Biennial Report* 



The last report of this department was compiled by Hon. 

 W. F. Scott, State Game and Fish Warden, for the years 

 1905-6. In 1907-8 there was no report published. 



In January, 1909, I was appointed as the head of this 

 department and it is upon the conditions of the garne of 

 Montana and the laws governing the same during the years 

 1909-10 that this report will touch. 



There has been a healthy sentiment growing among the 

 citizens of the state favoring the protection of game and the 

 enforcement of the game laws. In a few isolated communities, 

 the old rule of ruthless slaughter of deer and elk prevailed 

 a few years ago but this sentiment has undergone a marked 

 change by reason of local opinion of settlers publicly expressed 

 or has been stifled by one or more successful prosecutions 

 of flagrant violators. 



No state in the union affords the hunter the diversity oi 

 game that Montana does and no state has a more liberal 

 code of game laws, both for local and non-resident hunters. 

 To the fisherman there are no restrictions except that he 

 must be provided with a license of the proper class — resident 

 citizen, non-resident citizen, or alien. 



DEPUTIES. 



In the selection of deputies it has been my aim to select 

 good, conscientious men. who would perform their duty 

 without fear or favor and play no favorites. Of these there 

 are fifteen to cover the twenty-eight counties of the state 

 or approximately two counties to a deputy, and ^^lontana 

 counties, even the smallest, are larger than some of the eastern 

 states so that it may be readily understood that it is impossible 

 for any deputy to always be in the right place at the right 

 time to make arrests for violations. However, the number 

 of cdnvictions and amount of fines collected is largely in 

 excess for 1909-10. over that of any two previous years in 

 the history of the department. There has been no change 

 in the personnel of the deputies since my first appointments 

 with the exception of District No. t, where Mr. L. J. Lownds 



