1916 GAME AND FISHEEIES. 13 



Moose are very plentiful in my district.' Although there are quite a number 

 taken each hunting season they are increasing each year. 



Elk and caribou, there are none in this district south of the main line of 

 the C. P. R. 



Eed deer are increasing in numbers each year. 



Wolves are not as plentiful as they were in 1913 and 1914. 



Owing to getting one of my eyes hurt in a trip I made through the Goulais 

 Bay District I have not been able to cover as much of my district as I would like 

 ^ to have done, but I am satisfied that the law has heen well observed. Considering 

 the war and the hard times we have had there have been few violations. 



The patrol boats in my district have given good service during the season in 

 looking after the fisheries. The Overseers also have been very active in enforcing 

 the law. 



Warden C. N. Sterling, Kenora: — 



I beg to submit my report for the year 1915 as follows: — 



Commercial Eishing: Commercial fishing in the Lake of the Woods has been 

 fully twenty per cent, better than that of last year. This is largely due to high 

 water. Where pound net fishing has been carried on, the catch has been much 

 larger than usual. • On the inland lakes, where winter fishing takes place, opera- 

 tions were not carried on during the whole of the season, and consequently the 

 catch was not up to the standard of previous years. 



Black Bass: On Long Lake black bass fishing has been fully up to the stan- 

 dard of last year, and some good catches have been made in the Lake of the Woods 

 in proximity to the outlet of this lake. 



The fingerlings, which your Department sent up this year, were placed, with 

 very little loss, in Fox Lake and in a few years should give very good results. 



Moose and Caribou : In this district moose seem to be increasing in numbers 

 and caribou appear to be going north into the District of Patricia. 



Red Deer: Red deer are not quite as plentiful as last year, and unless some- 

 thing is done towards the extermination, of the brush wolves I am afraid that they 

 will continue to decrease. 



These animals are getting very numerous. They have been known to come 

 into the barnyards of the settlers and kill the fowl. This, I think, is due to the 

 scarcity of rabbits, which was their principal food supply in previous years. 



Beaver and Otter: Beaver are increasing very rapidly and are giving some 

 trouble to the railways and settlers by flooding their lands. 



Otter seems to be on a par with previous years; but it is hard to estimate 

 whether they are increasing or not. 



Mink and Muskrat : According to the best information which I can get, mink 

 are increasing, and this is probably due to the fact that the price of this fur is low 

 and the trappers are few. 



Muskrat are fully as numerous as other years, and I have had much less 

 trouble this year with the Indians, who had a habit of breaking open the houses. 



Partridge: Partridge are almost a complete failure. This is largely due to 

 the brush wolf and in a measure to the wet, backward spring. There is little 

 doubt but the brush wolf is the main cause. 



Ducks and Geese: Ducks and geese are not plentiful, but are about the same 

 as last year. 



