The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-01-31

persons who prepared the petition rs
10 the object of making the season
commence Sept. Is and was informed
that there was no objection whatever
to the season opening thirty days he
before that time, but it YVES the opin-
ion of the trainers OF the petition that
perhaps the legislature wou'j be more
likely to extend the season to tie 18th
day of jan if d corresponding num-
Der of days were cut off the first end
Of the season. AS to this feature of
the petition | wrote PROF. Elrod as
follows: "If no other reason can be
urged to justify the looping Off of the
fifteen days in September, they ought
not to be Topped off. AS il matter
of fact there is no good reason why
the open season for deer should not
commence on the 18th of Aug. in pref
erence to Sept. /, as the law now
stands. 1t is during the month Of
August that ranchers, families, bust
ness men and professional mpL are
taking their summers outing, and
prospectors are in the mountains. Be
fore the 18th of the month the fawns
are able to take care of themselves;
the trees and the underhush are
heavy with foliage and every natural
protection to deer is afforded: she
deer are widely scattered and for the
most part are high up in the noun
tains. The number that may he
killed is infinitesmal. They why
deprive the camper, tourist and pros
pector of the privilege of procuring Il
little venson when it would be best
appreciated, if he has the qualification
or opportunity to procure it unde:
such adverse conditions? The few
deer that are kil'e! in summer WI
never have any appreciable effect on
the game supply and the season 70
commence as soon as the fawns are
able to take care of themselves; ctl,e :
wise you are simply placing lii the
way of generally law abiding people
the temptation and excuse to violate
the law.
mature affords the deer abu::tlant
protection in the summer, but i IS
in the winter months, when the deep
snow drive the deer n gangs and
droyes into the valleys, when the are
benumbed with cold and enfeeb!etl by
starvation, that mans agency is anst
beneficial in protecting them against
the hide hunter, the market hunter
and the human animal who shoots
merely to see them fall
In conclusion, the members Of the
League of American Sportsmen and
of the Montana Game Protective as
sociation of this place instruct ne ia
insist that the most vital needs OF
this locality in the way of game rro
lection are embraced in the three .sus
gestions following:
/. An appropriation for the gam,
and fish commission large enough tC
enable that commission to effectr
ly enforce the law. This is the InO5t
important and will bear repetition
Without this appropriation yWsl
game law is and will continue to bi
a farce and will operate only aSains
those who of their own volitioa com
ply with it's provisions while the law
breaker monopolizes the field Of spor
during the close season and goes uE
punished.
.. Provide liberal bounty for tn
destruction of the mountain lions
Hundreds Of deer are killed annuall
in this section by mountain lions, i,
fact as many if not more are k;lle
by these animals during the cuL"5e O
a season than are killed by the hunt
crs.
3. Prevent Canadian Indians fro,
crossing over to this country aud con
pei our own Indians to Ieave thei
dogs at home when they go Ii iltin;
Some of the best hunting grol.rd;: {
this county have been utterly ru.ne
by reason of our own Indians an
Canadian Indians hunting in gang
with dogs. During the season jus
, closed | hunted over what has a
. ways been considered the best hun
ing ground in Flathead county, tn;
, section of the country lying OF Wo
. creek, between the railroad stations
, Sterling and Fisher and was informe
:, that some thirty-tive or forty Indian
, from the Flathead reservation ha
. been in that section during the entii
, fall season and had, by the use {
= dogs, absolutely ruined the huntln.
:, What deer they failed to kill the
). drove out of the neighborhood T.:
6 story is similar to others tina. con
% from nearly every section OF II
g.. county every fall.
% If the Indians cannot be kept {