The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-09-08

fLf1L CI DCt1<S4It At4D f<AhI1t@4A $500
A desire 20 preserve this important
game animal has caused a renewal Of
attempts to breed ID IN confinement,
and at present there are small herds
under private ownership In many
places IN the United states. The bio
logical survey has recently obtained
much information from owners OF
herds in regard TO their experience IN
breeding and rearing the animals, and
also their opinions as to the posi-.
bility Of making the business Of rails
ing them profitable OF about
dozen successful breeders, nearly ali
are OF the opinion that raising elk
for market can be made remuneratiye
II present laws as 10 the sale Of The
meat are modified.
One especially important fact has
b0en developed By the reports from
breeders II Is that the elk readily
adapts itself to almost any environ
ment Even within the narrow con
fines Of the paddocEs Of the ordinary
geological park the animal does well
and increases SO that periodically the
herds have been reduced by sales.
The fullest reports that have been
received by the department Of agri
culture from breeders Of elk are from
George w. Russ OF Eureka Springs.
Ark, through H. n Vinall Of the
bureau Of plant industry.
Mr.. Russ has a herd Of "a elk. They
have ample range in the Ozarks on
rough land eOyeFed with hardwood
forest and abundant underbrnsh. The
animals improve the forest by clear
ing ous part Of the thicket. They feed
on buds and leaves 10 u height OF
eight feet and any growth under this
is liable to be eliminated If the
range IL restricted. II not closely
confined, elk do not eat the bark
from trees nor do they eat evergreens
In clearing ont underbrush from
thickets they are more useful than
goats, since they browse higher.
Goats, however cat closer to tho
ground, and as the two animals gel
along well together Mr. Russ recon
inends the use of both for clearing %
brushy land and fitting Il for tame
grasses.
The increase of elk under domesti
cation is equal to that OF cattle
Fully 80 per cent. OF the females pro.
duce healthy young. An adult male
elk weighs from 200 70 1000 pounds
q female from 800 to 500 pounds The
percentage Of dressed meat is great
er than with cattle, but owing to hos.
tile game laws. experience in market
ing it Is very limited An oIer OF 40
cents a pound for dressed meat was
received from St Louis, but the laW
would not permit its export. Mr.
Russ says
Prom the fact thai as high as
Sl.50 per pound has been paid for this
meat IN New York city and Canada
and that the best hotels and res.
taurants pronounce It the finest OF ali
the meats of mammals, we are OF tho
opinion that if laws we're such that
domesticated elk meat could be fur.
nished It would be many years before
the supply would make the price rea-
sonable compared with other meats.
Elk meat can De produced in many
sections Of this county at less cost
per pound than beet, mutton or pork. e
Mr. Russ thinks that large areas or
rough lands IN the United States not
now utilized, especially IN localities
like the Ozarks and The Alleghenies.
could be economically used to pro.
duce yenison for sale. and he regards
the elk as especially suited for this
purpose