The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-05-12
FLOOD SWEPT GAME
FROM ARKANSAS
ESTIMATED A THOUSAND DEER
HAVE BEEN DROWNED-NOW
WANT LONG CLOSED SEASON.

ton of the St. Francis basin below
Memphis.
Last fall the deer were thicker in
that country than ever before known
In fact, they were too thick Tor rea!
good sport, because good pack oil
dogs would jump SO many thal
there would be deer going in all di-
rections at one time.
Now there are some twenty-five
head under the protecting wing or
rather rifle) of Bud Ellis on Powells
mounds and the levee. Some from
the back portion OF the basin may
have gone across the st. Frances
river to Crowley's ridge, and may re-
turn later to the basin. Aside from
these. the basin is devoid of deer.
Russell Il. Gardner, who owns a
large game preserve from Fritz land
ing back, came up from the overflow
yesterday. He has spent the major
portion OF the past few weeks pad
ding around in the overflow to see
the effect of the flood upon the
game. On his trips he was accom-
panied by Mr.. Berlin, who knows
about as much about the natural his
tory of swamp country as does
anyone.
The deer of the lower St Francis
basin are gone" said Mr.. Gardner
yesterday. In my excursions through
the overflow on and near my own
place | counted with my own eyes
siNty-three dead deer, some magnifi-
cent bucks with antlers that would
grace any Scotch MOBILES banquet
| hall. From others | have located the
carCasses of twenty-five other drown
| ed deer in the same territory.
ON the few mounds and ridges
| which have come out with the re-
| cesSion of the waters found no
deer All in that section have drown
ed, except the Bud Ellis herd and
| probably a dozen others
| "Comparing the area covered by
my investigation with the general
area of the overflow, where game
was as plentiful as it was al our
section. think an estimate OF 1,000
drowned deer is conservative ior the
lower St. Francis basin,
There is not enough .eEt to re-
stock the country unless tncy are
given the most rigid protection.
so far as my own preserve IS con
cerned. | have bought 100 deer
from "A park in Missouri, and as soon
as the water shall have gone off the
land ! Will bling them down to Fritz
landing and turn them loose.
This will restoc& my preserve,
but the remainder of the wild coun
try will be barren for years Of deer
Il see from the Commercial Ap
peal today that Governor Donaghey
will probably call special session
OF the legislature TO authorize a bond
issue to repair the flood damage to
the levea system and enlarge them
to the Siz necessary for our fu
ture protection. That is capita
idea, but We Sportsmen also want the
governor 10 embrace in his call the
matter Of game protection. ! am 80
.ns To telegraph him at once asking
that he submit the game protection
Idea to the legislature at the Specia
session, in the hope that we may Sc
cure the passage of an act making
|
deer in Crittenden, st. Francis ant
Lee counties
r. b. Ward of Scanlon, Ark. on,
of the leading sportsmen OF tha;
se,tion, was party to the cOnver
sation, and heartily concurred in tbs
suggestion of fiye-year closed seas
on for deer in the overflowed sec
ton. He also said that he would
write the governor at once.
Both he and Mr. Gardner asked
that all other sportsmen also write
him asking that the game protection
plan be embodied in the call. Unless
this is done, the Legislature could
not enact a law along that line.
Mr.. Gardner says that the indca
tiOnS now are for the finest turkey
season on record. The turkeys arr
living in trees and keeping fat or
bugs and worms from the tloatins
rotten logs
Of bears he saw none, either deat
or alive. in his overflow investiga
tions
The catamounts have suffered
greatly. They seem TO have beer
unable 10 care for themselves.
Il shot one catamount," said Mr.
Gardner, "out of a tree. and found
1t almost starved to death"
OF course, catamount can climi
a tree with great rapidly. but it:
short tail indicates that it cannot
make high speed along limbs and
jump from tree to tree like squirrels
and other animals whose long tails
balance and steer them.
Mr.. Gardner found traees 'of Eve
panthers on mounds which have
come out of the water. He and Mr.
Berlin spent a night on mornC
n an effort TO get one of the pan
thers, but We're not successful n;
has offered a reward of $1,000 fo
the two panthers which prey on hi:
game or around his preserve
The coons have also suffered mucl
from the sood
The destruction OF the catamount,
and coous will mean the salvation
of many turkeys, both young AM