GAME PRESERVES AND GAME LAWS IN CANADA
As now set forth on the map of North America, Canada is a vast country.
We must no longer think of Ontario and Quebec as "Canada West" and
"Canada East," because the new assistant-nation owns and rules
everything from Labrador to British Columbia, and all the northern
mainland save Alaska.
Although the fauna of Canada is strictly boreal, it is sufficiently
dispersed and diversified to demand wise legislation, and plenty of it.
For a nation with an outfit of provinces so new, Canada already is well
advanced in the matter of game laws and game preserves, and in some
respects she has set the pace for her southern neighbors. For example,
in New Brunswick we see the lordly moose successfully hunted for sport,
not only without being exterminated but actually on a basis that permits
it to increase in number. In Nova Scotia we see a law in force _which
successfully prohibits the waste of moose meat_, a loss that
characterizes moose hunting everywhere else throughout the range of that
animal. All over southern Canada the use of automatic shotguns in
hunting is strictly prohibited.
On the other hand, the laws of the Canadians are weak in not preventing
the sale of all wild game and the killing of antelope. In the matter of
game-selling, there are far too many open doors, and a sweeping reform
is very necessary.
Speaking generally, and with application from Labrador to British
Columbia, the American process of game extermination according to law is
vigorously and successfully being pursued by the people of Canada. The
open seasons are too long, and the bag limits are too generous to the
gunners. As it is elsewhere, the bag-limit laws on birds are a farce,
because it is impossible to enforce them, save on every tenth man. For
example, in his admirable "Final Report of the Ontario Game and
Fisheries Commission" (1912), Commissioner Kelly Evans says:
"The prairie chicken, which formerly was comparatively plentiful
throughout the greater portion of the Rainy River District, has now
become practically extinct in that region. Various causes have been
assigned for this, but it would seem, as usual, to have been mainly the
fault of indiscriminate and excessive slaughter." (Page 226.)
Like the United States, the various portions of Canada have their
various local troubles in wild-life protection. I think the greatest
practical difficulties, and the most real opposition to adequate
measures, is found in the Provinces of Quebec and Ontario. Is it because
the French-descended population is impatient of real restraint, and
objects to measures that are drastic, even though they are necessary? In
Ontario, Commissioner Evans has been splendidly supported by the
Government, and by all the real sportsmen of that province; but the
gunners and guerrillas of destruction have successfully postponed
several of the reforms that he has advocated, and which should have been
carried into effect.
So far as _public_ moral support for game protection is concerned I
think that the prairie and mountain provinces have the best of it. In
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Athabasca and British Columbia, the
spirit of the people is mainly correct, and the chief thing that seems
to be lacking is a Kelly Evans in each of those provinces to urge public
sentiment into strong action. For example, why should Alberta still
permit the hunting and killing of prong-horned antelope, when it is so
well known that that species is vanishing like a mist before the morning
sun? I think it is because no one seems to have risen up as G.O. Shields
did in the United States, to make a big fuss about it, and demand a
reform. At any rate, all the provinces of Canada that still possess
antelope should _immediately pass laws giving that species absolute
close seasons for ten years_. Why neglect it longer, when such neglect
is now so very wrong? Whether this is done or not, I sincerely hope that
hereafter no true American sportsman, will be guilty of killing one of
the vanishing antelope of Canada, even though "the law doth give it."
* * * * *
THE GAME PRESERVES OF CANADA
In the creation of National parks and game preserves, some of the
provinces of the Canadian nation have displayed a degree of foresight
and enterprise that merits sincere admiration. While in different
provinces the exact status of these establishments may vary somewhat,
the main purpose of each is the same,--the preservation of the forests
and the wild life. In all of them a regulated amount of fishing is
permitted, and in some the taking of fur-bearing animals is permitted;
but I believe in all the birds and furless mammals are strictly
protected. In some parks the carrying of firearms still is permitted,
but that privilege is quite out of harmony with the spirit and purposes
of a game preserve, and should be abolished. If it is necessary to carry
firearms through a preserve, as often happens in the Yellowstone Park,
it can be done under seals that are affixed by duly appointed officers
and thus will temptation be kept out of the way of sinners.
Up to this date I never have seen a publication which set forth in one
place even so much as an annotated list of the game preserves of the
various provinces of Canada, and at present exact information regarding
them is rather difficult to obtain. It seems that an adequate
governmental publication on this subject is now due, and overdue.
ONTARIO.--"At the present time," says Commissioner Evans in his "Final
Report," "the Algonquin National Park is the only actual game preserve
in the Province, being in fact a game reserve and not a forest reserve;
but in the past at least a measure of protection would seem to have been
afforded the game in most of the [forest] reserves, owing to the fact
that the carrying of firearms therein has been discouraged, and it would
appear to require but the passing of an Order-in-Council to render the
carrying of firearms in all reserves illegal. It is sincerely to be
hoped that not only will such action be taken without delay, but also
that all the forest reserves will be declared game reserves in the
strictest sense."
To this sentiment all friends of wild life will join a fervent wish for
its realization. As conditions are to-day, it is _impossible to have too
many game reserves_! There is everything to gain and nothing to lose by
making every national forest and forest reserve on the whole continent
of North America a game preserve in the strictest sense, and we hope to
live to see that end accomplished, both in the United States and Canada.
_The Algonquin National Park_ is situated in the Parry Sound region,
just above the Muskoka Lakes, and it has an area of 1,930 square miles.
It is well stocked with moose, caribou, white-tailed deer, black bear
and beaver. During the period of protection the beaver have increased so
greatly that about 1,000 were trapped last year for the market, by
officers of the government; and about 25 were sold to zoological gardens
and parks, at $25 each.
_The Quetico Forest Reserve_, area 1,560 square miles, was created as
the Canadian complement of the Minnesota National Forest and Game
Preserve. The two join on the international boundary, and each helps to
protect the other. Both are well stocked with moose, and will render
valuable service in the preservation of a mid-continental contingent of
that species.
ALBERTA.--In the making of game preserves the province of Alberta has
been splendidly progressive and liberal. The total result is fairly
beyond the reach of ordinary words of praise. It sets a pace that should
result in wide-spread benefits to the wild life of North America. In it
there is nothing faint-hearted. It should make some of our States think
seriously regarding their own shortcomings in this particular field of
endeavor.
ALBERTA'S NATIONAL PARKS
Acres Sq. miles
Rocky Mountains Park 2,764,800 4,320
Yoho Park 1,799,680 2,812
Glacier Park 1,474,560 2,304
Buffalo Park 384,000 600
Elk Island Park 40,000 62
Jasper Park 3,488,000 5,450
Waterton Lakes Park 34,560 54
--------- ------
9,985,600 15,602
_The Rocky Mountains Park_ is near Banff. The _Yoho_ and _Glacier Parks_
are near Field. The _Buffalo Park_ is near Wainwright, on the plains,
and it was created and fenced especially as a home for the herd of
American bison that was purchased in Montana in 1909. It now contains
1,052 head of bison, 20 moose, 35 deer, 7 elk, and 6 antelope.
_The Elk Island Park_ is near Fort Saskatchewan and Lamont, and at this
date (1912) it contains 53 bison, 28 elk, 30 deer and 5 moose. The bison
subsist entirely by grazing, and upon hay cut within the Park.
_Jasper Park_, established in 1908, is on the Athabasca River and the
Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, near Strathcona. Sixty miles of the railway
line lie within the Park. Scenically, Jasper Park is a rival of Rocky
Mountains Park, and undoubtedly possesses great attractions for
travellers who appreciate the beauties and grandeur of Nature as
expressed in mountains, valleys, lakes and streams.
_Waterton Lakes Park_ is situated in the extreme southwestern corner of
Alberta, in the Rocky Mountains surrounding the Waterton Lakes. At
present it is nine miles long from north to south and six miles wide,
with its southern end resting on the international boundary, and
adjoining our Glacier Park. It is the home of a few bands of mountain
sheep that carry very large horns. Through the initiative of Frederick
K. Vreeland, the Camp-Fire Club of America two years ago represented to
the Government of Alberta the great desirability of enlarging this
preserve, toward the north and west, the better to protect the mountain
sheep and other big game of that region. The suggestion was received in
a friendly spirit, and there is good reason to hope that at an early
date the enlargement will be made.
BRITISH COLUMBIA.--This province has made an excellent beginning in the
creation of game preserves. The first agitation on that subject was
begun in 1906, by two sportsmen whose names in connection with it have
long since been forgotten. On November 15, 1908, the Legislative Council
of British Columbia issued a proclamation that created a very fine game
preserve in the East Kootenai District, between the Elk and Bull Rivers
and northwestward thereof to the White River country. By an unfortunate
oversight, the new preserve never has been officially named, but we may
designate it here as
_The Elk River Game Preserve_.--This preserve has a total area of about
450 square miles, and includes a fine tract of mountains, valleys, lakes
and streams. It contained in 1908 about 1,000 mountain goats, 200 sheep,
a few elk and deer, and about 50 grizzly bears. All these have notably
increased during the period of absolute protection that they have
enjoyed. It is probable that this preserve contains more white mountain
goats than any other preserve that thus far has been made. It was in
this region that Mr. John M. Phillips and Prof. Henry Fairfield Osborne
made the first mountain goat photographs ever made at close range. It is
to be hoped that the protection of this preserve, both as to its wild
life and its timber, will be made perpetual.
_Frazer River Preserve_.--Next after the above there was created in
British Columbia a game preserve covering a large portion of the
mountain territory that rises between the North and South Forks of the
Fraser River. It is about 75 miles long by 30 miles wide and contains
about 2,250 square miles. Concerning its character and wild-life
population we have no details.
_Yalakom Game Preserve_.--On the north side of Bridge River (a western
tributary of the Fraser), about twenty miles above Lilloet. there has
been established a game preserve having an area of about 215 square
miles.
MANITOBA.--In the making of game preserves, Manitoba has made an
excellent beginning. It is good to see from Duck Mountain in the north
to Turtle Mountain in the south a chain of four liberal preserves, each
one protected in unmistakable terms as follows: "Carrying firearms,
hunting or trapping strictly prohibited within this area."
The lake regions of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta form what is
probably the most important wild-fowl breeding-ground in North America.
To a great extent it rests with those provinces to say whether the
central United States shall have any ducks and geese, or not! _It is
high time that an international treaty should be made between the United
States, Canada and Mexico for the federal protection of all migratory
birds_.
These preserves are of course intended to conserve wild-fowl,
shore-birds, grouse and all other birds, as well as big game. Thanks to
the cooperation of Mr. J.M. Macoun, of the Canadian Geological Survey, I
am able to offer the following:
LIST OF MANITOBA'S GAME PRESERVES
DUCK MOUNTAIN PRESERVE 324 sq. miles, 207,360 acres.
RIDING MOUNTAIN PRESERVE 360 " " 230,000 "
SPRUCE WOODS PRESERVE 64 " " 40,960 "
TURTLE MOUNTAIN PRESERVE 100 " " 64,000 "
848 " " 542,320 "
Manitoba is to be congratulated on this record.
QUEBEC.--This province has created two huge game preserves, well worthy
of the fauna that they are intended to conserve when all hunting in them
is prohibited!
_The Laurentides National Park_ is second in area of all the national
parks of Canada, being surpassed only by the Rocky Mountains Park of
British Columbia. Its area is 3565 square miles, or 2,281,600 acres. It
occupies the entire central portion of the great area surrounded by Lake
St. John, the Saguenay River, the wide portion of the St. Lawrence, and
the St. Maurice River on the west. Its southern boundary is in several
places only 16 miles from the St. Lawrence, while its most northern
angle is within 13 miles of Lake St. John. Its greatest width from east
to west is 71 miles, and its greatest length from north to south is 79
miles. It covers a huge watershed in which over a dozen large rivers and
many small ones have their sources. It is indeed a forest primeval. The
rivers are well stocked with fish, and the big game includes moose,
woodland caribou, black bear, lynx, beaver, marten, fisher, mink, fox,
and--sad to say--the gray wolf. The caribou live in rather small bands,
from 10 up to 100.
Unfortunately, hunting under license is permitted in the Laurentian
National Park, and therefore it is by no means a _real_ game preserve!
It is a near-preserve.
_The Gaspesian Forest, Fish and Game Preserve_, created in 1906, is in
"the Gaspe country," and it has an area of 2500 square miles situated in
the eastern Quebec counties of Gaspe and Matane.
_The Connaught National Park_, to be named in honor of H.R.H. the Duke
of Connaught, has been proposed by Mr. J.M. Macoun, of the Canadian
Geological Survey. The general location chosen is the mountains and
forested territory north of Ottawa and the Ottawa River, within easy
access from the Canadian capitol. On the map the location recommended
lies between the Gatineau River on the east and Wolf Lake on the west.
The proposal is meeting with much popular favor, and it is extremely
probable that it will be carried into effect at an early date.
LABRADOR.--During the past two years Lieut.-Col. William Wood has
strongly advocated the making of game preserves in Labrador, that will
not only tend to preserve the scanty fauna of that region from
extinction but will also aid in bringing it back. While Col. Wood's very
energetic and praiseworthy campaign has not yet been crowned with
success, undoubtedly it will be successful in the near future, because
ultimately such causes always win their objects, provided they are
prosecuted with the firm and unflagging persistence which has
characterized this particular campaign. We congratulate Col. Wood on the
success that he _will achieve_ in the near future!
* * * * *
GAME LAWS OF THE CANADIAN PROVINCES
ALBERTA.--The worst feature of the Alberta laws is the annual open
season on antelope, two of which may be killed under each license. This
is _entirely wrong_, and a perpetual close season should at once be
enacted. Duck shooting in August is wrong, and the season should not
open until September. It is not right that duck-killing should be made
so easy and so fearfully prolonged that extermination is certain. _All
killing of cranes and shore birds should be absolutely stopped, for five
years_. No wheat-producing province can afford the expense to the wheat
crops of the slaughter of shore birds, _thirty species_ of which are
great crop-protectors.
The bag limit of two sheep is too high, by 50 per cent. It should
immediately be cut down to one sheep, before sheep hunting in Alberta
becomes a lost art. _Sheep hunting should not be encouraged_--quite the
reverse! There are already too many sheep-crazy sportsmen. The bag limit
on grouse and ptarmigan of 20 per day or 200 in a season is simply
legalized slaughter, no more and no less, and if it is continued, a
grouseless province will be the quick result. The birds are not
sufficiently numerous to withstand the guns on that basis. Alberta
should be wiser than the states below the international boundary that
are annihilating their remnants of birds as fast as they can be found.
BRITISH COLUMBIA.--We note with much satisfaction that the Provincial
Game Warden, Mr. A. Bryan Williams, has been allowed $37,000 for the pay
of game wardens, and $28,000 for the destruction of wolves, coyotes,
pumas and other game-destroying animals. During the past two years the
following game-destroyers were killed, and bounties were paid upon them:
1909-10 1910-11
Wolves 655 518
Coyotes 1,464 3,653
Cougars 382 277
Horned Owls 854 2,285
Golden Eagles 29 73
3,374 6,806
"Now," says Warden Williams in his excellent annual report for 1911, "in
these two years a total of 2,896 wolves and cougars and 5,141 coyotes
were destroyed, as well as a number of others poisoned and not recovered
for the bounty. Allowing fifty head for each wolf and cougar and ten for
each coyote, by their bounties alone 196,210 head of game and domestic
animals were saved. Is it any wonder that deer are increasing almost
everywhere?"
The great horned owl has been and still is a great scourge to the upland
game birds, partly because when game is abundant "they become
fastidious, and eat only the brains of their prey." The destruction of
3,139 of them on the Lower Mainland during the last two years has made
these owls sing very small, and says the warden, "Is it any wonder that
grouse are again increasing?"
I have discussed with the Provincial Game Warden the advisability of
putting a limit of one on the grizzly bear, but Mr. Williams advances
good reasons for the opinion that it would be impracticable to do so at
present. I am quite sure, however, that the time has already arrived
when a limit of one is necessary. During the present year three of my
friends who went hunting in British Columbia, _each killed 3 grizzly
bears!_ Hereafter I will "locate" no more bear hunters in that country
until the bag limit is reduced to one grizzly per year. Since 1905 the
trapping of bears south of the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway
has been stopped; and an excellent move too. A Rocky Mountain without a
grizzly bear is like a tissue-paper rose.
The bag limit on the big game of British Columbia is at least twice too
liberal,--five deer, two elk, two moose (one in Kootenay County), three
caribou and three goats. There is no necessity for such wasteful
liberality. Few sportsmen go to British Columbia for the sake of a large
lot of animals. I know many men who have been there to hunt, and the
great majority cared more for the scenery and the wild romance of
camping out in ground mountains than for blood and trophies.
MANITOBA.--What are we to think of a "bag limit" of fifty ducks per day
in October and November? A "limit" indeed! Evidently, Manitoba is tired
of having ducks, ruffed grouse, pinnated and other grouse pestering her
farmers and laborers. While assuming to fix bag limits that will be of
some benefit to those species, the limit is distinctly off, and nothing
short of a quick and drastic reform will save a remnant that will remain
visible to the naked eye.
NEW BRUNSWICK.--This is the banner province in the protection of moose,
caribou and deer, even while permitting them to be shot for sport. Of
course, only males are killed, and I am assured by competent judges that
thus far the killing of the finest and largest male moose has had no bad
effect upon the stature or antlers of the species as a whole.
NOVA SCOTIA.--If there is anything wrong with the game laws of Nova
Scotia, it lies in the wide-open sale of moose meat and all kinds of
feathered game during the open season. If that province were more
heavily populated, it would mean a great destruction of game. Even with
conditions as they are, the sale permitted is entirely wrong, and
against the best interests of 97 per cent of the people.
As previously mentioned, the law against the waste of moose meat is both
novel and admirable. The saving of any considerable portion of the flesh
of a full-grown bull moose, along with its head, is a large order; but
it is right. The degree of accountability to which guides are held for
the doings of the men whom they pilot into the woods is entirely
commendable, and worthy of imitation. If a sportsman or gunner does the
wrong thing, the guide loses his license.
SASKATCHEWAN.--This is another of the too-liberal provinces having no
real surplus of big game with which to sustain for any length of time an
excess of generosity. I am told that in this province there is now a
great deal of open country around each wild animal. And yet, it
cheerfully offers two moose, two elk, two caribou and two _antelope_ per
season to each licensed gunner or sportsman. The limit is too generous
by half. Why throw away an extra $250 worth of game with each license?
That is precisely what the people of Saskatchewan are doing to-day.
And that antelope-killing! It should be stopped at once, and for ten
years.
YUKON.--This province permits the sale of all the finest and best wild
game within its borders,--moose, elk, caribou, _bison_, musk-ox, sheep
and goats! The flesh of all these may be sold during the open season,
and for sixty days thereafter. Of the species named above, the barren
ground caribou is the only one regarding which we need not worry;
because that species still exists in millions. The Osborn caribou
(_Rangifer osborni_), can be exterminated in our own times, because it is
nowhere really numerous, and it inhabits exposed situations.
* * * * *