I am tempted to try to map out roughly what are to-day the unopened and undestroyed wild haunts of big game in North America.  In doing this, however, I warn the reader not to be deceived into thinking that because game still exists in those regions, those areas therefore constitute a permanent preserve and safe breeding-ground for large mammals.  That is very, very far from being the case.  The further “opening up” of the wilderness areas, as I shall call them for convenience, can and surely will quickly wipe out their big game; for throughout nine-tenths of those areas it holds to life by very slender threads.

To-day the unopened and undestroyed wilderness areas of North America, wherein large mammals still live in a normal wild state, are in general as follows: 

THE ARCTIC BARREN GROUNDS, or Arctic Prairies, north of the limit of trees, embracing the Barren Grounds of northern Canada, the great arctic archipelago, Ellesmere, Melville and Grant Lands and Greenland.  This region is the home of the musk-ox and three species of arctic caribou.

THE ALASKA-YUKON REGION, inhabited by the moose, white mountain sheep, mountain goat, four species of caribou, and half a dozen species of Alaska brown, grizzly and black bears.

NORTHERN ONTARIO, QUEBEC, LABRADOR AND NEWFOUNDLAND, inhabited by moose, woodland caribou, white-tailed deer and black bear.

BRITISH COLUMBIA, inhabited by a magnificent big-game fauna embracing the moose, elk, caribou of two species, white sheep, black sheep, big-horn sheep, mule deer, white-tailed deer, mountain goat, grizzly, black and inland white bears.

THE SIERRA MADRE OF MEXICO, containing jaguar, puma, grizzly and black bears, mule deer, white-tailed deer, antelope, mountain sheep and peccaries.

I have necessarily omitted all those regions of the United States and Canada that still contain a remnant of big game, but have been literally “shot to pieces” by gunners.

In the United States and southern Canada there are about fifteen localities which contain a supply of big game sufficient that a conscientious sportsman might therein hunt and kill one head per year with a clear conscience. All others should be closed for five years!  Here is the list of availables; and regarding it there will be about as many opinions as there are big-game sportsmen: 

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HUNTING GROUNDS IN AND NEAR THE UNITED STATES AND SOUTHERN CANADA WHEREIN IT IS RIGHT TO HUNT BIG GAME

THE MAINE WOODS:  Well stocked with white-tailed deer.

NEW BRUNSWICK:  Well stocked with moose; a few caribou, deer and black bear.

WHITE MOUNTAINS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE AND VERMONT:  For deer.

THE ADIRONDACKS, NEW YORK:  Well stocked with white-tailed deer, only.

PENNSYLVANIA MOUNTAINS:  Contain many deer and black bears, and soon will contain more.