GAME REFUGES. 46 



who, he said, had been over every portion of that section of the 

 country. u He knows a good deal more about it than any other 

 man living," said Dr. Hornaday. It so happened that I was instru- 

 mental in having Mr. Shiras, who is an enthusiastic naturalist, a 

 lover of wild game, a famous hunter with the camera, visit the region 

 in question. I had been in the upper Yellowstone country, both in 

 and out of the national park, the year before. I had seen many 

 moose and noted their great increase since a former visit. I was 

 much gratified with this increase in the moose herd, which had re- 

 sulted partly, it is true, from the fact that the moose were protected 

 in the park, but more because they had been for years protected by 

 the laws of Wyoming. I explained to Mr. Shiras how he could 

 reach the placid waters of the upper Yellowstone from Yellowstone 

 Lake with a canoe, and the following year he made the visit and 

 wrote the description to which Dr. Hornaday has referred, but I 

 assume Mr. Shiras never claimed he made a discovery of something 

 that was not known to our people. It was a discovery, or at least 

 news, to those like Dr. Hornaday, who had not, up to that time, 

 been familiar with the facts. The upper Yellowstone River, above 

 Yellowstone Lake, both in the park and in the country south of it, 

 has for a considerable distance comparatively little fall. It is almost 

 sluggish, and the country on eioher bank is low and swampy in 

 places, affording ideal feed for moose and the conditions under which 

 the moose thrive. It is doubtful if the moose would thrive in con- 

 siderable numbers if they got far beyond that particular kind of a 

 region. 



Mr. Reilly. How many are there ? 



Mr. Mondell. There have been various estimates made. The last 

 time I was in there, seven years ago, I rode down the river, making 

 no effort to keep out of the way of the game, and as I went down the 

 river I guess I saw 20 or 30. There are in all perhaps a thousand or 

 more. 



Mr. Barnes. I saw 100 there. 



Mr. Mondell. When in a half day's trip you see that many, there 

 are, of course, many hundreds. We have preserved the elk in 

 Wyoming. This great herd winters and always has wintered in the 

 region south of the park. About one-third of the herd, perhaps half, 

 spends the summer in the park. 



Now, Dr. Hornaday suggests that we must enact the legislation 

 because the States will not take care of the game, that the sentiment 

 is so lacking and people are so indifferent that he despairs of any 

 success. He argues against the State of Colorado having jurisdiction 

 over this matter when, as he informs us, the State of Colorado, by 

 law, has made a game preserve of the whole State. 



Mr. Mondell. May I have about five minutes to reply to one or 

 two little matters ? 



Mr. Jacoway. Dr. Hornaday wants to be heard. 



Mr. Mondell. I want to refer to one or two matters while they are 

 fresh. 



