26min | Adventure, Western, TV Series | Episode aired 20 December 1955
Ricky tries to rescue a fawn from a snare and incurs the trappers' wrath. The men are trying to provide meat for a railroad construction crew but are wiping out the native game in the process. Ricky, Sandy and an Eastern conservationist try to convince the railroad construction boss to find a new source of meat for his men.
Director: George Archainbaud
Writer: Oliver Drake
Stars: Champion, Barry Curtis, Jim Bannon
Ricky tries to rescue a fawn from a snare and incurs the trappers' wrath. The men are trying to provide meat for a railroad construction crew but are wiping out the native game in the process. Ricky, Sandy and an Eastern conservationist try to convince the railroad construction boss to find a new source of meat for his men.
Director: George Archainbaud
Writer: Oliver Drake
Stars: Champion, Barry Curtis, Jim Bannon
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Champion the Wonder Horse! Champion the Wonder Horse!
00:10Like a streak of lightning flashing across the sky.
00:13Like a swiftest arrow whizzing from a bow.
00:16Like a mighty cannonball he seems to fly.
00:20You'll hear about him everywhere you go.
00:24The time will come when everyone will know the name of...
00:27Champion the Wonder Horse!
00:58Let's see.
01:00The lowest common denominator would be...
01:0417.
01:13Now you stop trying to tempt me, Rebel.
01:16I can't play till I get this homework done.
01:18Now get off my bed.
01:28And now here comes Champ.
01:38Well done, Champ!
01:51I'm glad to see you, Champ.
01:53But if you and Rebel keep interrupting me...
01:56I'll never finish my work.
01:59Is something wrong, Champ?
02:12Looks like it could be important.
02:15Maybe I better find out and do my arithmetic later.
02:27No.
02:43Well, what's the matter, Champ?
02:57A fawn!
03:02Well, I know you mean well, Rebel.
03:05But you just scare it.
03:07Now get back and stay down.
03:16It's been snared.
03:22Now don't you worry.
03:24Now don't you worry. I'll get you out.
03:33He'll be all right in a minute.
03:36Then I'll take you home and doctor you up.
03:39Hold on. Keep still.
03:50What are you doing with that deer?
03:52Well, it's not a deer. It's only a fawn.
03:56And somebody's been setting snares.
03:58Yeah. Our snares and traps.
04:08You're the ones.
04:10Yeah. Our traps and our snares.
04:13Look, kid. There's no law against traps.
04:16But there's law against thieving from other folks' trap lines.
04:18You was gonna take that fawn.
04:20It might have died.
04:21It's gonna die anyway. Get it put in and put it with the rest.
04:24You can't do that.
04:25I'd like to know why not.
04:36You better call that doggo.
04:37And that horse too, Sonny, if you want to keep him alive.
04:40Go on, Rebel. Easy, Champ.
04:45Well, look. This little fawn isn't worth much.
04:49I'll buy him from you.
04:50That ain't the point. You gotta learn to leave our trap lines alone.
04:54Go ahead, Bundy.
05:08What's on your mind, stranger?
05:14So you're the killers.
05:16Killers? We're businessmen.
05:18Businessmen?
05:23You're ruthless killers for profit.
05:25They even wanted to kill this little fawn.
05:27Well, they're not going to do it.
05:29No. That's our trap and it belongs to us.
05:32Now, look, mister.
05:33We got a deal to supply the railroad construction gang with venison and it's plum legal.
05:38It don't make no difference how big that deer is or how little.
05:41Why don't you stop bothering us?
05:43You're not gonna kill that fawn.
05:46Now, Rebel!
06:17Help him, Champ! Help!
06:32That's enough, Rebel.
06:35You can let him up, Champ.
06:38Now, both of you. Get on your wagon and get out.
06:46What about my rifle?
06:47You'll get it back, but not now.
06:49You ain't seen the last of us.
07:04Gee, mister. I don't know how to thank you.
07:07I should really thank you.
07:09You've just helped me do my work.
07:11Your work?
07:12Yes. I'm Jonah Mattson.
07:14I've come out west to help stop the wholesale slaughter of wildlife.
07:17Oh? Well, how are you gonna do that?
07:20Well, eventually, to get laws passed.
07:22But right now, I'm on my way to see the superintendent of the railroad construction gang.
07:25Mr. Craig?
07:26That's right.
07:27I hope to convince him to stop using venison to feed his crew.
07:30Oh, my Uncle Sandy will help you, Mr. Mattson.
07:33He always says something should be done to protect the animals.
07:36He knows Mr. Craig, too.
07:38Fine. I need local support.
07:40Maybe I can go home with you and meet your uncle.
07:42Yeah.
07:43I'd like to take that fawn on my saddle, but...
07:46Well, just drop it.
07:48Rebel can take care of that.
07:54Come here, Rebel.
07:56Now pick it up, Rebel.
07:59Maybe your idea for game preserves is good, Mr. Mattson. Maybe not.
08:02There's nothing I can do about it.
08:04There's one thing you can do, Craig, as Mattson says.
08:06Stop feeding your men venison.
08:08Yes, at the rate the deer are being killed off by your hunters,
08:11they'll be exterminated by the time the line is finished.
08:13That's not my lookout. I'm a businessman.
08:15If I can buy deer meat cheaper than $1,000,
08:18I'll be able to buy a lot of deer meat.
08:20I'll be able to buy a lot of deer meat.
08:22I'll be able to buy a lot of deer meat.
08:24I'll be able to buy a lot of deer meat.
08:26I'm a businessman. If I can buy deer meat cheaper than beef, that's what I buy.
08:31Well, if it ain't our pal.
08:33This crackpot's been trying to put us out of business.
08:35Don't worry about that.
08:37We ain't worried about it. We're plumb sore.
08:39Him and that kid outside have been robbing our traps and stole Dodger's rifle.
08:43Nobody robbed your traps. The boy offered to pay for the fawn.
08:46And here's your rifle.
08:48I'm warning you, I'm going to put you and your kind out of business.
08:50And you're just as bad as they are.
08:52You've got a dollar sign where your heart ought to be.
08:54Get out.
08:59I heard it all.
09:19I reckon we ought to discourage that kind of good before he makes any more trouble.
09:24I'll keep in touch with you, Sandy.
09:26Sorry I blew up at Craig, but sometimes my temper gets the best of me.
09:29Ah, it may wake him up.
09:31You sure you won't change your mind and stay with us?
09:33Thanks, I've taken a room in town.
09:35I've talked my idea over with a newspaper editor and he may run some articles on it.
09:38I'll have to keep after him.
09:40You ought to get in touch with Bentley Cameron, too. He's the territorial commissioner.
09:43Well, he's a friend of ours.
09:45And he's a rancher, too.
09:47He owns a ranch next to us.
09:49I heard he's in Washington.
09:51I'll see him as soon as he gets back.
09:53We'll let you know.
09:55You know, with him on your side, you can corral all the help you need.
09:58We want to talk to you.
10:20Under the circumstances, I have to listen.
10:22Now, we're warning you.
10:25Get back east and get while you're still able to travel.
10:28You're wasting your time and mine.
10:30I'm not going to stop until I accomplish my purpose.
10:49Say, that came from the direction Max was riding.
10:51You stay here.
11:21What happened?
11:23I ran into my two blaggard friends.
11:25Jonah, you're up against a pretty tough proposition for a man who doesn't know much about the west.
11:29Well, I'm pretty tough myself. Thanks for helping me.
11:31You're welcome. You able to ride home all right?
11:33I'll make it.
11:38Thanks, Sandy.
11:49Well, his leg seems to be all right now.
12:09Yeah.
12:11You don't sound very happy about it.
12:14I'm afraid to turn him loose, Uncle Sandy.
12:16Well, keep him there.
12:24Rebel, we just got to figure a way to get rid of those deer hunters.
12:31I've got it. Come on.
12:53You find another one, Rebel?
12:59Oh, good boy, Rebel.
13:29I'll be right there, Rebel.
13:58Well, I don't know.
14:10Every day it's the same thing.
14:12I wish I could get my hands on whoever's springing our traps.
14:15Well, it's bound to be that Matson hombre or that north kid.
14:18Yeah. Only how are you going to prove it?
14:20They never leave any tracks.
14:21Well, we've got to do something.
14:24If we don't bring in more venison, we're going to lose our contracts.
14:28There's plenty of deer in that next valley over there.
14:30On the Cameron property?
14:31What difference does it make?
14:33Well, he's around the place now.
14:35He just got back from Washington.
14:37Well, he's so busy, he won't know what's going on.
14:39We'll set a new trap line over there and leave these here.
14:42They'll keep right on springing these traps.
14:44That's just what I want them to do.
14:45If they think we're still trying to trap here, they won't bother us on Cameron's place.
14:51Jonah Matson's campaign deserves support.
14:55Too long have we Americans wasted the natural resources of our country.
14:59Well, you're sure off to a good start, Jonah.
15:01Yes.
15:02Now, if I can only get Mr. Cameron's help.
15:04Well, he ratchets here as well as being commissioner.
15:07He should be interested.
15:08Come in.
15:11Hi, Sandy.
15:12Got your message.
15:13What's up?
15:14Well, I've got a message for you.
15:17Hi, Sandy.
15:18Got your message.
15:19What's up?
15:20Well, I asked you over to meet my friend Jonah Matson.
15:22Jonah, this is Commissioner Cameron.
15:24How do you do?
15:25Delighted, sir.
15:26Sit down, Ben.
15:27Yeah, thanks.
15:29Ben, we'd like you to sponsor a bill for game reserves in this area.
15:35I know Mr. Matson's activities, of course.
15:39Frankly, I don't feel we need game sanctuaries.
15:41Not yet.
15:42We have plenty of game out here.
15:44There won't be any if something isn't done.
15:46And now.
15:48I'm sure you exaggerate the situation, Mr. Matson.
15:51And I'm sure you don't realize the seriousness of it, Mr. Cameron.
15:55Well, Ben, these railroad hunters aren't just hunting to live.
15:58They're hunting to make money.
15:59They're killing mother animals and fawns in their traps.
16:02I don't like traps either, Sandy, but after all, it's still frontier.
16:05Change has come gradually.
16:07Gradually?
16:08If you don't know how fast wildlife in America is being destroyed, sir, you are blind.
16:12Jonah, Ben, just a minute.
16:14I'm sorry, Sandy.
16:15I have more important things to do than argue with a fanatic.
16:19I'll show you.
16:20I'll force you to take action.
16:21I'll carry my fight to the people.
16:23I'll get up a petition.
16:24I wish you luck.
16:33Uncle Sandy, what did Mr. Cameron say?
16:37What are you going to do, Mr. Matson?
16:39Just what I said.
16:40I'll get public opinion in back of me.
17:11Pull out, Ben.
17:14We've been looking for you, Matson.
17:16Here you've been getting a petition signed.
17:18What's the matter? Don't you want our names?
17:25How many names have you got on that thing?
17:27Enough to force Cameron to take action and to put you two out of business.
17:30Hey, you have been busy.
17:32Give me that!
17:35Get moving, Matson. A foot.
17:37The way you cover ground, you don't need a horse to get a petition signed.
17:41You heard him. Beat it!
17:51Maybe we should have finished him off.
17:53What for?
17:54Cause too much of a ruckus.
17:55By the time he gets another petition signed,
17:57this construction team will be out of the territory.
18:07Let's go.
18:38Oh, hello, Mr. Cameron.
18:39Hiya, Ricky.
18:40Hello, Ben.
18:41Hello, Sandy.
18:42Would you like a cup of coffee?
18:43Don't mind if I do. Black.
18:44Fine, Ricky.
18:46Sit down, Ben.
18:47Thanks.
18:48Sandy, are you losing any stock lately?
18:51No, not that I know of. Why?
18:53I'm missing some yearlings.
18:55Strange part of it is the rustlers are butchering them right on my own land.
19:00Thanks, Rick.
19:01You know, I found some bloodstains and some bones and some hides buried in the ground.
19:06I'll bet you those deer hunters set another trap lying over there.
19:09What makes you say that?
19:11Well, you see, Uncle Sandy,
19:14they haven't been catching much in the old ones
19:17cause the rebels have been smelling the traps out
19:21and I've been springing them.
19:22Well, that was wrong, Ricky.
19:24But isn't it wrong for those men to catch baby animals
19:27and let them suffer till they're found?
19:29You know, Ben, Ricky might be right about those deer hunters at that.
19:33Maybe they have been taking some of your young stock and passing the meat off as venison.
19:37Well, I wouldn't dare.
19:39But still, I'm missing those yearlings.
19:42If we could find the trap line, we'd have proof.
19:44I'll ride back to your spread with you.
19:46Fine.
19:49Could Rebel and I come along?
19:51Sure, I don't see why not.
19:53I'll get Sandy to catch up with you.
20:03Come on.
20:34Help!
20:55Help!
20:56Help!
21:03Help!
21:19Wagon tracks, Ricky.
21:20They're fresh.
21:22Guys in Bundy drive a wagon.
21:24Then we're on the right trail.
21:28Rebel, go back and find Uncle Sandy.
21:34Come on.
21:46Get me out of this.
21:55Well, can you think of any reason why we should help him, Bundy?
21:59Not while he's fooling with our traps.
22:03Heh, heh.
22:25What is it, Rebel?
22:26Did you find something?
22:33No.
22:47If you leave me here, it'll be murder.
22:49We ain't responsible if you've had an accident.
22:54I've seen enough to be convinced.
22:55You stay here.
23:01Stop where you are.
23:02We're setting traps on private land and killing my stock.
23:05Now, just a minute, Commissioner.
23:07You've got to hear our side of the story.
23:09You're not only rustlers, you're murderers.
23:12Prepare to let that man stay there and die.
23:23Get in there, kid.
23:32Hey!
23:33Hey!
23:34Hey!
23:35Hey!
23:36Hey!
23:37Hey!
23:38Hey!
23:39Hey!
23:40Hey!
23:41Hey!
23:42Hey!
23:43Hey!
23:44Hey!
23:45Hey!
23:46Hey!
23:47Hey!
23:48Hey!
23:49Hey!
23:50Hey!
23:51Hey!
23:52Hey!
23:53Hey!
23:54Hey!
23:55Hey!
23:56Hey!
23:57Hey!
23:58Hey!
23:59Hey!
24:00Hey!
24:01Hey!
24:15That's enough, champs!
24:26Good boy, champ.
24:27Keep an eye on him.
24:28Come on, Rebel!
24:31Hold it, Rebel.
24:33Come on.
24:36Please accept my apology, Mr. Madsen. I was wrong.
24:40Are you all right, Jonah?
24:41I'm all right. If it weren't for this thing, I'd say I never felt better in my life.
24:48Game Refuge. No hunting or shooting, under penalty of law.
24:53Vanna certainly didn't take you long once you made up your mind.
24:56Thank you, Commissioner.
24:58Well, until I saw you in that trap, I didn't realize how cruel it was to let anything suffer and die that way.
25:08There he goes.
25:13You're gonna be safe now. Goodbye!
25:16THE END
25:46THE END