294 Bird - Lore 



hired by parties in Spokane, Portland, Seattle and San Francisco to shoot Ducks 

 and other wild fowl. For years he shot Grebe through southern Oregon and 

 California. He was one who helped to exterminate the great colonies that formerly 

 lived on the northern borders of Tule Lake. He has hunted both the Upper 

 and Lower Klamath, Tule Lake, Goose Lake, Clear Lake, Warner's Lake, 

 Tulare Lake, Harney Lake and Lake Malheur. 



The plume hunters have been at work continually through southern Oregon 

 and northern California, killing thousands of Grebes and other birds. It is a 

 difficult matter to stop shooting in such a vast area that is so profitable to the 

 plume hunter, but we expect to succeed. There are at present six indictments 

 against plume hunters filed in the District Attorney's office at Burns, for shooting 

 Grebes on Malheur Lake. These indictments cite the killing of 400 Grebes 

 by one hunter and 1,000 by a second hunter. These two plume hunters heard 

 in advance that indictments were to be made and escaped to California, so they 

 have never been brought to trial. At the time the indictments were made, Sheriff 

 Richardson, of Harney county, seized a number of sacks containing 800 Grebes 

 skins at the express office at Burns. These skins, as well as many others, were 

 sent from Lawen, a small town near Malheur Lake. They were addressed to 

 New York City. 



The most important step in the protection of water-fowl in the West was 

 recently taken by President Roosevelt; when on August 8, of this year, he set 

 aside Lower Klamath Lake to be known as the Klamath Lake Reservation, 

 and on August 18, Harney Lake and Lake Malheur were set aside as Lake 

 Malheur Reservation. Although these lakes have for years been the richest 

 field for plume and market hunters, the field is not yet entirely depleted, nor 

 do the plume hunters want to abandon these lakes as long as any plumage birds 

 are left. 



I do not believe there is a more populous water-bird district in the United 

 States than through southern Oregon. The President has given us the best 

 reserves that can be secured. This breeding ground is undoubtedly the nursery 

 of the great flocks of Ducks and Geese that invade sections of California. If 

 it were not for these reserves, I believe the time would come in sections of Cali- 

 fornia when the sportsmen would have little or no Duck shooting. The reser- 

 vations should appeal widely to sportsmen. 



To show how little observance has been given to the game laws in south- 

 eastern Oregon, it has been the custom for parties to go down to Malheur Lake 

 in the fall when Swan, Snow Geese and other birds are migrating, and kill these 

 birds merely for the feathers, which are sold at so much per pound. 



Ducks and Geese were so common formerly that a party of hunters could 

 easily secure a wagon-load in a short time. It was not an uncommon thing for 

 a party of hunters to go out to the Lake to shoot and return with as many Ducks 

 as the wagon could hold. The hunters generally stopped on the corner of some 

 street and passers-by could help themselves till the supply was exhausted. 



