Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-05-25
Rv EnwARp B. REYNoLDs

Montanans always have been
proud Of their country and eager
TO share its pleasures as the recre-
alton center of the United States
with visitors. Since the days, even
before the coming of the white
men. the residents Of the state con-
sidered IL a spOrtsmen's paradise
and protected what they cOnsid-
cred Its greatest asset the game
birds, animals and fish.
The first cOnserVatorS of game In
Montana were the Indians. They prob
ably did not consciously practice game
preservation, but with the laws of nat
Iral selection they carried these prac-
tees out. Game was killed when 1t
was prime either for flrs or for meat
and never Wantonly destroyed. Prob
ably the first active demonstration Of
game conservation took place in the
1905 when the Crow Indians protest.
ed the wanton slaughter Of game by
Sir st. George Gore and his party.
In a letter dated July 1856, Col. A. j.
Vaughan, then Indian agent Of the
Upper Missouri, wrote to the superin-
tendent of Indian affairs at st. Louis
that Sir st. George and his men killed
1O5 bears and some 1000 buffalo, elk
and deer. What particularly aroused
the indignation of the Indians was the
fact that the white men left the car
the prairie. The Indians IN retaliation
of Sir st. Georges game hog" tactics
staged a raid in which they ran off
large number of his horses.
Since that time many Montanans
have arisen in defense Of the states
natural assets in wild game and laws
have been passed protecting the game
50 that the state has managed to
maintain its reputation as one of the
greatest natural recreation areas on
the North American continent Today
tourists from foreign countries as well
as the east. middle west and west coast
visit Montana to hunt and fish as well
as view its scenic delights.
At the turn Of the century Montana
took its first active steps as q state to !
preserve its recreation facilities. A
game law was passed In 1901 that eff !
fecttvely cUrbed the ruthless slaughter !
of animals and birds and w. F. Scott |
was appointed the first game warden |
in Montana. BY January /, 1908 Game /
Warden Scott was able TO report an !
increase in all varieties of animals in |
Montana. The first game laws pre-
vented the killing of animals for their |
hides and the. shooting OF fowls while /
they were producing young It also add |
ed to the fish life Of the state by /
launching q program Of stocking /
streams This program Is being car
ried on today in a much larger form. !
At the same time that Game War
den Scott was busy guarding the wild /
life of the state he was launching q
campaign to interest Montanans In
advertising the recreational pleasures
Of their state He spoke strongly on
the advantages Of having the state
known far and wide as mecca for
hunters, advantages, which he declared |
would benefit every resident Of Mon
tana In pressing this campaign, Scott, |
as q sort of one-man chamber of |
commerce, pointed to the state OF |
Maine as an example. Maine had adj
vertised its forests and mountains as
q sportSman'S paradise and was reap
ing the benefit in the dollars Of VISIT
ing sportsmen.
Attracts Capital TO State
In addition to the money spent by