San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-07-19
SLAUGHTER OF GAME.
Chippewa Indians Wiping Out the
Deer In Minnesota.
Contrary to Law They Are Fast Exter-
minating the Big Game Which
Abounds in the Northern
Part of the State.

"The Chippewa Indians of northern
Minnesota annually kill nearly 400
moose and nearly 5000 red deer, all
contrary to law" says Rev. j. A. Gil
fillah, WHO has been the leading Episco-
pal missionary among these tribes for
the past 80 years.
The region referred to is about 300
miles in circuit and covers that terri
tory in northern Minnesota. which is
known all over the sporting world as
the best game spot in America east Of
the Rocky mountains and the only re-
naming breeding place of big game
east of the mountains. 1t is network
of swamps, lakes, deep,shaded streams,
forests and oak openings.
BY the laws of the state it is unlaw-
full to kill moose or caribou until 1898,
and there are only 20 days in the year
in which the slaughter of red deer is
permitted, and then not more than five
animals are to be killed by one man.
But within this area these animals are
slaughtered all the year round; and not
only within the circle is this lawless
destruction going on, but north of it
to and beyond the British lipe, so far
as these creatures are found.
sit is hard to estimate the number
of moose killed in that area" says Mr..
Gilfllan, "but one summer few sea-
sons ago there were killed swimming
in the water and pursued in canoes,
in one bay on the north side of Red
lake, at place called by the Indians
Wabashing, the large number of 81
moose, all full-grown and magnificent
animals. They had taken to the water
to get away from the flies and were
at the mercy of their Indian captors.
Moose are constantly killed around
Cass, Itasca, Winnibigoshish and Leech
lakes. In the matter of deer, there were
marketed at Park Rapids, a small town
on the southern borders of the Indian
country, during the 2O-day hunting sea-
son last fall the number of 600 deer,
the greater part killed by Indians.
'Nearly always when I go to Cass
lake, which is usually monthly, I find
someof the Indians out hunting. They
put a lamp in the bow of a canoe and
steal on the deer by night. At Cass
lake they hunt on white mems land
continually, lurking about the ticks,
and where the deer come to the streams.
Many of the White Earth hunters kill
30 to 40 deer in p season.
"A few years ago there were no deer
in these reservations. Nothing was to
BIO found but bear, moose and reindeer.
The British settlements to the north
and the Minnesota settlements to the
south, west and east, have hemmed in
the animals so that they have been
driven as last resort to the reserva-
tions, and there, when they can go no
further, they are being killed in their
tracks. 1t will be but few years when
hunting for big game will be thing
of the past east of the Rockies. I sup
pose there are not far from 500 Bears
killed every year in this territory.
There is no law to protect them, but
it would make no difference If there
were. Of caribou few are killed about
Cass lake, but not elsewhere, as they
are too scarce and cautious to be found
without much trouble. They can be
found by the hunter who knows where
to go for them, however, in quantity"