THE GAME ANIMALS OF CANADA 3l 
they would come from the sportsmen who hunt these animals. In order 
that we might have the valuable opinions of these men, the department 
communicated with each person reported having killed elk last season. 
The replies received indicate quite plainly that elk-hunting is re- 
stricted to certain localities. . . . Over 90 per cent of the 175 elk killed 
last year were secured in townships 51, 52, 53, and 54, ranges 18 to 27 
both inclusive, all west of the 2nd meridian. This appears to be the 
only elk-hunting ground of any account in our province, and it will take 
but a few years to deplete the few remaining herds, if action is not taken 
to save them... . . The majority of our correspondents are of the opin- 
ion that the elk are decreasing in numbers, and unlawful hunting by 
Indians is given by many as a cause for this decrease. 
Mr. Bradshaw informed me verbally, in 1915, that he 
thought the wapiti were decreasing. The number killed 
would indicate that Thompson Seton’s estimate of 500 in 
1907 was too low for the number of wapiti in this province. 
Mr. Bradshaw has kindly furnished me with a map showing 
the present distribution of the wapiti in Saskatchewan, and 
they appear to be confined to the following regions: South- 
east of Prince Albert, in the neighbourhood of Basin and 
Lenore Lakes; northeast of Prince Albert, in the lake coun- 
try north of the Saskatchewan River; and north of Battle- 
ford in the region between Turtle and Pelican Lakes and the 
Big River. In view of the comparative scarcity of this 
animal in Saskatchewan and the necessity of providing an 
absolute close season, the Commission of Conservation made 
strong representations to the Saskatchewan Government on 
the subject in 1918, and supported the local efforts to 
secure such permanent protection. We are pleased to re- 
cord that the Saskatchewan Game Act was amended in 
1919 to provide for an absolute close season in elk in that 
province. This will enable the wapiti to increase in a 
region so well adapted to its requirements. 
The numbers of wapiti in Alberta have decreased, accord- 
ing to a report furnished me by Mr. B. Lawton, the chief 
game guardian, and only an absolute close season such as 
