New-York tribune., 1908-08-09
THE POSSIBILITIES
OF DEER FARMING
ELK WORTH 81 30 H POUNn
as VENTSON.
Department of Agriculture Issue,
Bulletin Telling of Their Valus
as Forest ImproUers.

Imaginative city folk who love TO talk aoor. -
lows OF farming and plan to raise very profess
crops Of recondite commodities. like souss
turtles frogs legs and ginseng. will be pleased :
learn that there Is big money in deer farm n
stately antlered creatures that stalk about ;.
Enclosures may be kept in a pasture lot Ike :,
many COWS and trained to answer the farYp,.
hail, "Co-boss" A magnificent ornament to a.
farm. performing in life a variety Of useful =.
vices, besides giving their owner reputation !.
opuIence they worth as much as 8 80 po,-s
when transformed into venlson- They breed "a.
idly and are about Indifferent TO diet az ~.
Bronx goat. that most any suburbante nrs.
keep a few pastured on the vacant real estate /,
his neighborhood.
bulletin Of the United States Departures. :,
Agriculture by D. z. Lantz. OF the biological r--
vey. tells all about the possibilities Of the s4~
industry The only advantages overlooked are ..
aesthetic uplift that horny browed farmers r-z.
gain by gazing in the liquid eyes OF the fawns a.
inspiration to lovers. the benefit artists ssst
ing models and the aid to paragraphers on cou,.
try sheets desirous OF making shocking pr-.
There is but one slight drawback 70 raising ds.,
for the market AS eminent counterfeitsr orc,
remarked to his friends: IT'S easy 70 make y,
stuff. but the Job Is TO shove it"
A harsh and unfeeling statute prohibits the s,,,
Of venison In most states. The mere keeping
deer in captivity or their transportation is sla
widely forbidden However. such a dravbsek
does not appeal to the hopeful expert OF ia
biological survey. who thinks that venison ''beiz.
a favorite with epicures, must and will be erau.
cipated from the restrictions OF antique statute,
Once the people understand the needs Of epic1reaa
taste they will rise up in their might ard deuars
that venison be put on the free list with terrap,
and chuck steak The sufferings Of sybar.tes De.
prived of their deer sirloin out Of season hs
reached almost intolerabls stage A patsrnA
government extends it's sympathy 70 them. an:
Z
pan-broiled used for making stews." while ths
steak TO be at its best. should be eaten as 500,
as possible after IL is cooked
The term deer is meant TO include the whos
family OF elk, caribou. moose and other speciss
To raise them for profit does not imply their con-
plete dornesticatfon. IL IS stated They may 10
kept in large preserves with natural surroundings
But the farmer should aim at the ultimate donss-
tcation Of the animals. Special sections OF ths
country are adapted to the different species ot
deer. The elk. OF which there thirty
thousand at large in Wyoming and in Yel1vstons
Park, produces good quality OF venisOn Il s
both a browsing and grazing animal The nsls
is poIygamous and ferocous fighter IN the breed
ing season A Mr. Russ. Of Arkansas. keeps
herd OF thfrty-four elk They have range in tas
Ozarks on rough land covered with hardwood for
est and abundant underbrush- The animals const-
tute themselves forest improvement association
by clearing out part OF the thicket- They feed
ing all growths OF that size They more ussflI
for clearing purposes than goats fer they browse
higher. Goats however. eat closer to the ground
Therefore a partnership between goats and Elk
which get along well together. IS recommended tus
tanning the wilderness and fitting it for asrculturs
The increase Of elk under domestication is elua
to that of cattle. The weight OF adult ranges
from 800 to 1000 pounds. and the percentages q
dressed meat is greater than with cattle Mr.. Russ
says that elk meat be produced in many
| tons of the country at less cost a pound than
beef. mutton pork. while quotations for venson
| range between 20 cents and 81 30 pound Largs
| areas of rough and unproductive lands. as IN hs
Ozarks and the AlIeghanies. could be used for
raising elk valuable quality Of the elk Is hs
/ natural en-nity to dogs and wolves few sk II
thousand pasture for cattle. sheep and goats
will absolutely protect these animals from all wolf
| ish intruders. 1t might be added that the elk vii
sometimes not even let their owner intruds A
1 four-foot wire fence IS said be sufficient
10 confne herd. and the cost Of a good sk
fence. where lumber for posts Is cheap, Is 80
mile. II is not expensive 70 stock preservs
Surplus animals frcm geological parks and prva's
/ estates have been sold low SD a head. VIA
/ bull elks should be kept IN strong inc;Osurs
! A Washington breeder who began raising deer
In 1874 sells the animals for breeding purposes The
bucks bringing $50 each and the does s75 He feeds
| corn and a mixture Of bran and meal. also wild
forage summer IhS animals prefer TIE ranAest
| weeds 10 the choicest grass. An Iowa deer farne-
| plants weeds Of all kinds 20 supply his stock Wit.
/ the catholic diet which they prefer A Missouri
| farmer with herd OF Virginia deer SAYS that no
domestic animal except the goat requires 50 little
| feed and attention. The greatest expense g the
| fencing, and 1t is troublesome matter 70 bring
| up the fawns as pets. The St Louis PARK aid AZ
| ricul;url Company has L40O deer and elk N
6.ooo-acre preserve in Taney County. No. ard ins
| Otzinachson Rod and Gun Club has nearly ~"
deer in its 400 park IN Clinton County. Penn
| The latter represent the natural Increase TOE
| ninety animals in SIX years