1 922-23 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS 99 



Appendix No. 36 

 QuETico Provincial Park 



Kawene P.O., Ont., October 31st, 1923. 



Honourable Sir, — I beg to submit my report on Quetico Provincial Park 

 for the year ending October 31st, 1923. 



During the year the staff consisted of about seven rangers, and as the Park 

 contains 1 ,000 miles and as all water routes are patrolled entirely by canoe the 

 number of rangers is altogether inadequate. During the winter months the 

 rangers' principal duty is to guard against poachers, and I am pleased to say 

 that owing to the vigilance of the rangers, few, if any, have gained illegal 

 entrance to the Park. There are, however, a few points which must be carefully 

 guarded, chiefly the American Boundary and that covered by the Shevlin, Clarke 

 Company's lumbering operations. 



I regret to state that on April 29th we lost one of our rangers, presumably 

 by drowning. Although a careful search was made for the missing man no 

 trace of him could be found, so we were forced to the conclusion that he ventured 

 on the then insecure ice and was drowned. 



On June 25th and again in July we were visited by severe hail storms that 

 did much damage to roofing, etc., and caused much work and expense. The 

 portages on all old canoe routes were cleaned of fallen timber and growing 

 brush and six new portages cut. 



Fur-bearing animals are steadily increasing, particularly beaver. They 

 may be seen in numbers during open water, swimming about and paying little 

 attention to gasoline boat or canoe. On one occasion I have seen five otters 

 sporting themselves and on another six. Deer and moose do not seem to be as 

 numerous as formerly, but I think this is due more to the animals changing their 

 feeding grounds to later burnings or cuttings rather than to any decrease in 

 numbers. 



Two fires occurred on the Park this summer, one, near the American 

 Boundary, which did very little damage, burning about eight or ten acres of 

 underwood, the other, on T.B. 48, the extent of which I have not yet learned. 



I will require for the coming season one twin cylinder 7 h.p. heavy duty 

 gas engine for purpose of towing the barge as the engine now used for that 

 purpose is much too light, thus rendering it unsafe to tow horses as often required. 

 I will also require two 17 ft. canvas canoes for use of rangers. I would also 

 recommend that a fire' pump, such as is used by the fire rangers with 1,000 feet 

 of hose be placed at headquarters for fire protection. This pump could be 

 carried on the gasoline boat now at headquarters down the French River and 

 Pickeral Lake, a distance of twenty-five miles if necessary. There is no protec- 

 tion, whatever, at headquarters for fire and usually with only one or two men 

 about in case of fire little could be done to protect buildings and equipment. 



If I may be pardoned for doing so I would suggest a few changes in condition^. 



1. That the superintendent be given power to engage rangers to the number 

 allowed by the Department without having to have recourse to Toronto for 

 authority, thus giving him an opportunity to secure more efficient men. 



2. That the number of rangers be increased to twelve, these to patrol in 

 winter and afford fire protection in summer, thus putting all rangers on the 

 Park under one head. The fire rangers are paid more for their services than 



