Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1929-08-22
$4,000 Acre Game
Refuge at Edgemont

tween the state and federal authori-
ties whereby North Carolina has come
into possession of $4,000 acres of
mountain land near Edgemont which
will be developed as the Daniel
Boone Game Refuge" J. P. Stepp,
assistant state game warden in
charge of the second district, an
nounced in Winston-Salem Monday
night, says The Journal.
The vast acreage is to be cared
from Pisgah National Forest and has
been leased by the North Carolina
department of conservation and de-
velopment for game refuge. The
area is to be enclosed with one
strand of heavy wire. This work is
already under way, r. c. Ray, resi-
dent warden having supervision OF
the project, Mr.. Stepp asserted. The
territory is being posted to prevent
trespassing.
The refuge will constitute one of
the largest achievements inf game
conservation attained in the south,
it is believed. Five head of deer
are being brought to the area from
the Burleson, of Brushy Creek, re-
fuge near Spruce Pine, and elk will
also be placed in the Daniel Boone
refuge. C. n. Nease, assistant state
warden in charge of the first district,
is supervising the transfer. Other
animals will probably be added to
the reservation from time to time.
According to Mr.. Stepp, plans are
now on foot to organize several aux
iliary refugees in the district for the
purpose of encouraging the consel va
tion of game through adequate pro-
lection of animals and birds from
the ruthless huntsman. Land for
auxiliary refugees is provided usually
by private individuals, he intimated.
Mr.. Stepp was accompanied here
from his headquarters in Lemon by
W. L. Nothstein, district forester,
and both men conferred with Sart-
ford Martin, member of the North
Carolina department of conservation
and development. Mr.. Nothstein has
charge of fire prevention work in
eight counties comprising tbs sec
ond district, all county fire M&rdens
serving under his direction. He is
ported that fire losses have been
slight in the district for the past
seven months, partly owing to wealth
er conditions.
There are six forestry districts in
the state with headquarters al Ashe-
vile, Lenoir. Fayetteville, New Bern,
Windsor and Wilmington. Each dis
trict forester has a number of coun-
ty wardens under his supervision
and these wardens usually have
about so deputies who work only in
event of fire outbreaks. The Pied
mont section in which the metro
polls of the Carolinas is located. has
not yet been organized, since lack
of ample funds has caused the state
authorities to first organize forest
areas, leaving other districts to he
organized when a better financial,
status is reached.
The forestry program in his dis
trict is proceeding along progressive
lines and more and more people are
coming to see the tremendous dan
ger and economic losses frequently
caused by mere carelessness in hand
ling fire, Mr.. Nothstein pointed
out. Considerable publicity and fire
prevention propaganda handled
through his office has had the effect
of winning many converts to the for
est conservation program, Mr.. Moth
stein stated.
Messrs. Nothstein and Stepp work
out of the same office and their ac-
tivities are to some extent correlated.
The game warden assists in all pros
ecutions for violation of game laws,
supervises the activities of the coun-
ty game wardens, checks up on Ii
cense sales and stimulates interest
in and helps with the organization
of Isaac Walton leagues. Mr.. Stepp
was actively identified with the
movement to bring the Daniel Boone
game refuge into being.