Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-01-21
TAYLOR APPEALS
FOR PROTECTION
OF ELK IN STATE

Replete with "reminiscences of 9TH
er days. and reflecting genuine inter
est In the proposal to re-stock Oregon
mountain sections with elk, w. A
fBillie) Taylor Of Macleay has writ
zen a letter to Salem lodge 336 b. r.
D. r.. In which the full scope and
plan OF the introduction and neces-
sary protection OF elk is graphically
DISCUSSED. Mr.. Taylor has state VIDE
reputation for wholesome interest In
the preservation of Oregon game ana
he was instrumental in securing the
carload of elk from Maiheur county
being released January l, In the ADJ
aua basin, Marion county
MFR. Taylor's letter is addressed 10
Charles r. Archerd. exalted ruler Of
the local lodge. and is as follows:
"As we are trying to restock our
mountain sections with elk, as it was
IN former years, l am going to ask
the different Elk lodges Of the state
and the sportsmsn to cooperate with
us In bringing this about.
Range Plentiful
range for elk in the eastern part OF
Marion county, where in former
years there were hundreds Of these
noble animals How well l remember,
when / was q boy, hearing the old
pioneer hunters tell about killing elk
mp in the Abiqua basin east of Silver
f0n--the real home Of the elk, where
a.. Az nrs
In one band; and I call to mind now
some of those old pioneers that were
true sportsmen. Uncle Wash Shaw OF
east Howell prairie, Uncle Johnny
Kays, Uncle Johnny Sappingfield,
Eiige Smith. Hon. George S. Down
ing, and many more I could mention,
would go up in the Silver Creek coun-
try and stay over night and come
back the next day with all their hors-
es packed with elk meat enough to
do the family for several weeks, Of
ten killing one that would dress eight
hundred pounds. SO you see we are
losing great revenue by not restock-
ing our mountains with elk.
''The question is often asked-what
mas become Of our elk? Through the
lack of proper game laws, the pot
hunters, and INSCRIPTIONS hunters
that considered 1t sport to shoot them
down and never take care OF the
meat, have almost exterminated
tnem. Well / remember a few years
ago up on the Santiam. two hunters
shot down fifteen elk and never dress
ed a single one And these men called
themselves sportsmen, and these are
the manner of sportsmen who have
extermnated our elk.
Lodge support Asked
''Now | hope the Elks lodge, the
sportsmen OF the entire state, will
give us their full support, and be-
iieve the time is not far distant when
We will have hundreds of elk roam
Ing over our mountains as they were
in former years. l have been working
for several years TO get our country
restocked with game, and on the first
day OF this month, through the cour-
tesy OF the game commission. l sue
ceeded In getting carload OF elk
from Enterprise, these were liberated
In the Abiqua basin; and | believe
that II you had been there and seen
the interest and the spirit OF the Sill
verton people, you would agree with
me that the whole people are heart
and soul with us. There were about
three hundred people that went out
10 see them liberated, The Silver Falls
Timber company put on special
train to carry the elk and the people
TO the east end Of the logging road
twenty seven miles east of Silverton.
and this company even did more than
this; they furnished dinner for ev-
erybody and everything was free SO
now, II the people throughout the
state would take the interest that the
Siiverton people do, we would havs
no trouble In restocking our forests
again with elk,
Other Protection Needed
"But we must have better protac-
ton | am having q bill framed to
present TO the special session OF the
Legislature TO make II a prison Of
fense instead of fine. The rich fell
low will willingly puy his fine TO get
TO kill an elk. The head and horns
and teeth are worth what the fine
would be, But II the poor fellow kills
one and cannot pay his fine, he has
TO lay It out In jail at the expense OF
the taxpayer / don't think we will
have any trouble In passing this bill,
No one win oppose II but the un-
scrupulous hunter and he Is the man