The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-05-19

mountain goat bear and mountain lion which
once roamed this continent Neither are these
hunters going out with the avowed purpose Of
further decimating the numbers Of American
big game
Instead they are going out with-beIieve it or
not-tape-measures and pencil and paper (cer-
tainly not very deadly weapons) and they will
be concerned not with killing more big game but
with animals that have already been killed.
Which is By way Of saying that the purpose OF
this big game hunt is TO find out where are the
worlds record big game heads who was the hunter
who secured these trophies, where were they Sc
cured, who owns them now, etc.
For four years the New York Geological So
ciety has carried on an active campaign 10 To-
cate all the largest heads Of American game
During that time it has established the National
Collection OF Heads and Horns and has brought
together the finest collection of these trophies
in the world housing them In a fine building
dedicated 10 the vanishing Big Game of the
World"
In December OF last year It published book
called Records Of North American Big Game"
prepared by committee composed of Prentiss
y. Gray, editor; Kermit Roosevelt Madison
Grant w Redmond Cross, George Harrison. and
E. Hubert Litchfeld. In compiling this work
more than $1,000 questionnaires were sent out
and the aid Of more than 5000 sportsmen mu-
scum and owners Of trophies enlisted.
standard method of measurement was de-
veloped and all measurements submitted for in
clusion in the record were required to be made
by one Of the cooperating museums or repre-
sentative Of the National Collection of Heads
and Horns From the several thousands meas
ured total of se1 trophies were selected for
inclusion in the record making il a veritable
Almanac de Gotha Of the monarchs Of the plains
and mountains
The book was divided into Is sections deal
ing with all varieties Of big game on this CONT
nent. and each section was edited by an author
ity the species, among them such nationally
known scientists and sportsmen as DR.. George
Bird Grinneu. Ernest Thompson Seton. DR.. C.
Hart Merriam, Samuel Merrill. Wilfred h os-
good, h. E Anthony, Madison Grant, E. W. Nell
son. Maj. E A. Goldman, DR.. Thomas Barbour,
Edmund Seymour, Thierry MaIlet, and c. b.
Townsend.
The society is planning to issue another
edition Of the Records 10 bring it up TO date and
during the coming year its official measurers viii
spend considerable time in various parts of the
country, especially IN the Rocky Mountain
states, visiting every town TO measure trophies.
I've know that many fine trophies must exist
In homes, hotels and cafes in the small towns
of the Rocky Mountain states and we wish TO
locate and measure as many Of them as pos
sible." says Prentiss N Gray. editor of the Rec
ords. III Is quite possible that among them we
shall ind some worlds records. Such heads
have q considerable monetary value and while
We have no interest in purchasing any heads
doubtless many persons who possess trophies
large enough 10 be listed In the Records would
be glad TO realize them at least 10 know
that they are valuable"
Those in charge of the Records have been
obliged In the past-and this holds good for the
future aIso-to accept only measurements au-
thenticated by recognized natural history mu-
seums or their own representatives. This is not
reflection on the honesty Of the measurements
Of the owner of the trophy. but they early dis
covered that some over-zealous taxidermists con-
sidered II good practice and pleasing 10 their
clients 10 alter trophies in order TO increase
measurements They found that moose horns
had been steamed or the skulls split and the
spread thereby increased; additional points had
been glued 70 elk antlers
The climax was reached when they discovered
enc taxidermist who specialized in making
record heads One product Of his shop, Rocky
Mountain highorn. had been built ND Of horns
from three separate sheep. Sections were fitted
cleverly together and the final product a worlds
record was sold for q fancy price.
Thus, TO have any real value, every head list
ed in the Records must be measured BY men
who know how and who can guard against such
practices Above In shown the method of meas