REINDEER AND MUSK-OX 



deer in the North, only now that I have seen them, I must. The natives 

 that we met at that place told us that what we had seen was not the main 

 herd, but part of it; that the main herd was a few miles up the lake on 

 the west shore; that they had just been there in their canoes the previous 

 day. If what we had seen was not the main herd, but part of it, I wonder 

 how large the main herd could be. As soon as the lake widened' to two or 

 tnree miles, we lost sight of the deer, and one we sighted after on the 

 beach appeared greatly worried by flies, frequently taking a run in the 

 water and making as much splashing as possible." 



AT ^^^i"f.°v C>ecember 15,1917, Inspector Anderson, of the Royal Northwest 

 Mounted Police, writing from Fort Fitzgerald, east of the Slave river to Dr 

 E. M. Kindle, states: — 



"There is nothing new here except the caribou. They are within 

 forty miles of this place in tens of thousands, and the natives are getting 

 numbers of animals and will therefore have plenty to eat this winter 

 The deer (caribou) are passing north, coming from the southeast, most 

 likely from Fond du Lac on Lake Athabaska. They could not cross 

 there on account of late frosts, and swung around towards Great Slave 

 ake. Ihey say the animals are scattered over hundred of miles and 

 literally m millions; the further east one goes, so they say, the more 

 there are, and the buffalo on the plains in the long ago is not a patch on 

 this lor numbers. Eventually they land in the barren grounds where 

 nobody bothers them until they take another track. I sent the sergeant 

 out on a patrol to see, and he reports that the snow is tramped down for 

 miles as close as ice by the animals' feet where they have passed in great 

 numbers. It is most wonderful." 



In view of the lack of exact information, not only as to the numbers but the 

 whereabouts from time to time of those large bands of caribou, your commission- 

 ers would strong y recommend that steps be taken, either by the use of aero- 

 planes or by such other means as may be considered best, to secure authentic 

 data on those points. 



Absorption of Reindeer Herds by Caribou — 



It will be evident that in view of the conditions as described, it will be 

 impossible to favourably consider either the establishment, at least without 

 adequate fencing, the cost of which would be practically prohibitive of experi- 

 mental reindeer herds, or the granting of leases or other concessions for the 

 raising of reindeer, anywhere within the interior area. 



Not only would it be physically impossible for the lessees to keep reindeer 

 under such control as would prevent their mingling with the wild caribou but 

 leaymg aside the possibility of wilful and deliberate exploitation, the existence 

 of leased areas, even if fenced, in the natural haunts of these animals and the 

 consequent_ interference with their freedom of movement, would be likely to 

 prove a serious detriment to what is, even as matters now stand, a very valuable 

 national asset, and one the value of which could be greatly increased under a 

 dehnite policy of conservation and development. 



Dom estica Hon — 



There is no reason to doubt that given proper facilities for restraint, and 

 wi^th intelligent handling, young wild caribou would readily yield to domestica- 



31 



