BULLETIN NUMBER FIVE 197 



Roads and automobiles now take the poacher into their 

 country, and always hundreds of miles from any warden or 

 officer. A killing is made, and no one knows anything about 

 it, or has any way of finding out. 



"The state is not protecting the game, in my judgment. 

 For instance, in this county we have only one warden for 

 the entire area, and he is busy issuing licenses and riding 

 along the well-traveled trails, as he has no time to go fur- 

 ther. . . . / am of the opinion that the mountain sheep of the 

 state are doomed to final extinction ivithin a very short 

 time unless protective measures are effected." 



A PETITION. 



Mr. Simpson has drawn up and is circulating for signa- 

 tures the following forceful and important petition to the 

 Wyoming Legislature, that convenes in January, 1917 : 



"We, the undersigned, resident citizens of the County of 

 Park in the State of Wyoming, respectfully petition your 

 Honorable Body to pass at the coming meeting of the Legis- 

 lature, protective laws against the total extermination of 

 the SAGE GROUSE of the State, alleging: 



"1. That settlement of areas in which this Grouse has its 

 habitat; easy access to it by modern conveyance; lack of 

 protection on account of remote localities along roads, high- 

 ways and trails, and an evident lack of interest by Citizens 

 of the State with limited knowledge of this bird's decrease 

 in the last few years, and the undoubted fact of ultimate 

 extinction of the species ivithin the next five years, requires : 



"That at least a five-year close season be made, and, in ad- 

 dition, suitable and sufficient penalties for its violation." 



Burke H. Sinclair, Secretary to the Governor, Cheyenne. 



". . . . It does seem to me that a closed season on sage 

 grouse for a definite time would be highly desirable, since 

 they are being killed very rapidly. Sheridan County had a 

 five-year closed season on these birds until last year, when 

 hunters were allowed two birds ach. As the result of that 

 protection there was a substantial increase in that county." 



S. N. Leek, Jackson Hole. 



"I presume there are sage grouse in nearly or quite every 

 county in the state of Wyoming. In some localities they 



