Evening star., 1909-01-24

them except during short open season.
The largest number are in Maine and
sportsmen get about 100 head year
In that country. There were for
merly a few caribou in Maine. but they
have disappeared. and there are none now
in our territory except Alaska, where it
Is one OF the most abundant and inn
portant of the big game animals.
There are four other kinds of big game
In the west-deer. antelope. mountain
sheep and mountain goat. There are four
types Of deer-the white tail, the black
tail, the mule deer and the dwarf deer of
Arizona. They are scattered all over the
west, and, indeed. wild deer can be found
In all of the states except Delaware, Ohio.
Indiana. Illinois and Kentucky. There
are more deer in Maine, Michigan, Wis
consin. Minnesota and Arkansas than in
the Rocky mountains. There are plenty
of deer in all of the national forests. but
they do not go in herds and are SO scat
tered that they cannot be counted. While
the national forests are being leased by
the government for pastures, some ar
rangements ought to be made to protect
the deer from the herds Of sheep, for they
Deer will mix with cattle, but they will
not mix with sheep.
Antelope Without Friends.
The antelope is in the worst condition
of any wild animal in the United States;
touched bottom and is now coming up
again The buffalo has active, influential
friends, who are making provision for
him, and he will begin to increase in num-
bers from this time on, but the antelope
has no friend to protect him and is rapid
ly disappearing from the earth. Very few
remain except in the Yellowstone Park,
where there is a herd OF about 1900 ami
mails. but they will not survive long If the
Montana legislature continues to allow an
open season as at present. The altitude
of the park is too high for antelope, ex-
cept in the northeastern corner, where
they range during the summer, and they
come down to Gardiner and feed outside
of the boundaries of the park in the win
ter. where the hunters can get at them.
When Col. Pitcher was superintendent of
the Yellowstone Park he planted a hun
dred acres Of alfalfa for the antelope to
feed upon, but the location is too near the
boundary, for when the animals come
dead line into Montana and are shot.
Something should be done to stop this.
The open season in Montana should be
abolished until the herd OF antelope has
been very much increased.
There are several species of mounts ain
sheep in the Rocky mountain region. and
although they are protected by state laws.
they are getting very scarce. The noun
tain goat is still more so. but they are not
hunted very much and are able to take
care of themselves.
Bears Becoming a Menace.
The officials OF the Yellowstone Park
say that the bears are becoming too nu
merous there. and are already a menace
to other game. 1t is proposed to offer
them to the geological gardens throughout
the country and reduce the number an
nually. They can be easily trapped and
shipped out of the park. They are very,
very tame, and come down into the neigh
borhood of the hotels daily to feed on the
garbage that is thrown out for them. The
bears are the scavengers OF the park.
Every tourist makes their acquaintance
and brings away kodak pictures taken
at feeding times, which are arranged for
their convenience. The bears have their
supper as regularly as the tourists and
eat the same food which Is set out for
them at the same hour every night in the
rear of the hotel. They are generally very
prompt in attendance and come early to
entertain the tourists before the cook
brings out their rations. They are per-
fectly harmless, and are often playful
and amusing. Geological gardens which
are in need of bears can apply to the Sec
retary of the Interior.
The Canadian government is much wiser
in providing for the wild game that roam
about it's territory than the government
OF the United States. Only the other day
the governor general Of Canada issued
proclamation setting aside 40 square
miles as permanent sanctuary for elk.
deer, mountain goat, mountain sheep and
other animals, and forbidding sportsmen
to shoot them for period of ten years.
The southern line of the preserve Is sixty
three miles north of the international
boundary: the eastern line is the Elk rv-
er, fifteen miles from the western bound
airy of Alberta: the western line is the
Bull river, and the preserve stretches
northward to the elk and deer ground
breeding ranges on the headwaters of the
White river The preserve includes the
summit of the continental divide and both
the eastern and western slopes. which are
already richly stocked with game and
are familiar to many American sports
men.
Protection From Hunters.
There are said to be about 900 noun
tain goats. 200 mountain sheep, 5000 elk,
900 mule deer and other wild game in
the territory which Is reserved, but they
were being rapidly eXterminated by
hunters from all parts of the world before
the new law was passed for their protec
ton. The best judges believe that ten
years of closed season will not only re-
store the herds to their original numbers.
but will result in an overflow from the
new park into the outside country that
will be sufficient TO furnish all the sport
that can be justified.
The United States needs such a pre-
serve quite as much as the Dominion,
and Congress will be urged to take some
action authorizing the President to fence
off certain portions of the national forests
for game refugees.