8 BIENNIAL REPORT OF 



ever, but I learned since the shipment was made that out of 

 this car load one elk died the next day, the cause of death 

 being too much water. 



"The cost of the several shipments was borne by the Rod 

 and Gun clubs of the various places receiving the shipments. 

 The cost of shipment per head was $5.00. The Rod and Gun 

 Clubs have takei it upon themselves to look after the welfare 

 for a few days — possibly a month — at their own expense, be- 

 fore turning the elk out upon the range selected for them. 



"The total shipment was five cars, of two hundred elk, out 

 of which the loss was eight per cent, which I think is very 

 small indeed, when the question of the shipment of wild elk 

 is taken into consideration, the animal being so timorous in 

 its nature and the shipments being the first ever attempted. 



"The State Game and Fish Department have received numer- 

 ous applications for other shipments of live elk, but the de- 

 partment, owing to the lateness of the season and taking into 

 consideration the condition of the female elk at this season 

 of the year, did not deem it advisable to make further ship- 

 ments." 



There are only two portions of the state at present which 

 contain considerable numbers of elk. These are the sections 

 adjacent to the National Park borders and an area around the 

 upper Sun River and South Fork of the Flathead River. 



Now that the shipment of these splendid game animals has 

 been found to be feasible, I am in favor of having a closed 

 season for five years in all parts of the state, except those in- 

 dicated, and during that time have quantities of elk shipped 

 from near the Park line and unloaded on suitable ranges. This 

 will tend to restock the entire state and at the end of the 

 closed season there will be quantities of elk in all parts of 

 Montana which are adapted to elk grazing and propagation. 



Would also recommend that limited quantities of these ani- 

 mals be sold by the State of Montana to game departments 

 of other states at a nominal price, thus tending to relieve the 

 congested condition of the elk in the vicinity of the Park and 

 enable other states which possess suitable ranges to obtain 

 their quota of these niucli prized ganie animals. 



COURT COSTS IN VIOLATIONS OF GAME LAWS. 



Some antagonism to this department is entertained by County 

 Attorncvs of the se\eral counties and the reason for this feel- 



