SALMON INVESTIGATIONS IN IDAHO IN 1895. 
181 
The Balinoii now seemed to have reached their maximum number. A rongli estimate, based upon 
the numbers seen in the portions of tiie stream examined, gave 20 salmon to the mile, or 100 salmon 
for Salmon Kiver above Rediish Lake. This is an underestimate, for doubtless a good many esca])ed 
observation l)y being concealed under overlianging banks. Taking the entire spawning season, it is 
prol)able that not more than 1,000 salmon came to this jjortion of Salmon River in 1895. This makes a 
liberal allowance for salmon killed for Ibod or other reasons by people visiting this valley. 
The large number of salmon seen on this date was designated as the “second run” by a miner 
from Stanley Dasin. He also stated that about August II he caught 16 line salmon about Cape Horn. 
Jiitjiisl 26 : Altnras Creek below the nets contained 9 salmon to-day. All were cither siiawning 
or were spent. Six of the 9 were covered with sores, and had the tins badly worn. 
August 27 : One dead salmon in Altnras Creek just below mouth of Yellow belly Creek ; length, 37 
inches; weight, 16 pounds; caudal, anal, and dorsal fins all Irayed out. There were also sores iqion 
the body at base of ventrals, on caudal peduncle, on sides, and in front of the dorsal fin. Another 
dead fish, a partly spent male, 31 inches long and weighing 74- pounds, was found a little lower down. 
It had been shot by someone, and showed but little mutilation. Two live salmon were seen at Stenton’s 
ranch. They were on a riftle and spawning. The dorsal fin of each was badly worn. Still another 
was seen at the mouth of Altnras Creek. Its dorsal tin also was somewhat worn. 
Below the month of Altnras Creek another dead sjient female was seen. It was 41 inches long 
and weighed 23 pounds. All its fins were badly frayed, and the body was covered withnumerous sores. 
Another, still further down, a dead, spent female, 31 inches long and weighing 8 pounds; dorsal and 
anal fins somewhat worn. Still another near by, a dead female, apparently spent, with fins badly worn. 
Near the mouth of Champion Creek 5 sahnon were seen spawning on a rillle. All were more 
or less sore. Just below this riflle a dead fish was found. It was III inches long, weighed 19 pounds, 
and was much worn on the fins. Another was seen at mouth of Roaring Creek, and one was sjieared 
at mouth of Champion Creek, which weighed 21 pounds and was 43.} inches long. It was a partly 
spent male with fins badly i'rayed. 
September 4: Altnras Creek and Salmon River were examined for some distance and no live salmon 
were seen. 
September IS to 20 : Altnras Creek and Salmon River were examined on each of these three days, 
but no live salmon could be found. The spawning season seems to be over and all the salmon have 
died. 
From the foregoing it appears (1) that the salmon did not reach the upper Salmon Valley until 
about July 24; (2) that the maximum number was attained about August 24; (3) that few if any 
mutilations were seen before August 20; (4) that the spawning season was entirely over and the fish 
all dead or gone early in September. 
As regards the time of arrival at the headwaters of Sal mon River, the evidence for 1894 and for 
1895 agree almost exactly, and the last half of July may safely bo taken as the usual time for their 
arrival. Farther down the river they arrive, of course, correspondingly earlier, at least as early as 
July 10 at Cape Horn. 
The height of the spawning season appears not to be reached until about a month after the first 
arrivals, and after the maximum is once reached the spawning continues for only a few days, appar- 
ently for not more than two weeks. 
The worn and mutilated condition of the fish toward the close of the season, and the numerous 
dead fish seen, indicate with almost absolute certainty that the salmon which come to these waters 
never return to the sea, but all die. While not actually proved, all the facts indicate that this is 
true, and I have no doubt that such is the case. 
And now as to the mutilations; The observations of this single season furnish .abundant evidence 
to prove absolutely that the fraying out of fins, abrasions, sores, etc., are not injuries received while 
on their way up from the sea, but are practically wholly the result of contact with the gravel of 
their spawning-beds, plus some injuries inllicted upon each other on the spawning-grounds. During 
the early jiart of the season all the fish were perfect and entirely free from mutilations, while toward 
the end nearly every fish was more or less injured. The injuries are undoubtedly received on the 
spawning-grounds and in the ways described in detail under the redfish on page 191. 
So far as we were able to learn from our observations and from interviews, the chinook salmon 
rarely ascends Salmon River more than a mile or two above the mouth of Alturas Creek. More fish 
go up Alturas Creek than uii Salmon River above the union of those two streams. At iirescnt they do 
not appear to run up Alturas Creek more than 1 or 1} miles above its mouth, and, with one exception, 
all persons who gave informa tion concerning the salmon in former years agreed that it never ran up 
Alturas Creek any farther than it does at iireseut. The one exception is ISIr. R. E. Ckarroll, a jirospector 
who has been more or less fiuniliar with this region for 25 years. He first visited Altur.as L.ake in 
August, 1867, at which time he says salmon were excessively abundant in Alturas Lake, and were 
spawning all .around the lake. Did not see any in the mlet, but saw some below the lake. Was at 
