CONSERVATION OF GAME IN THE NATIONAL FORESTS AND PARKS 143 



From Biological Survey. 



FEEDING ELK IN WINTER AT JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING 



This winter refuge for elk is now owned by the government. Hay is grown in the summer and some 600 tons are stacked for the winter use of the 



20,000 elk in the herd. 



In addition to the game 

 the National Forests also 

 shelter another natural asset 

 in the fur -bearing animals 

 such as the beaver, mink, 

 marten, fisher, wolverine 

 and fox, which under 

 proper protection will con- 

 tinue indefinitely to yield 

 a yearly revenue, but which 

 will be completely destroyed 

 if neglected. Beaver are 

 already gone from most of 

 their former haunts, but 

 can be readily restored on 

 many forests. The other 

 species named are becom- 

 ing steadily less numerous. 

 It would appear reasonable 

 that the same authority 

 covering the game animals 

 should cover the fur-bearers. 



For several years efforts 

 have been made to secure 

 authorization from Con- 

 gress to establish a chain 

 of game refuges on the Na- 

 tional Forests as mentioned 

 above. A bill now before 

 Congress provides for the 

 creation of a system of Fed- 

 eral game refuges on the 

 National Forests in all 



ALASKAN WHITE MOUNTAIN SHEEP 



The opening up of Alaska, particularly now that a railroad is being constructed, 

 will naturally, as it makes travel more convenient, result in increased hunting 

 of the fine game there. There should be proper protection for the mountain 

 sheep as well as the other game. 



parts of the West. Un- 

 fortunately this bill has been 

 amended so as to destroy 

 its effectiveness, and ap- 

 parently it will require fur- 

 ther time and effort in order 

 to secure this most desir- 

 able and necessary legisla- 

 tion, if our game is to be 

 properly safeguarded. 



But for the creation of 

 the Yellowstone National 

 Park and the guardianship 

 assumed by the Federal 

 Government over its wild 

 life, there is no reason to 

 doubt that the two great 

 elk herds now centering 

 there, and containing some 

 40,000 of these splendid 

 animals, would to a great 

 extent have shared the fate 

 of their kind elsewhere. 

 This is true despite the fact 

 that about one-half of these 

 animals only touch the 

 southern part of the park 

 in summer, and winter 

 outside it. Their fate would 

 probably have been no 

 happier than that of the Col- 

 orado herds without the pro- 

 tection and moral influence 



