Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-09-26
THE HALIFAX DEER PARK,
Results Have Justified the Experimenting
crease in the Herds of Elk and Deer-Ango-
ra Goats and Wild Boar Not Favored.

ra Goats and Wild Boar Not Favored.
The Brattleboro correspondent of the
Springfield Republican writes as fol
lows Of L. c. Houghton's deer park al
/ Halifax:
Mr. Houghton's success in raising
elk has justified the experiment, prov.
ing beyond question the ability of these
animals to Withstand the rigor Of Yer
mont winters, while all the time in
creasing in weight and vigor. From
4 the introduction of two cows and a bull
/ the herd has rapidly increased until
/ now it numbers between 20 and &c
magnificent creatures, truly monarchs
! of their SO0.acre realm, afraid of moth
/ ing, yet easily restrained, reports to
\ the contrary Notwithstanding, within
their Enclosure surrounded by an eight
foot wire fence. The elk, unlike al
most any other animal, will thrive on
with evident relish that which a billy
goat or mountain sheep would scorn ;
in fact, the most scrawny hard hack is
we'll as every It'd bit of leaf, fern or
grass, leaving their ranch as free from
browse as if swept by fire, the trees
themselves being stripped of limb and
foliage within reach of these creatures
of expansive appetites, whose reaching
propensities induces them to stand up
right on their hind legs in order to
more easily feed on the higher branches.
Through the open months of the year
these elk find little or no trouble in
getting enough to eat on their extern
sive range, but in the winter time,
when the snow is deep and crusty, it
is necessary to feed them hay, of
which the Houghton farm and adjoin-
ing tracts furnish an abundance.
What are they good for is an al
most daily query which Mr.. Houghton
and his caretakerS are met with from
the large number of visitors to the
park and the answer is, "They are
easily raised, are mighty interesting in
their habits besides there is always
market for elk meat. - Last fall Mr..
HoughtOn ran up against a cornered
market in Boston, where two men had
secured the option ON all the big game
likely to be brought in They offered
10 cents a pound for elk from the Hal,
flax park. but Mr.. Houghton decided
to hold of, trusting to his ability to
obtain as much pound at least as is
paid for other meat, so he placed
few carcases of elk and deer in cold
storage at one third of a cent a pound
a month. 1t proved good invest
ment. as the price advanced, and he
was able to successfully compete with
the men who had attempted to control
the market Both elk and deer. with
other wild game. is sold to the leading
hotels and club. houses, which cater To
class of people who demand occa-
sionally Juicy elk steak. Mr. Hough
ton has succeeded in increasing his
herd of deer to the number of POO or
800, which are kept at Halifax with
the elk, though the two herds inYa-
riably flock by themselves. For sev-
eral years Mr., Houghton has sold his
dressed deer to Boston marketmen.
who consider them superior to the
wild deer, and for which they pay bet
ter prices \ few winters ago. when
the snow in Halifax had drifted half
as high as the wire Enclosure. a few of
Mr.. Houghton' deer succeeded in
jumping the fence and escaping to the
mountains. They have multiplied un-
til to-day the sight of wild deer in
and about Halifax is not unusual; in
deed some of the wild ones pay regular
visits to the captives in the park, and
seem almost as tame as those under
restraint Mr. Houghton's experience
with AngOra goats was not sufficiently
interesting to lead him to continue
their keeping: he preferred the elk and
deer, in which he takes unusual care
and interest. His first shipment from
Idaho of three elk cost him 500 ieliy-
cred in Chicago, nevertheless, he eX-
poets TO make his venture profitable in
the end. He does not take kindly TO
raising wild boar. such As have multi
piled 80 rapidly in the Corbln park at
Newport These animals are too fero-
rious and cannibalstic to attract
much favor. being sure death TO sheep
)f any other creature possible for them
10 attack. while they are tleet of foot
and absolutely wild in their nature.
Ii is reported that quite Il number of
these wild boar. which have escaped
from the Corbin enclosure are doing no
little damage in the country adjacent
% that reserve, and that it l. difficult
o eXtermnate them.