THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 



WINTER GAME CONDITIONS IN THE 

 STEENS MOUNTAINS 



BY 

 F. H. FAWCETT 

 Deputy Game Warden, Narrows, Oregon 



On the 19th day of last January deputy game warden F. W. Triska and 

 I started from Burns, Oregon, for the purpose of studying game conditions 

 during the winter in the Steens mountains and surrounding country. 



When we left Burns the ground was covered with a foot or more of 

 well-packed snow and to this was being added a new coat. The first night 

 was spent at Lawen, some twenty miles to the southeast, at which place the 

 snow was six or eight inches deep. During the next forenoon, as we 

 journeyed south, the snow fell so thick and fast we could scarcely see our 

 way. We nooned at Waverly, having traveled but fourteen miles during 

 the half day. About three o'clock in the afternoon we found ourselves 

 on bare ground, and when we reached the James Mahon ranch, in Anderson 

 valley, that evening we found the ground dry and no snow in sight except 

 on the hills. 



A day was spent at the Mahon ranch in a vain endeavor to find some 

 of the twelve Chinese pheasants that were liberated at this place last 

 summer. While there is an abundance of shelter in the way of willows, 

 rye grass, etc., we could see no feed for these fowls. Coyote tracks were 

 noticeable everywhere and, following up Camp creek to the snow, we there 

 saw a few wildcat tracks. 



On the divide between Anderson valley and the Juniper ranch, we 

 found the snow from six inches to a foot in depth with drifts three or four 

 feet deep at the head of Juniper grade. At Juniper lake there was but 

 little snow though the lake itself was covered with about a foot of clear 

 ice. The waters of this lake are but slightly alkaline and, being fed by 

 a mountain stream, I believe it should be stocked with fish. At present, 

 there are no fish in any of the waters of this section. 



While camping at Mann lake on the 24th, snow fell to the depth of 

 four or five inches, but did not lie long in the valley. 



Along the foothills to the west of Mann lake and the Alvord country 

 are a series of thermal springs about which feed is plentiful throughout 

 the year, and here lies one of the favored winter ranges of the mule deer. 

 Several days were spent in this locality and many deer were seen. We 

 climbed well up into the Steens where the snow was several feet deep, but 

 the only animal life found there was the porcupine which exists on juniper 

 berries, bark of trees, etc. We had hoped to locate a few mountain sheep 

 in this section but were not successful. 



At the Alvord ranch we were able to locate five of the twelve Chinese 

 pheasants liberated there last year. The ones seen are all females, three 

 of which stay about in the orchard with the chickens. It appears to me 



Pag-e fifteen 



