SECOND BIENNIAL STATEMENT 205 



Sept. 29. — According to the Detroit Journal, a sportsmen's organi- 

 zation of Escanaba, Michigan, decided to advocate in the next 

 legislature of Michigan, a bill for a close season on all game in 

 the upper peninsula of Michigan. This, it is claimed, is neces- 

 sary because of the gradual decrease in the game of that part 

 of the state, and the consequent fear of the hunters that game 

 will entirely disappear from the state in a few years unless it 

 is protected. The movement has the support of the Marquette 

 Chronicle, and it is noteworthy as being the first instance 

 wherein an organization of sportsmen has made a movement for 

 the enactment of a close season on all game throughout an 

 extensive area. 



Oct. 1. — The State Conservation Commission completed and pub- 

 lished a census of the deer of New York, as observed and 

 counted, and also partially estimated, by about 200 state game 

 wardens and forest rangers. The total shows 20,541 bucks; 

 12,382 does without fawns; 29,697 does with fawns, and 

 31,322 fawns seen and counted. Of the deer seen and posi- 

 tively identified as to sex, there were 42,079 does and 20,541 

 bucks, making two does for each buck identified. 



This is exactly one-half the proportion of does to bucks 

 that obtains in the best deer forests of Austria and Germany, 

 where deer-breeding has been brought to a high state of per- 

 fection. It effectually disposes of the contention of the Adi- 

 rondack guides that there are now so few bucks that a great 

 many does are ''barren." 



The total number of deer for the state as a whole is re- 

 ported to be 93,942. 



Oct. 15. — The census of the game animals in the National Forests 

 of Colorado, made by the U. S. Forest Service, reveals the 

 presence of 2,9 71 elk, an increase of 17 per cent over the pre- 

 ceding year; 7,48 2 mountain sheep, an increase of 5 per cent; 

 26 antelope, a decrease of 17 per cent; 21,501 mule deer, an 

 increase of 9 per cent; 10,295 beaver, an increase of 16 per 

 cent; 1,6 65 black or brown bears, an increase of 11 per cent, 

 and 126 silver-tip, an increase of 1 per cent. It is to be ob- 

 served that all these increases, except of bears, is due to the 

 fact that no hunting of any of the big game mentioned is now 

 permitted in the state of Colorado. 



Oct. 17. — The Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina was cre- 

 ated by Presidential proclamation. It contains 80,000 acres, 

 and is situated ten miles from Asheville. Two hundred and 

 twenty-five acres are now being enclosed with an 88-inch fence 

 for a national bison range, into which elk also will be placed. 



Nov. 1. — After a careful survey of the wild life situation in Ari- 

 zona, Mr. Aldo Leopold, of the U. S. Forest Service, Albu- 

 querque, publishes the following statement: 



"Without any doubt four of Arizona's most valuable spe- 

 cies, — the mountain sheep, the antelope, the javelina or pec- 

 cary, and the Sonora deer, — are hovering on the verge of 

 extermination. Moreover, the blacktail deer and the turkey 

 are about to become extinct in the southern parts of the state 



