148 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



April 



hoped for a repeal of the clause which 

 prevents the state from taking care of 

 its own property. If the amendment 

 goes through, which is by no means 

 certain, state forestry will still be re- 

 stricted to planting. Care of living 

 woodlands, beyond the negative work 

 of preventing their destruction by fire, 

 is still unprovided for. This will neces- 

 sitate another amendment in the not far 

 distant future. Why make two bites 

 of a not unreasonably large cherry ? 



Forest Reserve Mr. James H. Clarke, 

 Personals. of Denver, has been 



appointed Forest Su- 

 perintendent of the Pike's Peak group 

 of Forest Reserves, vice Mr. Henry 

 Michelsen, deceased. 



The position of Forest Superintend- 

 ent in Arizona and New Mexico has 

 been abolished, in accordance with the 

 purpose of the Secretary of the Interior 

 to discontinue this class of official posi- 

 tions as rapidly as circumstances will 

 permit. 



Forest Superintendent J. B. Hanna 

 is transferred, to become Forest Super- 

 visor of the Pecos River Forest Reserve 

 in New Mexico. 



Forest 



Reserves and 

 " Varmints." 



The following commu- 

 nication in a recent num- 

 ber of Forest and Stream 

 refutes a previous argu- 

 ment against extension of the forest 

 reserves: 



"Editor Forest and Stream: 



' ' I have read a letter published in 

 your last number concerning ' Wyoming 

 Wolves and the Forest Reserve,' in 

 which it is stated that ' there is no doubt 

 but the reserve will become a breeding 

 place for wolves, coyotes, and cougars, 

 thus leading to greater friction between 

 the reserve and the stockmen. ' 



' There is no reason why animals of 

 this kind should increase in consequence 

 of these mountains having been taken 

 within the Yellowstone Forest Reserve. 

 ' Since the creation of this reserve 

 no change has been made in conditions 

 that would tend in anv way to this re- 



sult. There has been no decrease in 

 the number of settlers or diminution in 

 the amount of stock ranged upon the 

 reserve. The same game laws exist 

 there as in any other portion of the 

 state, and are most efficiently enforced 

 by the forest rangers, who are also state 

 game wardens. Hunters and trappers 

 desiring to capture mountain lions, 

 wolves, or coyotes are in no way inter- 

 fered with, but, on the contrary, have 

 every facility and opportunity for the 

 capture of these animals upon the re- 

 serve as elsewhere. The state bounty 

 paid on wolves applies equally to those 

 killed on the reserve as off the reserve,. 



' ' The reserve officials recognize that 

 mountain lions and wolves are a great 

 menace, not only to game, but to the 

 stock of the settlers, and the rangers, 

 armed and constantly patrolling the re- 

 serve, are instructed to destroy at every 

 opportunity ' varmints ' of this kind. 

 A number of wolves have already been 

 killed by the rangers. 



"A pack of dogs is now being raised 

 for the purpose of hunting mountain 

 lions upon the reserve. 



" Many reports, without foundation, 

 have been circulated regarding this, as 

 well as other conditions connected with 

 the forest reserve, with intention of 

 stirring up opposition to the reserve. 

 An article published in a Wyoming 

 paper last year stated that a trapper 

 named L,yons, going upon the reserve 

 to hunt wolves, had been disarmed by 

 a ranger. The department now has an 

 affidavit, both from the ranger and from 

 Mr. Henry Lyons, stating that the re- 

 port was absolutely false. 



' ' Thus you see a desire to create a 

 prejudice against forest reserves on this 

 point is entirely unwarranted. 



"Settlers in our state, realizing the 

 necessity of timber and water protec- 

 tion, and also realizing that the reserve 

 was created and is being administered 

 for their benefit, not only is all opposi- 

 tion disappearing, but they are render- 

 ing most valuable aid in assisting the 

 forest officers in carrying out the rule* 

 and regulations of the Department. 



"A. A. ANDERSON, 

 " Special Superintendent 

 ' ' Yellowstone Forest Reserve. ' ' 



