Dec. 19, 1908.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
975 
Reports on National Parks. 
Yosemite National Park. 
The report of Major H. C. Benson, Acting 
Superintendent of the Yosemite Park, derives an 
added interest from the fact that Major Benson 
is now Acting Superintendent of the Yellow¬ 
stone National Park. 
Matters in the Yosemite are more or less com¬ 
plicated by the fact that within this park are 
certain patented lands, certain rights of way be¬ 
longing to railway and water companies, and also 
a continual effort to get cattle and sheep on the 
reservation, so as to use this public park as a 
private grazing ground. 
The total number of visitors to the valley dur¬ 
ing the season of 1908 was about 8,850, an in¬ 
crease of 1,748 over the previous year. The 
force of troops detailed for the reservation was 
too small to thoroughly 
patrol the park, though 
the men stationed there 
apparently performed 
their duties efficiently. 
Though the season 
was one of the driest 
in the history of the 
park, no damage was 
done by fires. This 
does not mean that 
none were started, for 
three, unquestionably 
due to lighted cigars 
or cigarettes thrown 
from stages, were dis¬ 
covered within half an 
hour after the passing 
of stages along the road 
and were promptly ex¬ 
tinguished. But for this 
watchfulness great de¬ 
vastation might have 
been caused by the fires. 
Game is decreasing, 
for each reduction of the 
park has cut off another 
portion of the winter 
resort of game. As origi¬ 
nally established, the 
western and southwestern portions of the park 
were winter feeding grounds for deer, but this 
wintering ground has been thrown into the Na¬ 
tional forest, and has thus become a public 
hunting ground. More hunting permits aie 
granted in the State of California than there 
are deer in the State, and as every person is 
allowed by law to kill two deer, and does kill 
four or five if he can, these animals have small 
chance for life. A new railroad has made the 
National forest accessible, and large numbers 
of hunters gather along the border of the park, 
shooting every animal that crosses the boundary 
to get water. Water exists in but few locali¬ 
ties, and well worn deer trails lead to these 
springs or streams. Some few people are be¬ 
lieved to have hunted within the park, but when 
overtaken and asked about the matter, some of 
these did not hesitate to he about it. 
The patented lands within the park ought to 
be owned by the Government. Major Benson 
recommends that these lands be condemned, that 
the western boundary be fenced, that a perma¬ 
nent military post be established, and that Con¬ 
gress enact a law defining what is prohibited in 
the Yosemite National Park and fixing punish¬ 
ment for offenses, and that the park be made 
a United States Court District and a registered 
commissioner appointed. It will be remembered 
that years ago the failure to take such action 
with regard to the Yellowstone Park resulted 
in the almost complete destruction of the buffalo 
herd there. After the herd had been destroyed, 
Congress, urged to it by the Hon John W. 
Lacey, did act. In many matters Congress has 
a custom of securely locking the stable door 
after the horse has been removed. 
Mount Ranier National Park. 
Mr. C. F. Allen reports that 2,626 visitors 
entered the park last season by the Government 
road and 200 from the north. The park is only 
eighteen miles square and lies wholly within the 
Ranier National Forest. It is imperfectly 
A GROUP OF RASCALS. 
policed. Deer are hounded in it, but though 
sheep are grazed in the adjacent territory, the 
superintendent says that there is no difficulty in 
keeping them from crossing the park lines. Deer 
are abundant in many parts of the park, but in 
winter many of them leave it for the forests at 
a lower elevation. White goats ~are now found 
only in the high mountains. They do not ap¬ 
pear to be as numerous as formerly, and have 
almost entirely disappeared from the mountains 
in the adjacent National Forest, where they were 
once common. There are a few small trout in 
the streams. 
Prospecting takes place in the park, and min¬ 
ing claims have been located. 1 here does not, 
however, seem a prospect that this will ever be 
a mining country. 
It is of great importance that an efficient force 
of scouts, rangers or soldiers should be stationed 
here in the park. At present it is protected in 
a slovenly manner which reflects no credit on the 
Government. 
Yellowstone Park. 
The report of the superintendent of the Yel¬ 
lowstone National Park to Oct. 15 last has just 
been received. It shows the total number of visi¬ 
tors to the park for the year 19,542. There was 
an increase of visitors through the western en¬ 
trance of about 3,000 over 1907. During the sea¬ 
son 4,506 tourists took the trip across the Yellow¬ 
stone with the T. E. Hofer Boat Company. 
Rainbow trout and landlocked salmon were de¬ 
posited in various waters. The alfalfa field near 
Gardiner yielded two good crops, greater than 
last year. The antelope, estimated at 2,000, win¬ 
tered well there. Three young antelope were 
raised on the bottle for the London Zoological 
Gardens and are reported as having reached 
their destination in good condition. 
The wild buffalo herd seems to be gradually 
increasing. Scout Wilson reported ten last sum¬ 
mer at the mouth of Mist Creek on the Lamar 
River, and Scout McBride saw twenty in Sep¬ 
tember in the valley of 
Pelican Creek. The do¬ 
mesticated herd numbers 
seventy-four, an increase 
of fourteen for this 
year. 
Coyotes seem to be 
increasing. Ninety-nine 
were killed last year, 
and ninety - seven this 
year. They are believed 
to be very destructive 
to the antelope, and it 
is estimated that 3 per 
cent, of the antelope 
were killed by them dur¬ 
ing the past winter and 
spring. 
The mule deer show 
a normal increase, and 
during the deep snows 
and severe storms from 
300 to 400 are fed hay 
on the plaza in front of 
the Mammoth Hotel at 
Fort Yellowstone. 
A conservative esti¬ 
mate of the elk is from, 
25,000 to 30,000 in the 
park. On the other hand 
Mr. Wells, in charge of the buffalo farm, esti¬ 
mates the number between 40,000 and 50,000. 
There is no provision for feeding the elk in win¬ 
ter. They seem to do well enough in ordinary 
seasons, but when the snowfall is very heavy— 
perhaps one winter in four—many perish. Moose 
are gradually increasing. Mountain lions are 
scarce. Major Pitcher several times recom¬ 
mended the sowing of alfalfa fields to raise hay 
for the elk, but Congress never acted. 
There is some poaching at the borders of the 
park, and there are not enough scouts to thor¬ 
oughly protect the reservation against poachers. 
Gen. Young gives an account of the park holdup 
which took place Aug. 24, 1908. The robber was 
never arrested. 
Gen. Young was an earnest and efficient super¬ 
intendent of the park, and it is to be regretted 
that he has resigned the position. 
All the game laws of the United States and 
Canada, revised to date and nozv in force, are 
given in the Game Lazus in Brief. See adv. 
