Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-12-15
BEARS, COUGARS, FOXES,
WILD CATS IN TROUBLE
Warden Ma kes Havoc With Big
Game--Coyotes Destroy Pheas
ants and Farm Stock.

Joseph A. Conner, of Wilderville.
deputy game warden for Josephine
county, was in Grants Pass Monday,
Mr., Conner stated that the state game
law was being fairly well observed in
this county. He has only heard of one
gang of deer skinners. They began
killing deer ON lower Rogue river for
their hides but they learning Of his
coming took over the mountains into
Coos county and gave up their nefar-
ious work, at least in this section of
the state.
Most of the residents of this county,
who desire to hunt have taken out
licenses and there is a general disposi-
tion among prospectors, stockmen and
farmers to obey the law. The town men
usually have license as they run the
chance of being informed ON by some
irate rancher. The country people are
learning that the state game laws are
really benefit to them in that skin
hunters and proft ssional hunters who
kill deer for the market are driven
out of the country, OF put into Jail,
thus prote citing the game for the use
of the settleis The small fee Of
dollar for a hunters license, that
goes to make up the fund to pay the
agme wardens, is a profitable expen.
diture to the residents of the country.
AS to destruction of deer by
cougars and coyotes, Mr. Conner is
convinced that one cougar will kill
more deer in year than dozen hun
ters. Coyotes also kill many deer,
running down the fawns, and also
catching grown deer when they can
frighten them and chase them into the
snow, during the Winter season. A
bounty paid for the killing of cougars,
especially, from the game fuud, Mr.,
Conner thinks, would be a profitable
investment to hunters.
Mr.. Conner last month took 10
days trip to the Lower Illinois valley
to learn II there were hunters there
violating the game laws. While ON
the trip hs did some hunting himself
and had fine success. He was nc
companied by Dick Lindsay, OF
Cheney creek and Jim Brinegar, Of
Wilderville. They had an outfit Of
packhorses and dogs and had their
horses loaded on the return trip with
pelts and meat. While ON Silver creek
they killed nine bears, one being cub
all the Others being large, two weigh
ing over 400 pounds each. The! brought
considerable bear meat home with
them for when it is cured il is equal
| to the best Of bacon. They also got
307gallons Of oil from the bears. In
other game thy killed while on the
trip two large cougars, three wild
cats aud two foxes. They shot at a
coyote, but he was too far to get him.
The coyotes are considered the most
difficult Of game to kill, for they are
too sly to be trapped and they are such
adopts at sneakinE through the brush
that they seldom can be seen. While
good hunting dogs will put bear oI
"A cougar up a tree in short chase,
but when the dogs get on the trail Of
a coyote, that willy brute Is not sc
foolish as to climb the first tree h,
comes to, even If he could, as does q
bear or cougar, but he immediately
starts on hike across the hills tina
lasts as long as the dogs see fit TO sta!
in the race. Once in chaparal o.
man zanita thicket the coyote is los
to the dogs and the hunters for 1t cal
make far better speed in the brusl
than can any dog. With plenty o
food and little danger from hunter
the coyotes are increasing IN Southern
, Oregon and have boome scOurag
! TO the farmers. Chickens, pigs, sheeI
and goats are their chief dependence
J But when driven by hunger a Ion
calf or a hog is readily attacked an
killed. Deer and rabbits are fayorit
game for the coyotes and quail an,
pheasant eggs and the young that af
unable to hy are delicaoiss that n
coyote let's pass The great decreas
in quail aud pheasant IN Southern
Oregon il attributed to the great in
crease Of coyotes and though Chin
t pheasants have been introduced d
Rogue River Valley for number O
q years and II is heavy penalty :
D shoot them. they have increased yer
0 slowly and are but little more plenti
ful than they were FIVE or six year
ago. As these pheasants increas
very rapidly In every other sectio
whore they have been introduced
= is quite likely that the coyotes pr
= vert their increase in this Valley, b
0 eating the eggs and the young.
D" - "
II n..ahtna E,sit n.ussd heath