Biennial Report* 



Since the last biennial report of this department, the game 

 conditions of Montana have remained in a fairly satisfactory 

 state, but the time has new arrived when it is necessary for a 

 radical change in many of our laws, otherwise, there will be a 

 notable decrease of our game animals from this time on. 



This opinion is based upon close observation and reports of 

 conditions from all sections of the state. The reasons for this 

 belief, and the necessary proposed amiendments, will be set 

 forth in the following pages. 



GAME KILLED DURING OPEN SEASON OF 1911 



AND 1912. 



During the open season of 191 1, an unusually heavy fall of 

 snow, followed b)^ extremely cold weather early in N^ovember, 

 caused many game animals to seek the lower valleys. This 

 condition resulted in more than double the normal amount of 

 deer being killed bv hunters during: the latter weeks of No- 

 vember. 



From reliable reports received by this department, there were 

 approximately 15,000 deer killed in ]\Iontana during the season 

 of 191 1. The greatest numbers of elk killed during the same 

 season were in the vicinity of Gardiner, near the Yellowstone 

 Park line. At this point more than 500 of these animals fell 

 under the hunters' bullets. In all other sections of the state 

 the number killed aggregated about 1,100, making a total of 

 1,600 animals. 



Of goats and sheen about the usual quota were killed — less 

 than 125 of each. 



During the hunting season of 1912, just closed, there are as 

 yet no official figures upon which to base an estimate of the 

 game killed, but it may be safely slated that there was not 25 

 per cent the number killed in 191 1. This is due largely to 

 the mild weather and lack of storms during the month of No- 

 vember. 



