THE SNOW CREEK GAME PRESERVE IN 
MONTANA 
MOVEMENT, that is not only on foot but really is 
half consummated in Montana, in behalf of the preser- 
vation of big game, will perhaps be of interest to the 
members of the American Bison Society. 
In the northern half of the great plains regions of the 
United States, there has not been, until 1911, even a 
semblance of a game preserve for what was once the big- 
game fauna of the plains. In the southwest the Wichita 
National Bison Range serves a purpose of that nature. 
It is to be remembered that before the days of great- 
game slaughter throughout the whole of the West, the 
plains and badlands of Montana and Wyoming con- 
tained an astonishing number of large species of wild 
animals. The bison millions, the elk, mule deer, white- 
tailed deer, antelope and even the Rocky Mountain 
sheep all ranged eastward, actually into the Dakotas, 
and some of them far beyond. In the last two decades 
of the previous century, this great volume of valuable 
wild life was either wholly wiped out, as to some species, 
or left to be represented only by a few harassed and 
widely scattered individuals. It is the fate of all plains 
game, throughout the world, to be easily found and 
quickly killed. 
In 1886, Dawson County, Montana, still contained 
many antelope, mule deer and white-tail, a few grizzly 
bear, and,—most strange to say,—a few bands of mount- 
ain sheep. Sage-grouse, jack rabbits, coyotes and gray 
wolves were abundant. 
In 1902, when the writer made a trip for hunting 
and exploration from Miles City northwestward to the 
Missouri River, coming out at the mouth of Hell Creek, 
he found the country, for four-fifths of that distance, 
practically cleared of game of all kinds! The ranches 
were but little more numerous than in 1886; but domestic 
sheep had come in, and as usual the ranchmen, sheep- 
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