Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-06-24

No.
w and Virginia deer are
commended as best adapted for the production of
venison in the United States.
The flavor of venison is distinctive though it
suggests mutton rather than beef In chemical
composition it is very similar to beef. A lean
venison roast before cooking has been found to
contain average IS per cent. of water, 20
per cent of protein heterogeneous material and
2 per cent of fat; lean beef rump, some IS to
70 per cent of water, 20 to % per cent of pro-
tein and 5 to IA per cent. Of fat; and a lean leg
of mutton, 81 per cent. of water, 10 per cent. Of
protein and 10 per cent. of fat.
The general popularity of venison is so great
and the demand for it widespread that
production is improbable. The other products Of
the deer-skins and horns-are of considerable
Importance and in countries where deer abun-
dant and especially where large herds kept
in semidomestication. the commerce in both is
very extensive.
The wapti, known generally in America as the
elk is next to the moose the largest of our deer.
It was once abundant over the greater part of the
United States, whence its range extended north
ward to about latitude 60 degrees in the Peace
river region of the interior of Canada. In the
United States the limits of it's range eastward
were the Adirondacks, western New Jersey and
eastern Pennsylvania; southwark it reached the
southern Aleghenes, northern Texas, southern
New Mexico and Arizona; and westward the Pa
cific ocean.
At the present time the elk found only
in few scattered localities outside of the Vel
lowstone National park and the mountainous
country surrounding it, where large herds remain.
Smaller herds still occur in Colorado, western
Montana, Idaho, eastern Oregon, Manitoba, AL
berta British Columbia and the coast mountains
of Washington, Oregon and northwestern CalifOr-
MIA A band of the small California valley elk
still nhabits the southern part of the San Joa-
quin valley.
The herds that summer in the Yellowstone
National park and in winter spread southwark
and eastward in Wyoming are said to number
about 1000 head and constitute the only large
bands of this noble game animal that are lett
Although protected in their summer ranges and
partially safeguarded from destruction in winter
by the state of Wyoming, there is yet great dan
ger that these herds may perish from lack of food
in a succession of severe winters. Partial pro-
vision for winter forage has been made within
the national park but the supply is inadequate for
the large numbers of animals. Further safeguards
are needed to place the Wyoming elk herds be-
yond the reach of winter starvation
In addition to the wild herds there is
siderable number of elk in private game preserves
and parks as we'll as in nearly all the public
illogical parks and gardens of this country. The
herds in captivity form the nucleus from which,
under wise management, some of the former
ranges of this animal may restocked and from
| which prOntaDl0 business OIL growing elk VGni-
son for market may be developed. At the pres
ent time this species affords a most promising
! field for ventures in breeding for profit.
! The elk is both browsing and grazing anil
NAL While it eats grasses freely and has been
! known to subsist entirely upon pasture, it seems
to prefer a mixture of grass and browse.
The elk is extremely poygamous The adult
bulls shed their antlers annually in March or
April and new ones attain their full size in about
| NJ. Mo Syolx oto oil IL
gust While the horns are growing the bulls usu-
ally lead solitary lives; but early in September.
when the horns are fully matured the mating
season begins. Fights for supremacy then take
place and the victor takes charge of many COWS
as he can round up and control.
Although the elk is less prolific than the COM
mon deer and some other species that have been
bred in parks it increases fully rapidly as the
common red deer of Europe Moreover it makes
ND for any lack of fecundity by it's superior har-
diness and ease of management. 1t has been &C.
climatized in many parts of the world and shows
the same vigor and hardness wherever it has
been transplanted. In Europe it has been sue
cessfully crossed with the Altai wapiti and the
red deer and in both instances the offspring were
superior in size and stamina to the native STOCK.
The flesh of the elk, although somewhat coarse,
s superior I'm flavor to most venlson. IhaL or the
bulls is in it's best condition about the time the
| velvet is shed In October their flesh is in the
poorest condition. AS the open season tor elk
! is usually in October and November and only
bulls are killed it follows that hunters often OBJ
tain the yenison when it is poorest. The meat