The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1917-03-16
The Superior National Forest
Reserve and State Game
Preserve.
Communicated
(Communicated)

The Superior National Forest Re
serve and State Game Preserve, Gre
ate a mental picture of what they
would imply, a wire fenced in affair
on a gigantic scale where game, both
big and small, were protected and
bred In large numbers, and in which
wild life in general is encircled by the
huge arm of the law. I dare say that
very few, if any, have ever given the
matter even passing reflection or gone
to the trouble of looking up its geo.
graphical position, merely jumping
to the conclusion that what sounds
good must be good.
1 would like to meet and shake
hands with the man in whose brain
originated the idea Of game pre-
serve In which big game in our north
woods would be protected, for the
motive behind the idea is gem rarely
If ever equalled.
In my twelve years experience in
our north woods as hunter and trap
per, this places me, believe, in a
position enjoyed by very few in this
state, and that is of having acquired
actual first hand knowledge of con-
ditions as they really exist among
among animal life in this state game
preserve, acquired through years of
hardship and privation in the wilder
ness an unbiased account of which
would bring forth your opinion that
/ was either liar or a fool, but it
is all in the days work of any man
that wants to make himself worthy
of the name of hunter and trapper
Being of the Chippewa Indian tribe
and speaking the language, also being
in constant association with our red
brother whom we may justly call
"The natural born Naturalist" l feel
that as to knowledge of past history
of game life in our north woods as
handed down by the people who
really know, in justice to myself and
the public I can take no odds from
any man in the northern part OF
Minnesota today. ~. co..
1t is absolutely impossible for any
man to Judge fairly the condition OF
wild life in any territory during the
summer months On canoe trip you
may see many moose and other an
imals, while the party one day be-
hind or head of you may not see
any, you naturally have reason to
feel that the country you are in is
fairly Astounding with game, not so
with the other fellow, who has con-
trary opinion-at that you may be
both right or both wrong. The
country in which you are travelling
may be fairly overrun with game and
you may not see any, on the other
hand, it is possible to see all there
is In very large area around you at
one small favored feeding ground, so
it would be rather amusing at times
if it did not get monotonous to hear
peoplet ell about the amount of game
in our northern wilderness after
making a canoe trip, ninety-nine per-
cent of whom may have never made
an imprint of a snow shoe.
During the winter months when the
ground is covered with snow is the
only time when fair estimate can
be arrived at as to actual conditions
of any game preserve when most all
animals and many Of the birds leave
behind them in the shape of tracks
an exact record Of their numbers,
habits and movements.
AS in time of bodily ailments we
turn to the physician; to the lawyer
we turn for legal advice in times of
legal misunderstanding; to whom
then could we more safely seek for
information on wild life and its proper
protection in our north woods than to
the man that follows the life of
hunter and trapper, and whose very
existence and that of his family hinges
at times on his knowledge and ability
70 ha dc hof
before him. In my trapping opera
tions which have extended over q
large part of st. Louis, Lake and Cook
counties, north of the Mesaba range,
and Of which the state game preserve
is a part, it has very often occurred
to me to what disadvantage this pre-
serve is located geographically, how
inconsistent are the laws of the state
in many cases working actual harm
instead of giving protection, how the
large overdrawn appropriations for
wolf bounties every year can be com,
pared only to the man trying to fill
a basket with water. How this game
preserve taken in connection with its
geographical position is sadly but
surely defeating the ends for which 1t
was intended; how the Moose, the
Monarch and greatest asset Of this So
called playground of a nation" is
slowly but surely, leaving for other
parts and bids fair in very short
time to have disappeared entirely.
In the interest of our wild life /
deem It only fair to all real sports
men feeling interested in this noble