The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-25
ALASKA AS A HUNTING GROUND.
Game of Every Description Is Found in
Great Abundance.

Great Abundance.
1t is remarkable fact that game is
actually on the increase in Alaska to-
day. 1t is well known that the moose
was formerly unknown within it's lin
its, but driven from the forests of low
err Canada and the United States by the
constant onslaughts of the huntsman,
1t has gradually travelled westward and
northward until it has finally reached
the Alaskan peninsula and, breeding
for years practically free from moles-
tation, it has become abundant there
to-day. When the agents of the Hudson
Bay company first appeared in its vi
cinity they found the Indian dwelling
about the Hyland river unwilling to as
cend it or ITO have anything to do with
the country about its headwaters, SUI
perStitiOuSly maintaining that long be-
fore as a party of braves of their tribe
We're ascending the river in a canoe,
suddenly terrible black something rose
seemingly out of the water itself, over
turned the canoe and drowned most of
the hunters in the whirlpools. Might
not the legend have been an account,
exaggerated by the simple and over
awed Indians, of their first meeting
with a moose. especially as during the
summer months the animal often fire.
queHlS tlle vicinity OF streams, STAND
ing shoulder deep in the water to avoid
insects? An untutored Indian. unfa-
miliar with the moose and it's charac-
ter, meeting 1T for the first time, might
well be impressed with superstitious
awe and dread. such a powerful and
formidable front does it often present.
A second factor which has resulted in
the increase of game animals in Alaska
is the manner in which the Indians and
white hunters also following their ex-
ample, capture such meat as they may
stand in need of. The country being
as a general thing rough and difficult to
traverse, the huntsman paddles along
some waterway in his canoe, scanning
the banks as he goes, until he comes
upon his quarry feeding or lettering a
the waters edge. The result is that the
vast interior of the country ait a dis
lance from the streams and navigable
waterways is seldom visited by the
huntsman. and as consequence It's
wild animal life augments from year to
year. So Alaska has proved the natu-
raj corral of the continent, into which
all its game animals have gradually
been driven and penned in amid sur
roundinss which are far from being
unfavorable. In fact, here they have
found a refuge admirably adapted to
their needs, and have been steadily
thriving and increasing until Alaska
to-day has become one of the best natu-
raj game preserves in the world. Some
moose and caribou roam its sWamps
in search of tender shoots, mountain
goats nibble the grasses and mosseS of
the higher mountain slopes, and black
and brown bear prowl about in the
darkest recesses of the forests and
along the streams in search of fish. The
spruce grouse is abundant in the dense
evergreen woods, and exceedingly tame;
the blue grouse is also to be found in
the upper timber belts of the mountain
sides and ptarmigan on the sunny
cliffs and barrens. Rabbits are plenti-
full everywhere, and as a matter of
course their deadly foe, the lynx, is usu-
ally not far away. Amid such a variety
as this the sportsman cannot fail to
find plenty of employment for his gun,
If he only possesses the necessary
knowledge and skill at woodcraft to en-
able him TO properly search out and APP
proach his game.
The climate Of Alaska is not nearly
as harsh and severe as many imagine
it to be. In the vicinity Of the coast
warm winds from the Pacific ocean
temper the atmosphere and even far
inland, although the thermometer some
times falls as low as 60 and more de-
grees below zero, yet these cold snaps
are soon over and are not abnOrmally
frequent With the exception of the vi
entity of the coast the snowfall reaches
depth no greater than that of
Maine or Nova Scotia, and the winters,
though somewhat longer, are still quite
similar to the "old-fashioned" winters
of northern New England. Though the
first snowfall occurs about the middle
of September, yet the winter does not
set in earnest before November and,
after all, winter is about the same thing
the world over. The writer has seen
the snow 10 feet deep in places in his
England nome II la SlF IN
drifts add a few feet more to their
depth the casual observer would be un-