The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-01-08
ELK MISSING
SAYS TELLER
Game on the Increase; Planted
Elk-Have Disappeared
Report Shows.

moose, deer, bear, and ruffed grouse
the most important of the game species
on the Superior National Forest are in
good condition, and have increased il
numbers the past year." according tt
report sent by r. A. zeller, Super
visor of the Superior National Forest
to E. w. Tinker, Federal Forester al
Milwaukee.
Commenting further upon the An
nual Fish and Game Reports, Mr.
Tinker, pointed out that the increase
Fof wild life, in the opinion of State
and Federal officers, has been due te
continued protection, absence of cpl
demic disease, and favorable winter ano
summer conditions during the past Il
months. The greater part of the SUI
perior National Forest is included with
in game refuge which naturally helps
game increase. The game sanctuary
is administered by the State of Mime
sofa. It contains a total acreage OF
10,653, 900 acres, 798,853 acres of which
are within the Forest boundaries.
The existence of caribou on the SUI
perior Forest, as has been heretofore
reported, has not been confirmed
Woodland caribou are exceedingly shy
and retiring, and with the increasing
use of the Forest for recreation by
humans they may have retired to the
wilds of Canada, the Supervisor ex-
plains. During the early history OF
the section when caribou were plenti-
full, there were no Whitehall deer. and
as the deer have appeared and become
established, the caribou gradually dis
appeared
The elk planted on the Kawishiw
District during the spring of 1880 have
disappeared, and have been reported
seen in localities from Is to 10 miles
from the point at which they were re-
leased
Last year reports indicated that
along the North Shore moose are more
in evidence than they have been in
the past, though it was thought that
this might be due to migration from
the north. In the Lac La Croiz
country there had been a great many
more visitors than in previous years
and the local people felt that the moose
were migrating to some extent into
Canada. It is not believed that the
migration is permanent, as moose visit
back and forth between Canada and
the U. S.
Bear have become quite tame, some
times to the point of becoming a pest
This has been especially true wher
berries have been scarce in the woods
and Bruin has come into the settle
mentS. In 1929 two bear were killed
on the main streets of Duluth, anc
several homes were raided in the out
skirts.
Observations indicate that the pin
mated grouse has increased in numbers
Until this year but few birds were
seen, but during 1881 several coveys o.
from to birds were noted on the
La Croix District, In widely separated
localities. A count was made of Il
ruffed grouse and six pinnated grouse
on a run from Ely to Crane Lake, ove1
the Ely-Buyck Road. The latter con
dition is augmented by the observation.
on the Stony District to the effect tina
| it is not uncommon to note as many a.
| Is ruffed grouse on the nine-mile sec
| ton of road between the Halfwa,
Ranger Station and the Baird Station
The Cumulative Game Animal Cen
sus for the five districts into which tn,
Superior is divided indicates a tota
of 1920 moose, TOO white tail deer
1910 black bear, and IA elk The L;
Croix District claims 1900 deer, ant
80 bear; the Temperance District, 100
moose, 1000 deer and $50 bear; tn,
Gunflint, 1900 moose, 1000 deer, ant
TOO bear The Kawishiwi and Ston,
Districts have each about 800 deer
The Kawishiwi has 300 moose and 35
black bear, and the Stony District u
moose and so black bear.
Under predatory animals, 720 coyote
are reported, AGO wolves and 81 lynx.
Of fur-bearing animals, $3.50 weasels
1920 muskrats, 500 beaver, ITO fox
1853 fishers. 244 otter and $500 mink ar
reported.
One moose, 20 deer and Is bear wer
killed in 1881 by go hunters: moos
and 200 deer were killed by predator
animals; 70 coyotes and IA wolves wer
killed by local hunters.
On the Chippewa National Forest
with headquarters at Cas- Lake, j. N
VALLEY, Supervisor, reports IL moose
1850 white tail deer and so bear, a
indicated by reports sent to him b
Rangers. Predatory animals, $50 coy
otes, Is lynx or wild cats, Is wolves
Fur bearing animals, 80 beaver, so fo1
ITO mink, 800 ernline, $500 muskrat:
Of game animals and birds, 500 hunter
killed so deer, bear, 1000 ducks an
1000 cartridges. Predatory animal
killed 40 deer. Local hunters killed 8
coyotes, 80 bobcat or lynx, and 5 wolve.
/ Six hundred acres of the 900-acr
Star Island State Game Refuge, ere
ated in 1910, lie within the boundarie
of the Chippewa National Forest.