The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1909-10-08

lCc tuc pun pOSc VI
hunters to destroy predatory
animals upon the national
forests in district one. This is an in.
crease Of $500 over the amount which
was appropriated for this purpose last
year.
Forest service hunters are usually
assigned to their work early in the
spring since they can do more effec-
tive work in destroying predatory an
finals at this season than at any other
time of the year because this is the
breeding season, and a whole family
Of wolves or coyotes can be easily de-
stroyed when the dens are once To-
Gated.
During the past spring hunters were
employed for period of one to three
months upon the Helena, Absaroka,
Jefferson, Gallatin, Custer, and Bit
terroot National Forests in Montana,
and the Nez Perez forest in Idaho, and
succeeded in killing II bears, A
wolves, 152 coyotes, 40 wild cats, and
IL lynXes. The most successful hunt
er was Andrew Peterson, of the JEFF
ferson forest, who, in two months,
captured ten wolves, "a coyotes, and
six wildcats.
Bears are numerous upon the Bit
terroot National Forest, and in the
season Of 1908, killed 81 head Of
cattle and horses. A hunter was
placed on this forest last spring and
succeeded in killing six bears, one of
which was large grizzly.
The governments work in poisoning
prairie dogs on infested stock ranges
in district one, has had results this
year, which forest officers have de-
cided warrant it's continuance in 1910.
For two years, systematic efforts up
on an extensive scale have been made
by the forest service in cooperation
with the stockmen, to rid the National
Forest Ranges in Arizona, Colorado
and New Mexico of these pests, but
this work was not undertaken in tho
northwest until the spring Of 1909.
Eastern Montana and the Dakotas
seem to be the worst-infested portion
of this district. The national forest
areas of these regions are compare
lively small, but in some instances
the colonies or towns of these an
finals cover an area of several hun
dred acres and the native forage
plants have been greatly injured,
while some range areas outside the
forests have been practically dew
astated.
In the spring of the present year,
small allotments of funds were made
to the supervisors Of the Custer and
Sioux national forests for the purpose
of starting this work. The funds were
for the most part expended In pur-
chasing strychnine and other drugs
used in preparing grain for bait, while
the grain was furnished by the set
tiers.
The poisoned grain, usually wheat,
was distributed at the holes through
out the dog towns, both by forest off,
GERS and by forest users. More time
was consumed in perfecting the plan
of cooperation than had been antici.
pated and much of the bait was put
out too late to obtain the best results.
though several large dog towns were
entirely cleaned up. Experience has
proven that the grain should be put
out very early in the spring-in fact,
Just as soon as the animals appear
from their winter quarters-for the
best results may be obtained before
green grass becomes available.
"A very few years ago forest con-
servation' was little more than a
phrase; to-day it is vital issue in
our national development" says
Treadwell Cleveland, Jr., in a circu-
lar on the status of forestry in this
country, which has just been issued
by the United States forest service.
I'm connection with the general plan
to conserve all natural resources, 1t
is the most important and far-reaching
economic policy ever adopted and pur-
sued by any nation.
THE forest is one of the chief sup
ports Of the whole material fabric of
our civilization. The forest means not
only a permanent supply of wood and