BIG GAME OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES 123 



acter of the work would justify the organization of a uniformed 

 force on mihtary hnes. The position is wholly different from that of 

 the forest ranger. The duties of the game guardian are primarily 

 police duties and police methods of organization and control would 

 probably ensure the most efficient results. 



The writer's interest in this plan arises from the fact that he 

 directed the work of collecting the information upon which it is 

 based and personally examined the proposed preserves and wrote the 

 report of the project. If put into operation, it would not only prevent 

 absolutely the extermination of any of the Rocky Mountain big game, 

 but, if combined with a suppression of the Stoney Indians, would en- 

 sure a permanent supply of big game of all species in the Rockies. Not 

 only should it appeal to those who wish the game preserved for its own 

 sake, but it should also appeal to the big-game hunters and to all the 

 interests connected with them. 



_ ^ 1 r The suppression of the Stoney Indian is the more diffi- 



the Stoney cult project. The Dept. of Indian Affairs, the Pro- 



Indians vincial Game Guardian, the Mounted Police, and the 



Forestry Branch have none of them evinced an eagerness to under- 

 take this duty. Primarily, it belongs to the Provincial Game Guardian, 

 and now that the Stoney has been placed under the Alberta Game Act, 

 the action of the Provincial officials is awaited with some interest. The 

 probabiUties of controlling this tribe are, however, remote and much 

 more certain results can be obtained through the establishment of game 

 preserves that are closed to all hunting at all times. The Indian 

 problem will no doubt ultimately solve itself through the operation of 

 natural causes. In the meantime, something effective must be done 

 in the Rockies if the distinctive game of this region is not to be allowed 

 to disappear. 



The plan proposed by the Forestry Branch promises the maximum 

 protection at the minimum of expense. It is based upon accurate 

 knowledge and not upon hearsay. It is, in fact, the first comprehensive 

 survey of so large an area that has ever been made on so intensive a 

 scale in America. Last August, H. S. Graves, Chief Forester, U. S. 

 Forest Service, announced that a similar study is being made in the 

 United States National Forests. 



The preserves, as outlined, are all game preserves, not a small 

 nucleus of game preserves surrounded by a huge area of land which 

 makes an effective appearance on the map but has very little influence 

 on the census of the game population. Such preserves are extremely 

 harmful to the interest of true game preservation, in that they are 



