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Show TRUTHS m CONNECTION WITH THE. ELK QUESTION Editor Tribune For tho benefit of those not conversant with the true situation situ-ation hero at tho present time, permit me. as one fully aware of the whole situation, to say: That the elk in the Jackson Hole country at present arc In as good condition as anyone could expect ex-pect at this time of the year. With tho possible exception of some of them, which have come down to last winter's feeding ground, these elk are poor, ami unless fed and cared for. a majority of them will undoubtedly "turn up Ihelr toes" before spring. This of Itself shows the effect of winter feeding. Like the old rango herds of cattle, they will come back to the feed grounds, expecting feed, only to find It is not to bo had. And It Is the same old laic Once start to feed and you must keep It up. In so far as the "tusk hunters'' are concerned, I may state that the cltlr.ens here are fully aware of the fact; that Ihesc self-same "tusk hunlers" wore arrested ar-rested and convicted time and again by Mr. Xowlln and his deputies, and each lime the sentence Imposed was so light, and the prize so great, that Ihey returned re-turned here with renewed energy to pursue pur-sue their-nefarious practice. And tho citizens who did aid the deputies In ridding rid-ding the neighborhood of them were made up of some of Die best guides and people in the valley. So far as petitions nro concerned. It is less than five years ago lhal a petition was circulated in this same hole, requesting re-questing that this same "Gros-Vcntro country bo set aside as a game preserve." pre-serve." And for thai matter petitions nro almost as thick as elk in this same country. Tho fact of tho mailer Is thin: There is considerable contention here among tho settlers themselves, and until this Is fully laid aside there can bo little hope of tho matter being fully settled. Personally. Per-sonally. 1 hope that congress will lie a little careful In considering petitions from this section of the country. Tho majority ma-jority of our best stockmen are fully aware of Ihe fact, that wc must havo a preserve for these elk somewhere, so that thoy may havo a place of their own. in order that they may not conflict with the best Interests of the stockmen. Those same people nro just as fully aware that at tho present tlmo there Is not enough hay raised In the entire Jack-sou Jack-sou valloy to fully Justlfv tho winter feeding proposition, ho until such tlmo as this matter can be fully solved and a definite end reached, wo shall havo all kinds of schemes propounded to us This Is a big question, and cannot be dealt, with in a few hours or days. We each and all wish to see these noble animals ani-mals preserved and cared for., and instead in-stead of silting around and finding fault wltli each other. let us all try and find some way to best meet this question, without interfering and conflicting with the rights and privileges of each other as settlers and citizens. This is not the plea of a new comer, but an old settler In the country, and one whose business has led him to tako a deep interest In the matter from first to last. I sincerely hope that this may be received re-ceived In the same kindly spirit that It Is written, and that wc may soon reach a conclusion by which we as- settlers set-tlers may bo benoilted to the fullest extent. ex-tent. J. D. FEHRLV. Deputy Game Warden. |