Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-24
TO SAVE THE BISON
Government Has Large Herd
on Enclosed Reservation.
RANGE OF $4,000 ACRES
Animals in Good Condition in an
Ideal Location.
IN CHARGE OF GOOD HERDER
DR.. Henry Henshaw, Chief Of Bio
logical Survey, Pays Visit
Of Inspection.
N CHARGE OF GOOD HERDER

The future Of the American bison, pop
ularly known as the buffalo, is secure
This is the belief of DR.. Henry Henshaw,
chief of the biological survey Of the De-
partment of Agriculture, who has just
returned to Washington from trip to
the west, In the course of which he in
that has been established in a reserva-
ton set apart for the purpose in the old
Flathead Indian reservation.
DR.. Henshaw is pleased with the out
look of the herd, and says that the To-
cation is ideaL and that the animals
are doing as we'll as could be wished.
The range has been fenced, and con-
tains $4,000 acres. There are about for
ty-seven animals now in the herd, and
there were added this summer. nine fe-
male calves that are as fine specimens
as could be hoped for.
In speaking of the matter DR.. Henshaw
said:
Well Adapted to Purpose.
THE range is beautiful. just to the
liking of the animals, and with enough
grass country, wood and hills to give
them the diversity they need. Mission
creek, which is good-sized stream, runs
through the range, and there are tribu-
taries and number of cold springs.
I'VE were fortunate in the man We
got for herder His name is Hedges,
and he used to be a game warden In
Colorado. He is fond Of animals and
looks after the herd well.
Il was surprised to see how the ami
mails had become used to him. You let
a stranger approach and their first i'm
pulse is to move OF, but I rode out with
Hedges, and as soon as we got where
his voice would carry to them, perhaps
half mile away. he shouted and let
them know who he was. 1t was re-
markable.
Recognize the Caretaker.
They did not actually prick up their
ears, as their ears are not built that way,
but they threw up their heads and stood
their ground till we were up within say
thirty yards of them. Then we stopped
and they spread out and went on grazing
and actually lay down. They are as
pretty and healthy looking as you could
imagine. just like big, we'll kept cows.
III stranger went among them on
foot l do not know what the result would
be. whether they would charge him or
whether they would stampede. had
chance to see one stampede, which the
animals started apparently just for fun
and deviltry. They streamed away down
one hill across a piece OF grassland and
up another hill until they disappeared.
1t was remarkable to see how those big
and apparently ungainiy beasts handled
themselves at full speed on a hill 1 was
surprised that the cows seemed to lead
the bunch and boss it like a lot Of suf-
fragettes. Maybe they are.
Alkai Dust Preferred to Salt.
THE herder had been in the habit at
first Of putting out salt for them in the
region where they grazed, but now they
have their own system and stick to it.
Once every Ave days they come down to
Mission creek and spend the day grazing
around. playing in the water and licking
the alkali dust. They seem to like that
better than salt You can see long way
off where they are playing by the dust
cloud that is going up
II don't think there Is any question
but that with this single herd in the fine
natural surroundings they enjoy the flu
ture Of the American bison in this coun-
try Is Secure."