Page Ten 



MONTANA STATE FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT 



IN 1915 the Bu- 

 reau of Biolog- 

 ical Survey was 

 requested to orga- 

 nize a small group 

 in Montana for the 

 purpose principally 

 of controlling the 

 d e p r e d a t i ons of 

 wolves that were 

 destroying thou s- 

 ands of d o 1 a 1 r s 

 worth of livestock 

 each year. At that 

 time the appropria- 

 tion was small and 

 only $9,000 was al- 

 lotted for this work 

 in Montana. The 

 method in which 

 the Biological Sur- 

 fi vey decided would 

 be the best to ob- 

 tain quick results 

 was to employ hunters on a salary 

 basis. This work was started October 

 1, 1915. 



At that time there were several places 

 in the state where there were as many 

 as 20 wolves running in a pack. The 

 various places were Highwood moun. 

 tains, Ued Lodge, Beaverhead county, 

 head of Ruby, in the bad lands near 

 Miles City, Sweet Grass Hills north of 

 Chester and many other places over the 

 state. Within tour years the Depart- 

 ment had the wolves under control. In 

 controlling the depredations of the 

 wolves the hunters spent considerable 



Do Your Part 



R. E. Bateman 



!Si>ortsnifn, stockmen and furmprs 

 ar« niiitually interesJed in (ranie. 

 I'he piine lielongs to the stale; li 

 lives on (he land of the larnier and 

 it is protected by funds ciintrili- 

 uted l>) the sjiortsnian. Many 

 tlioiiulillt-ss hunters create III will 

 on the part of I'arniers li.\ linntlni; 

 on tlie farmer's land i>itliout per- 

 mission, liy Iea>lnu' irales open, in- 

 juring: stock, frainpliiii: i rops, and 

 in many other «ais (lisreizardinir 

 the interests of the larniers. i;\ery 

 Iterson wlio poes afield in search 

 of pame should remember that per- 

 sons with whom he comes in con- 

 tact, .indpe all hunters by his o«n 

 acts. Every possible <(Mirl<'sj and 

 consideration should lie siio«n iij 

 Ininters to tlie fanners, and e>ery 

 such courtesy and consideration 

 helps the entire sportsmen's frater- 

 nity. 



time in controlling the depredations of 

 coyotes, mountain lions and bobcats that 

 were numerous on the range and doing 

 considerable damage to game, sheep 

 and poultry and in some sections killing 

 calves. 



The results obtained by these hunters 

 have been the results of an increase 

 in appropriations and state cooperation. 



Since the latter part of 1921 the Fish 

 and Game Department started cooperal- 



Hunters Clear Hills of Predatory Pests 



ar 



rieni wKh Montana hsAd- 

 r Yip Yap, tho wily coyote, and liii 

 tin lioni and killer bear*, are being 

 picture Above showe A eeaeon't eaten 

 hide*. 



ing with' the bureau. In 1923, the Live 

 Stock Commission began cooperating 

 and the three departments worked In 

 cooperation on the predatory animal 

 work until April, 1931, when the Fish 

 and Game Commission discontinued co- 

 operation through an act of the legis- 

 lature. Since that time the State Live 

 Stock Commission and the Bureau of 

 Biological Survey have continued the 

 cooperation. 



However, the departments have not 

 lost their interest in the control of 

 mountain lions or coyotes that prey on 

 game and livestock in the mountain 

 areas. Since the Fish and Game De- 

 partment has discontinued the coopera- 

 tion there have been 14 mountain lions 

 taken by hunters paid by the Biological 

 Survey and the Live Stock Commission. 

 Many coyotes are destroyed each win- 

 ter in game countries, also on the 

 ranges where they destroy many of the 

 game birds each year. 



It was estimated a few years ago 

 that a mountain lion will destroy 75 

 deer a year. Evidence of their destruc- 

 tiveness is evident when the snow is on 

 the ground. In summer this avideuce is 

 not so noticeable and many kills are 

 never seen or reported. Mountain lions 

 are all destructive to livestock. 



The wolves are under control and sel- 

 dom any are reported in the state. Coy- 

 otes and bobcats are pretty equally dis- 

 tributed over the state and are the 

 greatest menace to game, game birds, 

 livestock and poultry we have to com- 

 bat in our work. The coyote may be 

 exterminated in any county or given 

 locality in the state but within n year 

 or two the area will be reinfested un- 

 less they are controlled equally as well 

 in the adjoining territories. 



It will take the combined efforts of 

 the State Live Stock Commission, Fish 

 and Game Commission, and the Uurenu 

 of Biological Survey to keep these ani- 

 mals in check. The high price of furs 

 a few years ago caused ninny individ- 

 ual hunters to trap for the value of the 

 furs. This was an aid in keeping down 

 their numbers In localities where the 

 Individual trappers worked, but even 

 with the aid of the individual trappers 

 and the efforts of the throe deparlmenlii 

 the coyotes still existed. On tho rnnKes 

 when' a hunter was kept for u reanon- 

 able length of timo tho logseo to llve- 

 Kloek or game was practically elim- 

 inated and thousands of dollnm saved 

 to llie llvestiiek Industry and many Kanie 

 aiiliiiiilH and game birds were saved. 



Montana has never had a HUtfUleni 

 force of huiitorH to control the dopre- 

 diilloiiH of cuyoteH la loealltieH whore 

 requests have been sent for liunlorH. 

 The BloloKleal Survey orrire at lllllluKit 

 IH constantly receiving reqneHt* for 

 huiiterH to be sent Into game arenM to 

 ciintnd coyotes and mountain lions 

 preyluK on the deer and elk Similar 

 reqiieMtM art) reeolved from llveiilock 

 owners and poultry rnlNem. 



