12 BIENNIAL REPORT OF THE 



but under the wise provisions of our game laws, limiting 

 the number to one per year for each hunter, the elk are 

 increasing. During a severe winter many times the number 

 of these animals fall victims to starvation and predatory 

 animals, than do to the bullets of hunters during the open 

 season. \\'hile elk are scattered in many herds throughout 

 the state, by far the largest numbers are in the Yellowstone 

 National Park during the summer and come out upon their 

 winter ranges on the approach of storms and cold weather. 

 On account of the encroachment of cattle and sheep in the 

 vicinity of the Park line and the winter ranges of the elk, 

 many of these animals perish each year of starvation, the 

 loss being principally old animals and calves. The same 

 conditions exist in Wyoming. Two years ago the legislature 

 of our sister state upon the south appropriated a sum of 

 money for the purchase of hay to feed the elk in severe 

 winter weather. Tliis plan I am advised by the officers of 

 the Game Warden's Department of Wyoming, has been a 

 success and resulted in saving many hundreds of elk. I would 

 respectfully request consideration by the Montana legislators 

 of the Wyoming plan with a view to making an appropriation 

 for that purpose in Montana. 



DEER. 

 Large numbers of deer have fallen beneath the bullets of 

 hunters during the seasons of 1909 and 1910. At present the 

 limit per person annually is three. This is a larger number 

 than is allowed in any other state and I believe the best 

 interests of the game require that the number be reduced 

 to two per person annually, and those two to be of the horned 

 variety. In many states only horned animals may be killed. 

 Here we have no such restrictions and frequently T have 

 had the unpleasant experience of viewing the remains of a 

 thirty poimd fawn recently before slain by a hunter. I there- 

 fore favor an amendment to our present laws, reducing the 

 limit of deer per person annually from three to two animals, 

 with the above restrictions as to' age and sex. 



ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 



Of si:»ort requiring patience and endurance, the pursuit of 



Rocky Mountain sheep or "big horns" furnishes the hunter 



the keenest pleasure. Of those carrying the largest horns 



of this scarce species of the game animals, .Montana has within 



