The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-08
ELK RAISED FOR MARKET.
PROFIT FOUND IN NEW INDUSTRY
IN COLORADO.

Capt. Coon Started His Herd by Capturing
Young Animals-Doclie, Though Treach.
erous, Hardy and Easily Raised-Demand
for Elk for Public and Private Parks.
FoRT COLLINS. Colo. Oct The bust less Of
raisfng Rocky Mountain elk promises 10 become
ono OF tho established industries in Colorado In
Slater, Routt county. J. l. Littlcheld Is domesti-
eating herd Of ono hundred head. Al Laporii,
Larimer county lobe Miller has enclosed a tract
Of forty acres with Q wire fenoe, eight fos,
high, and has began TO collect young elk. deer, &C.
which he proposes 10 breed for commercial pur-
pcsoa Those who have engaged in the business
ind quite profitable as there appears TO be an In
cressing demand for these animals for public and
private parks
Probably tho FIRST 10 embark In elk farming
upon an extensive scale was Capt Marcus Coon,
formerly Of Fort Collins He came TO Colorado
thirty years ago from New York State About
hftoon years ago he removed 10 the White River
country In Rio Blanco county and took up loo
aoroS Of land. sixteen miles east Of the town Of
Aoeker II was about eight years ago that he
conceived the idea OF breeding elk. To begin with.
he fonood eighty Of the most billy and broken
part Of his ranch with good stout posts and six
strands Of barbed wira About June ne and his
man went out into the hills In search Of elk.
with which to stock the ranch and
secured Ex heller calves and one bull Golf With
these Capt Coon made his beginning He fed
COWS milk from The bot,le they were s allowed
70 nun about the oorrals and door yard, and soon
would sp saon y
oAll, for their milk and other food As soon as
they wero old enough to graSe and browse upon
iecd Of oats daily and ato the grain With avidi,y
wore turned out into the enclosed pasture whore
they continued TO flourish occurring little Or no
as5n ssei e9 6e G @
ing Thorn upon condensed milk. and all save two
died In three yeaIy tho hord increasei to thirty
Of the pasture and were killed by party Of tour
lists, for which act the hunters were indicted.
Coon began 70 derive some Income from bis herd.
To the Park Commissioners Of Denver be sold .
cow nb two % az her sds bought 500
ship those animals Capt Coon secured them in
crates and handed thorn in wagons S.ty miles
70 being transp s Si' with good srSoe anu ''
was afforded for studying their nature Capt.
Coon found them yeIy hardy The young are
sss e. bulls IN uIy and v
allow no one to enter the enclosure,
odd suven NE ls5Tes' , hill elk II, that Capt
sition. lie had . way Of breaking through IL,
not not troubling bimsei % bring them back He
would attack horse with man in the saddle
or q team q horses attached 70 wagon He
not and would take immediate advantage o.
any sign Of fear on the part Of an adversary.
Sss in es Fac od Sullivan and san
was chased by the animal; while Capt Coon:
sign OF fear, could go out alone and bring in tho
entire herd
Capt Coon recently sold bunch Of tame elk
10 ma at iatt IN RtI n mr. atA
park The bunch was 90 large that IL was i'm.
practicable TO crate the animals, 80 they were
ton Tho task was found much less difficult
than expected, In fact, the docie animals wero
sisted Of fifteen head and were under the leader.
ship Of Maud" the bell COW The Captain rode
In front with Maud close behind him And tho
helpers II Maud seemed inclined 70 halt or
turn aside the Captain called 70 hor softly BY
eond ns ssf ON ne ha 80 ii
some difficulty would be experienced IN getting
but f here ' again CAPT Coon was happily disnp.
pointed. When the & ns plank had been p,"-
and the other elk in turn followed hei
The bull elk usually attains a weight ranging
grow 70 200 pounds They do moi get their full
growth until six years old q the whole, they
among them must keep sharp lookout even for
any who Tor moment ID OF rs
euard. For instance, II they catch a man s,-!p-
with their front feet The domesticatod elk mp.
pear quito oontented long as they arr permitted
70 nun with domestic cattle. They viii not Jump
a. fonce. but are inclined To break the wires and
crawl through Consequently. Capt Coon would
recommend the use Of woven wire In c1rnstruc,ing
an enclosure intended 70 hold them. For range
they need plenty n brush. they subsist almost
wholly upon twiRs and the coarser herbaEe They
arc very fond Of the twigs Of the qunkirg asp.
They will become rolling IN fat upon this kind Of
forage They are also extremely hardy. and re-
quire no shelter In the coolest winter weather In
fact they would not take 10 the sheds which the
Captain built 70 protect them but would 60 o. in
the open spaces on tho range and lie down and go
TO aeep In the deepest snow they could hnd,
The elk sheds his horns every spring In tho
latter part OF April The new horns start oMt
be a full set and tho elk will begin 70 rub of tn?
velvet that covers them. When the velvet Ia all
of there Is no life In the horn. which becomes
dead bono The elk Ia very careful In carving
his horns while the velvet Is on. As they are very
sensitive and will break very easily. The size q
the horns depends upon the ago OF the animal
After the elk nttains the OF two years 1t ie Inn
horna A. the ago Of one year the elk has only
single spike; al two years be has 1--WE prongs on
each side A large pair Of elk horns Will measure
six feet from tip 10 tip. :,
In calling the COW elk has sort Of whistllng
sound: the bull has bugle blast which upon .
still day can be heard three four miles ELY
change color. like deer In the spring they are OF
reddish color After shedding S ,nsi haiT 'hss
sray in The fall The hair is from two TO two and
q half inches In length.