^m^^m^^^^^^^^&m PROTECTION AMD INCREASE OF STATE GAME RESOURCES Report from the Committee on Forest Reservations, 1912 # a Calendar No. 679 62d Congress, 2d Session. SENATE. I Report No. 767. PROTECTION AND INCREASE OF STATE GAME RESOURCES. May 17, 1912. — Ordered to be printed. Mr. McLean, from the Committee on Forest Reservations and the Protection of Game, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 6109. J The Committee on Forest Reservations and the Protection of Game, to whom was referred the bill (S. 6109) for the protection and increase of State game resources, have given the same very careful consideration, and report the same back without amendment with the recommendation that the bill do pass. One of the most important arid characteristic features of twentieth century game protection is the establishment of refuges, or places where game is allowed to increase free from molestation. The refuge acts as a reservoir from which game can spread naturally to adjoining lands and as a permanent source from which a supply can be obtained for restocking distant regions. The movement has become world- wide and has extended from the United States and Canada to South Africa and Australia. Some years after the establishment of the Yellowstone National Park, Canada created the Rocky Mountain Park, near Banff, Alberta, and more recently has established an important chain of parks and forest reserves in which game is pro- tected, extending from British Columbia to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Among the more important of these parks are the Goat Mountain and Yoho Parks, British Columbia; the Buffalo, Elk Island, Glacier, and Jasper Parks, in Alberta; the Algonquin Park and the Quetico Lake Forest Reserve, in Ontario; the Laurentides Park and the Gaspesian Forest, Fish, and Game Preserve, in Quebec. In Africa the great game reserves of British East Africa, Rhodesia, the Sudan, and Trans- vaal are now well known, and the beneficial results of their establish- ment are generally recognized. In the United States the game-refuge movement has received the hearty indorsement of sportsmen's organizations and game pro- tectionists. In this movement the Boone and Crockett Club has always taken a prominent part and during the last 20 years has con- sistently and repeatedly urged the establishment of refuges, particu- ^2 ' ■ f Tr ' 2 PROTECTION AND INCREASE OF STATE GAME RESOURCES. larly for big game in the West. As a result of various efforts a number of measures have been introduced in Congress and in State legislatures, but thus far comparatively few of the bills for national refuges have become laws. OBJECTS OF SENATE BILL 6109. The present bill aims to bring about cooperation between State and National interests in the common object of increasing the supply of game by providing for the establishment of refuges, either on public or on private lands. The operation of the bill on public lands is limited to those which are unoccupied. Refuges can not be created except upon recommendation 01 the governor of the State and no reserve can include more than 50,000 acres — an area equal to about 80 square miles, or a tract about 8 by 10 miles in extent. National refuges can only be established on private lands when such lands have been relinquished for the purpose to the Government and the Secretary of Agriculture has certified that he has accepted the relinquishment of the tracts in behalf of the United States. Appar- ently there has been no provision of law heretofore by which the Government could accept private lands for such purposes except under the national monuments act (34 Stat., 225), and the clause in the present bill closely follows the provision in that act. The bill further provides for regulations covering hook-and-line fishing, de- struction of noxious animals, collection of specimens, and capture of animals, birds, or fish for propagation or restocking purposes. In all of these features it seems to meet most of the objections which have been raised to legislation of this kind. PREVIOUS LEGISLATION. The general interest in game-refuge legislation is shown by the fact that in the last 22 years more than 30 bills (exclusive of bills for national parks) have been under consideration in the House and Sen- ate. The movement apparently began in the Fifty-first Congress with the introduction in the House on January 28, 1890, of a bill (H. R. 6068) for the protection of American bison and other animals and appropriating money ($30,000) to carry out the same. This bill pro- vided for leasing four townships in the neutral strip of Indian Terri- tory and four islands in the Great Salt Lake to C. J. Jones for a term of 20 years for the purpose of conducting experiments in domesticat- ing buffalo and crossing them with domestic cattle. Ten years later, in the Fifty-sixth Congress, three similar bills were introduced in 1900 authorizing the lease of a tract of land in New Mexico for the same purpose. The measures thus far introduced were all for protection of buffalo, but early in the Fifty-seventh Congress a general bill (H. R. 11536) was introduced on February 18, 1902, to transfer certain forest reserves to the control of the Department of Agriculture, etc. This bill contained provisions (sees. 2 and 4) for the establishment of game and fish preserves in the forest reserves by Executive order on request of the governor of the State. In the second session of the same Con- gress the first general game-refuge bill (S. 6689) for the protection of wild animals, birds, and fish in the forest reserves of the United States was introduced on December 20, 1902. This measure passed the Sen- ate, was favorably reported by the House Committee on the Public v V2T3 191? PEOTECTION AND INCEEASE OF STATE GAME EESOURCES. 6 Lands, and placed on the calendar, but failed to receive action before adjournment. Of the 34 bills enumerated in the following list, 1 was introduced . in the Fifty-first Congress, 3 were introduced in the Fifty-sixth Congress, 2 in the Fifty-seventh Congress, 3 in the Fifty-eighth Con- gress, 8 in the Fifty-ninth Congress, 8 in the Sixtieth Congress, 3 in the Sixty-first Congress, and 6 in the Sixty-second Congress. Thir- teen have been introduced in the Senate and 21 in the House; 6 have been general and 28 local. Of the local bills, 2 provided for refuges in Alaska; 2 in the Grand Canyon and 2 on the Coronado National Forest, Ariz.; 3 in California; 1 in the Ozark Mountains, Mo.; 3 in Montana; 3 in New Mexico; 2 in Oklahoma; 2 in Oregon; 4 in South Dakota; 3 in the Olympic Mountains, Wash.; and 1 in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Omitting the bills which have been reintroduced in House or Senate or in subsequent Congresses, the number of projects is reduced to 19 — 1 general measure and 19 local measures, including 8 for the pro- tection of buffalo and 4 for elk. Of the local bills, 2 were for the benefit of Alaska, 2 for Arizona, 1 for California, 1 for Minnesota, 1 for Missouri, 2 for Montana, 1 for New Mexico, 2 for Oklahoma, 2 for Oregon, 3 for South Dakota, 1 for Washington, and 1 for Wyoming. Of the local refuges, 6 have actually been established in some form, but 1 of these — an act providing for leasing a buffalo pasture in South Dakota — has been found impracticable. The bill for the Wichita Game Refuge, introduced in 1904, was passed and received approval on January 24, 1905; the bill for the Grand Canyon Game Refuge, Arizona, introduced on January 8, 1906, became a law on June 29, 1906; the bill for leasing land for a buffalo pasture in Stanley County, S. Dak., introduced January 30, 1906, was approved March 12, 1906; the bill to establish the National Bison Range, Montana, introduced March 16, 1908, was incorporated in the agricultural bill, which became a law May 23, 1908. One of the bills, for the Olympic Game Refuge, passed the House, was favorably reported by the Senate com- mittee, and was on the calendar of the Senate at the time of adjourn- ment. Later a national monument covering this area was established by proclamation of March 2, 1909. The bill for a game preserve in Minnesota contemplated the - establishment of a refuge on lands which were afterwards included in the Superior National Forest and which subsequently, through an act of the Legislature of Minnesota, became a State refuge. A list of the bills introduced in Congress, arranged chronologically, is appended: FIFTY-FIRST CONGRESS. January 28, 1890. H. R. 6068. For the protection of the American bison and other animals, and appropriating money [$30,000] to carry out the same. (H. Rept. No. 1876.) Mr. Peters. FIFTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. January 11, 1900. S. 2331. Creating a preserve for the American bison [in New Mexico] and for other purposes. Mr. Baker. January 12, 1900. H. R. 6062. To set apart a preserve for the American bison [in New Mexico] and for other purposes. (H. Rept. No. 985.) Mr. Lacey. April 10, 1900. H. R. 10590. To set apart a preserve for the American bison and for other purposes. [Substitute for H. R. 6062; providing for lease of 20,000 acres at 1 cent per acre per annum for 20 years.] Mr. Lacey. 4 PROTECTION AND INCREASE OF STATE GAME RESOURCES. FIFTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS. February 18, 1902. H. R. 11536. To transfer certain forest reserves to the control of the Department of Agriculture, to authorize game and fish protection in forest reserves, and for other purposes. (General.) (H. Rept. No. 968.) Mr. Lacey. December 20, 1902. S. 6689. For the protection of wild animals, birds, and fish, in the forest reserves of the United States. (General.) (S. Rept. No. 2620; H. Rept. No. 3862.) Mr. Perkins. FIFTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS. December 17, 1903. H. R. 8135. For the protection of wild animals, birds, and fish in the forest reserves of the United States. (General.) Mr. Lacey. ^ January 19, 1904. H. R. 10443. To set apart certain lands in the State of Wash- ington, as a public park, to be known as "The Elk National Park," for the purpose of preserving the elk, game, fish, birds, animals, timber, and curiosities therein. (H. Rept. No. 1874.) Mr. Cushman. February 2, 1904. H. R. 11584. For the protection of wild animals and birds in the Wichita Forest Reserve, Okla. Mr. Lacey. FIFTY-NINTH CONGRESS. December 13, 1905. H. R. 7019. For the protection of animals, birds, and fish in the forest reserves, and for other purposes. (General.) Mr. Lacey. January 8, 1906. S. 2732. For the protection of wild animals in the Grand Canyon Forest Reserve, Ariz. Mr. Smoot. January 10, 1906. S. 2966. For the protection of animals, birds, and fish in the forest reserves, and for other purposes. (General.) Mr. Perkins. January 30, 1906. H. R. 13542. Authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to lease land in Stanley County, S. Dak,, for a buffalo pasture. (Approved Mar. 12, 1906, 34 Stat., 61.) Mr. Burke. February 21, 1906. H. R. 15335. For the protection of game animals, birds, and fishes in the Olympic Forest Reserve of the United States, in the State of Washington. (H. Rept. No. 2744.) Mr. Humphrey. May 10, 1906. S. 6119. For the protection of animals, birds, and fish in the forest reserves of California, and for other purposes. Mr. Perkins. May 11, 1906. H. R. 19234. For the protection of animals, birds, and fish in the forest reserves of California, and for other purposes. (H. Rept. No. 4907.) Mr. Smith. January 15, 1907. H. R. 24273. For the protection of game animals, birds, and fishes [in 11 sections in Custer County] in the Black Hills Forest Reserve of the United States, in the State of South Dakota. Mr. Martin. SIXTIETH CONGRESS. December 19, 1907. H. R. 10449. For the protection of animals, birds, and fish in the forest reserves in California, and for other purposes. Mr. Smith. January 14, 1908. H. R. 13655. For an act to grant to the State of Minnesota cer- tain lands for a forest and game reserve. Mr. Volstead. January 16, 1908. H. R. 14037. For the protection of game animals, birds, and fishes in the Olympic Forest Reserve of the United States, in the State of Washing- ton. Mr. Humphrey. March 16, 1908. S. 6159. To establish a permanent National Bison Range [in Mon- tana]. [Incorporated in the agricultural appropriation act approved May 23, 1908 (35 Stat., 267)]. May 1, 1908. H. R. 21487. To establish a forest reserve and game park in the six- teenth congressional district of Missouri, to be known as the "Ozark National Forest Reserve and Game Park." Mr. Lamar. May 9, 1908. S. 7071. Authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to lease land in Stanley County, S. Dak., for a buffalo pasture [verbal correction of act of March 12, 1906]. Mr. Kittredge. December 17, 1908. S. 7919. For the protection of wild animals and birds in the interior of Alaska and setting aside a refuge and breeding place therefor. Mr. Perkins. December 17, 1908. S. 7920. For the protection of wild animals and birds in Alaska, and setting aside a refuge and breeding place therefor. Mr. Perkins. PBOTECTION AND INCEEASE OF STATE GAME EESOUBCES. SIXTY-FIRST CONGRESS. April 28, 1909. S. J. Res. 26. To establish in the State of Wyoming a winter game reserve. Mr. Warren. June 24, 1909. H. R. 10942. To create a game preserve [in Oregon] to be known as the Siletz Elk Preserve. Mr. Hawley. July 19, 1909. H. R. 11742. For the protection of wild animals in the Coronado National Forest. Mr. Cameron. SIXTY-FIRST CONGRESS. April 5, 1911. H. R. 1705. To provide for reserving from the public lands in the State of Orgeon as a public park for the benefit of the people of the United States and for the protection and preservation of the game, fish, timber, and all other natural objects therein a tract of land[s] herein described, etc. Mr. Hawley. April 10, 1911. S. 417. To enlarge the Grand Canyon Game Refuge [Arizona]. Mr. Smoot. May 2, 1911. H. R. 8393. For the protection of wild animals in the Coronado Na- tional Forest [Arizona]. Mr. Cameron. February 14, 1912. S. 5286. For the protection of game animals and birds in the Snowy Mountains in the Jefferson National Forest, and for other purposes [Montana]. Mr. Dixon. April 2, 1912. S. 6109. For the protection and increase of State game resources. (General.) Mr. Perkins. April 16, 1912. H. R. 23408. Establishing the Wind Cave National Game Preserve in South Dakota. 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