42 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Aug. is, im. 



THE NATIONAL PARK POLICE. 



'T^HE failure of Congress to appropriate an adequate 

 sum of money for the protection of the Yellowstone 

 National Park is one of the most astoundingiy foolish and 

 short-sighted acts of the present incompetent and neglect- 

 ful House of Representatives. 



For more than a year excellent work has been done by 

 the Superintendent, Col. Wear. This gentleman has made 

 ail excellent and efficient officer and the personnel of his 

 staff of assistants is almost without exception very satis- 

 factory. The protection he has given to the game and to 

 the natural curiosities of the region commends his work to 

 all who are familiar with it. Jack Baronett, who recently 

 came in from a trip through the Park, reported having 

 seen fifty elk and a number of antelope within five miles 

 of the Superintendent's office. The Supei'intendent has put 

 up over 200 signs to mark the names of places of interest and 

 trails; some fencing has been done and many other little 

 improvements made this season, all of which will add to 

 the comfort of visitors and tend to the better protec- 

 tion of the Park. 



Col. Wear has had much to contend against, but at 

 length, after unceasing effort and much disappointment, 

 he has succeeded in getting his force of assistants into 

 such shape that they perform thoroughly the work which 

 they have to do. 



Visitors to the Park have learned that the authority of 

 these officials must be respected and obeyed, and this 

 being understood, violations of the law have been few m 

 number. The members of the force are now, most of 

 them, men of several years experience in the Park and 

 are familiar with it and their duties. 



The failure to appropriate a sum of money for the pay 

 of this force and for contingent expenses, will undo the 

 work of the past few years, unless some steps are promptly 

 taken to remedy the omission. Tliis failure tln-ows the 

 present force out of office, and leaves the Park a prey to 

 whomever may choose to spoil it. 



We believe that the Secretary of the Interior is author- 

 ized to call on the Secretary of War for troops to assist in 

 protecting the Park, but it is manifest that a company of 

 cavahy can accomplish but little as a police force in com- 

 parison with a staff of experienced men, like those under 

 Col. Wear. The soldiers have no special interest in the 

 region such as is felt by the present jiolice. They are 

 ignorant of it, and will be careless. There is danger that 

 hunters will slip off into unfrequented localities and kill 

 game, and that careless campers or malicious persons will 

 start fires which may do an infinite amount of damage. 



If there is any way in which it can be done the present 

 force ought to be retained in their positions at least until 

 the hunting season is over. In less than two months 

 travel in the Park will have ceased, but there will remain 

 two or three months more, during which the game if im- 

 protected can be slaughtered in great quantities. For it 

 must be remembered that this game, having for a year or 

 two been free from molestation by hunters, is now com- 

 paratively tame, and can be approached without great 

 difficulty. 



There is unfortunately no appropriation out of which 

 any compensation can be paid tb the Supferintendent or 

 his assistants for any period subsequent to Aug. 1. The 

 crass folly of appropriating money to build roads and at 

 the same time permitting the natural cm-iosities of the 

 Park, its game and its timber to be destroyed without let 

 or hindrance is apparent, and the course of the House of 

 Eepresentatives in this matter— while it perfectly agrees 

 with its action on other subjects of importance— fills one 

 with an ever increasing contempt for our lawgivers. To 

 bring the Park up to its present condition has cost years 

 of labor and many thousands of dollars, and now a 

 heavy-witted House throws the whole thing overboard 

 by refusing to appropriate funds for its pi'otection. 



We apprehend that the greatest danger to' the Park will 

 be within the next six months, for no doubt Congress will 

 make some provision for its protection at the next ses- 

 sion. 



Were it legal for it to do so, the force in the Park might 

 perhaps consent to serve without pay until Congress meets 

 again, trusting to that body to provide compensation from 

 Aug. 1, but the Interior Department cannot accept then- 

 voluntary services if offered. An Act approved May 1, 

 1884, provides that— 



No Department or officer of the United States shall accept vol- 

 untary service for the Government or employ personal service in 

 excess of that authorized hy law, except in cases of sudden emer- 

 gency involving the loss of human life or the destruction of prop- 

 erty. 



If it were not for this we should earnestly urge Colonel 

 Wear to do all in his power to hold his force together as 

 long as possible. We feel sure that he will regret to see 

 all the good work that he has done here go for naught. 

 We know that he feels personal pride in what he has 

 accomplished in the Park, as well as in the force he has 

 built up and organized. He knows, too, that he has a 

 strong support among the more intelhgent members of 

 Congress, in the Interior Department and among the 

 people at large. 



We feel sru-e that, though Congress has been incredibly 

 neglectful of the people's interests during the session just 

 ended, the blunder which has been made will soon be 



repaired. The end is. not yet, and we believe that next 

 winter the voice of the people will find expression in a 

 way that Congress will listen to with respect. 



The Vacationist Cobbespondents go so far as to pitch 

 into the protection of moose and deer in the Maine woods, 

 and ask, in the name of the much injured poacher, that the 

 game laws of that State be so modified that shooting shall 

 be lawful enough just to thin out the wonderfully- 

 increased deer and caribou and thus keep back the wolves 

 which are coming on their tracks. Alas, for such stu- 

 pidity! What in the name of all that is true has increased 

 the deer in Maine? Is it jackshooting the mother does in 

 the vacation season, when these writers would like to be 

 paddled on to them, but when the death of the poor 

 creature — poor in a double sense — is sm'e to be followed 

 by the starvation of one or two helpless fawns? Has 

 jacking caused them to increase? Or has^ that much 

 worse method, hounding and clubbing, done it? That the 

 deer have increased in Maine, imder just such laws as she 

 has, and that the deer are there to be taken by fair means 

 in open season, is sufficient reason for letting her statutes 

 remain just as they are. 



Local Option Game Laws are proposed by certain 

 parties in Arkansas, who probably think that if once the 

 State law can be done away with they can arrange local 

 legislation to suit themselves. The State law, particularly 

 the restriction on marketing game, has worked well, and 

 it should be retained. 



JLddresss all communications tb (he Fwest and Stream Pub. Co. 



IN CAMP ON TWO MEDICINE. 



ONE looking at the muddy waters of the Missouri at 

 Bismarck would little think tliat its sources are clear 

 mountain streams. ' This mighty river drains a vast scope 

 of mountain country. To the sportsman of means and 

 leisure nothing could be more pleasant than to explore the 

 mountain head of every one of its tributaries, from the 

 southernmost branch of the Yellowstone to the north fork 

 of Milk Eiver. One would always find an abundance and 

 great variety of game for camp use. Any pool would 

 supply a pail of trout, and as for scenery, it would be ever 

 varied and changing. I doubt if any place in the world 

 affords more grand and inspiring views than the Rocky 

 Mormtains. The greater part of these streams have never 

 been explored, especially the more northerly ones. 



Our party last fall was probably the first of white men 

 who ever visited the head of St. Mary's. If you remem- 

 ber, our hunt ended at Cutbank. After reaching the 

 trading post and resting a few days, we got another out- 

 fit of grub, and started for Two Medicine. After cross- 

 ing the south fork of Cutbank this trail climbs an im- 

 mense ridge. From the summit one can see, far below, 

 the source of Two Medicine: two beautiful lakes set in a 

 group of massive momitains. 



It was the 11th of December when we aiTived there. 

 The lower lake was already frozen over, and we crossed 

 on the ice to the -west shore and built oiu- cabins. We had 

 barely finished them when the gxeat snow storm came, 

 and when it was over we found aU about us over three 

 feet of feathery snow. There was a great deal of con- 

 jecture as to how the ^-ame would stand this immense 

 fall of snow. Bears, ot course, were snugly esconced in 

 their dens, dreaming probably of by-gone days in the 

 sarvis berry patch. We wondered how the mountain 

 hon, the lynx, fisher, martin, could move around when 

 even the snowshoe rabbit sank to the top of his Ijack at 

 every leap. Every ti-ee and bush was weighted downi 

 with a great shroud of snow. Wliere would the different 

 species of grouse find food? Even about our cabins we 

 found them buried deep in the snow, and one day Ben 

 actually caught one in his hands. But how would the 

 larger game, upon which we depended for our winter's 

 meat, fare ? Could the deer and elk push out on to the 

 prairie where there was but little snow, and whither our 

 horses had ah-eady gone? We feared that the short- 

 legged bighorn would perish, b\it in a day or tAvo we 

 could see with the glasses great yards on the sides of the 

 mountains where these plucky animals had ti-odden and 

 scraped away the snow to enable them to get at the Itixu- 

 riant mountain grasses. And N orris one day surprised a 

 band of old bucks near the cabins; he wounded one, 

 which slid into a deep coulie, where it lay at the bottom 

 completely covered with snow. Leaving his gun on the 

 bank he slid down after it, but the minute he struck it, it 

 jumped up and took the back track up the momitain, 

 leaving Norris in blank surprise, holding in each fist a 

 wad of hair which he had pulled from its rump. After 

 this storm we had at least ten days of still weather with 

 not a breath of wind, something most unusual in this 

 mountain region. During the interval we busied our- 

 selves making snowshoes. We had several bighorn 

 skins, which I grained with the back of a draw sliave and 

 cut into strands; the bows we made of willow, but as yet 

 the snow was too light for them to be of any use. 



One day we went fishing up to the head of the lake, 

 distant about two miles. We took turns breaking a trail, 

 and were about two hours getting there. Where the inlet 

 comes in we cut holes in the ice, and in a short ^ime had 

 all the trout we cared to pack home. I noticed several 

 peculiarities in these fish which our Eastern trout (Salmo 

 fontinalis) do not possess. I have caught them at all sea- 

 sons of the year, and have always fotmd more or less of 

 them in spawning condition, and again they are always 

 in good condition for the table; but the Salmo fontinalis 

 is during several of the winter months, especially m the 

 Adirondacks, wholly unfit for the table, being soft, flabby 

 and strongly flavored. In September, as I know by experi- 

 ence, one can catch very large trout here, some of them 

 weigliing as much as 41bs., but dui-ing our stay at the 

 lake we never caught one which would weigh over a 



pound, although we fished in deep and shallow water in 

 different parts of the lake, and in the inlet and outlet. 

 Where could the big fish have cached themselves? 



One morning we saw an immense colmnn of snow ris- 

 ing obliquely from a moimtain near the head of the lake. 

 The wind was coming. In less than an hour it came 

 sweeping down the canon and roar mg through the woods, 

 blowing the gi-eat masses of snow from the lieavily laden 

 branches of the pines, and making it so dark that we 

 were obhged to light the candles. Often during the ^viii- 

 ter I have seen the wind play strange freaks with the 

 snow. Sometimes it would blow a single sti'aight shaft 

 of snow far out on to the prairie; again, bridge the space 

 between two mountains, and once I saw a thin shaft of 

 snow blown from a mountain five miles distant and f aU 

 in a graceful curve on to the lake. 



After this, there was scarcely a day when we did not 

 have a flurry or two of snow, accompanied with more or 

 less wind. The snowshoeing became good, and I had as 

 a result grouse, rabbits, iish and bighorn to choose from 

 for every meal. 



I spent the greater part of my time hunting grouse, of 

 which there are several species. In the valleys along the 

 streams, where willows and scrub cottonwoods, with 

 quaking asp groves are thickest, is the winter hamit of 

 the ruffed grouse. Not being so skillfrd as to "knock off 

 their heads at GOyds. every time" witli a rifle, I invariably 

 took the shotgun and shot theiji as often sitting as I did 

 on the wing. I know that it is very unsportsmanlike to 

 kill a grouse in a tree, but all compunctions as to the 

 method are silenced when one sits up to the table to enjoy 

 the juicy broil or savory stew. 



The haunt of the sjjruce grouse is fm-ther up on the 

 mountain sides, where young pines are thickest. Like 

 the ruffed grouse, in winter these birds feed on the buds 

 of Cottonwood, quaking asp, willow, and the tender shoots 

 of pine. As a table bird I found these very inferior to the 

 dusky grouse, and consequently I seldom hunted them. 



By the majority of sportsmen the ruffed gixnise is con- 

 sidered the king of American game bkds, not only in' 

 wariness and swiftness, but in beauty of lolumage and 

 delicacy of flesh. My opinion is that the dusky gTouse 

 {Canace ohscura) is entitled to this position. In winter its 

 haunt is far up on the mountain sides among the scrab 

 pines at the edge of timber line, right under the shadow 

 of the great bare cliffs and hedges which cap the tops of 

 the mountains, and dm-ing this season it lives entirely on 

 the needles and shoots of this pine. As the spring gradu- 

 ally approaches they begin to come down among the open 

 parks along the ridges and creeks, where they mate and 

 raise their young. In the mating season the neck of the 

 male bird swells to an enormous size, and he may be 

 heard at all times of the day making that jjeculiar bellow- 

 ing sound (in calm Aveather it may be heard a mile) which 

 has given it tiie local name of bull gi-ouse. 



Unlike the spruce and raffed grouse in these mountain 

 AATilds, this is at all times a wary bu-d, exceedingly difficult 

 to approach. In spring and fall the best place to lumt 

 them is along the steep ridges, among the scattered clunaps 

 of pine, and the minute you flush one he clears off down 

 the mountain side and into tlie thick woods. You may 

 see one alight in a pme, and as you approach you hear him 

 sail out of the opposite side and perchance may catch a 

 glimpse of him. To successfully bag this bird, more 

 snap-shooting is requhed than in hunting woodcock. The 

 highest score I ever made was seven in about three hours 

 hunting. There were four of us, and we got in all twenty- 

 nine birds, and I have no doubt that we saw and heard 

 three hundred different bu-ds. Tlie males of this species 

 will, I think, weigh from four to five pounds. At certain 

 seasons of the year, in the fall and all through the winter, 

 tliey are very fat; the flesh when cooked is white and 

 juicy, and of a most delicate flavor. The plumage, as 

 compared with that of the ruffed grouse, I will not dis- 

 cuss. Any of your New York readers may satisfy them- 

 selves on this point by visiting the magnificent collection 

 of the grouse familj^ in Central Park. 



In the middle of winter I was surprised to find just 

 above timber line occasional flocks of sharp-tailed gi-ouse 

 (PedicBcetes phasianellus), very tame and a perfect mass 

 of fat. I always supposed their winter habitat was along 

 the streams in "the lowlands. StiU higher up, among the 

 rocks and crags on the veiy tops of the mountains, I 

 found the ptarmigan, always in flocks of from half a 

 dozen to fifteen or twenty. The plumage of these bright 

 little creatures is pure white, relieved only by the black 

 beak and sparkhng eyes. Severalfctimes I contemplated 

 making a special hunt for them, but I always reasoned 

 thus: if I take the shotgim, I am liable to see a bighorn; 

 if I take the rifle, I may kill the bighorn and may get 

 close enough to shoot a ptarmigin's head oft". The result 

 was that I always took the rifle, and never killed one of 

 these birds, although I shot at several. 



Of all Inmting, I believe tlie pm'suit of the bighorn is 

 most arduous as well as moat dangerous, especially in. 

 winter. At this season inany places are covered with ice 

 or slippery snow, affording but little footing, sometimes 

 where a single misstep would cause one to be dashed to 

 pieces. 



One cold, still morning Ben Norris, Belah and the 

 writer started out in quest of meat. There had been a 

 "Chinook," followed by a storm, so that we had fair walk- 

 ing on a heavy crust, covered with five or six inches of 

 ligit snow. We struck up the mountain directly back of 

 camp, and after four miles of ijretty steep climbing came 

 to the edge of the timber. Here the mountain became 

 very rocky and steei>, with great bare cliffs hundreds of 

 feet high. As we eujerged from the timber we surprised 

 two large rams feeding near us, but before we could get 

 a sight on them they ran behind a convenient boulder, 

 and when next we saw them they were a quarter of a mile 

 awav. 



P\-om here a large deep couHe extended to the top ot the 

 mountain, hemmed in on each side by enormous cut rock 

 walls. This we determined to ascend, for right at the 

 very head of it we could see a small band of sheep feeding 

 leism-ely along. Soon we came to a very steep place 

 Avhere the snow was very hard and slippery. The other 

 boys, having on rubber boots, were alile to ti-avel over 

 this in comparative safet>% but 1 wore moccasins and 

 could proceed no fm-ther. Eeluctantly I tmmed back and 

 started for home. It proved afterward it was a lucky 

 thing for me that I could not accompany them. As the 

 early night came on, we cooked a good dinner for the 

 hunters, and as we expected them every minute, we kept 

 waitmg for them to join us at the table. Six, seven, eight, 

 nine o'clock passed, and still no sign of tlie hunters, I 



