Arizona republican., 1913-03-03
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 IDEAL FUR GAME
State Land Commission Rec ommends Graham Noun tain for State Game Pre- serve in Report to Gov cinOl Hunt

The state land commission rendered recently a report to Governor Hunt covering the work of the commission from the time of the last report. In this report, there are q number of strong recommendations Among these and one of the most interesting is that recommending the Graham or Pinaleno mountains as q state game preserve. Of the whole section the commission says:
 This range, which is less frequently but more officially known as the Pi- nalcno mountains, begins at a point near the Cochise county line. where it is separated from the Dos Cabczas range by a pass few miles wide.
 through which the Southern Pacific railroad runs, and extends in a general northWesterly direction for distance of something more than thirty miles
 Lying in the same general direction, the santa Teresas form q northern continuation and the range composed of the two groups constitutes com pleto division of the county. from the Cochise county line in the south to the san Carlos Apache Indian reservation on the north.
 Since the area embraced within these mountain groups has been discussed as q possible site for the establishment of a state game preserve it is thought to be worth while to set out herein the commissions findings
 The Graham mountains with which this feature of the commissions report will chiefly deal, are, as stated. some thing more than thirty miles in length. and vary in width. as the crow flies. from about eight miles to more than twice that distance. while q journey from base to base, over the mountains at their widest point. would probably mean d trip of nearly tWenty-fiv miles On the northern or northeastern side ! they are remarkably procipitous l climbing as rapidly as to seem almost straight up, from an altitude of about 1 5000 feet in the GiIa alley and slightly 1 higher in the mesas and foothills, to 1 height of 1O.516 feet at the apex of Mount Graham. from which peak the range takes it's most commonly used name. On the southern or southwest ern side the descent is more gradual. i from the point mentioned to the Sul- phur Springs and Aravaipa valleys where the altitude averages about 1000 | feet.
 on a very large portion of their area l the mountains are heavily wooded with | pine, cedar. walnut. quaking aspen. oak. and many other growth of timber and
 shrubs. Though considerable of the first named timber has ben cut. a full ! stand remains. and lumber activities | may be said to constitute an industry ! of the region About the base of the i mountains. on every side. there is q l heavy growth Of scrub oak and other varieties of small trees or shrubs. while a little higher and extending upward
 several miles. are quantities of cedar, walnut and other timber and under growth, constituting an ideal retreat for wild game. The grazing is first class and numerous small streams of l snOwwatar find their way to the low | lands
 Climatic conditions are exceedingly favorable, since winters rigors. at their
 worst, rarely compel a retreat from the sheltering pines of the topmost peaks. | There is considerable snow, to be sure,
 and in the canyons and gulches of the
 north side it frequently lies until July
 but on the south side it does not long
 remain. and descent of two miles
 from the apex of the mountains at any
 time of winter is sufficient to escape
 the snow belt
 The area is fairly well stocked with
 deer at the present time while there
 are few turkeys. an occasional bear and an ample supply of mountain lions
 and wild eats.
 Being surrounded on practically
 every side by populous valleys. isolated
 from other mountains and other for
 ests. and not contiguous or yet very close to hunting grounds of any Indian
 tribe. the Graham mountains would
 seem to be ideally located. and favored by every essential natural condition
 for a wild game preserve. Protected by q statute prohibiting shooting at al seasons of the year. and placed under the care of a warden, aided by tho forest rangers. all varieties of game placed within the preserve would un' doubtcdly multiply with great rapid l ity.
 The Santa Tcresas, extending north west are about half as long and hal as wide as the Grahams, very muci more rugged and broken, and contail less water and poorer grazing Tn stand of pine timber is comparatiVel, 1 insignificant. though there are larg quantities of the smaller varieties o f trees and browse. To add this are; to the proposed Graham mountain pre- serve would mean added protection fo II i the game.