we AS 
re 
*o4 pF i 
at + 
TRAP 
fo ig 
WANTED HERE- 
ee 
Ww 4 
BILL MARTEN., 

This photo and the one below are additional portraits of Bill Marten 
The Elk Are in Need 
DEAR FOREST AND STREAM: 
Y buying twelve thousand acres of 
deeded land in the Jackson Hole 
(Wyoming) country, at a low price of 
about $300,000, for game refuge and 
winter feeding ground; by petitioning 
our government to set aside the open 
range surrounding this deeded land, for 
the elk, we would have sixty thousand 
acres of land for an elk paradise. 
It is a sad sight every two or three 
years to see at least twenty per cent 
of the elk die, and the other eighty per 
cent so poor and weak they can hardly 
walk. Five years ago this winter at 
least two-thirds of the calves died. I 
counted 150 head of dead elk within 
three miles along Flat Creek, some in 
the water and some on the banks of 
the stream, and helped drag carcasses 
out of the water so it would be fit for 
use. Almost the same thing happened 
three years ago, and from reports, con- 
ditions will be worse this season. 
The government spent about fifty 
thousand dollars to feed the elk five 
years ago besides having 1,600 tons of 
hay to begin with, and were out of feed 
in March. It was the first of June be- 
fore the grass had grown enough for 
the elk to get full feed. The govern- 
ment now owns about 1,700 acres of 
land in that tract but the only way the 
elk can reach it is by crossing the land 
that should be bought. They tear down 
fences, of course, and hang around in 
pastures. The rancher naturally wants 
to save what feed he has for his own 
stock, and so he drives them off; the 
next man gives them another boost, and 
so on. The refuge not being large 
enough the elk are kept on a run all 
winter. 
I believe it would be a better thing 
160 
for the government to take over control 
of the elk. The state of Wyoming has 
never had money to take care of the 
elk so the government had to step in 
and help in buying land and hay. 
In regard to non-residents hunting in 
Wyoming, I do not believe it is right 
to charge them ‘$50.00 license and re- 
quire them to hire high-priced guides 
when we have game wardens and forest 
rangers to see that there is no wanton 
killing of game. The people have fur- 
nished the money to buy the land and 
hay, and they ‘should be allowed to hunt 
the same as the residents of Wyoming. 
It would be better to let the people kill 
their elk than to have hundreds starve 
to death every spring after a hard 
winter. 
I own 140 acres of deeded homestead 
land on this elk trail, and I will do- 
nate forty acres to the elk if the gov- 
ernment will set aside this tract, to 
show that I want to do my part. This 
letter is written by a man who has been 
awakened in the night many times by 
starving elk hunting for something to 
eat. 
P. V. SOMMERS, 
Pocatello, Idaho. 
Criticizes Dr. Travis 
DEAR FOREST AND STREAM: 
THINK your correspondent who 
wrote an account of riding a moose 
in a recent number has allowed his 
imagination to run away with him when 
he refers to a moose “baring his teeth” 
and the “crushing, biting, tearing 
teeth” as a source of danger to the in- 
trepid equestrian. Asa matter of fact 
except for the large grinders at the 
back of his jaw, a moose has practi- 
cally no teeth, if he attempted to “bare 
his teeth” (which he would be as likely 
to do as a domestic cow) he would ex- 
hibit an upper jaw as toothless as a 
new born baby, and a short row of very 
small teeth in his lower jaw, which pro- 
ject forward and not upward like in a 
horse, these could hardly be described 
as yellow fangs or very terrifying. 
W.H. PrEtry, 
Quebec. 
Dr. Travis Replies 
DEAR FOREST AND STREAM: 
| AM always glad to be set right on 
a point of actual fact, Mr. Petry 
seems to know what he is talking about. 
So I will go further into the matter. I 
have sent by this same mail to Harry 
Allen, of Penniac, New Brunswick, for 
the half of a moose jaw cut longitudin- 
ally. 
I certainly thought I saw teeth not 
only in this bull, but in the cow I rode 
before. So I have this to answer our 
critic. 
NO STEEL TRAP 
WANTED HERE - tae 
BILL MARTEN 

