FOREST AND STREAM 
717 
The Alaska Game Laws 
Many Important Suggestions For Improvement Made In This Brief 
By J. F. A. Strong, Governor. 
The first law for the protection of game in 
Alaska was approved June 7, 1902. This act 
was imperfect in many important particulars, 
and although it was liberally amended in 1908, 
many of the incongruities and anomalies were 
suffered to remain. They are still there, and 
the recommendations that have been made from 
time to time having for their object the enact¬ 
ment of a simple but practical game law suited 
to the conditions obtaining in the different geo¬ 
graphical and climatic divisions of Alaska have 
proved unavailing. The maintenance of wild 
life requires the combined wisdom and activi¬ 
ties of all interested persons. The preservation 
of the game animals and birds of Alaska is 
therefore a matter that properly belongs to the 
Territorial Legislature. Regulations under the 
game law that are suited to the game condi¬ 
tions in one geographic division of the Terri¬ 
tory may be altogether unsuited to another. 
For instance, an open season for the killing 
of waterfowl beginning September 1 meets the 
conditions on the Pacific coast of Alaska, but 
is unsuited to the interior and to northwestern 
Alaska, for the reason that wild fowl have 
generally migrated to more southerly localities 
by the beginning of September. 
Under the existing law the brown bear is 
classified as a game animal and is protected. 
On the other hand, the black bear is denomin¬ 
ated a fur-bearing animal and may be killed 
at any time. Is there any sound reason for 
this discrimination? Both species are found in¬ 
discriminately on the mainland and on the 
islands of the coast. The black bear is an in¬ 
offensive beast; the brown bear is vicious and 
destructive, and, so far as killing it is con¬ 
cerned, it should be placed in the same classifi¬ 
cation as the black bear; or, if it be deemed 
absolutely essential to protect any of the brown- 
bear family, that species found on Kodiak 
Island might be protected during a portion of 
the year. However, I do not deem it advisable 
to afford any protection to these animals, as in 
any case there is little danger of their becom¬ 
ing extinct. 
Administration. 
In a country of such vast size as Alaska, with 
a relatively sparse population and many diverse 
physical and other conditions, it is always to be 
expected that there will be violations of the game 
law. However, it may be stated that such vio¬ 
lations are not numerous. The law in some 
respects is liberal, inasmuch as natives, miners, 
or explorers may kill any game animal or bird, 
when in need of food, at any time. Also, gen¬ 
erally speaking, there is a disposition on the 
part of the people of the Territory to observe 
the law and regulations. Such violations as are 
reported are mainly chargeable to a class of 
men known as “market hunters’’ and itinerant 
sojourners, but with the rigid enforcement of 
the law these are rapidly disappearing. 
During the past year there have been a num¬ 
ber of successful prosecutions of persons 
charged with the unlawful killing of moose and 
caribou in interior Alaska and of deer and goats 
in the southeastern and southwestern sections. 
Relative Abundance of Game. 
From reports received at this office from the 
game wardens and other persons it may be 
stated that the number of game animals is not 
Northern Fur Pelts—A Good Bag in James Bay. 
diminishing in Alaska, with the exception of 
deer on some of the islands of southeastern 
Alaska and possibly mountain sheep and goats. 
The latter species of animals, however, are 
probably increasing in the Cook Inlet country, 
where their killing has been prohibited. The 
decrease in the number of deer on the islands 
of southeastern Alaska is no doubt due in part 
to destruction by wolves. In this connection 
the following excerpt is taken from a letter 
received at this office from the Rev. David 
Waggoner, for many years a missionary at 
Klawock, on Prince of Wales Island: 
“My observation in the last five years is that 
I have not seen a deer track in the snow that 
was not followed by a wolf track. Once I saw 
a fawn chased by a wolf. The wolf gave up 
the chase when it saw me. One native says 
that he has seen from one to four carcasses 
of deer that had been killed by wolves every 
time he has hunted. Five years ago it was my 
lot to see deer upon the beach every trip that I 
made along the west coast. One time I saw 
40 deer upon the beach in a distance of 8 miles. 
This was about 1909. Since 1911 I have only 
seen 3 deer, all told, upon the beach of Prince 
of Wales. I travel on the west coast from 
3,000 to 6,000 miles yearly. When I came to 
the country in 1901 we could easily get a deer 
anywhere we went in the woods. To-day there 
are only a few places where we can get deer 
at all, and then only with difficulty, because they 
are so few. This is not due to killing by the 
inhabitants nor to the severe winters, though 
both have contributed to the scarcity. More 
deer are killed by wolves in one season than 
by people in several. The natives buy ten times 
as much meat from the shops as they did ten 
years ago. They would not do this if they could 
get deer as easily as before. It takes so long 
to get a deer now that they can not afford the 
time from their work at the canneries.” * * * 
In the moose country, on Kenai Peninsula, 
these animals are increasing in number, due in 
large part to the efficiency with which the game 
law is enforced and to its observance by hunters 
and others. In recent years, toward the latter 
part of the winter, in seasons of deep snows, 
dead moose have been found, having died, ap¬ 
parently, from starvation, due to their being un¬ 
able to get food because of the destruction by 
fire of the small trees upon which they feed, or 
the encroachments of civilization, or by some 
form of disease. There is a difference of opin¬ 
ion among observers as to the cause. Caribou 
on the Alaska Peninsula are also reported to 
be increasing in number. 
In interior Alaska moose are becoming scarcer, 
according to reports received from the game 
wardens. Caribou, however, are still found in 
great abundance, although many are killed every 
year. 
Protection of Game. 
In my last annual report I made the follow¬ 
ing recommendations, which I again submit: 
