260 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
THE CHINOOK OR QUINN AT SALMON. 
Headwaters of Salmon River . — The headwaters of Salmon Eiver have long been 
known as containing important spawning-grounds of the chinook salmon. All persons 
familiar with the region with whom we talked spoke of the salmon as spawning there 
in great numbers. Ten and fifteen years ago they were very abundant, but all agree 
that the number spawning there now are as nothing compared with former years. 
Mr. F. 0. Parks, postmaster at Sawtooth, has observed the fish of that region for 
several years, and he gives the following concerning the occurrence of chinook salmon 
in the headwaters of Salmon Eiver : 
The salmon (called dog salmon here) appear above the mouth of Alturas Creek about July 25. 
They are then in excellent condition, and people spear and shoot them for food. There is no regular 
shipping of fish from here; the fish are taken chiefly by miners and ranchers, and by tourists and 
campers, who often ship some home. They begin spawning about August 10 and keep it up until 
about September 1. On September 1, 1894, a Mr. Benson shot four near the mouth of Alturas Creek. 
About August 20 or 25, Mr. B. Carlo, of Sawtooth, shot and speared fourteen large salmon in Alturas 
Creek, half a mile above its mouth. [The writer saw the heads of most of these lying on the bank at 
Stenton’s ranch, where the fish had been dressed.] These fish were ripe when taken. The best 
spawning-beds are in the last 14 miles of Alturas Creek. There are other large spawning-beds in 
Salmon River immediately below the mouth of Alturas Creek and at various places on down the river, 
at least as far as the outlet of Redfish Lake. I have seen them as far up Salmon River as the mouth 
of Pole Creek, several miles above the mouth of Alturas Cre9k. Fully three times as many go up 
Alturas Creek as go up Salmon River above the mouth of Alturas Creek. I caught two in Pole Creek 
last August, and saw four dead ones there. 
The salmon that come here will average about 15 pounds in weight. The largest I ever saw 
weighed 40 pounds, and the smallest about 8 pounds. The males are of a very dark lead-color, with 
some dirty red on the sides ; the females are more silvery. When the spawning time arrives the male 
digs out a hole in the gravel with his nose ; he sometimes turns on his side and may scoop out the 
gravel some with the hump on his back ; he also seems to use his fins for this purpose. The female 
comes along and, passing over the hole scooped out by the male, lays her eggs, and the male comes 
and plunges around some, probably pouring out the milt at the same time. They always stand in the 
current with the head up stream. I think they all die after spawning; I do not believe any ever 
return to the sea; have seen many dead ones every year. I never knew one to take a hook, nor did 
I ever find any food in their stomachs. They spawn on the riffles in shallow water. 
There were more salmon this year than for the past five or six years. More than six years ago 
they were much more abundant. 
Thomas B. Mulky, of Stanley Basin, made the following statement: 
The salmon come in July and their spawning is finished in September. Yesterday (September 
12) I saw as many as 100 live “dog salmon ” in Salmon River between Basin Creek and Valley Creek. 
Saw a good many dead ones, also. They spawn all along in that part of the river. I think all the 
salmon which spawn here die after spawning, none ever returning to the sea. 
Mr. B. S. Brown, of Bliss, Idaho, gives the following information: 
The dog salmon come into Upper Salmon River about August 1 and spawn very soon after. The 
largest spawning-bed that I know is in the river at the mouth of Roaring Creek. They go up Alturas 
Lake Creek about a mile above Stenton’s ranch and up Salmon Eiver to just above White’s ranch. 
The height of their spawning here is between August 10 and 15. I think they all die after spawning. 
The largest I ever saw weighed 50 pounds; the smallest I have seen were about 18 inches long. 
On September 13 I examined very carefully at least 2 miles of Salmon Eiver next 
below the mouth of Alturas Creek; I also examined more than a mile of the river 
above the mouth of Alturas Creek and a mile or more of the lower portion of Alturas 
Creek. We walked along the shores or banks and counted all the salmon we saw. 
Only one live salmon was seen; it was covered with sores and would certainly die 
soon. Along the banks or in the water we counted 72 dead salmon; of these, 31 were 
