Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-06-23

is not best when freshly killed, but should be
left hanging for four or five days before it is
used
With few exceptions the early attempts to
domestcate elk made by men who were
wealthy enough to disregard all thought of profit
in raising them. They were usually placed under
the care Of servants and the bucks were left un.
castrated until they became old and unmanage-
able. Soon the serious problem of controlling
them outweighed the novelty of their possession
and by the attempts at domestication
abandoned
A desire to preserve this important game ami
NAL has caused renewal of attempts to breed
it in confinement and at present there are small
herds under private ownership in many places in
the United States. The biological survey has re-
Gently 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 possibility of making the business of
raising them profitable. OF abo"t dozen sue
cessful breeders nearly all of the opinion
that raising elk for market be made remu-
nerative If present laws to the sale of the meat
are modified.
One especially important fact has been devel-
oped by the reports from breeders It is that the
elk readily adapts itself to almost any environ
ment. Even within the confines of the
paddccks Of the ordinary geological park the ami
NAL does we'll and increases so that periodically
the herds have to be reduced by sales.
The fullest reports that have been received
by the department OF agriculture from breeders
of elk are from George w. Russ of Eureka
Springs, Ark.
Mr.. Russ has a herd of "a elk. They have
ample range in the ozarks ON rough land covered
with hardwood forests and abundant underbrush
The animals improve the forest by clearing out
part of the thicket They feed on buds and leaves
to a height of eight feet and any growth under
this is liable to be eliminated II the range is I'M
restricted. II not closely confined elk do not eat
the bark from trees nor do they eat evergreens
In clearing out underbrush from thckets they
more useful than goats, since they browse
higher. Goats, however, eat closer to the ground
and as the two animals get along well together
Mr.. Russ recommends the use of both for clear
ing up brushy land and fitting it for tame grasses
The increase of elk under domestication is
equal to that of cattle. Fully 80 per cent of the
females produce healthy young. An adult male
elk weighs from ZOO to 1000 pounds; female
from 600 to 800 pounds The percentage OF
dressed meat is greater than with cattle but
owing to hostile game laws, experience in mar
keting It is very limited. An offer of 40 cents
pound for dressed meat received from st.
Louis, but the law would not permit It's export
Mr.. Russ says:
From the fact that high as $3.50 pound
has been paid for the meat in New York city and
Canada and that the best hotels and restaurants
pronounce 1t the finest Of all the meats of
mails, are of the opinion that II laws
such that domesticated elk meat could be fur
nished 1t would be many years before the supply
would make the price reasonable compared with
other meats Elk meat can be produced in many
sections Of this country at less cost per pound
than beef, mutton or pork"
Mr. Russ thinks, that large areas Of rough
lands in the United States not now utilized espe-
cially in localities like the ozarks and the Allie
ghenies, could be ecoR9micaly used to produce
venison for sale and he regards the elk as espe-
cially suited for this purpose
Annther featlira az Mr. Russ's reDort Ia Of
more than passing interest He says;
eve find from long experience that cattle,
sheep and goats can be grazed in the same lots
with elk, providing, however. that the lots or
Enclosures are not small; the larger the area the
better. We know Of no more appropriate place to