The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-08-03
ALASKA DEER
PER|SHINC FROM
Wolf ATTACKS


North are still holding a bloody
carnival among Alaska's reindeer
herds.
Experienced Alaskan reindeer mer
agree with Army observers that un-
less drastic and immediate steps are
taken to fully protect the once vast
but now pitifully-shrunken herds
the reindeer industry In the North
Is doomed.
Last year approximately 10000
deer were slaughtered by the ma
rauding packs, and it is estimated
that this year around 10000 will
be destroyed in the same manner
1t is believed that the loss will be
lighter this year simply because
there now are less deer Cor the
wolves to attack. Some herds have
vanished completed and others are
badly scattered.
The 10000 deer we will lose this
year represent 100000 pounds OF
meat, 10000 pairs of muclucS and
10000 parkas,' 1t was stated by one
Official who has made a study OF
the reindeer problem.
No Funds for Planes
Sidney j. Rood, reindeer super
visor for the Bureau of Indian At
fairs, said his office did not have
the money to bup airplanes or two
hire hunters for campaign against
the steadily-increasing bands OF
wolves.
AN Army officer in Washington
said the Army would be glad to
send in slow planes from which to
shoot wolves lurking on the f1anks
of the deer herds" Root said, land
possibly because of this our appro-
priation was cut. But if the planes
were brought In and any actual
wolf-hunting done, haven't heard
about it"
Residents OF Nome, appalled, by
the swiftness with which the rein
deer are decreasing under the con-
centrated assaults of the wolves,
said the Alaska Game Commission,
which normally is charged with
control of predatory animals in the
territory, has not succeeded in les
SEEMING either the numbers or the
activities of the wolf packs.
1.-The situation is mess" said
one merchant, who has resided in
the Nome area for 40 years. THE
government bought the deer and
gave the greater part of them to
the Eskimos in an attempt to estab-
fish a stable economy among the
natives, but the plan has broken
down and nobody has come forward
with better one.
Eskimos Dislike Herding
1.-THE Eskimos prefer to live by
hunting, fishing, trapping and cary
ing ivory. They don't care for herd
ing reindeer, especially when they
can get all the deer they need for
their personal needs by simply 60
ing out mad shooting them. So they
abandon the herds, and the wolves
move in and destroy them"
High wages paid workers in de-
Tense projects in the high North
has bene another factor in drawing
the Eskimos away from their herds,
observers state. Eskimo laborers
can make as much as $500 a month
working for the government and
can make almost as much steve
doring at Nome, whereas the best
native reindeer herders are paid is
$50 month, in addition to receiv-
ing three reindeer a month. It is,
therefore, obvious even to such
happy-go-lucky people as the Els
kimo tribesmen that in these times
reindeer husbandry is not a prof
liable business by comparison with
other fields open to them.
The reindeer ranges in Alaska
are approximately equal in size to
the State Of California, and the to-
tai number of deer is about 10000,
according to figures supplied by the
Reindeer Service. The appropria-
ton to the Reindeer Service this
year was $91,16 - less than the
value of the deer wolves are ex-
pected to kill this year, Alaskans
point out.
Rood stated that In cases where
close night and day herding could
be maintained, the loss of deer has
been substantially reduced, but add
ing that this type of herding had
been put into effect only in Is in
stances. On the Boring Sea front
alone there are Al herds.
One solution suggested by Alas
kans was to place a high bounty on
timber wolves killed in the reindeer
ranges, so that expert hunters and
trappers could profitably wage a
campaign against the predators.
The present bounty of $50 is not
considered high enough, Alaskans
state, to enable expert to devote
their full time to wolf hunting.