THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 



REFUGES FOR WILD BIRDS AND ANIMALS. 



Thousands of Acres Have Been Set Aside in All Parts of the State. 



The problem of keeping game abundant in the advance of 

 civilization is one that is not easy to solve. The draining of 

 marshes and the cutting of forests do away with the natural 

 haunts of wild birds and animals. The remarkable improvement 

 of arms, the increase of hunters, added to the failure to kill 

 predatory animals which do little or nothing else than prey on 

 game, has greatly diminished the number of game birds and 

 animals. 



It is very important that certain areas of land be set aside 

 in different parts of the state where game birds and animals may 

 be carefully protected so they may live and breed undisturbed. 

 When they become abundant on these areas, they will gradually 

 spread out and stock other sections. 



At the 1911 session of the Legislature a law was passed pro- 

 viding that the Governor may set aside, by special proclamation, 

 all lands surrounding state institutions to be used as game 

 refuges. This law also provided that the State Game Warden 

 may enter into contract with the owner or owners of private 

 land, setting aside such property as game refuges for a period 

 of from one to ten years. A number of large game refuges have 

 been established on private lands in almost every county in the 

 state. Up to the present time 143,789 acres have been reserved 

 under this law. 



At the last session of the Legislature in 1913 an act was 

 passed establishing six large game reservations in different parts 

 of the state, embracing 2,654 square miles, or 1,698,320 acres. The 

 names, locations and the objects of these are as follows : 



1. The Imnaha Game Reservation is situated in the northern 

 part of Baker and Union Counties and the southern part of 

 Wallowa County, and contains 560 square miles, or 358,400 acres. 

 This reservation was created for the purpose of protecting 



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