Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-11-18
WILL PAY ALL
BOUNTY CLAIMS
II is Estimated That the Taxes oil
1904 Will be Sufficient for
This Purpose.
FEWER CLAIMS THAN FORMERLY
Decrease in the Amount and in the
Number Of Bounty Animals Given
as the Reason for Falling OF.

killing bears ought to be a rather
profitable business. just now. or il
should have been before the bears
went into their holes for the winter,
remarked Ney Davidson. clerk of the
state board of examiners, who looks
after the bounty claims filed with the
state. "0f course, | have no means
of knowing just how many bears we're
killed per year before the legislature
placed a bounty on their scalps, but |
am willing to wager that the law
made it pretty uncomfortable for Mr..
Bear.
During the past fall not less than
one hundred bears were killed in Mon
tana. according to the bounty claim
certificates filed in my office. There
may be a few hunters who did not
know that the state was paying 81 per
head for all bears killed, but they are
very few and the most of the fellows
who are fortunate enough to bring
down a black. cinnamon or grizzly
bear. are not long in filing bounty
claims. | don't see why hunters could
not make a good living at certain sea
sons OF the year doin5 nothing but
hunting bear. In addition to the 81
bounty paid by the state, the bears
hide IL worth all the way from SIS
to $50. while the meat will sell for al
most. If not quite, as much. An av-
erage bear ought to be worth $50 to
the man who bags it. and ii looks as
II a man who would devote his time
to the sport ought to be able to get
two or three of them a month
lnasmuch as he was talking about
hounties in general. Mr.. Davidson
took occasion to bring out the fact
that the bounty the past legislature
placed on mountain lions did not seem
materially to decrease the member.
ship in the lion family.
The state pays 81 each for lion
| scalps. accompanied by ~affidavits to
the effect that the animals were kill,
ed in the state of Montana" he said,
but there have not been over a doz-
en- certificates of this kind filed. |
guess that mountain lions are scarcer
than bear. anyway"
Business at the states bounty
counter is rather light Just at this sea.
son of the year. and Mr.. Davidson es.
Inmates that the next few months will
not average more than $1,000 each.
May. June, July and August are the
big months in the bounty business.
these months averaging about $4,000
in claims. The books of the state
board Of examiners show that not as
many wolves and coyotes were killed
last summer as were slaughtered the
year before. This is partly due to the
fact that the legislature reduced the
bounty IN coyotes. coyote and wolf
pups from s. To So. and the fact that
these animals are undoubtedly getting
scarcer in this state is also a potent
factor in the reduction of the number
killed.
Mr.. Davidson estimates that by the
time the taxes for the year of 1904
are received. all of the bounty claims
up TO that time will have been paid.
This estimate is based on a compari.
son OF the results of the increased
revenues and the reduced bounties un.
der the law passed by the last legisla.
ture. In addition to cutting down the
bounty on coyotes. coyote pups and
wolf pups, the last legislature increas'
ed the stock indemnity levy from 3
mills to 3s mills, and provided that
5 per cent Of all license moneys go in.
to this fund.
II Mr.. Davidson's estimate is veri
fed this will be the first time the
state la up on the bounty claims
since 1901. when. with a small surplus
and all claims paid. the Legislature
increased the bounty on wolves and
coyotes, together with wolf and coy
ote pups, from So to IS, and decreased
the levy. Under this arrangement the
surplus didn't last long. and for 9
while claims came in at the rate Of
100000 per month.-Great Falls Trib
une.