DISAPPEARING GAME 185 



made of Gunnison County, Colorado, alone. 

 With this in mind, let us remember that the 

 game estimates I shall give, though compiled 

 from the reports of the best observers in the 

 localities under consideration, are only approx- 

 imate. 



Let it be said to the honor of Colorado that 

 several years ago the State awoke to the fact 

 that mountain sheep were rapidly disappear- 

 ing and that prompt action was needed to save 

 them from extermination. Absolute protection 

 was extended by law to this monarch of game 

 animals, and they began to increase noticeably. 

 My estimate, compiled from reports, places the 

 number at present within the State at approxi- 

 mately 3,500, and I may say that this totals 

 fully one-half of all the mountain sheep now re- 

 maining in the United States. 



In other words, it is doubtful if the United 

 States possesses to-day more than seven thou- 

 sand, with Wyoming and Montana following 

 Colorado with probably less than five hundred 

 sheep each; both of these States still permit 

 hunting in spite of the fact that the animals are 

 nearing extinction and that the ranges in the 

 high altitudes and rugged mountain peaks in- 

 habited by them are incapable of supporting 

 any other animal of value save the mountain 



