16 



HUNTING AND FISHING IN MONTANA 



Brown's Camp, Upper Madison River 



Butte Anglers' Club Is Large and Active Organization 



By D. Gay Stivers of Butte 



The Butte Anglers' Club, incorporated in 1916, is the largest sports- 

 men's club in the state. It was organized in 1902, Judge W. M. Bick- 

 t'ord. now of Missoula, being its first president. From a membership 

 of 50 or 60 it has steadily increased until at the present time more 

 than a thousand members pay their annual dues to support the organ- 

 ization and to aid in the propagation and planting of game fish in the 

 waters contiguous to Butte. 



There are no records of the club between 1902 and 1910. but since 

 the latter date the club has planted thirty million game fry and finger- 

 lings within a radius of one hundred miles of Butte, and during that 

 period has received in dues and contributions about $25,000. It will be 

 seen that more ihan a million game fry have been planted for each 

 thousand dollars expended, or more than one thousand for each dollar. 



This is made possible by the fact that the members contribute their 

 time and labor, as well as automobiles and other transportation; also 

 to th(> fact that the railroads haul the fry and eggs free of charge; 

 but mainly by the fact that the clui) has available for its use the splen- 

 did fish hatchery at Columbia Gardens near the city of Butte, erected 

 by Senator W. A. Clark in 1902 and permitted by him to be used by the 

 club ever since. The salary of the fish culturist is paid by the manage- 

 ment of Columbia Gardens. The hatchery, with its aquarium, is one of 

 the many attractions of that beautiful spot. 



The club propagates and plants grayling, salmon, and at least five 

 different varieties of trout, the native, of course, predominating. The 

 first rainbow trout wore planted in the Big Hole river about 190S, and 

 they are being caught out of that stream at the present time weighing 

 as high as 20 pounds. The Big Hole formerly contained nothing but 

 whitefish and grayling, but owing to the persistent planting and pro- 

 tection of fish in this river, it has now become one of the best trout 

 streams in the state. 



