American Big Game in Its Haunts - Various
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It is gratifying to think that, while at first the establishment of
these forest reserves was very unpopular in certain sections of the
West, where their object was not in the least understood, they have--now
that the people have come to see what they mean--received universal
approval. It sometimes takes the public a long time to understand a
matter, but their common sense is sure at last to bring them to the
right side of any question.
The list of reservations here given is brought down to December, 1903,
and is furnished by the U.S. Forester--a member of the Club.
_Government Forest Reserves in the United States and Alaska_
ALASKA. Area in Acres
Afognak Forest and Fish Culture Reserve 403,640
The Alexander Archipelago Forest Reserve 4,506,240
Total 4,909,880
ARIZONA.
The Black Mesa Forest Reserve 1,658,880
The Prescott Forest Reserve 423,680
Grand Canyon Forest Reserve 1,851,520
The San Francisco Mountains Forest Reserve 1,975,310
The Santa Rita Forest Reserve 387,300
The Santa Catalina Forest Reserve 155,520
The Mount Graham Forest Reserve 118,600
The Chiricahua Forest Reserve 169,600
Total 6,740,410
CALIFORNIA. Acres.
The Lake Tahoe Forest Reserve 136,335
The Stanislaus Forest Reserve 691,200
Sierra Forest Reserve 4,096,000
The Santa Barbara Forest Reserve 1,838,323
San Bernardino Forest Reserve 737,280
Timber Land Reserve San Gabriel 555,520
The San Jacinto Forest Reserve 668,160
Trabuco Canyon Forest Reserve 109,920
---------
Total 8,832,738
COLORADO.
Battle Mesa Forest Reserve 853,000
Timber Land Reserve, Pike's Peak 184,320
Timber Land Reserve, Plum Creek 179,200
The South Platte Forest Reserve 683,520
The White River Forest Reserve 1,129,920
The San Isabel Forest Reserve 77,980
---------
Total 3,107,940
IDAHO.
The Bitter Root Forest Reserve (see note) 3,456,000
The Priest River Forest Reserve (see note) 541,160
The Pocatello Forest Reserve 49,920
---------
Total 4,047,080
MONTANA.
The Yellowstone Forest Reserve (see note) 1,311,600
The Bitter Root Forest Reserve (see note) 691,200
The Gallatin Forest Reserve 40,320
The Lewis and Clark Forest Reserve 4,670,720
The Madison Forest Reserve 736,000
The Little Belt Mountains Forest Reserve 501,000
The Highwood Mountains Reserve 45,080
---------
Total 7,995,920
NEBRASKA. Acres.
The Niobrara Forest Reserve 123,779
The Dismal River Forest Reserve 85,123
---------
Total 208,902
NEW MEXICO.
The Gila River Forest Reserve 2,327,040
The Pecos River Forest Reserve 430,880
The Lincoln Forest Reserve 500,000
---------
Total 3,257,920
OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.
Wichita Forest Reserve 57,120
OREGON.
Timber Land Reserve, Bull Run 142,080
Cascade Range Forest Reserve 4,424,440
Ashland Forest Reserve 18,560
---------
Total 4,585,080
SOUTH DAKOTA.
The Black Hills Forest Reserve (see note) 1,165,240
UTAH.
The Fish Lake Forest Reserve 67,840
The Uintah Forest Reserve 875,520
The Payson Forest Reserve 111,600
The Logan Forest Reserve 182,080
The Manti Forest Reserve 584,640
The Aquarius Forest Reserve 639,000
---------
Total 2,460,680
WASHINGTON.
The Priest River Forest Reserve (see note) 103,960
The Mount Rainier Forest Reserve 2,027,520
The Olympic Forest Reserve 1,466,880
The Washington Forest Reserve 3,426,400
---------
Total 7,024,760
WYOMING. Acres.
The Yellowstone Forest Reserve (see note) 7,017,600
The Black Hills Forest Reserve (see note) 46,440
The Big Horn Forest Reserve 1,216,960
The Medicine Bow Forest Reserve 420,584
----------
Total 8,701,584
----------
Grand Total 63,095,254
NOTE.
Total of Bitter Root, in Idaho and Montana 4,147,200
Total of Priest River, in Idaho and Washington 645,120
Total of Black Hills, in S. Dakota and Wyoming 1,211,680
Total of Yellowstone, in Wyoming and Montana 8,329,200
_United States Military Wood and Timber Reservations_
Kansas-- Acres.
Fort Leavenworth 939
Montana--
Fort Missoula 1,677
Nebraska--
Fort Robinson 10,240
New Mexico--
Fort Wingate 19,200
New York--
Wooded Area of West Point Mil. Res., about 1,800
Oklahoma--
Fort Sill 26,880
South Dakota--
Fort Meade 5,280
Wyoming--
Fort D.A. Russell 2,541
------
Total 68,557
_National Parks in the United States_
Montana and Wyoming-- Acres.
Yellowstone National Park 2,142,720
Arkansas--
Hot Springs Reserve and National Park 912
District of Columbia--
The National Zoological Park 170
Rock Creek Park 1,606
Georgia and Tennessee--
Chickamauga & Chattanooga Nat. Mil. Parks 6,195
Maryland--
Antietam Battlefield and Nat. Mil. Park 43
California--
Sequoia National Park 160,000
General Grant National Park 2,560
Yosemite National Park 967,680
Arizona--
The Casa Grande Ruin (Exec. Order) 480
Tennessee--
Shiloh National Military Park 3,000
Pennsylvania--
Gettysburg National Military Park 877
Mississippi--
Vicksburg National Military Park 1,233
Washington--
The Mount Rainier National Park 207,360
Oregon--
Crater Lake 159,360
Indian Territory--
Sulphur Reservation and National Park 629
South Dakota--
Wind Cave ........
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Total 3,654,825
Forest Reserves of North America
_State Parks, State Forest Reserves and Preserves,
State Forest Stations, and State Forest
Tracts in the United States_
CALIFORNIA. Acres.
Yosemite Valley State Park 36,000
The Big Basin Redwood Park, about 2,300
Santa Monica Forest Station 20
Chico Forest Station 29
Mt. Hamilton Tract 2,500
KANSAS.
Ogallah Forestry Station 160
Dodge Forestry Station 160
MASSACHUSETTS.
Blue Hills Reservation 4,858
Beaver Brook Reservation 53
Middlesex Fells Reservation 3,028
Stony Brook Reservation 464
Hemlock Gorge Reservation 23
Hart's Hill Reservation 23
Wachusett Mountain Reservation 1,380
Greylock Reservation 3,724
Goodwill Park 70
Rocky Narrows 21
Mount Anne Park 50
Monument Mountain Reservation 260
MICHIGAN.
Mackinac Island State Park 103
Michigan Forest Reserve 57,000
MINNESOTA.
Minnehaha Falls State Park,
or Minnesota State Park 51
Itasca State Park 20,000
St. Croix State Park,
or the Interstate Park at
the Dalles of the St. Croix 500
NEW YORK. Acres.
The State Reservation at Niagara, or Niagara
Falls Park. (Area of Queen Victoria Niagara
Falls Park in Canada--730 Acres) 107
Adirondack Forest Preserve 1,163,414
Catskill Forest Preserve 82,330
The St. Lawrence Reservation,
or International Park 181
PENNSYLVANIA.
Twenty Reserves scattered 211,776
The Hopkins Reserve 62,000
Pike County Reservation 23,000
McElhattan Reservation 8,000
WASHINGTON.
Sanitarium Lake Reservation 193
WISCONSIN.
The Interstate Park of the Dalles of the St. Croix
600
WYOMING.
The Big Horn Springs Reservation 640
Total 1,685,023
_Canadian National Parks and Timber Reserves_
The Dominion of Canada has established a large
number of public parks and forests reserves, of which
a list has been very kindly furnished by the Dominion
Secretary of the Interior, as follows:
BRITISH COLUMBIA. Acres.
Long Lake Timber Reserve 76,800
Yoho Park (a part of Rocky Mt. Park of Can) .......
Glacier Forest Park 18,720
NORTHWEST TERRITORY. Acres.
Rocky Mountain Park of Canada 2,880,000
Foot Hills Timber Reserve 2,350,000
Waterton Lakes Forest Park 34,000
Cooking Lakes Timber Reserve 109,000
Moose Mountain Timber Reserve 103,000
Beaver Hills Timber Reserve 170,000
MANITOBA.
Turtle Mountain Timber Reserve 75,000
Spruce Woods Timber Reserve 190,000
Riding Mountain Timber Reserve 1,215,000
Duck Mountain Timber Reserve 840,000
Lake Manitoba West Timber Reserve 159,460
ONTARIO.
Algonquin Park 1,109,383
Eastern Reserve 80,000
Sibley Reserve 45,000
Temagami Reserve 3,774,000
Rondeau Park ........
Missisaga Reserve 1,920,000
QUEBEC.
Laurentides National Park 1,619,840
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Total 16,769,203
Besides these, there are two or three other reservations in Quebec and
New Brunswick and Manitoba that have not as yet been finally reserved,
but which are in contemplation. Many of the timber reserves are still to
be cut over under license. On the other hand, many of them find their
chief function as game preserves, as do also to still greater extent the
national parks. A large number of these parks and timber reserves are
clothed with beautiful and valuable forests, as yet untouched by the ax.
APPENDIX
In order to be in a position to make intelligent recommendations, in
case legislation authorizing the setting aside of game refuges should be
had, the Boone and Crockett Club, in the year 1901, made some inquiry
into the game conditions on certain of the forest reservations and as to
the suitability as game refuges of these reserves.
Among the reports was one on the Black Mesa Forest Reserve. Mr. Nelson
is a trained naturalist and hunter of wide experience, and possesses the
highest qualifications for investigating such a subject. He is, besides,
very familiar with the reservation reported on. His report is printed
here as giving precisely the information needed by any one who may have
occasion to deal with a forest reserve from this viewpoint, and it may
well serve as a model for others who may have occasion to report on the
reserves. The report was made to the Executive Committee of the Boone
and Crockett Club through the editor of this volume, and was printed in
_Forest and Stream_ about two years ago. It follows:
Forest Reserves as Game Preserves
THE BLACK MESA FOREST RESERVE OF ARIZONA
AND ITS AVAILABILITY AS A GAME PRESERVE.
The Black Mesa Forest Reserve lies in central-eastern Arizona, and
contains 1,658,880 acres, is about 180 miles long in a northwesterly and
southeasterly direction and a direct continuation southeasterly from the
San Francisco Mountain Forest Reserve. On the north it contains a part
of the Mogollon Mesa, which is covered with a magnificent open forest of
Arizona yellow pine (_Pinus ponderosa_) in which there is an
abundance of bunch grass and here and there are beautiful grassy
parks. To the southeast the reserve covers a large part of the White
Mountains, one of the largest areas of generally high elevation in
Arizona. The yellow pine forest, similar in character to that on the
Mogollon Mesa, is found over a large part of the reserve between 7,000
and 8,500 feet altitude, and its general character is shown in the
accompanying view.
The Black Mesa Reserve is irregular in outline. The large compact areas
at each end are joined by a long, narrow strip, very irregular in
outline and less than a township broad at various points. It lies along
the southern border of the Great Colorado Plateau, and covers the
southern and western borders of the basin of the Little Colorado
River. Taken as a whole, this reserve includes some of the wildest and
most attractive mountain scenery in the West.
Owing to the wide separation of the two main areas of the reserve, and
certain differences in physical character, they will be described
separately, beginning with the northwestern and middle areas, which are
similar in character.
THE NORTHWESTERN SECTION OP THE BLACK MESA RESERVE.
With the exception of an area in the extreme western part, which drains
into the Rio Verde, practically all of this portion of the reserve lies
along the upper border of the basin of the Little Colorado. It is a
continuation of the general easy slope which begins about 5,000 feet on
the river and extends back so gradually at first that it is frequently
almost imperceptible, but by degrees becomes more rolling and steeper
until the summit is reached at an altitude of from 6,000 to 9,000
feet. The reserve occupies the upper portion of this slope, which has
more the form of a mountainous plateau country, scored by deep and
rugged canyons, than of a typical mountain range. From the summit of
this elevated divide, with the exception of the district draining into
the Rio Verde, the southern and western slope drops away abruptly
several thousand feet into Tonto Creek Basin. The top of the huge
escarpment thus formed faces south and west, and is known as the rim of
Tonto Basin, or, locally, "The Rim." From the summit of this gigantic
rocky declivity is obtained an inspiring view of the south, where range
after range of mountains lie spread out to the distant horizon.
The rolling plateau country sloping toward the Little Colorado is
heavily scored with deep box canyons often hundreds of feet deep and
frequently inaccessible for long distances. Most of the permanent
surface water is found in these canyons, and the general drainage is
through them down to the lower plains bordering the river. The greater
part of this portion of the reserve is covered with yellow pine forests,
below which is a belt, varying greatly in width, of pinons, cedars and
junipers, interspersed with a more or less abundant growth of gramma
grass. This belt of scrubby conifers contains many open grassy areas,
and nearer the river gives way to continuous broad grassy
plains. Nowhere in this district, either among the yellow pines or in
the lower country, is there much surface water, and a large share of the
best watering places are occupied by sheep owners.
The wild and rugged slopes of Tonto Basin, with their southerly
exposure, have a more arid character than the area just described. On
these slopes yellow pines soon give way to pinons, cedars and junipers,
and many scrubby oaks and various species of hardy bushes. The watering
places are scarce until the bottom of the basin is approached. Tonto
Basin and its slopes are also occupied by numerous sheep herds,
especially in winter.
There are several small settlements of farmers, sheep and cattle growers
within the limits of the narrow strip connecting the larger parts of the
reserve, notably Show Low, Pinetop and Linden. The wagon road from
Holbrook, on the Santa Fe Pacific Railroad, to the military post at Camp
Apache, on the White Mountain Indian Reservation, passes through this
strip by way of Show Low. The old trails through Sunset Pass to Camp
Verde and across "The Rim" into Tonto Basin traverse the northern part
of the reserve, and are used by stockmen and others at short intervals,
except in midwinter.
The climate of this section of the reserve is rather arid in summer, the
rainfall being much more uncertain than in the more elevated areas about
the San Francisco Mountains to the northwest and the White Mountains to
the southeast. The summers are usually hot and dry, the temperature
being modified, however, by the altitude. Rains sometimes occur during
July and August, but are more common in the autumn, when they are often
followed by abundant snowfall. During some seasons snow falls to a depth
of three or more feet on a level in the yellow pine forests, and remains
until spring. During other seasons, however, the snowfall is
insignificant, and much of the ground remains bare during the winter,
especially on southern exposures. As a matter of course, the lower slope
of the pinon belt and the grassy plains of the Little Colorado, both of
which lie outside of the reserve, have less and less snow, according to
the altitude, and it never remains for any very considerable time. On
the southern exposure, facing Tonto Basin, the snow is still less
permanent. The winter in the yellow pine belt extends from November to
April.
LARGE GAME IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE BLACK MESA RESERVE.
Black-tailed deer, antelope, black and silver tipped bears and mountain
lions are the larger game animals which frequent the yellow pine forests
in summer. Wild turkeys are also common.
The black-tailed deer are still common and generally distributed. In
winter the heavy snow drives them to a lower range in the pinon belt
toward the Little Colorado and also down the slope of Tonto Basin, both
of these areas lying outside the reserve. The Arizona white-tailed deer
is resident throughout the year in comparatively small numbers on the
brushy slopes of Tonto Basin, and sometimes strays up in summer into the
border of the pine forest. Antelope were once plentiful on the plains
of the Little Colorado, and in summer ranged through the open yellow
pine forest now included in the reserve. They still occur, in very
limited numbers, in this forest during the summer, and at the first
snowfall descend to the lower border of the pinon belt and adjacent
grassy plains. Both species of bears occur throughout the pine forests
in summer, often following sheep herds. As winter approaches and the
sheep are moved out of the higher ranges, many of the bears go over "The
Rim" to the slopes of Tonto Basin, where they find acorns, juniper
berries and other food, until cold weather causes them to hibernate.
The mountain lions are always most numerous on the rugged slopes of
Tonto Basin, especially during winter, when sheep and game have left the
elevated forest.
From the foregoing notes it is apparent that the northwestern and middle
portions of the Black Mesa Reserve are without proper winter range for
game within its limits, and that the conditions are otherwise
unfavorable for their use as game preserves.
THE SOUTHEASTERN SECTION OF THE BLACK MESA RESERVE.
The southeastern portion of the reserve remains to be considered. The
map shows this to be a rectangular area, about thirty by fifty miles in
extent, lying between the White Mountain Indian Reservation and the
western border of New Mexico, and covering the adjacent parts of Apache
and Graham counties. It includes the eastern part of the White
Mountains, which culminate in Ord and Thomas peaks, rising respectively
to 10,266 feet and to 11,496 feet, on the White Mountain Indian
Reservation, just off the western border of the Forest Reserve. This
section of the reserve is strikingly more varied in physical conditions
than the northern portion, as will be shown by the following
description:
The northwestern part of this section, next to the peaks just mentioned,
is an elevated mountainous plateau country forming the watershed between
the extreme headwaters of the Little Colorado on the north and the Black
and San Francisco rivers, tributaries of the Gila, on the south. The
divide between the heads of these streams is so low that in the midst of
the undulating country, where they rise, it is often difficult to
determine at first sight to which drainage some of the small tributaries
belong. This district is largely of volcanic formation, and beds of lava
cover large tracts, usually overlaid with soil, on which the forest
flourishes.
The entire northern side of this section is bordered by the sloping
grassy plains of the Little Colorado, which at their upper border have
an elevation of 6,500 to 7,500 feet, and are covered here and there with
pinons, cedars and junipers, especially along the sides of the canyons
and similar slopes. At the upper border of this belt the general slope
becomes abruptly mountainous, and rises to 8,000 or 8,500 feet to a
broad bench-like summit, from which extends back the elevated plateau
country already mentioned. This outer slope of the plateau is covered
with a fine belt of yellow pine forests, similar in character to that
found in the northern part of the reserve. Owing to the more abrupt
character of the northerly slope of this belt, and its greater humidity,
the forest is more varied by firs and aspens, especially along the
canyons, than is the case further north. Here and there along the upper
tributaries of the Little Colorado, small valleys open out, which are
frequently wooded and contain beautiful mountain parks.
The summit of the elevated plateau country about the headwaters of the
Little Colorado and Black rivers (which is known locally as the "Big
Mesa"), is an extended area of rolling grassy plain, entirely surrounded
by forests and varied irregularly by wooded ridges and points of
timber. This open plain extends in a long sweep from a point a few miles
south of Springerville westward for about fifteen miles along the top of
the divide to the bases of Ord and Thomas peaks. These elevated plains
are separated from those of the Little Colorado to the north by the belt
of forests already described as covering the abrupt northern wall of the
plateau. On the other sides of the "Big Mesa" an unbroken forest
extends away over the undulating mountainous country as far as the eye
can reach. The northerly slopes of the higher elevations in this section
are covered with spruce forest.
The most varied and beautiful part of the entire Black Mesa Reserve lies
in the country extending southeasterly from Ord and Thomas peaks and
immediately south of the "Big Mesa." This is the extreme upper part of
the basin of Black River, which is formed by numerous little streams
rising from springs and wet meadows at an elevation of from 8,500 to
9,500 feet. The little meadows form attractive grassy openings in the
forest, covered in summer with a multitude of wild flowers and
surrounded by the varied foliage of different trees and shrubs. The
little streams flow down gently sloping courses, which gradually deepen
to form shallow side canyons leading into the main river. Black River is
a clear, sparkling trout stream at the bottom of a deep, rugged box
canyon, cut through a lava bed and forming a series of wildly picturesque
views. The sides of Black River Canyon and its small tributaries are well
forested. On the cool northerly slope the forest is made up of a heavy
growth of pines, firs, aspens and alder bushes, which give way on the
southerly slope, where the full force of the sun is felt, to a thin
growth of pines, grass and a little underbrush.