Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-02-01
ELK AS SNAKE KILLERS.
Rattlers Are Exterminated by Herd
on Big Game Preserve in
Michigan.


Before herd of elk were established
on his Forest lake preserve by Joshua
Hill. Pontiac (Mich) banker. rattle
snakes were quite numerous there, SAYS
a writer in the Detroit News-Tribune,
but the big animals have virtually
cleaned them out. If one is fortunate
enough to be near a stag when he dis
covers serpent he will see an interest
ing exhibition. If the snake is asleep
or motionless the stag will retreat few
steps, when. with short run and a
spring in the air, he will draw all four OF
his razor-like feet together and land
them where the snake lies. Another
quick bound carries him ten feet from
danger, when he ambles around to look
at the damage. One of his sharp hoofs
has probably dismembered the snake,
which will be struggling in an effort to
coil itself.
Each animal in the herd may now re-
peat the action of the leader. the does
taking their turns as well as the stays,
and ii after that the snake still moves
the circuit will be repeated until by the
stiffness OF the remnants the elk are
satisfied that the life of the serpent is
extinct. For the final decision as many
elk as there are in the herd will stand
looking at the dead snake. until the
leader gives the signal whistle, when
they march on toward their destination.
During the summer and in the autumn
the stays get along well together, but at
sprlngtlme. when the wooing season in
elkdom comes, there is fighting. Then.
instead of morning greetings floating
across the lake, the calls are those Of
battle and are taken as the challenges
OF enemies. While number of the ami
mails have been severely cut, in these
nights. Mr.. Hill has as yet lost none of
his elk on account of them.
The life of the buffalo on this big pre-
serve is less interesting. They are fine
herd of this almost extinct animal. They
craze all day long on the hillsides. or
wallow in the mud and water of the low
lands Just now there is mother with
tiny buffalo calf in the herd, which is
the pet OF all the bulls and cows. When
ever anyone approaches the COW re-
treats and the calf, instead of following
behind her, is always on the side farth-
est from possible danger.
Mr.. Hill has several of the finest buff
falo bulls in America, and it is doubtful
II one OF them, at least. is surpassed by
any other animal of its kind in the coun-
try. The value of the buffalo NAV he
imagined when the fact is known that
a mounted head of one of the animals
often brings over $1,000. In fact. a. very
poor specimen often brings more than
that sum.
But the wild animals are not the only
attraction on the big preserve, where
each year Mr.. Hill and his family spend
many pleasant weeks, and entertain
scores of their friends. At the foot or
the lane one comes upon road that
leads around the lake to the forest. Half
way around is large boathouse.
equipped with several boats and fishing
tackle, for fishing is one of the sports
that Mr.. Hill INDUCES in on his preserve.
In places the lake is 80 feet deep, and is
filled with big pike. bass, perch and
other species of fish.
From the boathouse the road winds
along the foot Of a long hill until it
reaches the woods. when there is a grad
ual climb to the big log house and log
dining cabin, in which Mr.. Hill and his
'amily pass part of their summer On
all sides of these cabins huge oak trees
and beeches spread out in big woods
free of underground and in which souri,
rels chatter and play without fear of
hunters. Through these trees on the
farther side of the log cabins one looks
out upon Long lake, not 20 rods away.
In fact, the cabins are situated on a long
neck or stretch of hills, which separate
the two lakes. Mr. Hill owns a part of
Long lake ALSO but this is not inclosed
In the preserve.
Here Pontiac's popular banker enter
tains his friends in an actual forest par
adise. The dwelling cabin has a great
fireplace, in which logs are burned in
chill weather, and the upper story is
divided into sleeping apartments. A
few steps away is the dining cabin, with
chinks between the logs to let the breeze
and fresh air through. In this place are
Dften spread sumptuous feasts of fish.
game and turtle soup, for Forest lake
harbors thousands of turtles, some of
them as large around as a good-sized
dishpan.
Several times each week Mr.. Hill
drives down to his beautiful preserve
with his lively boys and girls and that
the life agrees with him can be seen in
the youthful ardor with which he enters
into their sports and recreations.