30 
re stocking of beaver. 
Your directions to secure sufficient beaver if possible to start a 
colony at each Game Preserve where suitable waters and proper 
food ‘are available is meeting with entire approval among not 
only sportsmen but fishermen as well as the people of the State m 
^tathe course of some investigations I made on a recent trip into 
the northern part of the State I made a special effort to include m 
my itinerary a stop at the preserve near Sizerville, Cameron County, # 
where in 1917 through the courtesy of the State of W isconsm a single 
pair of vonii" beaver were released on East Cowley Run just along¬ 
side the" preserve. I find that these animals were well placed on a 
stream where water conditions are ideal throughout the year and 
where plenty of desirable food is easily available. Up to this time 
they have been working almost exclusively on quaking aspen, but 
have also cut some birch, etc. , 
The pool or dam where the original animals m this colony were 
released was made their temporary home until they had time to 
build a suitable dam about one-half mile down the stream. At this 
point a large dam has been constructed with a rather commodious 
house from outside appearance near the middle where an elevation 
afforded a suitable place for its construction. The breast of the mam 
dam at this point will measure approximately 175 feet by including 
its various curvatures and meanderings and in addition there are a 
number of small auxiliary dams for use in floating in food, building 
etc 
While examining conditions in the vicinity of the permanent dam 
constructed Preserve Keeper Nelson informed me that about a mile 
down the stream there had been some work on a new dam this fall but 
that he had been keeping people away from the beaver workings as 
much as possible so the animals would not be disturbed and had him¬ 
self refrained from going near. The weather had been very cold for 
a few days prior to my visit and it so happened that the very next 
day a special officer who was assisting us control conditions in that 
section came down an old tramroad on the opposite side of the hollow 
from the preserve line near the middle of-the day while the sun was 
shining brightly and had the good fortune to see five young beavers 
feeding and sporting about in the water at the new dam mentioned. 
At a safe distance I later made an investigation and found on one 
side of the main dam an excellent winter home and a number of aux- 
iliarv dams in additions to the main dam, so that this colony is 
*y 
thriving nicely. 
Since the people in that part of the State have learned about the 
colony of beaver established at that sanctuary Mr. Nelson lias not 
lacked visitors, especially during the summertime; as there have been 
hundreds of people there to see the results of this restocking and are 
carrying back glowing reports of the work of the Commission. The 
interest manifested has caused the Keeper to wish for more beaver 
rather than deer, which latter animals have not yet been stocked at 
that place in such numbers as we desire. 
One hundred beaver have been ordered from the Dominion of Can¬ 
ada, only four pairs of which could be delivered this fall due to 
weather conditions, but we are assured that the balance of the con¬ 
31 
tract will be filled this coming spring. Six of the animals received 
have been released on the Hickory Run Preserve in Carbon County 
and the other two were released on a stream along the eastern side of 
our Jamison City Preserve in Sullivan County, two additional pairs 
to be shipped to the latter place to fill the allotment for that pre¬ 
serve. In addition to the beaver ordered from Canada several west¬ 
ern States have kindly granted us permission to secure a limited num¬ 
ber without charge provided we can make satisfactory arrangements 
to have the animals trapped. Up to this time we have been unable 
to make such arrangements, although as soon as the weather opens 
UP 11 ex - spring I am hoping to conclude contracts for the trapping of 
some of these animals. & 
Restocking with beaver will again restore a desirable wild life 
asset to the fauna of Pennsylvania that will merit the approval of 
the people of the Commonwealth in general. Through the construc¬ 
tion of their dams excellent breeding places for trout are supplied 
thus improving fishing conditions ,materially since the beaver is a 
vegetable feeder and not detrimental to trout. These dams will 
also help to conserve the flow of water so badly needed throughout 
the Commonwealth. Under the present law the killing of a beaver 
is punishable by a penalty of $100.00 and under the protection we are 
able to accord these animals as well as the protection thev will un¬ 
doubtedly receive through public sentiment they will rapidly in¬ 
crease and in due course of time the Legislature will no doubt pro¬ 
vide proper legislation permitting the trapping of a fixed number 
annually under a special license. 
RECEIPT FOR GAME FOR STOCKING PURPOSES. 
Complaints that individuals have from time to time received game 
fi om our limited supply distributed through Game Protectors with 
the specific understanding that the lands on which such game is 
placed shall either be open to hunting for that game bv all legitimate 
sportsmen or else entirely closed, and later posted their lands to 
trespassing and hunted for such game themselves or permitted their 
special fiiends to hunt for same to the exclusion of other legitimate 
sportsmen have reached us at various times. It is needless to say 
that men who will secure game purchased from the sportsmen’s money 
and apply same to their personal use cannot properlv be classed as 
sportsmen. However, when confronted with this question there is 
usually a flat denial of any such specific understanding with the 
officer tnrough whom the game was secured, and in order to avoid 
misundeistanding of this sort in the future a form of receipt lias 
been prepared and supplied to all Game Protectors which must be 
filled out and signed before game of any sort will be supplied. This 
receipt contains the specific stipulation that the lands will be either 
open to hunting for such game by all legitimate sportsmen or else 
entirely closed for a term after which hunting will be permitted. 
This signed receipt must be filed with the distribution report cover¬ 
ing each species of game and if necessary will be produced to prove 
to their fellows the type of sportsmen such individuals actually are. 
