The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1910-07-08

Ia not best when freshly killed. but should be
left hanging Tor four or Ave days before II Is
used
With few exceptions he early attempts to
domesticate elk were made by men who were
wealthy enough TO disregard all thought OF profit
N raising them. They were usually placed under
the care Of servants and tle bucks were left
cnstratod until they becaas old and unmanage-
able. Soon the serious problem OF controlling
them outwelghcd the novelty Of their possession
and one by one the attempts ut domestlcatlon
were abandoned
4 desire TO preserve this Important game ant
mai has caused q renewal Of attempts to breed
II 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 10 their experience In breeding
and rearing the animals and also their opinions
ns 10 the possibility ~ making the business Of
raising them profitable or about dozen sue
ccsstul breeders nearly all are Of the opinion
that raising elk for market can be- made rcmu.
ncratyc n present laws a. to the sale Of the meat
are modified.
one especially important fact has been dcvel.
oped by the reports from breeders II Is that the
elk readily allpts Itself TO almost any environ.
mont Even within the narrow confines of the
paddccks of the Ordinary geological park the ami
mai does we'll and Increases so that periodically
the herds have 10 bc reduced by sales.
The fullest reports that have been received
by the department NJ agriculture from breeders
Of elk are from George W Russ OF Eureka
Springs. Ark
Mr. Russ has a herd Of % elk They have
ample range IN the OzarlA ON rough land covered
with hardwood forests and abundant underhrush
The animals improve tho forest by clearing out
part Of the thickrt They feed ON buds and leaves
to u height OF eight feet and any growth under
this Is liable TO bee eliminated n the range Is I'm
restricted n not closely confined elk do not cat
the bark from trees nor 10 they eat eNergreens
In clcarlug out wudcrbrush from thickets they
ARE more useful than goats, since they browse
higher Goats. however. eat closer 10 the ground,
and az tho two animals get along well together
Mir Russ recommends tho use Of both for clear
Ing mp brushy land and htting II for tame grasses
Tho Increase NJ elk under domestication Ia
equal to thal Of cattle Fully 30 per cent OF the
females produce healthy young An adult male
elk weighs from 200 90 900 pounds; a female
from COO to 500 pounds. Tho percentage OF
dressed meat H greater than with cattle but
owing 10 hostile gumo laws experience In mar
ketlng II o. very limited An offer OF 40 cents a
pound FOR lrossrl meat was received from ST.
Louis hut tho law would not permit It's export
Mr. Russ saws,
From the fact that as high as $3.50 a pound
has boon paid tur thc meat In New YORK city ana
Canada and that the best hotels and restaurants
pronounce % The finest NJ all the meats OF nam.
mails, we are of the opinion that II laws were
such that domnsucltol ELK meat could be tur'
nished n would De- many years before the supply
would make the price raasonablo compared win
other monts E'k mcut cnn be produced In many
sections of this country m less cost per pouhn
than beef. mutton or rur0"
Mr. Russ thinks that large areas OF rough
lands in the United States not now utilized espe'
clally m localities iEa the Ozarks and the AUe'
ghenies, could Doc economically used to produce
NpUIeun enlr H the elk oHNo