194 SADDLE AND CAMP 



tion Colorado may in time have some good 

 herds, for her winter and summer ranges are 

 well adapted to elk. 



From reports received I find it impossible 

 to even approximate the number of deer in Col- 

 orado, or even to estimate with any degree of 

 accuracy the number annually killed. The 

 guides could tell me how many were killed by 

 their parties, but they are unanimous in stating 

 that so many are secured by natives hunting 

 without guides that the reports sent me are no 

 indication of the number actually killed. 



With the exception of two or three, however, 

 all admit that deer are noticeably decreasing, or 

 were, previous to 1909. Then the laws permit- 

 ted the killing of does and fawns, and the 

 slaughter was in consequence considerable; 

 with 1909 the season was shortened to ten days, 

 and only bucks with horns allowed. 



Mr. Holland informed me that eagles were 

 the greatest destroyers of young fawns and 

 lambs and in his judgment contributed more 

 than any other factor to retarding increase. 

 Mountain lions and lynx also get their share of 

 the game, and a very considerable share, too. 

 Baxter's parties alone killed, during 1909, 

 twelve lions and twenty-eight lynx. This may 

 be taken as an indication of how numerous 



