The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-09-05

bering eighty head, maintains its ex-
;stence without being fed.
The mountain sheep look entirely
to their own welfare through the win
ter. The biggest herd assemblies on
Junction Butte, across the Yellow
stone river a few miles from Tower
Falls. The moose, scattered through
out the park, are entirely independ-
ent. The bears, of course, hibernate
through the winter.
The antelope, whose preservation
has been the chief game problem of
the country during the last few years.,
require especial care during the win
ter. The herd, numbering around two
hundred and fifty, leaves the park
area where feeding conditions are not
favorable and grazes on the sweet
a g in ranches to the north. Through
out the winter the herd is guarded
constantly by two rangers, who pro-
tect against coyotes and wolves and
other ~misfortunes. AS a result of
this careful nursing, last winter only
five antelope were lost from age and
all causes, and there was a natural
increase of over fifty head.
Besides the emergency feeding,
there are other problems in the care
of the Yellowstone animals. One of
these is the elimination of predatory
animals, which feed on the young of
the elk, deer and antelope. Last win
ter 207 coyotes and Fl wolves were
shot or trapped by rangers. The Of
fensive will continue this winter. The
mountain lions in the park have been
practically eliminated, reports last
winter indicating the presence in the
park of not more than four of these
, game destroyers.
Protection against poaching is an
other important task of the rangers.
There are many valuable fur-bearing
animals in the park, such as beaver,
marten, otter and ermine, which con-
stitute a continual temptation to
trappers. The rangers winter pa
trolls must therefore include even the
most isolated and remote sections.
Nineteen winter stations and snow
shoe cabins are maintained in the
park throughout the winter. The
snowshoe cabins are stocked in the
{ fall with seven months provisions.
, All rangers make a regular monthly
written report, and report Immediate
ly by telephone to headquarters at
Mammoth Hot Springs whenever ex-
traordinary conditions arise. The
r rangers keep all telephone lines in or
4 der throughout the winter.
In the bleak, lonely months of mid
winter, Yellowstone park is very
f different from the smiling regior
known to summer tourists. Deer
e SHOWS cover the entire park area anC
n travel between stations is possible
, only by ski CT snowshoe. Last white
D the use of dog-sleds was attempted
1t but such transport did not prov,
l. practicable because the snow ordinar
l. lily does not pack sufficiently hard
The work of a ranger in winter re
t.. quires broad experience out of doors
is an iron constitution, and a read
le nerve to meet all contingencies.
I'd All activities in behalf of anims
welfare come within general scope 0
in the administration of the park super
" intendent, Horace nj. Albright, no'
is serving his fifth year as superintenC
ed ent of Yellowstone National parI
lie Mr.. Albright is deeply interested i
rs his animal charges and maintains cor
Ell tinual and close contact with anims
a friends and lovers of nature through
IF. out the country.
C. Directly in charge of rangers
er Chief Ranger Samuel T. Woodrin:
of whose most eminent characteristic
re his sympathy for wild animals. M
rs. Woodring, popularity known as "Sam
r. has at one time or another made
ny pet of almost every species of animi
in the park. His friends will tie
mt of his woodchuck pal at CanyC
er Camp, of the injured elk that
an nursed with a bottle, of wolf cubs thi
loved him like so many puppies. ]
~ his earlier life Woodring served mar
in years as chief army packer, havir
campaigned in Cuba. the Philippine
,m and Mexico. He was a great hors
Re man, also, having accompanied Gel
On. erals Wood and Miles and Presidel
an Roosevelt on historic rides. He W;
BE- in Yellowstone in the period of Il
'ut army administration, later became
ain ranger, assistant chief, and finally,
Id 1921, chief ranger.
lot The assistant chief rangers are ]
seph Douglas, Harry freshman, E.
M Scoyen and Bob" Lacombs. All
yes these men have had a tremendous e
raj perience in hard life out of door
the The entire ranger force during t
The coming winter win number thirty-tv
zen men, all fitted by experience and pc
for sonal enthusiasm for their tasks.
ere Douglas was an army packer +