July 31, 1909 ] 
175 
remnant left at the end of that period. It is 
generally known that the increase of deer in 
Maine and Northern New Hampshire stimu¬ 
lated the commissioners of the latter State to 
make an effort to stock the southern counties of 
that State with deer. Some of them crossed 
the border and were shot near the boundary 
line in Massachusetts. An enthusiastic . sports¬ 
man in Woburn secured the introduction of a 
bill in the Legislature for a close time of five 
years on deer, and when that bill was heard by 
the Committee on Fisheries and Game, a letter, 
which stated the facts above mentioned, signed 
by Commissioner Wentworth, of New Hamp¬ 
shire, was put in evidence. I do not remember 
that any remonstrance against the measure 
was made at that time. It was reported favor¬ 
ably, and the bill was passed in 1893. 
In 1898, and again in 1903, bills were passed 
continuing the close time for the same period, 
and the time was still further extended for two 
years in 1908, the present close season terminat¬ 
ing Nov. 1, 1910. 
Ever since the establishment of the close sea¬ 
son in 1893, covering the entire State, there has 
been a constant increase in numbers. In their 
report for 1905 our State commissioners say', 
“We estimate that there are to-day not less 
than 5,000 wild white-tailed or Virginia deer 
roaming about the State.” They predicted an 
increase of 5,000 to 10,000 during the next three 
years. If 1,000 should be killed, they estimate 
their value as food at $30,000. 
As early as 1903. occasional complaints were 
made by farmers, and they were permitted to 
drive deer from cultivated land, but not to use 
dogs nor injure the deer in doing so. 
By further amendment in 1907 provision was 
made by which the owner or occupant of land 
could kill a deer with a shotgun if he was found 
injuring fruit trees or crops on cultivated land— 
a report of the killing, etc., to be made to the 
clerk of the city or town. 
In 1903, in addition to the landowners being 
legally permitted to drive off deer, as mentioned 
above, a law was passed by which they could 
recover damages. 
Of this law and the objections raised against 
it by the farmers, I will write later. 
Henry H. Kimball. 
Timber Dying in Yellowstone Park. 
Yellowstone Park, July 15.— Editor Forest 
and Stream: On a trip to Livingston and return 
I could not but notice the thousands of acres 
of dead trees on the lower slopes of the moun¬ 
tains. Most of these trees are what are known 
here as red fir. Up in the park there are a 
few cedar—juniper—trees that appear to be 
dying from the same cause. 
Ten years ago I noticed a few trees on the 
lower slopes of Mount Washburn that were 
being killed by some insect, but now since many 
thousands of acres of trees are dying apparently 
from the same cause, I think we are likely to 
lose a greater part of our forest unless some 
kindly disposed parasite attacks the insect that 
is busy with the trees and checks their destruc¬ 
tive work. At present the insect is working 
surely and fast. I have formed a theory for 
their sudden inroad on the forest but believe 
their destruction or check can be brought about 
only by some other insect that will feed on them 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
as host for its larva. That is the way in which 
our grasshopper plague was settled and I trust 
this new one will soon be settled also. 
I have said so much about game in the park 
that I fear you are getting tired of my men¬ 
tioning it at all. Yesterday evening, along the 
road from Alum Creek to the Mud Geysers, I 
counted seven bands of elk—cows and calves. 
There were at least twenty-five cows in each 
band, not counting calves. The crop of calves 
is large, and this year’s increase will more than 
make up for the last winter’s losses. 
I am glad to note that there are now on Mis¬ 
sion Creek over two hundred golden pheasants. 
J. G. Hausman started them four years ago, 
turning loose a few from time to time, as he 
reared them in Livingston, Mont. He is now 
trying to introduce quail from South Dakota. 
The golden pheasant appear^ to be doing very 
well in this climate. 
Last year I noticed the first sign of porcupines 
VIRGINIA DEER. 
in the park for several years. Formerly there 
were thousands. Then one year they disappeared 
from all this country, but lately I have seen a 
little sign of where they had been feeding in 
winter. It will take many years to bring them 
back in anywhere near the number they used 
to be. Eighty-one moose were counted by the 
soldiers in charge of the Snake River Station, 
below the station and about the upper end of 
Jackson’s Lake. The scouts were on a trip to 
the inlet of Yellowstone Lake and on the Upper 
Yellowstone River they saw many more—quite a 
number of calves—and lots of other game. The 
river and lake are very high; all the bottom 
lands were flooded. There were about 350 peli¬ 
cans on Nolly Island. This is where Hon. Geo. 
Shiras, 3d, photographed them last year. FI. 
Nebraska Grouse. 
Omaha, July to .—Editor Forest and Stream: 
Captain Cook, the old Indian scout and fighter 
of Sioux County, this State, says that the sea¬ 
son out his way thus far has been very favor¬ 
able for the breeding grouse and that ther£ is 
going to be a much larger crop than usual this 
fall. The hatch was a large one throughout 
that whole region and the chicks are already 
more than half grown. Sandy Griswold. 
Ex-Warden Welch’s Report. 
In his regular report to the Supervisors of 
Santa Cruz County, California, Walter R. Welch, 
Fish, Game and Fire Warden of that county, 
since removed for political reasons, said in part: 
"During the past two quarters I have distrib¬ 
uted' into the streams of the county twenty-one 
cans of trout and salmon fry. Owing to the 
very heavy rains during January and February, 
and to the impassable condition of the roads, 
it was impossible for me to give the streams in 
the northern end of the county, above Boulder 
Creek, the attention they required at the time. 
In all the other streams of the county the laws 
were well observed, and the spawning fish little, 
if at all/ disturbed on their spawning beds, with 
the consequent result that the natural hatch in 
all the streams of this county during the past 
season has been very great. 
“As there are two new members on your hon¬ 
orable board this year, and in order that they 
may know that I have done a little more, than 
draw my salary during the past two years, per¬ 
mit me to say that between June 1, 1907, and 
June 30, 1909, I have made fifty arrests, and 
fines in the total sum of $627.50 have been im¬ 
posed; issued 931 written permits to burn brush, 
grass, weeds, etc., and to use explosives to blast 
logs and stumps; taken charge of and brought 
under control three forest fires, and have inves¬ 
tigated six other forest fires that had been 
brought under control before I reached them; 
investigated twenty-one cases of cruelty to ani¬ 
mals and have given that matter as much atten¬ 
tion as possible; distributed into the various 
streams of the county 566 cans of trout and 
salmon fry; posted along the public highways 
and county roads upwards of 3,000 cloth warn¬ 
ing notices, and have distributed among the peo¬ 
ple upwards of 5,000 abstracts of fish and game 
laws and leaflets relative to the value of song 
and insectivorous birds; answered upward of 
two thousand letters, and written many articles 
for the California Promotion Committee, local. 
Eastern and European magazines and papers. All 
these articles have been in relation to fish and 
game, the natural beauty and the great and 
varied natural resources of Santa Cruz county. 
"I have succeeded in organizing the Santa 
Cruz County Fish, Game and Forest Protective 
Association which now has a very respectable 
membership. I have also enrolled the names ot 
upwards of six hundred boys under the age ot 
sixteen years as juvenile members of the Cali¬ 
fornia Game and Fish Protective Association. 
Each member has been supplied with a suitable 
membership card and button. 
“Public sentiment favorable to the value and 
necessity of fish, game and forestry laws, and 
their strict and indiscriminate enforcement is 
steadily growing stronger in Santa Cruz County, 
and in consequence the supply of fish and game 
in this county is increasing. At this time every 
indication points to a very satisfactory open sea¬ 
son for 1909. The quail have paired off well, 
and conditions indicate large broods of young 
quail this season; other small game has bred 
well and the supply is increasing, as is also the 
supply of tree squirrels. There are more deer 
in Santa Cruz County to-day than there ever 
has been during the past fifteen years, and I pre¬ 
dict a very satisfactory open season for 1909, 
both as regards game and trout fishing in the 
streams of the county.” 
