The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1910-06-23


is not best when freshly killed but should be
left hanging for four five days before it is
used.
With few exceptions the early attempts to
domesticate 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 left
castrated until they became old and unmanage-
able. Soon the serious problem of controlling
them outweighed the novelty of their possession
and one by the attempts at domestication
were abandoned.
A desire to preserve this important game ami
NAL has caused renewal of attempts to breed
it in confinement and at present there small
herds under private ownership in many places In
the United States. The biological survey has
Gently obtained much information from
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 about a dozen sue
cessful breeders nearly all of the opinion
that raising elk for market can be made remu-
neratve if present laws to the sale of the meat
modified.
One especially important fact has been devel-
oped by the reports from breeders. 1t is that the
elk readily adapts itself to almost any environ
ment Even within the narrow confines Of the
paddocks of the ordinary geological park the ami.
NAL does well and increases 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 from George W. Russ of Eureka
Springs Ark.
Mr.. Russ has 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 If the range is UNI
restricted II not closely confined elk do not eat
kto NarI frOx,, fraa 40 fbov aof
In clearing out underbrush from thlckets they
are useful than goats since they browse
higher. Coats 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 700 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 a
pound for dressed meat was received from St.
Louis but the law would not permit its export
Mr.. Russ says:
From the fact that as high as $3.50 a 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 man.
mails, we are of the opinion that If laws were
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 OF rough
lands in the United States not utilized. espe-
cially In localities like the Ozarks and the Ale
ghenies, could be economically used to produce
venison for sale and he regards the elk espe-
cially suited for this purpose
Another feature OF Mr.. Russ's report is Of
: more than passing interest He says:
I'VE 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 appropriate place to
call attention to the great benefit of few elk