Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-10
SAGEBRUsH VaIDALs.
RESERVATION INDIANS FxTERMINAT
ING CALIFORNIA DEER.

Inv ChLlF OhNlA DEER,
The Interior Department Asked to Inter-
fere in the Matter-MemoriaIs
ON the subject.
Persistent agitation of the subject has at
last attracted attention to the manner in
which the deer on the western slope of the
Sierra Nevadas are being rapidly extermi-
mated by Undermining vsndals, and has re-
suited in action being taken that will prob
ably do much toward abating the evil. 1t
has been the custom for many years past
for half dozen white men to employ the
Washoe Indians by the hundreds to come
across the mountains every fall and slay
thousands of deer for their hides. These
white men remain at certain points in the
mountains, receive the skins from the Indi-
ans and smuggle them to the tanneries be-
fore they can be seen by any person who
would be apt to inform on them.
The Indians are paid in rifles, ammuni-
ton, blankets, etc., and they slaughter does
and fawns as freely as bucks. They have
been allowed to pursue their annual van
dalism because they claimed they killed
the deer for their own subsistence, which is
not true, for the carcasses are left on the
hills to decay. Even if they did kill the
deer to be eaten, they have no right to do
so. They are reservation Indians, and the
Government provides them with food at
the expense of the people. They have no
right to leave their reservations in Nevada
and poach on California soil.
One of their modes of making ''big kill
ings" is well known to men who spend
much of the year in the high Sierras. 1t is
for several hundred of them to encircle
large tract of forest, and by closing in, drive
large bands of deer into the center, where
they are corraled in the thickets. Then the
Indians set fire to the brush, and as the
deer break cover in their flight from the
flames they are shot down in heaps, their
hides taken off, and the bodies left for the
vultures, bears and coyotes to feast upon.
Ell DORADO TAKES ACTION.
This vandalism has been carried on to
such an extent that now there are but few
deer left where a decade ago hundreds
might be seen in days tramp through the
mountains. A Sacramento gentleman who
every summer spends a few weeks in the
vicinity OF Ru6icon creek, and who has
noticed the steady and rapid defamation
of the deer in that vicinity, recently laid
the matter before the Supervisors of Ell
Dorado county and urged prompt action
on their part. Yesterday he received let
ter from one of the members of the Board,
stating that at its last meeting the follow
ing memorial was adopted and forwarded
at once to the Secretary of the Interior:
Hon. John " Noble, Secretary OF the Interior
SIR: The State Sportsmens Association of Cali
fornia, assembled at their annual meeting
would respectfully represent to you the follow
ing facts
hibits the killing OF does and fawns at any time,
and the killing OF male deer, except between
July LIST and December LIST. 1t also prohibits the
slaughter of deer for their hides at any time.
Second-The last winter being an unusually
heavy one, with snowfall OF from ten to twenty
feet in the mountains, has decimated the deer
70 such an extent that they will not recover
from 1t for many years.
Third-The Indians living in the State of Ne
vada have OF late years been in the habit of
crossing the State line into California, and es-
pecialy into the counties of ri Dorado, Placer
and Amador, and every autumn Strengthening
the deer by thousands, frequently leaving the
Carcasses TO rot on the ground and sparing
neither age nor sex. They are largely melted TO
this by white men, who are deferred by fear of
punishment from personally killing the deer
for their hides, but who find that they are able
to shelter themselves behind the immunity
granted to the Indians in hunting as they
claim, for their subsistence.
Fourth THESE counties, lying upon the west
ern slope of the Sierra Nevada, are largely COW
cred with heavy growth of sugar and yellow
pine, cedar etc., which are the most valuable
woods growing in these mountains, and consti-
tute large part of the wealth of the State. The
Indians are accustomed. as can be abundantly
proved, in prosecuting their hunts, to set
fire TO the thickets in which the
deer harbor, in order to drive them
out, thus causing many disastrous forest
fires and destroying millions ofdollars worth of
the finest timber in the State, both on Govern
ment and private lands, and denuding our
mountains of their natural covering, which re-
tains the snow, and by enabling it to melt grad
ually supplies our State with water. and con-
tributes so largely to our prosperity, instead of
flooding the valleys from sudden melting of the
snow.
Fifth-So long as the Indians are allowed to
come into Cur State on their annual hunts so
long must the devastation of our forests go on
and we be powerless to prevent it; so long must
the Government and private individuals suffer
the loss of the valuable sugar pine and yellow
pine that clothes our mountains; long must
our people look forwardlo the time when deer
win be as grest a rarity the bison is to-day,
and INSCRIPTIONS white men will continue to
evade our laws by making a cats-paw of the
Indian, and amass wealth by the determination
of one of our finest varieties OF game.
We would therefore respectfully request you
to give orders that the Indians of the State of
Nevada be kept on their reservations or at least
that they be not allowed to cross the line into
California to exterminate our deer and destroy
our forests, which are now so valuable and are
daily becoming so mucl more so.
1t is matter which concerns the Government
timber lands as well as our own, and we feel
convinced that il is only necessary to call your
attention to the matter to insure your doing all
in your power 10 remedy the evil.
FURTHER PROPOSED ACTION.
At the annual business meeting of the
State Sportsmen's Association, which will
be held in this city this evening, the matter
will be taken up for action, by the presenta-
f;or, If u fol lOUiDv pnp1 m rni0afinO Those
members of the Association who have been
interviewed on the subject express them
selves as heartily in favor OF the movement
to put q stop 10 the indiscriminate and ille-
gal slaughter of the deer in our mountains
and there is little doubt that the Associa-
ton will indorse the action of the FL Do
RADIO Supervisors in memorializing the In
terror Department to keep its Indian wards
on their reservations, and by making GER
tain recommendations 10 the next State
Legislature in the interest of game protec-
ton. The communication reads:
SACRAMENTO, October 5, 1892
To the President and Members o. the STATE Sports
meas observation-disclosures EN-: Although not a
member of your organization, and unable Oh
account of other engagements 10 meet with
you, crave you indulgence and attention to a
communication having for its objective point
the same as that of your association, viz: the
preservation of our game. As you are well
aware, the Indian enjoys immunity from the
penalties of our game laws, on the ground that
being a savage the pursuit of game is necessary
for his subsistence. Enjoying, then, this privi
lege he is made the tool of those who dare not
themselves violate our laws and under the plea
of subsistence becomes kide-hunter for hire
But even If this were not So the Government
places them on reServat ons, and appropriates
many millions of dollars for their support of
which, unfortunately, only a small portion
reaches them. and there is notresson why they
should be allowed TO come from another State
into ours to eXterminate our game.
IL is just and proper that the Government
should not only support them, but that 1t should
restrain them from committing depredations
upon our community and our property, for it is
an undeniable fact that the game is the prop
efty OF the State. that is, of the people of the
State. And this brings me to another point TO
which earnestly hope you will give careful
consideration, and that is the appointment of
game wardens, with salaries commensurate to
the service required of them and subject to re-
moval II they do not perform their duty faith
fully. Maine and Michigan secured a law for
their creation and appointment and the uni
versal testimony in 10th States is that great
increase OF game has been the result.
The passage of the law was secured by re-
quiring pledges before election of the candidates
for the Legislature, that they would vote for
the creation of State Game Wardens and for the
apDrOpriatiOu of sufficient money tn nav Thorn