er positively knew that there
could not be any use made of the carcass. I saw deer killed when only
a fry would be taken from the ham, the remainder of the carcass left
to lay without even the pretense of dressing. It was a common
occurrence to kill deer for no other purpose than to feed dogs.

One day I was standing by a man on a sand bar on the bank of a river
when we noticed a doe a few rods away looking at us. The man drew his
gun to his shoulder in the act of shooting and I exclaimed, "My God,
man, you are not going to shoot that deer, are you?" My words were
not out of my mouth when the gun cracked. The deer was mortally
wounded and ran directly towards us, making desperate efforts to keep
its feet. It fell dead within ten feet of where we were standing. I
walked away. The slayer of the innocent creature stood and gazed at
it a moment and then with his foot he pushed it off the bar into the
river. I hope I may never see another such sight. It was June and the
doe was heavy with fawn and this man knew that he could make no use
of this deer whatever.

I saw much wasteful slaughter of deer but none quite so inhuman as
the one mentioned. The game laws of the Pacific Coast were not
enforced. When well back in the mountains it was a rare thing to hear
the game laws spoken of, not even by the game wardens. Now I think
that all who are lovers of the woods and fields should join in a
general move to protect this wasteful slaughter of all game and game
birds, no matter whether we are the so-called "pot hunter" or the
"gentleman sportsman," but none will regret this unreasonable waste
of game more than those who are living back in the mountains, where
game is most plentiful, when it is gone. Nor none will get more
benefit and pleasure from the very fact that they are living in a
game section, yet these are the ones who do not seem to care how
great the slaughter, apparently never taking it into consideration
that the present rate of slaughter will soon leave their game laden
section as bare of game as that of the older settled countries.

Comrades, let us all join in the preservation of what game and fish
there is left, whether we may be called pot hunters or gentlemen
sportsmen. I would be the last one to wish to deprive any trapper or
camper from making good use of game at any time when in camp, but let
us be careful about the waste of it.

* * *

Comrades of the trap line, you of course are aware that a trapper is