Page 364 - Our Vanishing Wild Life

342 OUR VANISHING WILD LIFE
of America, and private individuals also, should do something more than to offer advice and exhortations to the government.
Accordingly, the Zoological Society offered to present to the Govern- ment, delivered on the ground in Oklahoma, a herd of fifteen pure-blood bison as the nucleus of a new national herd, provided Congress would furnish a satisfactory fenced range, and maintain the herd. The offer was at once accepted by Hon. James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture, andtheSocietywasinvitedtoproposeasiteforarange. TheSociety sent a representative to the Wichita National Forest Reserve, who recommended a range, and made a report upon it, which the Society adopted.
ByactofCongresstherangewasatonceestablishedandfenced. Its area is twelve square miles (9,760 acres). In October, 1908, the Zoological Society took from its herd in the Zoological Park nine female and six male bison,anddeliveredthematthebisonrange. Thereweremanypredic- tions that all those bison would die of Texas fever within one year ; but the parties most interested persisted in trying conclusions with the famous tick of Texas.
Mr. Frank Rush was appointed Warden of the new National Bison Range, and his management has been so successful that only two of the bison died of the fever, the disease has been stamped out, and the herd now contains thirty-nine head. Within five years it should reach the one-hundred mark. Elk, deer and antelope have been placed in the range,andallsavetheantelopearedoingwell. TheWichitaBisonRange is an unqualified success.
The Montana National Bison Range.—The opening of the Flathead Indian Reservation to settlement, in 1909, afforded a golden opportunitytolocateinthatregionanothernationalbisonherd. Ac- cordingly, in 1908, the American Bison Society formulated a plan by which the establishment of such a range and herd might be brought about. That plan was successfully carried into effect, in 1909 and '10.
The Bison Society proposed to the national government to donate a herd of at least twenty-five bison, provided Congress would purchase a range, fence it and maintain the herd. The offer was immediately accepted, and with commendable promptness Congress appropriated $40,000 with which to purchase the range, and fence it. The Bison Society examined various sites, and finally recommended what was regarded as an ideal location situated near Ravalli, Montana, north of
jthe Jocko River and Northern Pacific Railway, and east of the Flathead River. TheneareststationsareRavalliandDixon.
The area of the range is about twenty-nine square miles (18,521 acres) and for the purpose that it is to serve it is beautiful and perfect beyondcompare. Initthebisonherdrequiresnowinterfeedingwhatever.
In 1910 the Bison Society raised by subscription a fund of $10,526, and with it purchased 37 very perfect pure-blood bison from the famous ConradherdatKalispell,22ofwhichwerefemales. Onegiftbisonwas added by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Goodnight, two were presented by the