Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1910-06-25

well adapted to their needs. About many elk
can kept on such range cattle equal
of fair pasture. There should be th1ckets
enough to furnish winter browse, but this should
be supplemented by a supply of winter forage
Except when deep SHOWS cover the ground elk
will keep in good. condition on ordinary pasture
and browse. but system of management that pro-
vides other food regularly will be found more sat
isfactory- Hay and corn fodder are excellent win
ter forage. but alfalfa hay has proved to be the
best dry food both elk and deer.
Elk much less nervous than ordinary deer
and less disposed to jump fences. When they
escape from enclosure they usually return OF
their own accord If tame, they may be driven
like cattle Ordinarily a ive-foot fence of kind
will confne elk.
The cost of stocking an elk preserve is not
great Usually surplus stock from geological parks
small private preserves may be obtained at low
cost, varying with the immediate demand for the
animals.
The Virginia or Whitehall deer is the common
deer of the United States. Including the half
dozen geographic that occur within Dor
ders it is distributed over most of the country
except Nevada and the major portions of Utah,
Arizona, Washington. Oregon and California. 1t
is extinct in Delaware and practically in
Der of states in the middle west South of
borders number of closely related species occur.
In view of the wide natural range of the Vir-
ginia deer its adapability to nearly all sections of
the United States cannot be doubted. Testimony
as to its hardness in parks and preserves is not
so unanimous that concerning the elk; but the
general experience of breeders is that with suitable
range, plenty of good water and reasonable care
in winter, raising this deer for stocking
or for venison may be made profitable as any
land unsuited for cattle horses, but, like elk,
they may be raised great advantage brushy
timbered pastures fully stocked with cattle
horses, the food of deer rarely includes grass.
Advocates of the Angora goat industry state
that within the United States there 100000 900
of land not suited tillage the pasture
of horses. cattle sheep. which well adapted
to goats Much of this land is suited also deer
and elk and can be utilized for these animals with
less injury to the forest cover than would result
from browsing by goats
Virginia deer have often been bred in parks for
pleasure in large preserves for sport, but the
economic possibilities in raising them have
ceived little attention. Recently breeders have
proper management and would be much more SO
were conditions for marketing live animals and
venison more favorable
The chief obstacle to profitable propagation of
deer In the United States is the restrictive char
acter of state laws governing the killing. and
lowing precedent lay down the broad rule that all
the animals in the state, whether resident
migratory, are the property of the state A few
states except game animals that under pri-
vate ownership legally acquired"
The laws concerning the for killing
and the sale of deer often equally embarrass-
ing to those who would produce venison for profit
The of domesticated deer legally kill
his animals except in open season
Instead of hampering breeders by restrictions.
at present, state laws should be modified as
encourage the raising of deer, elk and other |
animals of profit the individual and |
the state.
is believed that with favorable legislation |
much otherwise waste land in the United States |
may be utilized for the production of venison
to yield profitable returns and also that this
excellent and nutritious meat, instead of being
denied 80 per cent. of the population of the
country may become common and cheap in
our markets mutton