The Tupelo journal., 1911-08-25
WILL TRANSFER Elk
lin Danger of Starvation in Jack
| sons Hole.
Government VIII Furnish Cavalry for
Removal Of Animals to Better
Ground-scene VIII Be spec
tacular,

Ia
II Salem, Ore.-At least 10000 elk
must be moved from Jackson's Hole
or they will die OF starvation. For the
last few years the state Of Wyoming
has been appropriating large sums for
hay to keep these animals from starv-
ing, and each winter finds conditions
n worse. 1t is estimated that at least
u $4,000 elk winter In the Jackson's
Hole country, a large area south of
the Yellowstone National park. The
elk scatter during the summer months,
many Of them grazing In the park, but
as winter approaches they converge
toward their old winter quarters.
These quarters were ample before the
homesteader came to fence the lands.
The elk would feed on the rich grass
OF the valleys in the fall, work up on
the sheltered hillsides in the winter,
and, when necessity urged, descend to
the creeks and browse among the
young willows and other foliage until
the spring grass came. The home
steader's fence has made this impos-
sible now, and each year lessons the
amount of open range. The result Is
that despite the large amount of feed
furnished them by the state, each win
ter seer an enormous death loss OF
this fast-disappearing game animal.
II Driven to desperation by hunger,
the elk will break down the strongest
barbed-wire fence surrounding a hay
stack. and during a portion of the win
ter the settlers must guard their hay
night and day. The elk have been
known to mount upon the fallen bodies
s#of their companions and thus climb to
the top of a thatched-roof shed, where
they would voraciously devour the rot
ten hay or straw used as a roof cover
ting.
81 To attempt to drive them anywhere,
and in a band numbering thousands.
seems an impossible task, yet the gov
eminent appropriation is sufficient EVIL
dence that this feat will be underta-
ken. Senator Warren has also Sc
cured a promise. from the war depart
ment for sufficient cavalry men to
herd the elk. A tentative plan sug
gested is to have the vast herd sur
rounded by a Gordon Of troopers on all
sides, save the one in the direction
1t is desired to drive the elk, with two
additional lines of cavalrymen strung
out along the course. A closing In OF
this circle must start the elk on the
scourse-and the unique race would be
on.
At a given signal the outriders
along the course would also move for
ward. keeping well In advance of the
Afeeing herd. Detachments to serve as
relays for these riders would have to
#be stationed at intervals along the
proposed route, and the surging. strug-
Agling mass kept moving until the goal
wa reached.
Picture 10000 wild elk In full fight.
pursued by mounted cavalrymen firing
their revolvers into the air to further
terrify the fleeing animals, a score or
more of the riderless mounts-for
many a bold horseman will be thrown
In that wild fight, with broken bones,
n not loss of life!
A telegram from Washington says:
Senator Warren's amendment to the
agricultural bill appropriating $4,000
Tor feeding and removing elk from
Jackson's Hole to better feeding
grounds in Wyoming" passed during
The last hours OF congress, was the
prelude to what must undoubtedly
prove the most interesting and ex-
citing spectacle of the kind ever wit
messed in any country.
The Warren amendment mean that
some time next summer government
troops will attempt to herd 10000 OF
more wild elk from the crowded
ranges of Jackson's Hole to better
eeding grounds on the Big Horn
nnge.
When the range cattle business wal
a its palmiest days In that section OF
he west 1t was not an uncommon
sight to witness immense herds of
lalf-wild cattle, numbering 5000 and
sven 10000 head, being driven a hun
tired miles to the railroad. But even
he widest conception of the most
enthusiastic cattlemen of the Golden
West fails to grasp the immensely OF
The problem of herding more than 3O,-
300 OF these wild, feet elk q distance
Sof almost 100 miles over a rough for
.st country.
The elk can outrun a horse, has
Greater endurance, is surer footed and
will travel over p~recipitous trails v
which the most venturesome horse
man would hesitate to follow. In
5tinctively perfected in the art OF
lodging the hunter. he Is only caught
turing the hunting season by stalking.
Teach Cooking N Cars.
Kansas City, Mo.-Thousands OF
&y.,r.e rttyopc will ho carrviuO cook.