322 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



by the hundred in a march of twenty-four hours, scarcely a 

 dozen could be seen in the same region in 1877. 



The reckless skin-hunters are mainly responsible for this 

 waste of life, for the Indians, much as they live by the 

 fruits of the chase, are careful to utilize the meat ; where- 

 as the others allow it to rot in the sun or be devoured by 

 predatory animals. Where these men have not commenced 

 their nefarious work the mule deer is still plentiful ; and of 

 these regions I do not know any that are better than por- 

 tions of Montana and Idaho, the eastern division of Ore- 

 gon, and Washington Territory, especially in the wooded 

 mountainous parts, and the Coast Mountains in California. 

 To these might be added some of the more sparsely settled 

 sections of Colorado and the hilly sections of Manitoba. 



