54 



MONTANA STATE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



GAME ADOPTIONS DANGEROUS 



BOTTLE BABE 



The Montana Fish and Game Department has taken an active stand against 

 the adoption of game foundlings, found, apparently abandoned, in the woods. 



Such adoptions constitute a questionable practice unless it is definitely 

 determined that they have been abandoned and are lost and, vi'ithout the pro- 

 tection of a human being, would die or fall victim to a predator. 



Once adopted, they often prove dangerous playmates for children. There 

 are several instances of youngsters being trampled by their hoofs. Insofar 

 as they must be released eventually, domesticity often renders them unable 

 to cope with natural conditions and they become the easy prey of hunters 



or predators. 



But the danger in adopting them is of 

 the greatest importance. Deputy Game War- 

 den Elmer DeGolier reported to the Depart- 

 ments this year of an unfortunate case near 

 Poison. A fawn had been found away from 

 its mother and adopted. Some time later it 

 was necessary for the father of the little 

 boy to shoot the fawn when he found it 

 trampling the youngster with its sharp 

 hoofs. The child might have been killed. 



Of course, there is the story of "Betsy" 

 of Anaconda, the prize foundling of the 

 year. The adoption of this awkward baby 

 moose was the only human thing possible 

 to do. On May 31, she was saved from 

 drowning in the Wise river, by Charles L. 

 Foster of Butte, who turned it over to Les- 

 ter Barton, an active member of the new 

 Rocky Mountain Sportsmen's association, 

 who in turn placed it in the custody of A. G. 

 Stubblefield, foreman of the state fish hatch- 

 ery in Washoe park. 



"Betsy," as she was baptized when found in the Wise River was discovered 

 marooned on a pile of drift wood in the middle of the "drink." She either 

 strayed from her mother, got too near the bank and fell in, or else she was 

 the weaker of twins and in crossing the river with her mother and twin, was 

 swept down the stream. 



At any rate, "Betsy" is the only bottle-fed moose now roaming the swampy 

 lowlands on the Hazelbaker ranch in Beaverhead county, fully protected. 



But the stand of the Commission on all game adoptions is — be careful, and 

 report the case to your local deputy game warden as soon as possible. 



