Preservation of Our Wild Animals 



seen in the country south of the National Park last 

 winter. (2) The destruction of natural browsing 

 areas by cattle and sheep, and by fire. (3) The 

 destruction of game by sportsmen plays a com- 

 paratively small part in the total process of elim- 

 ination, yet in some cases it is very reckless, 

 and especially bad in its example. When I first 

 rode into the best shooting country of Colorado 

 in 1 90 1, there was a veritable cannonading going 

 on, which reminded me of the accounts of the bat- 

 tle of El Caney. The destruction effected by one 

 party in three days was tremendous. In riding 

 over the ground — for I was not myself shooting — 

 I was constantly coming across the carcasses of 

 deer. (4) The summer and winter killing for 

 food; this is the principal and in a sense the most 

 natural and legitimate cause, although it is largely 

 illegal. In this same area, which was more or less 

 characteristic and typical of the other areas, even 

 of the conditions surrounding the national reserve 

 in the Big Horn region, the destruction was, and 

 is, going on principally during the winter when the 

 deer are seeking the winter ranges and when they 

 are actually shot and carted away in large numbers 

 for food both for the ranchmen and for neighbor- 

 ing towns. Making all allowances for exaggera- 

 tion, I believe it to be absolutely true that these 



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