214 THE PRESENT AND FUTURE 



exterminate quickly all the mountain sheep that they possess. 

 The time for serious protective measures has fully arrived. 



Both British Columbia and Alberta have even yet fine 

 herds of big-horn, and we can count three large game preserves 

 in which they are protected. They are Goat Mountain Park 

 (East Kootenay district, between the Elk and Bull Rivers); 

 the Rocky Mountains Park, near Banff, and Waterton Lakes 

 Park, in the southwestern corner of Alberta. 



In view of the number of men who desire to hunt them, 

 the bag limit on big-horn rams in British Columbia and Al- 

 berta is still too liberal, by half. One ram per year for one 

 man is quite enough ; quite as much so as one moose is the 

 limit everywhere. To-day "a big old ram" is regarded by 

 sportsmen as a much more desirable and creditable trophy 

 than a moose; because moose-killing is easy, and the bagging 

 of an old mountain ram in real mountains requires five times 

 as much effort and skill. 



The splendid high and rugged mountains of British Co- 

 lumbia and Alberta form an ideal home for the big-horn (and 

 mountain goat), and it would be an international calamity for 

 that region to be denuded of its splendid big game. With 

 resolute intent and judicial treatment, that region can re- 

 main a rich and valuable hunting-ground for five hundred 

 years to come. Under falsely "liberal" laws, it can be shot 

 into a state of complete desolation within ten years, or even 

 less. 



OTHER MOUNTAIN SHEEP. In northern British Columbia, 

 north of Iskoot Lake, there lies a tremendous region, extend- 

 ing to the Arctic Ocean, and comprehending the whole area 



