Manuscript that details the advantages of a wildlife refuge, especially in regards to the land. The document describes some of the difficulties that the Malheur Refuge experienced. Examples include illegal squatters around the lake bed and the attempt of a pair of locals (Culver Marshall and Wilbur Springer) to host a duck hunt inside the refuge.
Manuscript recounting when County Agent Henderson came up with the idea of using turkeys as a solution to the overpopulation of grasshoppers in the county. The insects were destroying vegetation at an alarming rate. Then when the turkeys are no longer needed, they are sold off as poultry.
Manuscript recalling a collision of Mr. Echidnas and an eagle. Fortunately the bird survived and was put into the care of Dr. L. E. Hibbard. The author goes on to point out that this eagle is protected by law but sadly has been exterminated in several parts of the Pacific Northwest.
Manuscript in which the Supervisor of the Ochoco Forest, Lester Moncrief, and storekeeper at Paulina, Lyle Miller, report the numbers of deer hunted. After considering the large number of bucks killed, rangers of the area asserted that the deer population was increasing. The author claims that the increase in population was direct proof that protection of the animals has been key to that success.
Manuscript that relays the struggle of farmers and land owners versus the Reclamation Services in respects to the lake beds in the Lower Klamath and Tule Lake areas. It was recognized that the drying of the beds is destructive to the local waterfowl because of a lack of a reliable water source. For the farmers and land owners, they would rather see the land as a place of cultivation. The Reclamation Service believed that only a small part could realistically be kept under cultivation. Part of the area in question became a sump and instead of using all of the land for that purpose, a refuge area was set aside which became the Tule Lake Refuge.
Manuscript discusses the importance of forests and the reality that upkeep is costly and time consuming. Author advocates that the American government should finance this and praises the work being done by the Forest Service. The program took unemployed young men from metropolitan areas and placed them into service for the forests. Not only was this beneficial for the forests, but the author contends that the young men free of the bad influences of the city, made the government's investment sound.
Manuscript discussing the interest Californians were taking in Southern Oregon for recreation, especially in respects to angling in the Rogue, Umpqua, and Wilson rivers. The author points out that these are smaller streams and for the fishermen who depend on the rivers for their livelihood could be greatly affected by Californians' recreational fishing.
Manuscript describing an article written by Cory Ford and Alastair MacBain. The main focus of this document is restoring our forests in order to provide the necessary habitats for the fish and wildlife. The practice of raising animals in hatcheries and releasing them back in to the wild for sport is pointless when the environment is polluted and kills the animals.
Manuscript that goes into depth about the curlew, including physical appearance (as adults and as nestlings), where they can be found, other names they are known by, and how they protect themselves from predators.
Manuscript that discusses the dwindling numbers of the Bighorn sheep. Contributing factors to the decrease of Bighorns include hunting and contact with domestic sheep. The domestic sheep contributed the most in the decline due to a disease they carried and spread to the Bighorns. The author advocates for a refuge for the remaining Bighorns in order to remove any contact from domestic sheep in both the summer and winter seasons.
Manuscript describing the problem of pollutants being dumped into the Willamette River and later traveling to the Columbia River where pollution is killing the fish. The author asserts that individual sportsmen and anglers have to follow the pollution laws but companies are not being held to the same standard. The author also states that citizens of Portland were initially on board to install sewage systems but support vanished once it was realized that the funding would come from property owners and not the government.
The author in this manuscript describes an incoming resident to the Oregon landscape, the opossum. In this document the diet of the animal, its ecological preferences, and where it can be typically found are among the topics discussed. According to this text, the animal is one of the oldest living mammals and the oldest of the group in America.
Manuscript that examines the uptick of interest and financial gain in Oregon's outdoors. A particular interest in the Rogue River Valley is explored. The author comments on the amount of funds for paving roads in order to allow people to access the wilderness easily. The document also points out that there are many ways to destroy natural areas, but few are considering how to preserve them.
Manuscript delving into the difficult situation of population increase in Oregon and how that is effecting the game birds of the area. The author sees two options of dealing with this predicament. The first is to use the funding for game farms to breed Chinese pheasants and release them for hunting use. The second is to enact a plan to save the disappearing native game birds. This option is difficult because it requires extensive research before a plan can be considered. The author contends that the best people to aid with this research are young students trained in scientific thinking, who possess patience and a good work ethic.
Manuscript on the spotting of a large group of swallows near a roadside. The author goes on to discuss how the birds are joined by other flocks to travel in large groups in order to hide their true numbers from predators.
Manuscript that relays the discovery of a bobwhite quail's nest in January, which is fairly late in the nesting season. The remaining content describes the value of the bird on farms.
Manuscript that explores the senseless killing of wild animals. Despite being a protected animal, a black bear mother and cub had been shot down. The author contends that black bears are the most human of wild animals in the Oregon woods. The author also describes characteristics of the bear and what it eats. The document goes on to say that there are people who simply enjoy being out in nature and can truly appreciate a wildlife sighting. However, due to hunters, those people are robbed of these experiences.
Manuscript praising the establishment of the Oregon State Agricultural College. There is praise also for the courses in game management that will be offered. The courses are considered to be the best measurement instituted in order to develop wildlife resources for Oregon. The college will offer several courses that will provide training for game management of estates and land using industries. Local establishments such as game refuges and fish hatcheries will be used to give hands on experience. At the time, Oregon was the only state in the west to receive federal funding for education in respects to conservation of wildlife.
Manuscript that focuses on the American white pelican, which according to this document, has an unattractive appearance. The document also describes how the pelican feeds its young.
Manuscript that looks over a few previous records of wild pigeons provided by O. G. Delaba and W. B. Jennings. There is a note in parentheses asking to report any spottings of the birds to Finley or Averill. The author reflects that the number of pigeons has declined dramatically.
Manuscript relating a conversation with H. S. Rowe, who along with Mr. Harrison, owned a large number of acres of land on Sauvie's Island, which happened to be excellent for duck hunting. Mr. Rowe went hunting in the year of 1907 with his son and netted the allotted amount of birds. Further comments about the plentiful number of birds for sport are included in the document. Later in 1913, a protection for migratory birds passed and closed down the hunting season. The author commented that despite the season being closed for 22 years, the number of ducks have not returned to previous numbers.
Manuscript describing a pair of robins whose older offspring attempted to bait their parents into feeding them, despite being old enough to feed themselves.
Manuscript recounting an encounter with a group of toads. The document describes how the toads possess a bone that allows them to use their hind feet to burrow into the ground in order to get closer to moisture when rain is lacking. The author and the group watched as the animals used ant hills as a buffet to feed themselves. The author comments that it is no wonder that some believe that amphibians rain from the sky because this species emerges with the coming rain and disappears as the sun comes out.
Manuscript discusses discovering a gray digger squirrel who appeared to be deceased but was actually hibernating and nearly frozen. This leads the author to write about the animal's process in preparing for its winter slumber. The document goes on to comment on other animals that hibernate as well and the differences in hibernation processes.
Manuscript that is composed of various manuscripts, with a focus on closing the waterfowl hunting season. The manuscripts concerning the waterfowl include creating legislation to close or limit the hunting season, the practice of baiting, and protecting waterfowl populations. A manuscript discussing russet-backed thrushes is included.
