Vintage Wildlife Management

Biological Survey photograph of government guide and hunter Cleve Miller.  Written on the back "5 mt. in lions killed in 3 days by Government hunter, Cleve Miller and party, Apache Natl. Forest, Arizona. 1922"

Cleve Miller was a professional hunter and guide early in the 20^th century in the wilds of Arizona.  He owned a ranch in Pine Flat and was employed by the Biological Survey in Greenlee County. Cleve Miller is mentioned in the book Arizona The Grand Canyon State, A State Guide from the Federal Writers’ Project (1930s) which reads, “Cleve Miller, a former Government hunter in this area, once said that a man’s lifetime was just long enough to break one mule and train one pack of lion dogs.  During the month of February 1923, Cleve killed fifteen lions with the aid of his hounds.”  Miller was often called in to destroy dangerous wild animals that threatened locals and tourists in the Arizona parks.