The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1921-03-12
BIG HERD Of DEER
HAS DISAPPEARED

.On my recent winter trip, begin
ming January IL. over the Humboldt
Division CT this Forest. | made a
study as closely as possible. of win
tering conditions for our mule or
block tell deer. says Oscal Mink,
deputy supervisor of the Humboldt
Forest. Il was convinced throughout
the trip that the deer are wintering
quite satisfactory. Much to my per-
sonal regret and to that of Mr. Fred
Anderson of Gold Creek, something
disastrous has happened to herd
of thirty-six to fifty deer which have
heretofore sought their winter quar-
tiers in the haunts of Red Bluff on the
Bruneau river. These deer summer
in the head of Rattlesnake canyon
and on Copper mountain. Mr.. Ander-
son states that they have not been OBJ
served during the winter. nor has he
seen a single animal on the Bruneau
winter range. This is something
which has not occurred In the past
% years to his knowledge. The men,
bers of the Elko Fish and Game Club
are interested In. the protection and
propagation of our present number Of
game animals and now Is the oppor-
tune time to draft definite plans to
make a winter study and census of
our game animals and We should be
absolutely positive that our most won
derful game animals are not gradual
ly extinct.
In talking over the game situa-
ton with the majority of people. one
invariably hears such statements as
There are lots of deer When any
one uses that term they mean within
an area of probably 10000 acres, with
careful observation. it is possible to
count fifty head of these animals. At
least one member of the Elko Fish
and Game Club cannot agree with the
attitude of public sentiment towards
the protection and propagation of
these animals. when they say that
they are plentiful. l venture to esti-
mate that there are approximately
GOO deer In our Humboldt Forest, all
of which summer within the forest
and SO per cent of which seek their
winter haunts in lower and adjacent
territory in the state. The only safe
solution for the protection and pro-
pogation of these animals will be to
create a small game sanctuary (no
game preserve encouraged) within
each division of your forest of ap
proximately 10000 acres each. in
which no hunting shall be allowed at
all times of the year.
"At the present opening OF the deer
season in the state, the mule deer col
lect in herds of five to fifteen head,
for breeding purposes. During the
most favorable breeding season. from
October Is to November Ii each year,
they are seriously molested by hunt
ers. Unless the law is changed to
protect them for period of at least
five years, Elko county and the Elko
Fish and Game Club. by all means.
shoulu take the necessary action to
have these game sanctuaries set
aside. They can be located on each
division of the forest without inter
fering in any manner whatsoever with
the grazing of livestock. OF course.
there are a number Of ways in which
the present number Of game animals
within Elko county can be protected
and propogated and the above is
merely given in the spirit Of sugges-
ton from a member Of the Fish and
Game Club. who issgreatly interested
in the fish and game problems in our
county and state at all times"
NOT AIDING PROFITEER