Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-06-24
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Is not best when freshly killed. but should be
left hanging for four or Ave days before It Is
used
With few exceptions the early attempts to
domesticate elk were 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 were left un.
castrated until they became old and unmana8e-
able. Soon the serious problem of controlling
them outweighed the novelty of their possession
and one by one the attempts at domestication
were abandoned
A desire to preserve this important game ami.
NAL has caused renewal of attempts to breed
1t 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 owners
of herds in regard to their experience in breeding
and rearing the animals and also their opinions
to the possibility of making the business OF
raising them profitable. or about dozen sue
cessful breeders nearly all OF the opinion
that raising elk for market can be made remu-
nerative II present laws to the sale of the meat
are modified.
One especially important fact has been devel.
oped by the reports from breeders. It is that the
elk readily adapts itself to almost any environ
ment. Even within the narrow confines Of the
paddccks 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 a 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 II the range Is un.
restricted. II not closely confined elk do not eat
the bark from trees nor do they eat evergreens
In clearing out underbrush from thickets they
are more useful than goats. since they browse
higher. Goats. 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 pINiuce healthy young. An adun male
elk weighs-from 700 to 1000 pounds: a female
from COO to 500 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 received from St
Louis. but the Law would not permit Its export
Mr.. Russ says.
From the fact that as high as sl.5o 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 are of the opinion that II 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 areas OF rough
lands In the United States not now utilized espe-
ciaiiy in localities like TIE Ozarks and the Allie
ghenies. could be economically used to produce
venison for sale and he regards the elk as espe-
cialiy suited for this purpose.
Another feature Of Mr.. RUSS report is Of
more than passing interest. He says:
We find from long experience that cattle
sheep ard goats can be srazed in the same lots
with elk. providing. however. that the lots or
Enclosures not small; the larger the area the
better We know Of no mere appropriate place to
call attention to the great beneat Of . few elk