March. 1922 
FOREST AND STREAM 
fragmentary but characteristic specimens of several others. 
lust what are the relationships of this sheep will not 
he known until the specimens have received careful 
study. It is, however, the sheep which is just across 
1 lering Sea from Dali’s sheep of Northern Alaska ; and 
its examination hy naturalists may reveal something 
very interesting in its relationship to the sheep of North 
America. 
At the other end; of the line, Charles Sheldon, famous 
as an Alaska explorer, big-game hunter, and a Vice- 
President of the Boone and Crocket Club, secured in 
Sonora, iMexico, about opposite Tiburon Island in the 
Gulf of California, some mountain sheep which are the 
southernmost found on this continent, except those 
on the Peninsula of Lower California. 
Since these sheep have only just been captured, and 
have not been studied, their precise relationship to the 
well-known form found a little further north in the 
United States is not yet known. 
It is an interesting coincidence that mountain sheep 
so far to the north and at the south end of their range 
and in localities hitherto scientifically unknown, should 
have been killed within the past year by two well-known 
i Americans. 
FOREST FIRES AND GAME 
T he statement that forest fires destroy much game 
has always been made, but definite information to 
prove this point has been lacking. It is an indis- 
putable fact that game becomes less abundant with each 
recurring fire, but just what kind and number of game 
animals perish is unknown. An opportunity was afford- 
ed in the spring of 1920 to get information on this source 
of destruction to the wild game of Pennsylvania. 
The spring of 1920 was very dry and many large forest 
fires occurred in Pennsylvania. One such fire started on 
June 1st five miles south of Medix Run, in the heart of 
an unexcelled deer country. The men fighting this fire, 
under the direction of Forester Chas. E. Zerby, rescued 
three new-born fawns from the fire near their camp. 
These fawns could barely stand and would surely have 
jierished had not their bleats been heard by the fire- 
fighters above the roar and crackle of the flames. All 
three fawns were male deer. From this rescue, occur- 
ring on a limited area near camp, it was estimated that 
fully 100 or more fawns perished within the 5,300-acre 
sweep of the fire. The adult deer could, of course, 
escape. It was predicted at this time that a shortage 
of legal deer killed would be noticed in the season of 
1921, at which time these fawns would be spike-bucks, 
and such was the case. Conferring with the Traveling 
Game Protector, Mr. Wm. C. Kelly, of DuBois, Pa., 
he informs us that while the deer killed in the vicinity 
of the fire showed an increase over past years yet this 
increase was not in keeping' with that of the surrounding 
regions. The shortage of spike-bucks was particularly 
noticeable. 
Very few of the smaller game animals escaped. This 
area being a blackened waste, the protective coloration 
of the rabbits and ruffed grouse made them easily dis- 
cernible. Onri’ one disheveled rabbit and a grouse hen 
with a lonely chick were seen during the summer follow- 
ing the fire. Immediately after the fire female deer could 
be seen searching for their fawns over the blackened 
ground. One such deer whose fawn had been saved, 
scenting her offspring, came close to camp, but when 
they carried the fawm to her she ran away, the fawn 
following the men back to camp as tame as a kitten. 
Pennsylvania has built up a great hunting-ground and 
under wise protection the game is increasing rapidly. 
ii5 
There are only two things that can remove the game. 
The first is to repeal all game laws and the second is 
forest fires. There is little danger of the game becoming 
extinct from either cause if the State continues in it> 
present policy. The tools and eejuipment that wonld 
have stopped that fire of 1920 have been sup])lied b_\- 
the Department of Forestry together with other ad- 
vances in forest protection, but it is important that the 
individual hunter or fisherman should use great care 
while in the woods as fires cause enormous damage to 
timber and game. 
FOR BETTER SHOOTING 
P ASSAGE of the New-Anthony bill to provide for 
Federal licenses to hunt migratory birds and for 
the establishrnent of game refuges and ])ublic 
shooting grounds for such birds would affect about 
5,000,000 American sportsmen. The bill has been favor- 
ably reported by the Senate committee on public lands 
and surveys. In the House the bill is in the commiltec- 
on agriculture. It provides that each hunter of migra- 
tory birds shall obtain a Federal license, at a cost of ,S1 
for the season, the licenses to be issued at any ])ost office 
in the United States. Out of the ])roceeds not less than' 
45 per cent, is to be spent by the Government, through a 
proposed Migratory Bird Refuge Commission, in buying 
or renting land suitable for the establishment of migra- 
tory game bird refuges which would serve as breeding 
and feeding places for birds during the period of their 
flight north, or the close season, and as imblic shooting 
grounds during the open season. An additional 45 per 
cent, will be used for the enforcement of the [Migratory 
Bird Treaty Act and the Lacey Act and the remaining 
10 per cent, for expenses in issuing licenses and cjther 
administrative expenses. 
The bill provides that the Secretary of Agriculture 
shall be chairman of the Commission, and that other 
members shall be the Attorney-General, the Postmaster 
General, and two members of each House of Congress. 
Rules and regulations governing the administratitm of 
the proposed refuges would be placed in the hands ol 
the Secretary of. Agriculture. The proposed measure 
does not in any way obviate the necessity of procuring 
a State hunting license. W'rite to your Congressman 
and tell him that you favor this bill as it will make better 
shooting for you and your sons. 
YELLOWSTONE PARK GAME 
R eports from the Yellowstone Park up to the 
middle of Januaiy, tell of a reasonably mild winter 
there, and it is said that all the wild animals arc 
wintering well. The autumn was open and the elk and 
deer did not go out during the hunting season, so that 
the number killed — on the north and east sides ol the 
park, at least, was very small. 
During the last few weeks, a few elk have gone over 
the line; but the [Montana State Game W arden has sta- 
tioned some very efficient men just tnitside the ])ark, 
while the United States I'orest Service is coo])crating 
with these state wardens to i)rotect the game. 
Since the close of the open season, a few cases have 
been made known of illegal killing just outside the 
park. But in mcjst of these cases, those guilty of break- 
ing the law Inn'e been a])i)reliemled and tried, and lines 
ranging from $25 to $250 each were im])osed lor the 
violation of the law. 
This is an unusual state of things for [Montana ;ind 
s] leaks well for the officials who have been appointed 
to enforce the new game law. 
