The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-01-16
ON A BIG PRESERVE.

IN. H., anu saw now the largest nero
of bufaloes in the world was cared
for during the winter months. The
successful management of this rapidly
increasing herd is, of course, matter
of national importance, and the most
important effort being made at the
present time in the interest of Ameri-
can big game is the effort directed
toward the permanent preservation oi
this and the few remaining herds of
buffalo by the Federal Government.
But there are many other wild
creatures in Corbin Park which need
more or less attention during the win
ter. There are elk and deer and wild
boar by hundreds, and moose, nobody
knows how many, since they usually
remain deep in the woods and show
themselves only at rare intervals.
Next to the bufaloes, the wild boar
are tne first animals requiring the at
tention of the superintendent. In the
spring, summer and autumn these
vigorous creatures get their own living
chiefly by roofing in the ground, but
when the earth is frozen hard as iron
and covered with snow besides, root
ing is out of the question. The boar
are fed upon whole corn, which in the
fall is stored away in old deserted
houses and barns, or in huge feed
boxes, made on purpose, in different
sections of the forest.
Each ofthese sections is in charge of
man whose business it is to see that
all the game in his territory have food
enough to keep them in good condi-
tion. First of all, he selects one or
more places for feeding grounds, and
here he scatters his corn. But wild
boar are shy creatures, and it is the
mans duty to see to it that all the
boar in his section are regularly Wis
iting the feeding grounds. He must
tramp over hill and dale through the
dense woodland and learn where the
different colonies of boar are nesting.
Then he must show them the way to
the feeding grounds by laying trails
of corn, sometimes for mile or more,
leading to one of the spots which is to
be woodland dining room for the
rest of the winter. In some cases
this trail has to be laid over and over
again before the man is sure that all
the boar are visiting the feeding
ground. Afterward he feeds them
every other day, making his trips on
snowshoes, of course, since the deep
SHOWS usually make it impossible to
travel in the forest without them.
The alternate days are spent in feed
Ing theelk and deer moose. The natur-
al food for these creatures in winter
consists largely of the twigs of certain
trees and shrubs. As most of the
suitable twigs within reach of the an
imals have already been eaten it is
necessary to cut browse especially for
them. This work is now done under
the supervision of a forester, who sees
that no valuable trees are cut for this
purpose. Indeed, in order to save
the trees, the elk are often fed on hay,
which is stored in different parts OF
the preserve and distributed as it is
needed. A few nights ago I came
upon band of fifty elk in the moon
light, quietly feeding on hay in the
deserted barnyard of what had once
been thriving farm.
AS I said before, the moose are not
often seen, though their great tracks,
leading to and from piles of freshly
cut browse, are frequently seen. Not
long ago a man who was working in
the forest had still more striking evi.
dence of their presence. In the course
of his wanderings he came upon a
fallen tree, the top of which barred
his path. He was an agile fellow,
and, leapirg over it, he landed almost
on the back of big bull moose, which
leaped to its feet and charged him on
the instant.
He needed no further incentive tc
"step lively" and lodged behind
tree after tree in his efforts to escape
the wrath of his mighty adversary,
whose rest he had unwittingly broken
1t was half an hour before he finally
succeeded in escaping by strategy,
and, in spite of the low temperature,
he was perspiring from every pore.
With the exception of the boar, the
animals are usually fed early in the
day, but the wild pigs are nervou;
| folk (albeit they are rough customer:
when wounded or cornered), and un
less extremely hungry, do not like te
approach the feeding grounds unit
dusk. Then it is that their food /:
scattered, for if it was put out earlier
the deer would pick it up before the
arrival of the boar. Usually, after
the wild hogs have returned to thei
nests under the spruces, there is mor'
or less corn to be seen upon the feed
ing ground. and bright and early mex
morning this is picked up by a little
army of birds, chief among which ar
the ruffed grouse and blue jays.
One of the most important matter
which engaged the attention OF tn
superintendent of the White Noun
tain forest during the winter is th'
inspection of the fence which enclose'
the great tract of "a 900 acres. Thi
fence is eight and half feet high
and is made chiefly of stout wire
stretched taut on posts twelve fee
apart. In addition to the wire, ther
is a heavy netting reaching to tn
height of six feet, and also stretches
upon the posts. AS matter of fact
this fence seldom breaks under an,
strain which is put upon it, but as 1t
breaking is among the possibilities
and might entail very serious loss,
must be inspected at frequent inter
, vals, especially in winter. Atte
every severe storm, and often durlni
the storm itself, men are sent out t
"walk" this fence, each man bein
required to inspect given section c
it. Simple as this duty is, it is not IN
attended by danger. If "a man shoul
fall and break a leg or stun himself
miles from any dwelling, the accider
would mean almost certain deaf
where the temnerature is apt to