Thursday, November 1i, 1954. THE TRIBUNE, WILLIAMS LARE, B.C. Page 3 California Big H First Such Experiment In Game Management History Resembles Rodeo Twenty-five California bi ig horn sheep, members of one of the rarest big game species on the North American continent, have been transplanted to the slopes of a mountain in Oregon, in a co-operative venture undertaken by the British Columbia Game Commission and the Oregon State Game Commission. Scene of the operation was Jack Moon’s Deer Park Ranch on the banks of the Fraser, where, the larg>| est band of big horn in existence, estimated at 225, makes their year- round range. The actual rounding up of the animals and loading them on a truck for delivery. south took place last Saturday but before dealing with this operation, which in itself was unique ‘dn the history of game management, let’s take a look at the history of the Cuiifornia big horn and the reasons behind the experiment. At one time these big game ani- mals, prized particularly for trophy heads, roamed the slopes of the con- tinent’s western mountains from Foam Rubber Now available for cus- tom upholstery work— -car and truck cushions or home furnishings LILO RAIL AND BOXED VALANCE INSTALLATIONS any size See us for quotations JAN MIKLER For over 30 years California north. At one time in { British Columbia they were plentiful throughout the Interior. ONLY 1000 Today this species has dwindled to around-a thousand, with the majority of them in our province. They are classed as the third rarest wild. life species, with only the Florida Keyes deer and California Tule Elk com- ing in a rarer category. have a fairly close epartinents 1950 was 350 sleep. In British Col- umbia, besides the Deer Park hand, there is one of around 75 at Chilco Lake, 75 in the Whitewater country, 100 around Churn Creek, 25 near Clinton and around 100 head in three or four bands in the Lillooet district and three bands in the Okanagan. After keeping a close census of the large Deer Park band for the past four years, the biologists of the B.C. Game Department recommended that some move be made to transplant animals from this area to other points farther south in an effort to increase the sheep population. Since there appears to have been no ma- terial increase in the local band in the past ten years, the biologists believe most of the annual crop of lambs has not survived because the range is stocked to capacity. Church of Christ SUNDAY SERVICES Bible Study - - 10 a.m. Service - - - - 11 am. VISITORS WELCOME at Manufacturer of Exclusive Upholstered Furniture Phone 89-R-5 Smedleyviile Building a Home? Free Estimates William: Call A.E. Montgomery Construction GENERAL CONTRACTOR or Remodelling? Box 111 s Lake Of these sheep that remain, game} count. In California the estimate in| Home of Dr. James f UNIQUE BAND This band exhibits another charac- teristic unique within the species it- self, inasmuch as it does not undergo an annual migration to higher alti- tudes. Protected from the hunter, these sheep can be seen at any time along the sidehills high above the Fraser. 7 Because British Columbia is on the northern limits of the natural range of the California big horn, the department biologists could see little advantage in trying to establish ad- ditional populations in this province alone. South though, in the State ot Oregon, where the highorn once flour- sisbed, it was felt that conditions | Would be ideal to conduct an experi- pps to preserve the race, The Oregon State Game Commis- sion was consequently offered 25 of these animals to stock the Hart Mountain slopes, which lie in a state game reserve. This offer: was accept- ed by the game men to the south, and pense of the construction of the trap necessary to catch the sheep. GROUNDWORK STARTS This spring the groundwork of the experiment was started under the su- pervision of our own district game » + NEXT Next in line for the little ceremony of being carried to the truck and being tagged be- for going aboard, this sheep stands quietly watching after conceding defeat to the rope holding her. Ringside, $1.50 WRESTLE ROYAL ELKS HALL : ‘Saturday, Nov. 27 8:30 p.m. NO TIME LIMIT Five wrestlers will be competing in Wrestle Royal The first wrestler defeated is eliminated The next two defeated will return in a 20 minute or The final two will return in a one hour or best two out of three falls main event WATCH NEXT WEEK For Names of top Coast and Local stars competing ADMISSION Rush, $1.25 Sponsored by B-P.O.B. Lodge 239 one fall semi-final Students, 60e they in turn offered to stand the ex-. fe: small dynamite charges, deton- orns Moved To Oregon . ++ HE'S OFF € ze se plus ram provided the day’s Trying his best to turn a front fli slope to the waiting truck. Th the background Murray Taylor p this California bighorn ram is being ‘walked’ down the at’s Cecil Henry holding on to the rope in the foreground. In and Bob Mace hold on to the second rope. The 200-pound most spectacular action. biologist Lawson Sugden. A contract for erection of a nine foot high paige wire fence was awarded to Bob Scott of Riske Creek and the work com- meced. The fence encompasses an area of a little more than three acres, centred by a small hogsback jutting out from the mountain behind where the sheep were known to bed down. Once the’ fence was completed, with large gates at the top and bot- tom of the slope, two questions plagued the biologist in charge. How was he going to entice the animals to enter his ‘corral’; and once they were in, how was he going to close the gates that stood in clear view .o* the approaching countryside? The problem of the gates was solved by the ingenuity of mining engineer Doug Stevenson, who sug- gested dropping the gates by means ated by means of remote control. his. methyd “Was agreed on, | btter the ¢harges were set, a wire’ javas strung 600 yards to the closest clump of fir trees. Not certain what delicacy could best be employed. to. entice the sheep salt, dairy mash, water, feed pellets and finally cabbage, during the two weeks he patiently baited and watch- ed his trap. CABBAGES PROVE UNDOING The use of cabbages proved a hap- py decision and it was these veget- ables that proved the undoing of part of the band. Coming over the fields last Thursday morning, Lawson saw the sheep inside the fence, and after plunging the firing mechanism and going up to his fence for a closer look, he found he had 28 bighorn sheep securely fenced, including two rams, Chief biologist Dr. James Hatter was informed of the catch, and ar- rangements were made to have the Oregon Game Commission send up a truck for their new wildlife speci! mens. When the Oregon Game Commis- sion truck arrived on the scene Sat- urday there was no shortage of helpers. Game wardens Joe Gibault, and Ken Walmsley and _ predator animal hunter Marius Mortenson were on hand, as were Dr. Hatter and Mr. Sugden. From the Big Creek country Lawson had enlisted the ser- vices of rancher and big game guide Cecil Henry and forestry patrolman inside the-enclosure, Lawson used | Logger Killed | In Lone Butte Mishap Anthony Ernest Zomar, 24, of Lone Butte was accidentally killed | in a logging mishap while falling | near Lone Butte on Saturday. Mr. Zomar came to Lone Butre from Abbotsford four years ago to; work with his brother Michael Zomar | at the sawmill. He was born in Ate] boisford, and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Zomar of that city. He also leaves to mourn his pass- ing his widow and three children and his brother at-Lone Butte. Requiem Mass will be sung in St. | Apne’s Church at Abbotsford on} Thursday. J LISTEN TO “FORD THEATRE” SATURDAYS $:30 p.m. OF CFJC Leo Fowler Williams Lake Concrete Products READY MIX CONCRETE FOR YOUR CONCRETE NEEDS SPECIFY “READY-MIX” — FASTER ON THE JOB. Free Estimates --- Phone 44-G Lakeside Murray Taylor, Bob Scott had slept out on the scene the night before, waiting for the big move. Heading the three-man party from Oregon, who travelled the 800 miles from Hermiston near Pendleton to get the animals, was Bob Mace who heads the commissions big game department. With him Roy | Dickenson, superintendent of the | game at Hermiston, and Ron| Shay of the commission’ intorma- | were tion and education department. HOW TO GO ABOUT IT Big problem confronting the men | was how to go about capturing the; sheep. Since it was the first time in the records of game management that the stunt had been tried, fio one w just too sure of how to go about it. (continued on page 7) WATER truth about Put Seagram’s “83 to the water test. Water, plain or sparkling, reveals a whisky’s true, natural flavour and bouquet, Seagram's “83” Canadian Whisky \ & Seagram's ona Sure ~) tells the whisky This advertisement is not published or displayed by the Liquor Control Board or by the Government of British Columbia.