Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-25
HAVE AN ELK STEAK
Their Breeding for Food Urged
to Solve Meat Problem.
ANIMAL IS EASILY tanned
venison Of Elk Now Brings Fancy
Prices in Market.
VAST OUTLAY FOR FOOD
What Higher Prices Mean to People
in a Great City Like
New York.
By WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago RecoF
Herald.

By WILLIAM &. CURTIS.
Written for The Sta. and the Chicago Record
Herald.
The meat supply Of the country might
be increased considerably IL the wild elk
which are now giving 50 much trouble to
the authorities and ranchmen of Wyom-
ing were to be domesticated and bred
for the cattle market. Droves Of more
than fifty thousand elk inhabit the yell
lowstone Park during the summer
months, and when the winter snow covers
the valleys there. they migrate southwark
into Jacksons Hole and other sections Of
Wyoming where they have grazed for
centuries. But their feeding grounds are
now occupied by farms and are Enclosed
with wire fences. 50 that it 10 not only
very difficult for them to get food, but
thousands starve to death every winter.
The legislature of Wyoming has hui
namely appropriated money to buy food
for them, and several benevolent asso-
Citations have been trying to get Congress
to set apart a permanent pasture for
them in one of the forest reserves But
the most practical solution Of this little
problem that has yet been suggested is
to distribute the animals in small punches
among farmers who will be willing to
breed them for meat. The venison Of the
elk Is not 80 tender as that Of the deer,
but Is quite as good AZ that of the ante
lope, and has an excellent flavor. 1t sells
for a high price. 60 cents and Is cents
and sometimes a dollar pound, in the
city markets. and IL considered great
luxury. 1t Is as good as half the beef
that is sold in the ordinary market, and
both the fiber and flavor can be improved
by feeding and breeding. An ordinary
elk weighs about as much as the average
steer. and the meat supply Of the coun-
try might be increased very much in that
way.
Easy to Domesticate.
No wild animal il more easily domesti-
Gated. The elk is naturally tame and
docile, and requires the same feed as
ordinary cattle. Elk breed regularly and
rapidly. and the young reach maturity in
three years.
There are three game farms in the
United States where venison is raised for
the market. One is in Maine, another in
and the third, near Mason
City, Iowa, is kept by q man named
John w. Briggs, who makes considerable
money selling animals to park commits
sioners and private preserves and for
venison in the market. He realizes from
$50 to $35 per head for his deer. and when
he kills buck for market he sells the
antlers for % additional. He has a cor
lICtOo6O Uy eight 16SI OI WOSSH WIFE,
with sheds for shelter. The natural food
is reinforced by corn. alfalfa and clover.
but Q deer does not need more than one
fifth of the fodder OF an ordinary steer.
and hence they are not 50 expensive to
maintain. They breed rapidly. averaging
one fawn per doe per year. The mating
season is In November. the fawns are
born in May or June and usually the
young does have single fawns. but when
they are four or five years old they usu-
ally have twins.
A few cents increase in the price Of a
pound of meat or a dozen eggs. or a
basket of fruit or vegetables, makes a
difference in the cost of liv-
ing in a great city like New York, where
not less than 10000. 900 is spend for food
every year. 1t il estimated that each Of
the four million inhabitants Of Greater
New York eats an average of one pound |
of meat a day, which at an average
price Of 20 cents a pound would make
the total annual expenditure for that sort |
Of food about $50, 900. 600, and the expendi-
lures for fish, eggs, poultry, bread, but |
ter. fruit, vegetables and other things |
are quite as great