68 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Feb. 32. 1883 



THE BIG GAME AND THE PARK. 



Editor Sty-Set and 8&rehiH: 



1 commend tlie course taken by the Four-r \.\n S tim: \.m 

 in the matter of the National Park grab, and vnur hearty 

 support, of Senator Vm's hill, all of which I indorse, except 

 the proposed Park extension. This 1 deem unwiee and un- 

 warranted. TWs clause in the bill was inserted, 1 believe, 

 to conform to the recommendation of Lieutenant- General 

 Sheridan in his report of Nov. 1. 1883, To the War Depart 

 meut, which proposes to extend the limits of the Park forty 

 miles east ana ten miles aoulh. The extension easl would 

 take in a large and rich mining district, known as the New 

 World Minim? District (so-called the Clark's Fork Mines). 

 These mines have been occupied for ten ryoavs. The entire 

 tract which the bill proposes to take in is a mineral-bearing 

 country. But tin- matter we "ill leave to our delegate in 

 Congress. 1 hope Congress will not grant any exclusive 

 privileges within the limits or the Park; 040 acres would be 

 a very large Iracl of land, as it could he. so mapped out as 

 to take in the entire upper geyser basin, in which are situ- 

 ated nearly all the most wonderful and interesting geysers 

 in the Park, I trust that in granting privileges Congress 

 will not allow any hotel or other structure lb he erected 

 nearer than one-fourth of a mile to any of, these great won- 

 ders, and that a survey may be made and permanent lines 

 established, taking In all the beautiful springs and geysers, 

 and that the same may be foiwe.r 1 1 ,,-. Tin- FaBEBfr \M' 

 Stream has well said" that pasture lauds are very Bcarce, 

 particularly in the vicinity of the geyser basin, and for this 

 reason should be free to all. 1 should think that twenty 

 acres of land with each hotel privilege, would he a very 

 large one, and that this rule should apply to locution 61 

 such privileges throughout the entire Park. 



Much has been saidupon the subject of game protection, 

 and 1 bclievi#Gen. Sheridan recommended the extension of 

 the Park particularly thai the noble game or the Kooky 

 Mountains might tiiid a retreat from skin hunters. 1 here- 

 with submit some figures showing shipments of skltis from 

 Bozeman. which has been the principal shipping point or 

 Eastern Montana for many years, which, however, is now 

 somewhat changed by reasonof tlresettlemcnt of the country 

 along the Yellowstone River and the opening of new markets 

 for skins. lam now and have been, since 1870, familiar 

 ■with these matters and submit the figures to Show what 

 species of name most need protection. In 1874 the follow- 

 ing: shipments wire made from Bozcman; 



Elk skins, 97,600 lbs.: deer skin.-, 83,850 lbs.; antelope 

 skins, 33,407 lbs.; mountain sheep skins, 700 lbs.; moose 

 skins, 4 skins only; bison, none. 



A v. rage weight of skins: Elk, 123 lbs. each; deet. §f lbs. ; 

 antelope. 2J lbs.; mountain, 3$ lbs. 



This includes the entire catch of skins sold by white 

 hunters and Indians. The average prices being for elk skins 

 20 to 30 cents per pound, deer 2-1 to :!■"> cents per pound. 

 antelope 27 to 10 cents per pound, mountain sheep 18 to 20 

 cents per pound, moose skins 2u to 30 cents per pound. 

 During the two years following shipments were light . owing 

 to. the market being overstocked and prices consequently 

 low. The shipments of one house from October, 1881, until 

 July, 1882, were as follows: Elk skins 45,000 lbs,, deer skins 

 85,000 lbs., antelope skins 5,000 lbs., mountain sheepskins 

 000 lbs., moose, three skins only, bison none. 



Never within my recollect iou'has a bison skin been offered 

 for sale by a skin hunter in this market, and 1 have knowl- 

 edge of but one skin having been brought to this vicinity 

 from the Park. The reason is that during tin- period when 

 his skin is inosi valuable— October. November and Decem- 

 ber—the bison does not leave the high altitudes. Therefore 

 to hunt him is to encounter deep snows: his whereabouts 

 are uncertain, for there are but few herds; his skin is heavy 

 ;ind cumbersome to handle; hence it does not pay the skin 

 hunter to hunt him; for these reasons only he is safe from 

 skin hunters. Tourist and sportsmen, who linger to hunt 

 in the Park, are his only enemies. Moose are found at all 

 seasons in the thick forests of the high mountains, and are 

 not numerous enough to warrant hunting them lor He-ir 

 skins. The mountain sheep, from their peculiar habits, 

 flourish in the highest and most rocky and rugged moun- 

 tains, and if protected during lambiinr season \\ ill take, care 

 of themselves and last for many generations io come. Of 

 these animals the bison and moose should he particularly 

 protected from sportsmen and others during the summer 

 season, when their feeding grounds are accessible. 



ll will be seen bv the "larger quantities of elk and deer 

 killed for skius, they are by far the most numerous, and 

 must be soon protected, or it will be too late. Two or three 

 severe winters with deep snows, a good demand for skins 

 with such prices as prevailed in 1874, will seal the fate of 

 the elk and deer of the Rocky Mountains. The all import- 

 ant question presents itself — can the animals he protected? 

 Surely not by simply extendinc the limits of the Park; cer- 

 tainly not by any law that Congress can devise for their 

 protection within the Park. I believe this can be accom- 

 plished only by the hearty co-operation of the Territories of 

 Wyoming, 'Montana and Idaho, and the passage of such laws 

 by the Territorial Legislatures as will entirely stop the kill- 

 ing for skins only. Killing should only be allowed from 

 August 15 to December 1, and then only for food. The 

 migratory habits of the elk and deer are such that the first 

 October snows are the signal to descend from the secure 

 summer retreat high up in the densely timbered mountains, 

 even above the timber line, where snow hanks are found at 

 all seasons of the year, to lower levels: and as the season ad- 

 vances the journey is continued until the base ol the moun- 

 tains is reached, then the table lands, then a general seal- 

 tering — far. beyond the limits of the Park. Some elk, 

 however, remain near its borders, during mild winters, and 

 are killed more or less bv skin hunters. Deer do not remain 

 in nor near the Park during the winter. The great slaughter, 

 however, takes place along the tributaries of the Yellow- 

 stone ami Missouri rivers, and goes on unceasingly from 

 November until May, when, as the snow begins to disappear, 

 and new grass start.-, such, animals as have survived this 

 slaughter t'urn.their faces once more toward the mountains, 

 and follow the melting snow until the summer retreat is 

 reached. 



To illustrate how mercilessly game is slaughtered, 1 will 

 relate one instance thai came within mv own observation. 

 AYhile traveling down the Yellowstone in the winter of KSs (l , 

 in the month of February, the snow bamg dec]), sleiglis 

 were used by the stag, company in place of wagons. There 

 was !> crust on the snow, strong enough in places to hold 

 my weight. The driver and I discovered a band of antelope 



in'thc road some distance in advance of us. At lir-t Ihey 

 were .-ouieuiial shy, and would run as we .ippronchcd, but 

 finally we came quite near them. There being about lilly, 



they occupied a long space in the road, and as they became 

 accustomed to ills, we came very near them. 1 would reach 

 out of the sleigh, pick up piece's ol' snow crust, and throw 

 among them. They seemed quite as tame as a flock of 

 sheep. We noticed that the legs of nearly all these animals 

 were badly lacerated, this brine- caused by traveling and 

 breaking through the hard crust. These animals traveled 

 in advance oJ us some mites, never attempting to leave '-the 

 sleigh Hack. We finally met two hunters, and the animals 

 bounded Off through the snow ., short distance and stopped. 

 The hunters got down from I heir horses, and the work of 



slaughter began, Before we p.,-cd the next rid-.-. : , , rnr 



of a mile distant, Ave antelope had been killed and the re. 

 maindcr were scattered around, none bevoud rifle range, 

 These animals bad scarcely life enough left to run f: 



if the depth of 

 neb ;, i hine; impos-dhlc. 

 In ;hi- way the antelope ol" Hi 

 • ■■ nearly exterminated-; i 



md eiii-.l bad not rendered 



laws-: 

 Mont 

 deer, 

 goat i 

 not le 



cat Yellowstone Valley 



I repeat, thai unless a 



iedy is -„„,) found, the elk and black-tailed deer will 



re the same fate. The reader will ask. Have you no game 



tainlv. Section (ill of the Revised Btt '■■:■•■ 



■ohibits the Uilliim' ...I hutl'al.,. , Ik. black tailed 



thecp, Rooky Mountain 



n $20-0, 

 :ed, for 



m February] until Aug 

 nor more than$290,00 

 prohibits the killing of any of these animals a 



the skins, penalty nol lesstkaii $50.00 nor m 

 i.ui Me:, laws are a dead letter and cannot b< 

 the reason thai our Territory is so v 



ninety thousand -uu.u. mil. 3 within its bOrdi rs, with a popu- 

 lation of about sixty thousand. Many of the best game dis- 

 i from settlements, and difficult of access in 

 ng, when it is the mo.-t necessary to prated 

 loeate in the fall before' snow fall-. 



i-t Id 



lit, the] 



ing. If the preservation of game is the real issue, thefollow- 

 Ing notes, which arc gathered from real experience; are re 

 sped fully submitted. In this open prairie country game 

 ranges in a very different manner from that in which they 

 do in the Adirondacks or Allegheny mountain- There a 

 preserve of fifty square miles might be effectual; here even 

 the extent of'the YeTJowatonc Park (8,500 square miles) 

 would be virtually useless for such a purpose. BtdTalo are 

 apt to wander lour or live hundred mill sbei ween their Sum- 

 mer and winter ranires. Klk, i.hicU and while. tailed deer, 

 us well as antelope, have their ranges to bring forth their 

 young: therefore, preserving a sm:ill area would not avail 

 much. The strictest protection in all the wild country is 

 needed; but it anything is to he done it should he done al 

 once. 



fcf the Federal GDvernnwnt would give al hast her Terri- 

 tories a general law on the subject, then United States 

 Marshals and their deputies would have to see to the enforce- 

 ment Of lb* same, 6,nd they would also carry against the 

 hands or companies of hide hunters the good. 'moral weight 

 of having the "blue coats" to back them 



Indians are allowed to leave their reservations to hunt on 

 passes from their agents. As they have neither use for 

 hides nor nnat. being liberally provided with both blankets 

 and boof by the Government, and as their slaughter is in- 

 variably wanton, it might be well to -top the issuance of 



A sluing yon or our appreciation of your efforts to secure 

 the preservation of gam". I am. yours respectfully, 

 llwikv Oui-itiriis. 

 President of the Wyoming Game Protective Association. 



id sp,-i 



al of s 



and laketla 



to market, 

 red The 



or pull 

 ■ National 

 rs as they 



andawail the; 

 until June and 

 entire United f. 

 ally protect, tl 

 Park, would b 

 now are. 



Can a remedy be Suggested? In my opinion, your corres- 

 pondent "P." sounded the keynote when he, recommended 

 licit lie- shipment ol elk, deer, antelope and mountain sheep 

 skins from the Territory be prohibited, and the passage of 

 l;,ws. making il unlawful for any railroad or steamboat 

 company, or any other common carrier to transport or carry 

 the same from the Territory. That article came from a per- 

 son thoroughly conversant with the subject in question. 



Anoi.i-.m. 



Bozeman, Montana, Jan. U. 1SS3. 



njuslicc which would 

 re Park were to be 

 vs of Montana. The 

 y Oelricbsio 6ptt#or 

 ttee on Territories, contains 

 id authority for the retention of 



The Cheyenne Daily l."i'Ur. February 8, reports : Pub 1 !?- 

 spiriied citizens are at work, independently of the Governor 

 and Secretary of the Territory, cndi 

 United States Senate to a sense of tie 

 be done Wyoming if the Yellows! 

 placed under the jurisdiction of the 1 

 following letter, written by Hon. H. 

 Vest, Cliairman of the t 

 sound arguments from a 

 the Park under Wyomin _, 



Till-; Ilout' It am ii. CBETBNWE, Wyo . Feb, 4 1883, 

 To i/k Hon. Georgi C Vest, ('. 8. Senator, Wusliiwjton, 

 I). 0.: 



Honorable Sir--Kel'erring to a letter dated December 2§„ 

 from Gov. Crosby of Montana, to yon. and beli, ring you 

 are interesting yourself in the preservation of game in the 

 Yellow stone National Park, I address you in the name of 

 the Wyoming Game Protective Association, and. in reciting 

 certain laots. which may be new io you. and in offering a 

 few suggestions, 1 trust they will be reoeived in the -ami- 

 good spirit of national pride and sport which dictates bliem. 



the object which 

 1 fear il ha-, with its 



mislead, both as regards the geo- 

 'ark. as well as the efforts of the 

 o protect game for the same. As 

 (•teen-twentieths of the country 

 rvation was taken from Wyoming, 

 ting from Idaho and Montana, 

 on foot to virtually incorporate 

 people are naturally 

 s of either Territory 



Although sympathizing St 

 prompts Governor Crosby' 

 great publicity, tended to i 

 graphical position of the I 

 good people of Wyoming I 

 the large proportion of uiu 



the odd one-twentieth (nil 

 and a» a movement i- now 

 the Park into a county of Montana, oi 

 growing jealous. Thus far the only la 

 which in any way airect the interests of the Park, are those 

 for the protection of game near its borders. The Wyoming 

 Territorial Legislature of 1882 enacted game laws, of which 

 the enclosed is a copy. In tlnm will he found embodied all 

 the points Governor Crosby recommends lor his Territory. 

 He suggests imprisonment instead of line a.s punishment for 

 violation. We inflict as punishment for infringement of 

 our laws either, or both. It is urged that transportation 

 companies be prohibited carrying game unlawfully Killed. 

 We go a step further and forbid individuals or corporations 

 even to have in posssssion game unlawfully killed, or any 

 green oruntanued hides. 



Our people have organized arid incorporated a game pro- 

 tective association, which has been working this year with 

 private funds only, bill Ihey have been enabled to accom- 

 plish the following results: ' All common carriers have been 

 foiled to refuse contraband game or parts I hereof, except 

 in the extreme northern part of the Territory, where such 

 e.ime is transported into Montana, where, traffic in the same 

 y allowed. We can furnish proof positive or 

 ag started from the southern portion of this Ter- 

 ming excursions being prevented by their guides 

 enforcement of our laws) killing more game 

 mid use until they reached Montana. where they 

 jovder to indulge in the alleged sport 

 We know of parties who had madi 



appa 



ut he 

 •ing enforced, 



. tl! 



were taken across if 

 of murdering miffali 



arrangement- last y 



Wyoming laws were 

 t:imi Hide hunters and garni 

 nonh have openly defied our 

 could hud a market and protect 

 A.s the people of Wyoming ha- 

 made wi-e game laws, and love also 

 enforce toem— at all events more thoi 

 does. -it is most earnestly to be hopec 

 ii should be considered necessary to | 

 under the laws of a Territory, it will b 

 whom il was tnlttU by the Federal Co- 

 whose people have sine,, then shown Ihcirpridc in whatiliey 

 have practh ally looked upon as their own by n zealous regard 

 to the preservation of tin- Park's greatest beauty— its game, 

 Ifrheareaof this reservation -in uld be increased, as sAig- 

 i gested bv Governor Crosby, it would be taken from Wyom- 



I learning that the 

 ihauged base to Mon- 

 ierers in the extreme 

 at ton, knowing they 



Moutan:.. 



lugh their Legislature, 

 aown their ability to 



than -Montana 

 VI d foi lil.lt if 



National Park 



i to her from 



md to her 



and'pr 



eniiin 



THE GUINEA FOWL AS GAME. 



-T^'HERE are numbers rff guinea fowl wild in the island of 

 L Santo Domingo, and they liave been there beyond the 

 memory of the oldest inhabitant. The'yare verj prolific 

 I have often seen as many us fifteen in' a brood.' 1 think 

 they hatch of'.cner than once a year; nt least ihey hatch at 

 any aud all seasons of the year. They ore to he found 

 about the com and rice fields, as we'll as in the open 

 savanna miles away trom any food, except such as is 

 afforded bythe native grasses. Their crops often show 

 nothing hut grass seed of different varieties, they are an 



exceedingly shy bird, difficult to approach, and wonderfully 

 strong nn*| swill on the wing, as different from tin: lame 



On one occasion w. mad.- camp Late in Ibe afternoon al a 



cattle station in the savanna, where the proprietors came 

 twice a year to brand the calves and select the beeves Stop- 

 ping three or four weeks each time. Dining the rest of the 

 year no one lived there. Near sundown, tempted by the 

 ba)ni.V atmosphere Find witching lights and shades, 1 si rolled 

 some distance from camp, and saw a very large covey of 

 guineas. I promised myself Spine sport in the tnomtug, 

 and was up and away at the first break of dav. After a 

 lime 1 discovered at a distance a Hock of guineas feeding in 



a portion of the savanna when, die pine trees were three to 

 lour rod.- apart, tall. Straight and free from limbs for a long 



,-,:,v from the mound, and not abrnsh beside. I endeavored 

 to gel within guiisboi by i-'oing from one tree to another. 

 keeping myself as much bidden from sight aa possible, at 

 ihe sane time watching the bird- clost lv. and on sceii the 

 least sign of apprehension, waking astotueof myself, I 

 -pirn over an hour in ibis way, the bird- constantly feeding 

 away from me. Then l Hushed the i of range and thej 



Hew' lor a run that was densely timbered I followed but 

 failed to get a Shot, and wa- forced io return to (amp with 



out a bird. 1 do noi think that these birds had been gaol M 



for months, if at all. 



Tliev are harder to get a shot at than Ihe ruffed grouse, 



but are muck easier killed. Willi a Hi-bore (i{ lbs. gun, I 



sboi one from the limb of a -mall pine nee al D distance ol 



fifty-two 16ng paces, striking the bird with one shot in the 

 body. It-fell immediately to the ground; and when I picked 



it up. was dead. 1 have shot a green parrot at so sheila 

 range Ehal four shot passed through ils body and then 1 hud 

 to l. -on to <>t l>' r mean- to kill it. 



There were no bird dogs in Santo Domingo at the lime 1 

 was there A friend bad a mongrel shepherd that he thought 

 a very good dog to hunt birds. I tried him. He would 

 trail the guinea fowl. They Would allow him to come quite 

 close, anil then take position in the nearest tree and watch 

 the dog. I think from their actions Hew uould til prettj 

 well to the proper kind of u dog. The wild guinea is simi 

 larin edible qualities to the ruffed gTOUse. Although 1 

 have bagged a great many, I never saw a vrvy fat one. 

 They were plump, juicy and tender, ami a \ • rv fine flavor. 

 I had the best success in ghoj>ting them bj - • .tiering a dock 

 just before roosting time. The following morning, Ueing 

 on the ground before daylight, when the calling would com 

 mence, the chances were favorable for a few flying shots, 

 L. Kent, M.l> 



PHILADELPHIA NOTES. 



Till", lao- continued rain has completely freed 'le- Dela 

 ware River from ice, and the marshes bordering if 

 which were until the past week frozen up. leu, l.run, 



Lirely cleared, owing to the high {ides having liberated and 

 floated off their hardened covering; Some seasons we have 

 had a return of the marsh ducks to our streams as early as 

 this luit I e.iunoi learn of .mv haldpate- or .-prigtails hav 

 in- appeared ill the Delaware as yet, although thl feadtng 

 ••-rounds migh.1 be said to be in good condition for them. 

 We -bail h ive soma Bevcre weathi i before Spring, and need 

 not look tor maishfoul before the first Week m March, 

 and not then unless the season is favorable. 



I wish our sportsmen would content themselves wiib 

 aotumn ghpoling alone, and allow ibe comparatively few 

 ducks which stop in our marshes in the spring, preparatory 

 to troing northward to breed, to remain the shorl time un- 

 molested. In fact Ihe snipe should not be hunted; but we 

 cannol blame the boy- so long as a law permits. 



Some few purple grackleaand robins have shown ihern- 

 selvcs in 1'' fawflre county, near Media. 1 am told. This is 

 vers early for them We Beldam look- for i heir, before 

 March Oncof our local papers tellsof a 'brown tioa-iei ' 



(ferruginous thiu-hllhal has wintered in (hesier county. 



'fids is remarkable, as the bird is migrator) and passes the 



eol,i weather in 'be South 



Several of our Philadelphia hotel and restaurant propri- 

 etors have kept ov.-r ii numbei 01 quail tiHS winter. One 

 has a covey domiciled in hi? front -how window the bol 

 torn of the window being eoyered with mo-, etc., and ihe 

 quail made romfoi'tablo. " The birds attract much attention. 



Homo. 



