hogees

The losation at boundaries could oWy be approximated, and th

head of trespass livestock raaed at will. Cam was s and trapped

with i ittle regard for place or s*as ;

sareage each year . Rx"pt for quail and such mammals gsme was pro-

sent. There was doubt in the minds of all concerned whether - es

could ever be a refuge in fact .

The situation is still far a ideal but it is eertain that pro-

gress has boon made. Administration is

cei tered under the

ramps eat. The squatters are gene .

ecstroled and the annual burn grea

situation 3s still acme, but has certainly b

lationw have improved and poaching is far lose than over before .

tina

.

' se Imiproresente have been

Turksy a a ad dear, virtually zistent bsfc s, are noe promt. in

fair marbars. Beaver have boon stocked and have Increased prodigiously,

The initial popuL-tion of ell awwasU has

lake, once abet devoid of aquatic vegota

is ncAar good habitat and shelters a

sideral-Is

owl Certainly, the picture is bs ter than

The personnel of the retw a have so

ocansMsre ble handicap. Before the object

aahievd, these handloaps must be .

pletios of Use survey of the exterior boundaries

ing of th, boundaries of the interior holdings,

the pur4has

these, o r Itt least the vaarst of these

lirastoak and dog situation not be bro

a

,,or of

ae

Wd . Bluff

0

w

0

sets of the boundaries of the refuge be sade with 8.

State College. When these tags are done Mambo* *an take US

proper Plaos a

the better refuges of

GRAPH SHOWING AN UAL MALICIO JS ORCARELESS BURNINGNOXUBEE,j REFUGE

GRAPH SHOWING ESTIMATES OF WATERFOWLPEAKS ON BLUFF LAKE

NOXUBEE, REFUGE

f

GRAPH SHOWING WATERFOWL INCREASES ONBLUFF

LAKINVENTORYINDICATED ; BY

JANUARY

FIGURESf

i