GAME REFUGES. 31 



may be penalized as an owner of public lands, any more than a 

 private individual. 



We have assumed that the United States Government has as much 

 right to own land, and as much right in the land that it owns, as any 

 private individual. There is no man who for one moment will 

 question the right of any individual in any State to inclose his land, 

 either with a fence or line, and say, "This is a game preserve, in 

 which no killing shall be done." Mr. Williams has well pointed out 

 to you the fact that the Government is not seeking to regulate the 

 killing of game in national parks. Gentlemen, the Hayden bill is a 

 constructive proposition, and not a destructive proposition. If it 

 were destructive, if it were in any sense providing for the further 

 slaughter of any game, I would not be here to-day. I am sick and 

 tired of trying to provide game to-day for sportsmen to go out en 

 masse and slaughter to-morrow. I am seeking to be the humble 

 means of putting before Congress the wishes of the people of the 

 West in regard to this matter. 



After 30 years of more or less constant devotion to the study of the 

 interests of the wild life of our Nation, and to efforts to promote the 

 interests of our wild life, not only for the people of to-day but for 

 posterity, I am obliged to say that my information and my impres- 

 sions regarding the status of big game at this moment, in all the 

 States west of the Great Plains, and the impending future of that 

 game, are entirely opposed to the impressions of the gentleman from 

 Wyoming. 



Mr. Mondell says that the game is increasing in many of the Western 

 States. Now, I have just completed a tour of all the States west of 

 the Great Plains except the State of Nevada. I have talked with 

 State game commissioners, State game wardens, State officials, 

 members of sportsmen's clubs, hunters who are not members of 

 sportsmen's clubs, and with friends of wild life everywhere. Gentle- 

 men, let me assure you that the people of the West do not share 

 Mr. Mondell's optimistic views regarding the status of game in the 

 West. I can not point to a single State in which I was informed that 

 game was increasing. I believe that the only instances in which big 

 game in the West is really increasing on public lands are those in 

 national parks and preserves. It is quite true that Wyoming has 

 preserved the elk, but it has been solely through the medium of a 

 national park, which is a Federal game preserve. If it had not been 

 for the Yellowstone National Park 



Mr. Mondell (interposing). Of course, we do not agree to that 

 We deny the accuracy of that sort of statement. 



Dr. Hornaday. I know you do, but I am stating my point of view. 

 I say to this committee that had it not been for the Yellowstone 

 National Park as a Federal game preserve and a breeding ground for 

 elk, there would not be one living elk in Wyoming to-day. I think I 

 could submit to you, if it were necessary, the facts to bear out that 

 assertion. What did Wyoming do with the Big 



Mr. Mondell (interposing). We still have elk in the Big Horn, and 

 in the Medicine Bow, which are from 200 to 400 miles away from the 

 Yellowstone National Park. 



Dr. Horn ad ay. I was just going to speak of the Big Horn. The 

 big game of the Big Horn Mountains was absolutely exterminated, 



