1912 AND FISHERIES COMMISSION. 179 



before the snow melts and before the appearance of the provincial 

 rangers. In addition to this it would seem that various families of 

 Indians, located in the vicinity, establish their winter hunting and trap- 

 ping ground's within the confines of the reserve. It is, of course, not to 

 be expected that over so great an area, which has been placed in reserve 

 only comparatively recently and which is so difficult of access, the 

 ranging service and general arrangements should have been sufficiently 

 perfected, within the short space of time available, to prevent all illegal 

 depredations on the wild life in the reserve, but it would appear from 

 the evidence obtained in the locality that the extent of these depreda- 

 tions is in all probability very considerable and consequently that, 

 unless something is done to check them in the near future, the game and 

 fur-bearing resources of the reserve will be materially impaired. In fact, 

 the reserve should be declared a game reserve without delay, and there 

 is little question but that some proportion of permanent staff is much 

 to be desired, and it would hardly appear to be erring on the side of 

 extravagance to suggest that four permanent posts of two rangers each 

 should be established in this great reserve under the direction of a per- 

 manent superintendent. If even so small a staff as this were maintained 

 and the posts placed at strategic points, although in the winter it would 

 be impossible to watch every means of ingress into the park, at least the 

 principal and most frequented winter routes could be watched and 

 patrolled, and undoubtedly a great deal of good would be effected. 

 Perhaps the best location for such posts would be : — 



(1) Lake La Croix, near the mouth of the Namakan River, thus 

 controlling three main routes into the reserve, Namakan River, Maligne 

 River and Crooked Lake. 



(2) Quetico Lake on Eden Island, thus controlling the district 

 about and routes over Quetico Lake, Quetico River, Jean Lake and Long 

 Lake. 



(3) Pickerel Lake in the vicinity of Pine portage, thus controlling 

 routes by Pickerel Lake, French River and Batchewang Lake. 



(4) Basswood Lake at its eastern end, thus controlling the water- 

 ways of Agnes Lake, Birch Lake and Basswood River. 



By this means the international boundary would be watched at two 

 points and provision would be made for the interior portions of the 

 reserve. 



In regard to the angling facilities afforded by the reserve it is to be 

 observed that in Basswood Lake and Basswood River black bass of good 

 size are alleged to have been caught, but that in so far as is known this 

 fish does not occur in other portions of this region in Canadian territory. 

 There is in general no difficulty for the angler to secure all the fish he 

 requires for food. In most of tlie lakes there would appear to be an 

 excellent variety of lake trout which can be secured by trolling. Quetico 

 and Jean Lakes, two of the most beautiful lakes of the district and pos- 

 sessing waters of a wonderful clearness and light green colour, are par- 



