The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-10-04
Wild Life Protection
By Frederick J. Haskin.

llOIs w oil Is a DGllCllI W w llO
life in that it takes many hunters out
of the field and has raised the average
price of guns and ammunition about 50
per cent, making hunting what it is
rapidly becoming in this country anyway
"a rich man sport
But hunting should not be a rich
mans sport. Game should be abundant
enough in this country so that every
man who liked the outdoors could have
his days afield and his share of the
game without the expense of a long
journey or of belonging to club which
maintains a game preserve. The tar
corners of the wilderness and the game
preserves are the only places where any
wild life will remain in few years if
the cause of protection is neglected.
These are the facts which the Wild
Life Protection Fund is trying to bring
home to the American people. Apathy
and failure to realize the facts are the
difficulties encountered.
Between 5000, 900 and 5000, 900 men
60 hunting IN the United States every
year. Once hunter, always hunter.
There is not one of these men but wants
the sport to continue and wants his son
to enjoy it, too. These men cannot fail
to observe that the game is decreasing
year by year, but most of them do not
realize how widespread and rapid the
decrease is, that nothing but concerted
action all over the United States can
stop it.
In addition to these sportsmen there
are the large and substantial interests
that depend upon recreation seekers for
business, wholly or in part-hotels,
guides, lines of transportation. Most
of them are in favor of some degree
of protection. but oppose the long
closed seasons for a period of years
which are row the only means that can
save the game.
The Wild Life Protection Fund, in its
literature and the lectures of its dis
tinguished campaigning trustee. Will
liam T. Hornaday of the New York
Geological Park, is seeking to spread
the idea thai the sportsmen must act to
save the game, that they are robbing
themselves and future generations if
they do not.
Another difficulty in the path of game
preservation lies in the opposition in
Congress to Federal action in the mat
ter. Nothing but Federal action saved
the wild fowl. By reason of the mi
gratory game law, drawn by govern
ment scientists and providing protec-
tion for water fowl from Canada to
Mexico, they are now believed to be
safe for 100 years.
Nothing but Federal action can save
the big game of the West, which is
dwindliDg at rate that promises early
determination of many species. The
case Of Colorado is typical. No longer
ago than 1900 deer to the number of
5000 were killed in Routt county alone.
Now deer are scarce throughout the
state and are protected at all times Of
the year in an effort to save them from
determination.
The fact which the average sportsman
does not realize Is that when a species
of wild game is reduced to a certain
point it cannot ''come back" no mat
ter how much it is protected.
For example in 1884 the buffalo hunt
ers said and believed that there would
always be plenty of buffalo. In 1885
they went out to hunt them and there
were none. 1t took them two years to
realize the fact that the buffalo were
practically extinct. Wolves and hunt
ers destroyed the remnant much faster
than it could breed.
Of courseithe buffalo has been oyer
worked as an object lesson in game pro-
lection. AS opponents of protective
measures have been pointed out, the
buffalo could not have survived civiliza-
ton except in very limited numbers
anyway.
But this is rot true of deer, elk and
mountain sheep which inhabit the high
mountain ranges that will always be a
wilderness There is only one measure
which can save them and that is the
provision Of game refugees on national
forests where these animals can breed
unmolested and the increase restock the
surrounding country.
The plan proposed by the Wild Life
Protective Fund is for a chain of these
refugees which would dot the Rocky
Mountain region from one end of the
country to the other. They would in
no way interfere with stock raising or
mining. The regulations could be
quite effectively enforced by national
forest officers. Such law would mean
the certain saving of big game in many
sections and it would probably lead to
its increase throughout the Rocky
Mountain region.
In view of the increasing use of the
national forests as Fairgrounds by the