The Boone and Crockett Club 



The work of protecting the Park was difficult, 

 for there was no law governing it. As already 

 said, the organic law authorized the Secretary of 

 the Interior to make regulations for its govern- 

 ment and protection, but prescribed no methods 

 for the enforcement of such regulations as he might 

 lay down. The regulations were practically a dead 

 letter. The people cut down the forests, killed 

 the game or chopped out wagon loads of the beau- 

 tiful geyser formations, which they hauled away 

 for a few miles and then dumped on the prairie. 

 Violators of the regulations could not be punished. 

 If this was true of the casual citizen, it was much 

 more so of a corporation with a large force of 

 men, which in a high-handed way was seizing and 

 converting to its own use timber, game and other 

 valuable things within the Park. 



The dangers which threatened were very real, 

 and continued for a dozen years. About 1883 

 efforts began to be made to secure from Congress 

 legislation which should afford protection to life 

 and property within the reservation, and should 

 prevent the destruction of the forests, natural 

 wonders and game within its borders. In season 

 and out of season, Senator Geo. G. Vest, later a 

 member of the club, urged this matter in the 

 United States Senate, and was ably supported by 



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