GAME PROTECTION.

Shannon News, 27 July 1926, Page 2

GAME PROTECTION.

REVIEW OF YEAR’S WORK. Sportsmen in the Horowlieiiua district will be interested in a review of the 41st annual report of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, from which tire flowing notes have been culled: PISCICULTURE. The fisli trapping season for 1925 opened as usual in the Wairarapa waters on the Ist- May, but the cycle of bad seasons continued, and a depressing sequence of flooded rivers and lost traps ended In a total of 300,000 brown ova. Throughout the big runs of both male and female fish the routine seldom varied, and a few days’ trapping, then a heavy fresh, a wait of several days, the replacing Of traps, followed by a further flood. At the end of July the attempt was abandoned, and an addition to 400,000 ova ordered from the Ot'ago Acclimatisation Society, a further' 400,000 were obtained from the Southland Society, whilst 150,000 rainbow ova were procured from file Government District at Rotorua, making a total of 1,250,000. From these 1,063,500 brown fry and 135,000 rainbow were reared, the Levin Committee receiving 51,000 of the former. There were 5600 brown yearlings distributed, 500 of which were allotted to- Levin. No trapping will be attempted this season in tile WairaU'apa, but all efforts will be concentrated on the heavy task of batching, rearing, and distributing throughout the Society's district the resultant fry from this large total, tin addition to approximately 9000 yearlings. During the year the Council has obtained from Mr W. J. Phillips, F.L.S., F.R.G.S., a ■ preliminary report upon the Food Supply for Fish in the streams of the Society’s district, as it is realised that, the- subject of “Fish Food Culture" is a most important one. OPOSSUM; TRAPPING. Tile season of 1925 set up a record which will probably stand for some seasons. Tlie Wellington District easily leads the list in number of licenses issued, viz., 269, number of skins taken 50,239, and convictions for unlawful trapping 5. Prices ruled in most cases at a satisfactory rate, the skins, as a whole, being in better order than those of previous seasons, and as -extensions of time, in which to pay royalty were applied for, it is presumed that trappers had a good passage. The weather was kind and, apart from the inevitable , hardships, the season was a bright and busy one. It is generally anticipated that prices of skins, although falling below the average of last season, will be remunerative.

RED DEER SHOOTING SEASON. The heads taken, although not equal in number, are almost in line with those of last season, and the heavy culling is telling its own tale. An 18-polnter with a very heavy top was taken by Mr Honore, of Levin (a novice) on bis first stalk, in the Ohau. . FISHING. The season of 1925-26, now closed, has provided results varying from first grade to no grade at all,, according/ to locality. In the Wairaiapd area the Ruamahunga and Waipoua were in only fair condition for much of the season, and the Waingawa was inferior. Still, many good fish were taken. An expert dry-fly angler enjoyed good sport in the Makuri. Here are fine fighting fish in excellent shape, although some say it is overrated, but a fisherman has only to visit this water at the evening rise to have has ideas reconstructed. me Mangatainoka comes in for many bouquets from all sorts and conditions of fishermen, and limits can be obtained on a good day. The Manawatu throughout has fished well, 41b being the maximum weight. The Ohau was in better order than for the past ten seasons, giving really good sport while the Otaki, main course and both branches, was well worth while. The Rangitikei was sudsy, ana though some fine fish were taken from its beautiful waters ‘there aie not enough of them to go rojind. There seems to be subject matter for expert exaruination.