BULLETIN NUMBER SIX 27 



TESTIMONY DECLARING DECREASE. 



MR. E. W. Nelson. — Formerly there were enormous herds of cari- 

 bou all through the coastal region of Bering Sea, around the entire 

 north coast of Alaska, and back well into the interior. These herds 

 have been exterminated. This was due to their being overkilled in 

 those areas mainly before the present mining development took place. 



Mr. Merritt. — Did the Indians do that? 



Mr. Nelson. — The Indians and Eskimos largely. They were killed 

 mainly for the skins, which are used for clothing. The natives living 

 in the areas where these herds were plentiful killed them in summer 

 when the skins are in the best condition for clothing. They killed 

 does and fawns especially, because their skins were lighter and better 

 for the purpose, as well as in fall and winter when the animals were 

 better for food. The result was extermination. Unless properly safe- 

 guarded the same fate would no doubt overtake the herds Mr. Riggs 

 has described in the interior. 



The decrease of game due to modern conditions is taking place in 

 northern Canada. When the Canadian government awakened to the 

 fact that their game was threatened with extinction in the north it 

 began to take active steps to save it. Otherwise the great herds of 

 caribou on the Arctic barrens would certainly disappear, as they 

 have already done from the great areas in Canada. The decrease of 

 game has everywhere followed the increasing occupation of North 

 America. As the people increased in number, and as the means of 

 getting at game were improved, and as the weapons used against 

 them were improved, the game has been saved only where carefully 

 safeguarded. Hearings on the Sulzer Bill, p. 44. 



Mr. Nelson. — It certainly appears to me that I have given some 

 information as to the effect of extinction of game over a large area in 

 Alaska, and the fact that game is now limited to certain districts. 

 Hearings, p. 54. 



Mr. Belmore Browne. — My experience leads me to believe very 

 firmly, and I have a good many facts to back me up, that the exter- 

 mination of Alaskan game has already gone a long way. The large 

 game has already been exterminated to a large extent, and that is 

 easily backed up by these certain facts. 



When I first went to the Kenai Peninsula, back in 1900, there were 

 numerous caribou on the peninsula, and now they are practically all 

 gone 



When I first went to the Susitna Valley, back in 1902, there were 

 still numerous moose in the valley and some caribou. There was 

 quite a heavy moose population. In 1912 I snowshoed through that 

 entire Susitna Valley district for more than 150 miles and never saw 

 but one big buck of any kind. I met one party of Indians who had 

 been hunting for a month and they had found only one moose and 

 killed it. Hearings, p. . 



