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[[preprinted]] 
FISH AND GAME COMMISSION OF CALIFORNIA
SACRAMENTO

COMMISSIONERS
F. M. NEWBERT
M. J. CONNELL
E. L. BOSQUI
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EXECUTIVE OFFICER
CARL WESTERFELD 
[[/preprinted]]

December 20, 1918.

Mr. Alexander Wetmore,
Bureau of Biological Survey,
Washington, D. C.

Dear Mr. Wetmore:-

I received your letter of the 12th inst. and am pleased to know that you appreciated the work of Mr. Carpenter and Mr. Ricketts.

The rice growers in Northern California have abused their privilege by extending invitations to their friends, etc., but we expected this and I believe that next year the situation will be handled much better. One thing has been proven and that is that their reports have been greatly exaggerated. The market hunters are operating in and about Butte Creek. They have an organized delivery at this time.  Mr. O'Hair and Mr. Ellis are still using the ten shot automatics. I had the Governor of the State of California out shooting with me yesterday on our Club and he heard the shots of these market hunters. They sneak upon a great body of ducks and geese and discharge twenty shots in rapid succession. You can hear them shoot at least twenty-five shots to kill the cripples that are left in the water. There is no doubt in my mind but that they kill at least one hundred birds every time they pull this kind of a shot. We now have a number of wardens in that vicinity and hope that we will be able to catch these gentlemen at their work.

There is one thing that I believe should be called to your attention and that is the pest known at the blackbird and mudhen. The mudhen is surely the coming pest to the rice grower. The duck can be easily scared away but the more you shoot at the mudhen he dodges into the rice and it is impossible to scare him out. They are increasing in great numbers in the rice district and unless something is done to relieve the situation the rice grower is going to have considerable trouble next year. If we could start some sort of propaganda in California calling the attention of the public to the value of the mudhen as

[[preprinted]] 
ADDRESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS "FISH AND GAME COMMISSION" [[/preprinted]]

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