u6 



RECREATION. 



for the purpose oi making a record. In 

 our duck club we limit our members and 

 guests to 25 in any one day and do not 

 permit the selling of any game killed on 

 the lake we control. In fact, the present 

 game laws of our State, just passed, were 

 framed at a convention held in San Fran- 

 cisco, of which 1 was a member ; and other 

 members of our club were greatly instru- 

 mental in getting the law passed by the 

 Legislature and signed by the Governor. 

 We have our county well in hand in the 

 matter of game protection and do not have 

 many violations of our game laws. 



The matter of the mud hens is becoming 

 serious. Every year shows a big increase 

 in the number of them and a correspond- 

 ingly short period when ducks stay on the 

 lake. It is evident the mud hens eat of the 

 food of the ducks and the latter are soon 

 compelled to seek other quanters. You 

 can not imagine the numbers of mud hens 

 that can be seen in the winter on our lake. 

 They must be seen to be appreciated, and 

 unless we begin to destroy them we will 

 have to give up the lake as a ducking 

 ground. Every year shows a great reduc- 

 tion in the number of ducks that visit the 

 lake. What proves to me that I am right 

 about the mud hens eating the food and 

 forcing the ducks to leave is the fact that 

 the mud hens leave when the ducks do, 

 showing beyond a doubt that the food is 

 exhausted. " E. C. Tallant. 



OTHERS PROMISE TO RESTRAIN INDIANS. 



Following are further copies of replies 

 to the circular I sent the Indian agents of 

 the United States : 



Fort Berthold Agency, Elbowoods, N. D. 

 Mr. G. O. Shields, New York: 



The protection of game on this reserva- 

 tion receives constant attention. As you 

 are aware, the game laws of North Da- 

 kota require that hunters obtain a license 

 to shoot game of any description and re- 

 strict the manner of killing to a gun held 

 at the shoulder. It is a pleasure to be 

 able to state that the majority of the In- 

 dians belonging on the Fort Berthold res- 

 ervation, who do any hunting, apply annual- 

 ly for hunters' licenses. While they can 

 not be prevented by law from killing game 

 on their own reservation, we have by ex- 

 ample and persuasion done much toward 

 influencing them to comply with the law. 

 As for killing game off the reservation, 

 they do not at any time now kill antelope. 

 Deer are killed by them only in season. 



The game laws are violated by some of 

 the whites in the vicinity of the reserva- 

 tion oftener than by the Indians. Some 

 of these white men utterly disregard the 

 law and kill deer at all times of the year. 

 Large game has nearly disappeared from 

 this part of North Dakota. Antelope are 



rarely seen now, and deer, once to be* 

 found in every thicket along the Missouri 

 river, are found only at a few points where 

 the undergrowth is almost impenetrable to 

 man. Two years ago 2 bighorns were 

 killed in the badlands of the Little Mis- 

 souri river, but they were probably the 

 last in that part of the country, as none 

 have been seen since. Frequent rumors are 

 heard of bear being seen in the Little Mis- 

 souri country, but I doubt their reliability. 

 A bear was, however, killed there a little 

 over a year ago by a small party of cow- 

 boys. Beaver are nearly extinct, but even 

 the few remaining are not safe from some 

 vandal if seen. Birds are plentiful. Brant 

 and several species of ducks havr 'rge 

 breeding places on the reservation. Pra "ie 

 chickens make their home here the year 

 around. It is probable there will be a large 

 decrease in the number of chickens the 

 coming winter on account of the loss of na- 

 tive fruits, owing to late spring frosts. Dur- 

 ing the latter part of September several 

 chickens which I killed had their crops full 

 of grubs, etc., something I had never seen 

 before. This was due to the scarcity of 

 •buffalo or bull-berries, on which they 

 usually feed. 



You are again assured that all due steps 

 are taken for the protection of game on 

 the reservation. If the game wardens off 

 the reservation were more numerous, or 

 attended more strictly to their duties, some 

 of the violators or hogs might be taught 

 a lesson they would remember. 



Walker Lee, Agency Clerk. 



Jocko, Flathead Agency, Mont. 

 Mr. G. O. Shields, New York: 



Under the treaty of 1855 with the In- 

 dians of this reservation, they retained the 

 right to hunt and fish on all lands of public 

 domain, with the same privileges as the 

 whites. These Indians are generally law 

 abiding and wish and undertake to respect 

 the stringent game laws of this State. I 

 have made it a point in the past, when the 

 Indians are leaving the reservation for the 

 annual hunt, to inform them of the game 

 laws and to urge on them the necessity 

 for observing same. There is little com- 

 plaint in this section of the country against 

 our Indians, as the laws are generally ob- 

 served. I am in full sympathy with your 

 ' work. As agent of these Indians and per- 

 sonally I do all in my power to preserve the 

 game of this region, and shall be pleased to 

 give you, at any time, all possible aid in 

 your work. W. H. Smead, 



U. S. Indian Agent. 



Klamath Agency, Oregon. 

 Mr. G. O. Shields, New York: 



I am pleased to be able to say that I am 

 in hearty accord with your work and that 

 my influence has always been in the in- 



