276 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Summary of catch of chinook salmon in Snalce River between Huntington and Auger Falls, 
September to November, 1894. 
Fishermen. 
Place. 
Males. 
Females. 
Total. 
Cole & Hopper 
400 
250 
250 
135 
285 
Purcell & Co 
600 
400 
200 
500 
200 
732 
170 
902 
320 
i. 207 
Headwaters of Weiser River . — In order to reach the Payette Lakes we traveled by 
wagon from Weiser, a distance of about 120 miles, chiefly through the valley of Weiser 
River and its upper tributaries. This afforded us some opportunity to learn of the 
occurrence of salmon in that region. 
The Little Weiser River flows through Indian Valley, 50 miles north of Weiser, 
and we were informed that a few “dog salmon” are seen in that stream each fall. 
They come there to spawn in September. The stage-driver says he saw three or four 
at the ford above Indian Valley post-office about September 19. People in the vicinity 
spear them to some extent. 
Just above Council Valley we examined Weiser River for about a mile of its 
course (September 25), but saw no fish. Persons living in the neighborhood told us 
that they caught four salmon about September 2, and saw a good many others. Those 
caught weighed 9 pounds or less each and were not ripe. They are said to be more 
common this year than usual; none were seen last year. One man says there were ten 
times as many this year as in any recent year, but there are scarcely any now com- 
pared with ten years ago. They go 5 to 8 miles above Council Valley to spawn. 
Most of the men with whom we talked think that late in September is the spawning 
time, but our observation indicated that it is somewhat earlier. 
Mr. Oscar Ferguson, of Council Valley, says: 
The fish here now are all regular salmon, though some call the earlier ones “salmon trout” and 
the late ones “dog salmon.” The regular salmon trout come in the spring. The salmon are spawning 
now ; saw them 2 miles above the stage station at Seavey’s ten days ago ; saw twenty-five or thirty and 
killed three fine ones, each 2 to 3 feet long. Found a recently dead female a few days ago above 
Seavey’s. She was full of eggs and had not begun spawning. 
The stage-driver says he saw three or four salmon at the ford of Weiser River 
below Price Meadow about September 15. 
It seems probable that a good many salmon still spawn in this river. Tlie upper 
portion of Weiser River and its tributaries appear to have excellent water and all 
suitable conditions for salmon spawning-grounds. 
