The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-02-05
BUFFALOES
WILL HAVE
COMPANY
GOVERNMENT INTR r O.
DUcES HERD OF ANTE
LOPE INTO OKLAHOMA

refuge in the state OF Oklahoma, has
informed the department of agricul-
ture OF the receipt in good condition
of eight head OF antelope, which came
from the National herd in the yellow
stone park Through the generosity
OF members of the Boone and Crock
en- club of New York, funds were
furnished for capturing and trans
porting these ANIMALS from Wyoming
10 Oklahoma. The news OF the arrival
OF the antelope at their destination
has been received with satisfaction
by the department officials, who are
much interested in the attempt TO
preserve this interesting game ami
NAL
The pronghorned antelope is I'M
like any other antelope on the lace
of the earth. and has so many peculi'
arities that naturalists class ii in
family by itself. Formerly exist
ing by thousands on our open western
plains. it has now been so reduced
in numbers that its absolute eXtlnc-
ton is certain in the very near tu-
ture unless protection is given to the
few remaining. 1t does not do Well
east OF the Mississippi river, and can
not be successfully bred in captivity
but Il thriyes If allowed to roam prac-
tically free within large enclosures
and under conditions closely approach
ing the natural ones.
In 1905 the biological survey estl-
mated that the total number OF ante
lone in the United States had been
reduced to 1900. OF these about
10 600 were in Montana, Wyoming and
the Yellowstone National PARK, and
the remaining 1000 were distributed
IN II other states.
On the Wichita game refuge it is
hoped that the antelope will hnd
themselves In surroundings suited TO
their increase. The Wichita is reaS
/ Is a National forest, and Game War
den Rush acts as its supervisor and
attends to all the business involved
/ In its administration. But in the
/ Wichita. which was set aside by act
/ OF congress as a national game refuge
/ because OF its especial suitability 10
act as a breeding place for the wild
7 creatures VI AnN DloiilS fhh ACNNi
Rocky mountain regions. the import
anee of the game work has overshad-
owed the ordinary uses of a national
! forest. There are over 150 national
I forests but only two national game
/ refugees
This does not mean that outside OF
these refugees the game on the nation
al forests is not protected, for the
national forest officers are uniform
/ ly instructed to see that the game
4 laws OF the various states are obsery-
4 ed on the, forests, in so far as they
/ can do This in justice to their other
/ duties. Many of the forest officers
are regularly appointed deputy state
game wardens, and it is the policy OF
the department. of agriculture to en-
courage their acting in this capacity
when they can do so without prejud.
I ice TO their work as forest officers
] They are not. however expected to GO
Oft the forests in order to enforce the
game laws of the states, nor can
I they make enforcement of game laws
! their principal occupation. The work
| OF forest officer in looking after
Uncle Sans affairs generally insures
his being pretty busy man, aud what
he does in enforcing game laws car
only be incidental to selling timber
protecting the forests from fires, look
ing after grazing matters, and responC
ing to the various other calls which
use OF the forests by the public in
wolves.
Ordinarily. game matters pertain tt
the states. and not TO the national gov
ernment. The state preseribes whei
= and under what conditions game may
be killed. II il desires to prohibit
the killing of game in certain parts o
I the state in order that the game ma!
J breed there, and these parts Of thu
states are within the naional forest
the government co-operates with thu
state to carry out the law. Such co
. operation may require the closing o
fixed areas of the national forests
to grazing for when big game be
comes plentiful it must have suff
cient food sully left on the range I,
carry Il through the winter or it vii
succumb for lack of sustenance
the range is fully utilized by cattl
and sheep during the summer, elk ant
deer will fare hardly in the winter
In the Wichita and the Grand Car
yon game refugees the government ha
4 not left the matter of caring for tn
game protection wholly to the states
but has established nationu. reserva
tions on which an attempt will b.
made to breed game The Wichita |
i notable for the fact that it has smal
4 herd Of buffalo upon it, which tn
game warden regards as the appl
Il OF his eve. They were donated by tn
American Bison society and shippe
8 from the New York geological garde
4 In 1908. They then numbered 10, an
have since been increased by the al
dtion of 10 calves: two OF the origin
al herd. however, died in the frs
year To the buffaloes are now adde
the antelopes.
The antelopes were shipped froE
Z Yellowstone park. and have been iii
Grated in one Of the buffalo yard
which had been prepared for then
Il They will be given more and bette
Il range as soon as a proper wire el
closure can be made To additioni
n head are expected to follow the eigl
Il already received. Since the antelor
cnce SO abundant on the plains,
in serious danger OF entire extin
81 tion, this attempt to establish tn
species on the Wichita game pr
serve will be watched with intere'
by all who wish to see our native wif
II animals given chance to perpet
ate themselves though surrounded /
III civilization