American Big Game in Its Haunts | Page 2

uncultivated West will prove
added sources of wealth to our country.
The Club has for some time given much thoughtful attention to the
subject of game refuges--that is to say, areas where game shall be
absolutely free from interference or molestation, as it is to-day in the
Yellowstone Park--to be situated within the forest reserves; and as is
elsewhere shown, it has investigated a number of the forest reserves in
order to learn something of their suitability for game refuges. It appears
certain that only by means of such refuges can some forms of our large
mammals be preserved from extinction. The first step to be taken to
bring about the establishment of these safe breeding grounds is to
secure legislation transferring the Bureau of Forestry from the Land
Office to the Department of Agriculture. After this shall have been
accomplished, the question of establishing such game refuges may
properly come before the officials of the Government for action.
Among the notable articles in the present volume, one of the most
important is Mr. Roosevelt's account of his visit to the Yellowstone
National Park in April, 1903. The Park is an object lesson, showing
very clearly what complete game protection will do to perpetuate
species, and Mr. Roosevelt's account of what may be seen there is so
convincing that all who read it, and appreciate the importance of
preserving our large mammals, must become advocates of the forest
reserve game refuge system.
Quite as interesting, in a different way, is Mr. Brown's contribution to
the definition and the history of our larger North American mammals.

To characterize these creatures in language "understanded of the
people" is not easy, but Mr. Brown has made clear the zoological
affinities of the species, and has pointed out their probable origin.
This is the fourth of the Boone and Crockett Club's books, and the first
to be signed by a single member of the editorial committee, one name
which usually appears on the title page having been omitted for
obvious reasons. The preceding volume--Trail and Camp Fire--was
published in 1897.
GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL.
NEW YORK, April 2, 1904.

American Big Game in Its Haunts
[Illustration: Theodore Roosevelt]
[Illustration: President Roosevelt and Major Pitcher]
FOUNDER OF THE BOONE AND CROCKETT CLUB.
It was at a dinner given to a few friends, who were also big-game
hunters, at his New York house, in December, 1887, that Theodore
Roosevelt first suggested the formation of the Boone and Crockett Club.
The association was to be made up of men using the rifle in big-game
hunting, who should meet from time to time to discuss subjects of
interest to hunters. The idea was received with enthusiasm, and the
purposes and plans of the club were outlined at this dinner.
Mr. Roosevelt was then eight years out of college, and had already
made a local name for himself. Soon after graduation he had begun to
display that energy which is now so well known; he had entered the
political field, and been elected member of the New York Legislature,
where he served from 1882 to 1884. His honesty and courage made his
term of service one long battle, in which he fought with equal zeal the
unworthy measures championed by his own and the opposing political
party. In 1886 he had been an unsuccessful candidate for Mayor of
New York, being defeated by Abram S. Hewitt.
Up to the time of the formation of the Boone and Crockett Club, the
political affairs with which Mr. Roosevelt had concerned himself had
been of local importance, but none the less in the line of training for
more important work; but his activities were soon to have a wider
range.
In 1889 the President of the United States appointed him member of the

Civil Service Commission, where he served until 1895. In 1895 he was
appointed one of the Board of Police Commissioners of New York City,
and became President of the Board, serving here until 1897. In 1897 he
was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and served for about a
year, resigning in 1898 to raise the First United States Volunteer
Cavalry. The service done by the regiment--popularly called
Roosevelt's Rough Riders--is sufficiently well known, and Mr.
Roosevelt was promoted to a Colonelcy for conspicuous gallantry at
the battle of Las Guasimas. At the close of the war with Spain, Mr.
Roosevelt became candidate for Governor of New York. He was
elected, and served until December 31, 1900. In that year he was
elected Vice-President of the United States on the ticket with Mr.
McKinley, and on the death of Mr. McKinley, succeeded to the
Presidential chair.
Of the Presidents of the United States not a few have been sportsmen,
and sportsmen of the best type. The love of Washington for gun