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Rn al rs amen "iy

KOOTENAY WAPITI HAVE FINE HORNS 171

that particular area when they had done with it. It is
greatly to be regretted that their boasting was not merely
idle words—as mountain hunters no other Indians could
compare with them, and they slew with a ruthless hand.

When my first visit to East Kootenay was made, the
Stoneys had had a free hand:-there for several years, and
not a single wapiti did I lay eyes on in three or four
weeks’ travelling; a very few tracks did come under my
observation here and there, but it was only too palpable
that this species was doomed unless most strenuous steps
were immediately taken for their protection. Even if this
were done it seemed a very hopeless task to save them.
However, it is wonderful how some species of game will
recuperate and increase if it is really properly looked after,
and those few remaining survivors certainly were given
a lot of attention. The first step taken was to give the
Stoneys some severe lessons, so as to make them keep
to their own side of the Rockies where they belonged.
This was most successfully accomplished, and without the
serious trouble that some pessimists foretold. Then our
own Indians were taken in hand, as well as a few of the
white settlers who were also trying to emulate the Indians,
so that it was not long before the wapiti were left in
peace. Within a year or two an increase became noted.
Now all the principal valleys, and most of the foothills,
have numbers of fine herds, probably aggregating several
thousand head. Already two short shooting seasons have
been allowed, and a third is contemplated.

The East Kootenay wapiti grow magnificent horns,
and though there may not be the same number of animals
as there are in Wyoming and one or two more of the
States to pick heads from, nevertheless, I believe, judging
from the size of the trophies that have been taken in the
past two open seasons, ours now average larger than those
elsewhere. If my supposition is a correct one, it can be
accounted for by the fact that in the States the winter
range of these animals has been taken from them by
being fenced in for stock raising, and therefore they have
a hard time to winter and take longer to pick up in the