The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-12-05
THE LAWLESS VANDALS
THE GAME OF COLORADO Is BEING
RUTHLEssLY DIFFERENTIATED.
The Buffalo Has Passed Away, the
Elk to Follow and Close He
hind Him VIII Go the Deer.

and the elk as rare in Colorado as real
fur-coated bear on Wall street, says the
Denver Times.
The buffalo has passed away, and I'M
less public sentiment is aroused the noble
elk will follow and close behind him Will
go the deer.
Game can be preserved, and this fact
is illustrated in the heart of thickly-
settled New York, and it easier today to
scare up a stag in the Adirondacks than
it is in the Wanted game regions of
Colorado.
II have just returned from the north
west" remarked Jim Bush, land l can
testify to one thing most certainly, and
that is that the game laws have not been
enforced during the season just closed
and that deer and elk are being slaugh-
tered by the hundred by meat hunters
Indians, trophy hunters and eastern
sportsmen. 1 tell you it made me sick
at heart to see the condition of affairs
1 rode from Rifle to Hahn's peak and the
only deer and elk 1 saw were dead ones.
Five years ago 1 made this same trip
and the big game was then so plentiful
that you had to jump over it.
Whites as Well ns Indians.
IT notice a disposition on the part OF
some people to lay all of the blame on the
Indians That is merely shifting the re-
sponsibiity, for white hunters are killing
100 deer to the Indians one.
California park sends up an odor that
reaches to heaven. There today you con
find carcasses of deer and elk lying on the
hill sides. with only the heads cut off,
others with the hides removed, carcasses
of not only bucks, but does and fawns
are lying about everywhere. Venison Is
being shipped right out of the town OF
Meeker under the sherlff's nose and every
railway train carries east and west not
only fresh meat but heads, hides and feet
of deer, and no one there seems to raise
voice in protest.
Eastern Sportsmen.
1.-THE people who are doing all of this
ruthless slaughter can be divided into
several classes.
"First. the ranchmen of the region
They are to blame as much as anyone
and the sheriff wlnks at them and states
that the Indians are killing all of thu
game.
Second, the eastern sportsmen. Hun
dreds of them have been devastating n
White river region for two months pas
and large parties are there now, although
the season is supposed to be closed
These fellows kill everything in sight an
only carry away trophies.
Third. beef hunters Of both the nativ
and foreign class. They slaughter bot
does and fawns and carry a portion o
the meat across the border into Utah an
ship it in every direction, part of it com
ing back to Colorado
Fourth, hide hunters. These fellow
wait until the SHOWS drive the deer an
elk down into the parks, and they do nc
allow a skin to pass them. These az
the fellows that leave the evidence {
their vandalism behind them and leav
the carcasses on the ground to rot.
Fifth, the Mormons. These fellow
are hide hunters, beef hunters and every
thing combined, and as they are craft
they leave few traces of their work b.
hind.
sixth, the Indians who come into II
region in bands of 200 and 300, and ea,
one kills right and left, principally do
and fawns as they are lazy and do n
go up on the high ranges where t.
bucks hold out.
Laws All Right.
the only trouble is that they are not e
forced. During my trip 1 saw eviden
enough to have convicted dozen peoE
and 1 did not so out of my way. 1 70
into one camp of New York men and So
a dozen heads hung up, and the pla
stunk with decaying meat At eve
ranch house in the game country e.
dences of indiscriminate slaughter are
4
all the blame on Indians and amate
sportsmen. Why, these ranchers sell d,
to half of these would-be sports who
not able to shoot straight enough to
a horse-car barn.
IF this condition Of affairs contin,
for a few years longer game will be
rare in Rio Blanco and Routt counties
it is in the court house square. 1 n
Judge Rucker of the district court
Hahn's Peak and he can testify to
truth of what 1 have to say. He told
that nothing would please him more II
to be able to send few men to the
for violating the game laws, but he s.
no one is ever brought before him.
1T is a fact that no one has ever b.
convicted out thcre by the present
ministration. Mr.. Land, 1 see, has r
gone to the front with a great deal
show, but no one was there to attend
duty during the season.
By the Barrel.
Fish, by the way, are being taken
of White river and adjoining streams
the barrel. I saw a couple of fell,
using dynamite and sailing them dc
Tor shipment. What value they are
this condition 1 am sure 1 don't kno
f. S. Sanderson Of Meeker, tells m
the same story as Mr.. Bush. Mr.. SAM
sor states: