148 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
Proprietors of fishing and hunting resorts will find it profitable 
to advertise them in Forest and Stream. 
March 2-15. — National Sportsmen's Association fixposition, New 
York. ^ , , /..ia,'4S 
The Colorado Game Law and New 
Departures in Protection. 
DENVEii, Feb. 4. — Editor Forest and Stream: As re- 
quested by yoti, I submit herewith some observations on 
the most radical changes from existing laws, found 
in the game law drafted by me and tiow pending in 
the Legislature of Colorado. These,, with the synopsis 
of the bill published hy you Dec. 31, will give a fair 
idea of its scope. The most radical departures are: 
T. The hunting license feature, whereby every hunter 
of protected game must procure a license having three 
coupons, one of which must be attached to every game 
quadruped killed. By this means every animal is identi-. 
fied with and traceable to the person who killed it, and 
every animal without a coupon attached is contralsand. 
This feature has been objected to as an importation of 
English methods and foreign to American ideas. The 
objection is prompted by selfish motives and lack of 
information rather than patriotism. The mere fact 
that a thing is of English origin cannot make it per se 
objectionable, as the great body of our common law, 
employers' liability and coal mining acts came from 
England, to say nothing of much of our early blood. , 
Usefulness and not origin is the test of desirability, and 
licenses are as essentially American as anything we have, 
and are required in professions and business callings 
without ntimber. The purpose of all licenses is two-fold, 
viz.: To produce revenue and enable the Governmental 
authorities to control and regulate the business, and 
they are especially adapted to an effective administration 
of game laws. 
It being fundamental law that the game and fish in a 
State belong to the State, the same as its land, timber, 
etc., and held in trust for the people, the State has a right 
and it is its duty to enact regulations in relation to 
their acquisition, as no one person has a right to ap- 
propriate either ad libitum. Hence the State, when 
disposing of its land by lease or sale, rightfully exacts 
from those who desire to acquire it some compensation 
for the special privilege thus obtained. This is fair 
to those obtaining the privileges as well as to those 
who do not care to have them, and yet have an interest 
therein as citizens of the State. - 
The same principle is applicable to the game, for if 
left to the unrestrained desire of the few they alone 
will be benefited, and that temporarily only, as it will 
soon bq gone. 
Those opposed to game laws are either selfish or short- 
sighted. A widespread but altogether erroneous idea 
has prevailed that gam.e laws are for the benefit of the 
rich. This is m.ore or less true as to older European 
countries, as there the land on which the game is is 
all privately owned, and on it the non-owner has no 
right to go. This practically gives a gam.e m.onopoly 
to the landed proprietor. This is the origin of the 
prejudice against all game laws, and is an English idea. 
The very reverse is true in this country, where nearly 
all the game is on public land, on which all have an equal 
right to go, and the average m.an has the same oppor- 
tunity as the rich one to kill game while it lasts. If 
game would last without protection no laws would be 
needed. But as it will not, its protection is more in 
/he interest of the average man and the poor man than 
the rich, for the reason that when game is scarce or gone 
in any particular locality the rich sportsman can board 
a train and go to British Columbia, Alaska or further, 
where game is abundant, while the poor man, when his 
local game is gone, has neither the time nor means 
to go where it is. This is obvious, and it is also true 
as to laws prohibiting the marketing of game, as it is 
already so high as to be beyond the reach of the aver- 
age man. The only remedy left for him is the protection 
and preservation of game in every locality where it 
exists, that he may have it within reach, and he, above 
all others, should not object to paying a nommal sum 
for a license the principal purpose of which is to restram 
and identify the market-hunter, rather than to burden 
the legitimate sportsman. 
The.se licenses are not issued by justices of the peace 
but by the commissioner or a county clerk, and are all 
furnished by the commissioner, numbered and having his 
facsimile signature thereon, and on each coupon, so that 
there is no chance for counterfeiting or duplicating. 
All unused licenses, with a report of those issued, to be 
returned to the commissioner at the close of the season. 
1 believe this license feature to be worth more for the 
protection of game against illegal slaughter than any- 
thing yet devised, and that it will before long be. uni- 
versally adopted. The opposition to it comes chiefly 
from unreasoning prejudice or the game hog. i he bill 
referred to does not discriminate against the non-resident 
as to cost of license, as I believe such discrirainatiOTi 
unfair and of doubtful validity. Instead, it provides a 
small export fee, which touches the non-resident only 
in case of success in hunting and a desire to take game 
out of the State, and this, I think, no one will object to. 
2 The permission for cold storage of game. Ihe 
opposition to this will come from the sportsmen. Not, 
however, from selfish motives, but from an honest be- 
lief that it will furnish an avenue for the illegal sale of 
As game laws now are, this would be true, but it is 
not true in connection with the license feature. Every 
coupon bears the date of killing, the name of the licensee 
and the number of his license. The sale of domestic 
crame being prohibited, the storage must necessarily be 
For the person who killed the game or his gratuitous 
donee and it can never be very difficult to ascertain 
who tile storage is for. Besides, as there are but tliree 
coupons, to each license and the coupon must remain 
witli tli$ carcass ol a quadruped until preparea tor 
consumption, there is little chance for using one twice, 
and detection forfeits game and license as well, and 
renders the party punishable. The limiting to three 
animals leaves no m.argin of profit to a market-hunter. 
As to birds and fish, they can only be stored, in the 
first instance, during the open season and for five 
days thereafter when presented by one lawfully in pos- 
session. If it is desired to continue them in storage 
after that, application to the commissioners and satis- 
factory proof must be made of lawful possession and 
storage permit obtained for a longer period to be therein 
named. The person for whom the storage is allowed is 
also named in the permit. The chance for unlawfully 
killed game to be held in storage without detection is 
thus reduced to a minimum, whil(^ at the same time a fair 
opportunity is afforded the lawful sportsman to utilize 
his kill. 
As most game lawt rio\\ are, a man who kills a deer 
the last day of the season must swallow it whole that 
night, as he can neither lawfully ship or have it in pos- 
session the next morning, and five days" leeway, as some 
laws allow, is insufficient to permit lawful consumptirjn. 
As a matter of right, I think one who lawfully kills 
game should be allowed full opportunity to utilize it as he 
may desire and when he desires, if such privilege can be 
given without impairing the efliciency of game protec- 
tion, and this, I believe, can be done under this bill. 
3. The private propagation of game and fish. Be- 
lieving that this shoulcl be encouraged as perhaps neces- 
sary for the final salvation of the game and fish, and in 
any event a meritorious business, the bill contains pro- 
visions allowing wild game and fish to be procured 
upon permits issued by the commissioner, and kept in 
parks and lakes for propagation and sale under re- 
strictions. 
4. Taxidermists are required to procure licenses, as 
through their hands passes a large proportion of the 
hides and heads of unlawfillly killed game. They are 
forbidden to receive or mount any specimen of a game 
quadruped not having a hunting license coupon at- 
tached, and the coupon must remain attached to the 
specimen. ■ D. C, Beaman. 
The California Fish Commission have written to Mr.. 
Beaman regarding the measure prepared by him: "It is 
certainly the nicst comprehensive measure for the pro- 
tection of game that we have seen. It seems to be flaw- 
less. We wish our people were advanced enough to adopt 
it. It is too advanced even for many of our hunters- 
all of whom style themselves "sportsmen," and many of 
whom are out for every feather in sight. However, they 
must all come to it, and we must continue the campaign 
until vour measure is the law of the land. Let us pray 
that thai may be before all our game has gone. We 
shall watch your fight in Colorado with interest. We 
wish you success." 
Moose and White Sheep Trophies, 
Wm. W. Hart & Co. have received a remarkable ship- 
ment of gam.e heads from the Cook's Inlet country of 
Alaska. It includes the heads, horns and scalps of twenty- 
two m.oose,- nineteen sheep and one caribou, as well as 
the skins of two sheep for mounting entire. The m.oose 
were all old bulls. The horns are unusually m.assive, and 
range in spread from 4ft. to 7oin. Each set has interest- 
ing individual peculiarities, and som.e of them are very 
rem.arkable. One head has three distinct horns, two on 
one side and one on the otb.er. The single antler has ten 
points, while of the other two, which lie in horizontal 
planes a few inches apart, the first has nine points and the 
second seven. The freak may perhaps be described as a 
doubling of the antler on the left side of the head. The 
beam, shows indications of branching soon after leaving 
the skull, but the actual bifurcation does not commence 
till a distance of loin. is reached. At this point the horn 
separates into two perfect palmated blades, of the norm.al 
type. 
' Some of the horns exhibit the fluted form which is a 
peculiarity of Alaska .specimens, and one set is remark- 
able from the fact that the outer half of the blade bends 
vertically upward at right angles with the other part of 
the horn. Some of the shell-like hollow.s in the blades 
would hold several quarts of water. Many of the horns 
have another peculiarity which distinguishes them from 
Eastern moose, in that the first brow tines are frequently 
divided into two or more points. In one set the single tine 
branches into four points at its extremity, The horns and 
cleaned skulls are intact, and the skulls have not been split 
for convenience in shipping. The sets in this form are 
very heavy, and are estimated to weigh from 75 to loolbs. 
apiece. The size and strength of the bulls carrying these 
antlers must have been prodigeous, and the size is further 
attested by the length of the scalps, which measured from 
nose to brisket run from 5 to 6ft. in length. The scalps 
are all decidedly gray in color, and this is another dis- 
tinguishing characteristic of the great Alaska moose. 
The caribou in the collection has long slender antlers, 
similar to the European reindeer. The resemblance is so 
marked that it is just possible the head may have come 
from one of the domesticated reindeer imported by the 
United States Government, to be used in carrying sup- 
plies to the destitute miners on the Yukon. These can- 
bou were last seen near the mouth of the White River in 
December, after their overland journey from the coast. 
The Laps who accompanied the herd reported that they 
had been obliged during the summer of 1898 to take a 
circuitous route, keeping near the summits of the highest 
ranges in order to escape the flies, and also to procure the 
kind of moss required for the caribou's sustenance. A 
large proportion of the herd had died, and it was con- 
clusively proved that the reindeer were a dismal failure 
as regards the purpose for which they were imported. 
When last seen they were drawing sleds, though a miner 
who reported having met the herd earlier in the season 
said they were then carrying packs. This man came very 
near shooting one of the reindeer, thinking they were 
wild animals, and it seems very likely that some have 
wandered of? and were killed by hunters. _ 
The sheep in the collection are very beautiful speci- 
mens. The horns have a waxy whiteness very different 
from the dull brown of the Rocky Mountain big horn, and 
they are very long and very slender in comparison. The 
curve is more complete, aud many of the horns make 
something more than a complete revolution, and point 
toward the tail of the animal, instead of t6ward its nose. 
No measurem.ents have as yet been taken of the horns, 
but the length as a general thing appears to exceed that of 
the average Rocky Mountain sheep. The white hair con- 
trasts well with the buff of the common sheep, atld thfc 
sportsman who can hang the two heads side by side has 
trophies of which he may well be proud. One of the 
Alaskan black sheep found further south about the 
Stikeen would add still m.ore to the effect of the collection 
J. B. B. 
The Lacey BilL 
National Game Reservations. 
New Haven, Conn., Feb. 11. — Editor Forest and 
Stream: If I may be allowed the space in your columns 
I would like to reply as well as I can to Mr. Childress' 
question in regard to where the Fi.sh and Game Com- 
mission proposed in Mr. Lacey's bill would obtain liv& 
wild birds for breeding purposes. But even if the Cohi- 
mission could do nothing in this way I do not admit 
that all further consideration of the bill would be idle, 
for I would put at least one of the other ways in which 
the Commission could assist in the work of game pro- 
tection ahead of it in practicability and in promise of 
successful results. 
It is safe to say that there will be neoule willing to 
engage in the work of capturing live birds if they can 
obtain reasonable compensation for doing so. This is 
an art that has not been much practiced in this country, 
although it is carried 011 to a considerable extent in some 
other parts of the world. T do not anticipate the Com- 
mission would find it impossible to obtain enough of the 
North American varieties that there is any pl'ospetit 
of propagating in this way. Among out native birds 
this list is not a long one, but there are certainly some 
foreign kinds that would make valuable game birds if 
introduced into the right localities. What species these 
are, and where to introduce them, can only be deter- 
mined by experiment. Living birds of a nuniber of 
foreign kinds can certainly be purchased. Neither do 
I see why any of the States should wish to put any 
obstacles "in the way of the Commission, which does 
not propose to usurp any of their powers, and would 
work toward the same end as their own game laws. 
From some of the States it might receive much assist- 
ance, and I think a large majority would so modify their 
laws that its authorized agents could obtain what birds 
it needed for breeding purposes, by the time it got 
ready to undertake the work. Hostility or inditference 
to game laws is usually caused by unwillingness to sub- 
mit to any personal inconvenience or deprivation, or to 
incur expense, rather than because they would not like 
to have the game preserved from extinction. Mr. Chil- 
dress only weakens the effect of his objections to the 
bill, which have a reasonable basis, when he supports 
them by others, which on the face of them are purely 
imaginary. Where, for instance, is the State so jealous 
of its rights that it will not allow the national Govern- 
ment to liberate game birds within its territory? No 
doubt some States would neglect or even refuse to give 
them proper protection, but when this proved to be the 
case the 'Com.m.ission would distribute its favors else- 
where. 
I would like to say a little more about game reserva- 
tions, by means of which the proposed Fish and Game 
Commission could probably do taore than in any other 
way, and without interfering with any State laws. 
Now, the word reservation probably calls to the mind 
of many people something like the Yellowstone Park, 
covering a large extent of territory requiring a large 
force of wardens or troops to guard it, and entirely 
incompatible with the thickly settled condition of the 
greater part of our country. But I think what is wanteci 
for the preservation of feathered game is not a small 
number of large reservations, but a large num.ber of ex- 
ceedingly small ones. When we set one apart for the 
protection of such wildfowl as ducks and geese, there 
is no sense in including a large area of upland pasture 
or dry woods or brush. Only the pond or marsh where 
the bireis are found need be set aside, or if it is a large 
one only the part of it they most frequent, with enough 
of the banks of the same to prevent their being dis- 
turbed. If there is any money left over it would be 
far better to spend it on another somewhere else, rather 
than add land which the birds will not inhabit. One man 
could generally look after such a preserve, and on 
account of their small size many of them could be set 
aside in various parts of the country, including the 
thickly settled States. Such a plan would help to in- 
crease the amount of game in several ways, and would 
fulfill some requirements that game laws alone never 
can. Some of the reservations, especially in the north- 
ern part of the country, would afford suitable and safe 
breeding places, of which the birds would soon begin 
to take advantage. Others would furnish resting and 
feeding grounds during the migrations--places that they 
can hardly find in many sections— and this, more than 
the fear of being shot, leads them to avoid these regions. 
I would expect a great deal of good from such a 
system of reservations, and would be glad to know if 
any one has any otiier scheme, short of an absolute close 
time for a number of years, by which the migratory 
birds that have abandoned part of their former range 
would have any chance of being restored (I believe 
this is one of the phrases in Mr, Lacej^'s bill) to their 
. former haunts. 
In regions where there are few suitable places^ for 
water birds, either on account of the natural features 
of the country or because of the changes that man is 
responsible for, it would often be possible by building 
a small dam to partially flood some stretch of ground 
that is now too dry for the birds, but too wet to be of 
much use otherwise, and thus make an ideal place for 
them, and at very small cost, i freely admit, however, 
that if the reservations were not established in just the 
right sort of places they would do no good at all. 
The suggestion of the editor of Forest and Stream 
that the State Governments might establish reservations 
as well as the national Government is a good one. I 
certainly hops Uiey. will do so. But I hope that this 
