The Washington herald., 1912-01-07


The principal remnant Of big game IN
the United States. consisting Of elk,
moose, and deer. which in winter In
habits the Yollowstone National Park
ana is neighborhood. Is threatened with
Destruction by starvation. Sheep and
cattle eat up all the grass, ana the Wild
creatures, when they come down from
the mountains into tho foothills for the
cold months.. ind no forage.
During the last winter about $500 elk
(these neing the chief safferers) perished
for lack OF food IN the jackson Hole
region. south Of the park. Driven to des-
perate straits they gathered IN great num-
bers about the farmers hayracks. and.
finding them In most instances securely
fenced. died by hundreds within sight OF
plenty. The larger animals BY standing
on their hind legs were sometimes able
to reach a few moraels OF hay, while the
calves were trampied by their adult com
panions and thus lost their lives most
miserabIy.
During the two previous winters there
had been great loss Of life among the
elk, and, severe cold weather conditions
giving warning early IN last January OF
worse things soon to come. the State
legislature OF wyoming appropriated
money TO buy food for the starving erea-
tureB Bur Il was impossible 20 obtain
more than about 80 tons OF hay, which
was only a fraction Of what was needed.
Meanwhile, however. IN appeal was made
TO Congress for help. and early in March
too late to be Of service in the winter
Of l91O-11-President TAFT signed 4 Dill
giving 10000 to the Biological Survey for
rescue purposes.
biological Surveys Work.
During the last summer the Biological
Survey made a thorough study Of the
situation, and provided for the elk in
such a way as to make them fairly safe.
II Is hoped. against starving during the
present winter. Hay has been bought
IN large quantities. bargain being usu-
ally struck with the person from whom
IL is purchased, under the terms Of which
a certain amount Is hauled each day to
some point easily accessible 10 the AMI
mails.
They soon learn the time OF feeding.
and come readily TO meet the loads. The
plan commonly adopted Is TO drive past
bunch OF the animals, and, as the
more eager OF them follow. they are
gradually strung OUT In a long line.
Then the course Is retraced and hay Is
thrown out In small quantities at short
intervals This plan insures q fair share
OF hay 10 all, both large and small
One result Of the feeding is that the
elk become extremely tame. especially
when approached only in vehicles or on
horseback. Such familiarity. however. Is
quickly lost (as experience has shown)
when the free distribution Of provender
Is discontinued. and within few weeks
those which ate most readily from the
hands of their benefactors are as Wild
as ever.
What might be termed the elk bread
line" IL nevertheless by no means q
temporary affair. II must be continu-
ously maintained from this time on. dur
ing the winters, II the animals are TO
be saved. With this idea IN view, the
Biological Survey, In cooperation with
the State authorities OF Wyoming, has
already made arrangements for the
maintenance Of the great herd OF Tack-
son Hole-its preservation being Of I'M
portance not merely from a natural his
tory point OF view. or for reasons OF
sentiment, but because II represents a
large economic value. II is, in fact, q
productive resource and a permanent
source OF income to the State.
1t IS estimated that the value Of the
elk to the region OF jackson Hole is
equal to the revenue derived from stock
raising in that district. The amount OF
money which the animals bring into
the country Is very large. Many hunt
ing parties are attracted thither every
year, being allowed 10 kill a lin
tied number of elk under certain re-
strictions. Hunters are obliged 10 hire
guides. packers. cooks, and pack animals.
ana to buy considerable quantities OF
food supplies. The average daily ex-
penso OF a person hunting In that region
is at least S14. Thus a thirty days trip
would cost each nonresident 500, all OF
which is spent In the vicinity Of the
hunting grounds.
Elk in Yellowstone.
About 1000 elk are killed each year by
hunters There is considerable poach-
ing. T. e.. Illegal killing Of the animals,
by men who frequent and even reside in
the jackson Hole region, for the sake OF