102 THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 
GAME CONDITIONS IN MALHEUR NATIONAL 
FOREST 
John Day, Oregon, Mareh 15, 1917. 
Mr. Carl D. Shoemaker, 
State Game Warden, 
Portland, Oregon. 
Dear Mr. Shoemaker: 
I instructed my rangers last fall to make a close study during the 
winter of the manner in which the various game birds in this section 
wintered, the per cent of loss, ete. Thinking the results of these 
observations might be of interest to you I am quoting the following 
from a report just received from Ranger Bennett, who is stationed on 
the Silvies River six miles north of Burns: 
‘*The Chinese pheasants which were shipped in here dur- 
ing the past few years are doing fine. Very light loss this 
winter. I have seen a number of pairs on Silvies River this 
winter. A number of these birds wintered around the barn- 
yards cf the neighbors in this locality. I know of about 
one dozen pair that wintered in this vicinity. 
‘‘There are many quail about here. It is a very common 
thing to see forty or fifty along the road between my head- 
quarters and town, a distance of six miles. However, I have 
not noticed as many quail this spring as usual, and I am 
afraid there has been some loss. 
‘‘The house cat is the most destructive animal on the 
quail. When the quail are forced around the barnyards during 
the winter it is an easy matter for the cat to catch them. I 
believe more quail were lost in this way during the past winter 
than by the storms.’’ 
In spite of the unusual depth of snow in the John Day Valley 
the past winter, I think the Chinese pheasants wintered with slight 
loss. A great many of them lived right on the cattle feed yards and 
around grain stacks. 
As reports are received from the other rangers over the forest I .- 
will let you know the results. 
Very truly yours, CY J. BINGHAM, 
Forest Supervisor. 
A SUGGESTION 
Editor Sportsman: 
The Northern Forest Protective Association has done what Oregon 
ought to do. 
In the hunting camps throughout the upper Peninsula it has placed 
emergency food boxes made of metal, and proof against the attack of 
mice or other animals. Each box contains hard-tack, dried foods, inelud- 
ing beans, pea soup, beef cubes, sugar, condensed milk, coffee, cooking 
and eating utensils, maps and directions for getting out of the woods 
if lost. All are warned to resort to the boxes only in ease of need. 
These boxes could be looked after by the Game Wardens and Forest 
Rangers. By placing a metal sign here and there giving locality, 
names and directions, many real and near tragedies might be averted. 
R. BRUCE HORSFALL. 
