The Audubon Societies 



171 



spend about $36,000 for hay to save part of 

 this herd from starvation. 



The tremendous loss that has recently 

 occurred in this herd cannot be attributed 

 to a single cause. The one most responsible, 

 however, is the almost total lack of suitable 

 winter range in Government ownership. 

 Were these winter ranges within the National 

 Forest the solution would be comparatively 

 simple, even though disastrous to the settlers 

 dependent upon these ranges for their sus- 

 tenance. Areas upon which the elk are abso- 

 lutely dependent for winter forage are now 

 largely in private ownership and can only be 

 secured for use by the elk by purchase or 

 some other arrangement with the owners. 



The areas within the forests most suitable 

 for winter range for the elk have been set 

 aside for that purpose as a temporary expedi- 

 ent, but these areas are neither well suited 

 nor located to meet the objects desired. Even 

 with this assistance the elk are only able to 

 survive mild winters, and when a severe 

 season occurs, losses from starvation are 

 appalling. It must inevitably follow that 

 this herd will soon be reduced to the number 

 for which hay can be provided unless winter 

 ranges are immediately provided for them. 



It is not too late to preserve the elk in 

 goodly numbers; but there must be a thor- 

 ough recognition of responsibility and ade- 

 quate state and Federal legislation. 



NEW YORK LEGISLATION 



At the last session of the New York Legis- 

 lature, which recently adjourned, amend- 

 ments were made to the game laws, some of 

 which we must regard as being decidedly 

 detrimental to the interests of conservation 

 in the state of New York. There have been 

 13s salaried game-wardens. These men have 

 been trained with great care for their duties, 

 and for some years have been uniformed, 

 which gave added dignity to their position. 

 The recent change in the game laws reduced 



the number of this active, salaried force of 

 game-protectors from 135 to 90. 



Governor Miller also has seen fit to release 

 George D. Pratt from the position of State 

 Conservation Commissioner. There appears 

 to have been no expressed dissatisfaction 

 regarding Mr. Pratt's administration. He 

 was removed simply to make room for a 

 political friend of the Governor. Such things 

 often happen in a republican form of govern- 

 ment such as that under which we flourish. 



YELLOWSTONE PARK AGAIN ATTACKED 



Senator Walsh, undismayed by the defeat 

 of his bill in the last session of Congress, has 

 again undertaken to induce our Federal law- 

 makers to permit the damming of the Yellow- 

 stone River where it flows out of the Yel- 

 lowstone Lake, in order to provide water for 

 private commercial projects in his home state 

 of Montana. This Association and its friends 

 will fight this new effort of Senator Walsh, 

 and any others who attempt to despoil the 

 National Parks, with all the strength at our 

 command. For some reason he has adopted 

 the unusual method of introducing his bill 

 twice in the Senate and these bills are today 

 known as S.274 and S.275. The measure 

 reads as follows : 



"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of 

 Representatives of the United States of Amer- 

 ica in Congress assembled, that the right is 

 hereby granted to the state of Montana to 



erect and maintain a dam across the Yellow- 

 stone River at a point to be selected by it, 

 not more than three miles below the outlet 

 of Lake Yellowstone, for the purpose of con- 

 serving the flood waters draining into said 

 lake, for use in the irrigation of lands in the 

 valley of the said river beyond the bounds of 

 the Yellowstone National Park. 



"The said dam shall be so constructed as 

 to serve as a bridge for foot and vehicular 

 travel over said river, and shall be of no 

 greater height than is necessary to maintain 

 the level of the said lake at the mean high- 

 water mark, hereby declared to be six feet 

 above the mean low- water mark. 



"That plans for the construction of the 

 said dam shall, before work is commenced, be 

 approved, and the mean low- water mark, upon 

 the request of the said State, shall be fixed 

 by the Director of the Reclamation Service. 



"The work of construction of the said dam 

 shall be conducted only by the said State of 

 Montana, or by some irrigation district or 

 association of irrigation districts authorized 



