17 
WOOD BUFFALO PARK, N.W.T. 
A complete skeleton and skin of the wood buffalo ( Bison bison atha- 
bascae ) having long been a desideratum for the museum, it was decided 
that R. M. Anderson should make an expedition to the Wood Buffalo 
park in northern Alberta and Northwest Territories, in co-operation with 
Dr. Seymour Hadwen, head of the department of veterinary science, 
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, and obtain specimens for both 
institutions at the same time. Through the kindness of the officials of 
the Department of the Interior, recommended by the Northwest Terri- 
tories and Yukon Branch of that Department, permits were granted for 
the taking of two adult wood buffalo bulls, as well as other mammals and 
birds for scientific purposes. Mr. Anderson left Ottawa August 26, 1927, 
and was joined by Professor Hadwen in Saskatoon. They consulted with 
Mr. Benjamin Lawton, Game Commissioner of the province of Alberta, at 
Edmonton, and through his offices were granted a permit to collect desirable 
scientific material in the province of Alberta. 
They left Edmonton August 30 for Fort Smith, Northwest Terri- 
tories, the district headquarters of the Northwest Territories and Yukon 
Branch, Department of the Interior, and the guardians of the Wood Buffalo 
park, which comprises about 17,000 square miles on both sides of the 
Alberta-Northwest Territories boundary line. Through the active efforts 
of Mr. G, D. Murphy, acting agent of the Northwest Territories and 
Yukon Branch at Fort Smith, preliminary arrangements had been made 
for a trip into the park. Though nominally a park, the area is mostly a 
wilderness in its original state, with the exception of a few short roads to 
rangers’ cabins, and a few pack trails and old Indian trails. Some parts 
of the park may be reached by canoe at high stages of water, but most of 
the district is difficult of access in summer, as wagons can go only a com- 
paratively short distance, and the trails in most cases are difficult to traverse 
of account of old brul6 (burned timber) and windfalls obstructing the 
way. Camping places have to be selected with care, as good water is 
difficult to find in a dry season, and much of the water is salty or brackish, 
on account of the salt springs of the region. 
The party left Fort Smith on September 6 with one heavy wagon, one 
democrat wagon, and five horses, provided with saddles and horse packs. 
The party consisted of Chief Warden M. J. Dempsey, Warden George 
Milne, Sousa Marie (Chipewyan Indian guide), G. H. Blanchet, D.L.S. 
(engaged in survey of the park), S. Hadwen, and R. M. Anderson. Ten 
wood buffalo were seen by Blanchet at some distance from the road on 
the 7th. On September 8, we walked about 12 miles looking for buffalo, 
and in the afternoon and evening rode about 20 miles, visiting Grassy 
slough on the same quest, but saw no animals, although fairly recent 
signs were numerous. On the 9tb we drove to Pine Lake cabin, the end 
of the road, and walked down there to Graham ford, Salt river, where 
we stayed until dark on an elevated platform waiting for buffalo. 
On the 10th we paddled to the south end of Pine lake, and walked several 
miles farther along a chain of smaller lakes and sloughs. A herd of eight 
or ten young buffalo was seeen on the edge of the bush and several others 
heard in the same vicinity. The tracks showed that they were all small 
animals, probably Wainwright stock. Much care is necessary in exam- 
ining the animals, due to the large number of young Wainwright buffalo 
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