The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-06
A GREAT GAME PRESERVE.
steps to Interest SpOrtsmen in Its
Establishment Southwest.


Phoenix, Ariz., Dec. 27.-Steadly the
hunting grounds of the American sports
man are growing more circumscribed and
the game scarcer. While this is especially
true of the Eastern gunner, even the
Western sportsman is finding it more and
more difficult to satisfy his desire. Fiji
teen years ago the last of the immense
herds of buffalo which roamed the West
ern plains disappeared practically To-
day deer are becoming scarcer mountain
sheep have nearly disappeared, and only
in remote localities can bears be found
in numbers.
Such is the condition that has led to
an effort to organize great association of
American sportsmen. Its purposes, as pro-
posed by its projectors in the West, are to
secure the enactment and enforcement of
laws to protect the game animals from
useless slaughter In season and out, and
to provide for the establishment of a
great preserve where can be gathered and
protected always from the pothunter
enough game to furnish amusement for all
true lovers OF sport. To that end a meet
ing will be called at Denver or Chicago
early in the year. Il is proposed to have a
national organization, with sub-leagues in
each State and Territory. The chief diff
Guilty Will be in the establishment stock
ing, and protection OF a preserve. 1t is
hoped by the promoters of the plan that
the financial aid of Congress may be Sc
cured. The selection Of the site of the pre-
serve will not be easy. Several regions in
the Rocky Noun tains offer certain advan-
tages for such purpose, but probably no
tract large enough could be found there
For several months an investigation has
been in progress. and only one suitable
tract of land has been found. Along the
lower end of the Colorado River and the
upper part of the Cuff of California lies a
long and wide strip of land, partly in Ari-
ZOua and California, but largely in Mexi-
co, which is admirably suited for the pur-
pose. Despite its proximity to a well set
tied region the land has only recently
been carefully explored.
A party sent cut by the promoters Of
the preserve plan returned last week from
a trip through that country. They say
that for 200 miles down the coast. be
tween the Lower Colorado on the north
and the settlements of Quitoyac. Vasura
and Alamo on the south. lies a strip that
could easily be converted into the finest
game country in the world. The land is
fairly well watered, and by compare; lively
inexpensive irrigation could be made pro-
ductive of ali the vegetation necessary to
the suStenance of great herds OF game
while the rough nature of parts OF the
country would harbor mountain sheen and
goats as well as the bear species Along
lif tDlcTUuD luty lOuuu large NUMBERS
of wild pigs. a large type OF the peccary.
many deer in the hills, and on the sma r
streams and ponds enormous flocks of
ducks and geese while grouse and quails
are very plentiful. only the Indians
members of the Serbs tribe, and a few
Mexican settlers ever hunt there while
in the higher mountains across the Ari-
IONA line an occasional party of hunters
seek the mountain sheep which are there
to be found in small numbers Much of
the large game has been driven south ~
the entertainments of the settlers, while
the great nocks of migratory birds resort
there on their return from their northern
haunts in the winter.
According to statements of members of
the party there is no other place 50 well
adapted to the propagation of the game
animals and birds. and their assertions are
corroburated by Pref. W J MeGeee Of the
Smithsonian Institution. who has Just re
turned from trip along the coast in an
investigation OF the Seris Indians. The
result of the investigation of the game
preserve will be brought before the con-
yeLtion and steps taken to obtain eonces-
sions from the Mexican Government for
the use of the strip for term of years at
a nominal rent. AT present Mexico is en-
deavoring In every way to put to use her
millions of acres Of Cpoccupied land. She
is offering every ihduceElent for colonial
tian and settlement. and it is believed that
the desired strip FOR the game preserve
can be obtained at reasonable terms.