RESERVES FOR WILD LIFE IN CANADA 253 



with white spruce and jack pine. Other portions are cov- 

 ered with poplar, and there are quite large areas of open 

 grazing land. This reserve appears to be well adapted to 

 the preservation of wapiti, which were formerly found there. 



British Columbia 



Comprising as it does one of the finest big-game terri- 

 tories on the North American continent, it is a hopeful sign 

 for the future conservation of our big-game and wild-life 

 resources that the British Columbia Government, during the 

 past decade, has taken steps to set aside considerable tracts 

 of undeveloped land, consisting largely of mountain and 

 forest, as game reserves. The total area comprised in the 

 five provincial game reserves — exclusive of the Ashnola re- 

 serve for mountain sheep — is nearly 2,867 square miles. 

 These reserves, arranged according to the date of their 

 reservation, are as follows : 



Elk River Reserve. — This reserve, which was established 

 in 1910, comprises an area of 234 square miles, and is situated 

 in the southeastern corner of the province, to the west of 

 the Elk River. It commences about fifteen miles north of 

 Michel, on the Canadian Pacific Railway, and includes 

 some of the finest Rocky Mountain goat and sheep coun- 

 try in that portion of the province. Grizzly bears and 

 wapiti are also to be found in this area of magnificent 

 mountain and forest scenery. 



Yalakom Game Reserve. — In 1910 an area of 280 square 

 miles, adjoining the North Fork of the Bridge River, was 

 set aside as the Yalakom Game Reserve. The south end of 

 the reserve is about twenty-three miles northwest of Lil- 

 looet. It comprises excellent country for goat, sheep, and 

 deer. When the reserve was established these animals were 

 plentiful, but since 1912 it has been estimated that they 

 have been reduced in numbers by about 80 per cent. 

 This reduction is ascribed partly to excessive hunting by 



