Evening star., 1936-05-16
GAME FOR VIRGINIA

proclamation as National experiment
in wild life propagation.
This woodland area will be known
as the Big Levels Game Refuge, and
was created only after numerous
requests for game protection. and fol-
lowing an investigation into the merits
of the project. 1t is the intent of
the Federal Government to restock
the forest with wild game. such as
deer. turkeys. grouse and quail: and
replenish the rivers and streams with
trout, bass and other game fish.
This same land, which Is now al
most devoid of wild life, was at
one time the principal hunting
ground of the Indians-not of Just
one tribe, but Of many tribes as
shown by the different types Of
arrovheads found in. and around
this vicinity. Back in those days It
could have been truthfully said.
This is the forest primeval.'
THE alarming rapidity with which
wild game Is disappearing has
prompted the Government to pursue
this subject. 1t is estimated that the
buffalo has been reduced from mil
lions to a mere 4.400 head, and these
are confined to reservations. The
prong-h horned antelope has been re-
duced from approximately 10000, 900
to $4,000 and the white-tailed deer,
it is reported, completely disappeared
from the Yellowstone National Park
during the Winter Of 1924. The
scarcity of wild animals in North
America is the reason for the ere
alton of the Big Levels Game Refuge
In Virginia.
This particular experiment Is In
its infancy. and at least five years
will be required to restock the 10000
acre forest area. When this has been
accomplished, the game and wildlife
will be developed and maintained as
a permanent resource. Later. hunting
will be permitted, but only under
regulations preventing the killing OF
game in excess of the annual increase.
thus preventing the depletion of the
capital stock" in wild-hfe resources.
The nucleus of this mommoth game
preserve, approximately one-fourth as
large as the city of Chicago. had It's
inception in 1880 as a 3,000-acre game
refuge of the State Of Virginia. set
aside by the Virginia Commission Of
Game and Inland Fisheries. Sub
seuuently the Waynesboro Game and
Fish Protective Association requested
that this State refuge be enlarged and
taken over by the Federal Govern
ment for the purpose OF managed
game control.
TN NOVEMBER, 1884. at q meeting
of the Virginia Comission Of Game
and Inland Fisheries committee was
appointed to study the proposal and
to appraise public opinion. Following
a report by this local committee.
forcing the creation Of Federal wild.
life management area. the Virginia
Game Commission approved the com.
mittee's report and requested the
United States Forest Service to go
ahead with plans Of developing the
refuge.
The area was then inspected BY
ofiicials Of the Forest Service and
Biological Survey, both branches Of
the United States Department Of
Agriculture Following their recon-.
mendations a presidential proclama-
ton was issued. The latter states
that no further hunting or fishing
will be permitted on the area except
under such general rules and regu-
lations as may be prescribed from
time to time by the Secretary Of Agri-
| culture.
This proclamation" says Howard
Hopkins, assistant region forester for
the Eastern National Forest region.
establishes an area on which the
Forest Service plans to handle ths
wild-life resources under sustained
yield management"