New-York tribune., 1912-01-07

the United States, consisting of elk,
- moose and deer which in winter in
habits the Yellowstone National Park and
its neighborhood. is threatened with de-
struction by starvation. Sheep and cattle
eat up all the grass, and the wild creatures,
when they come down from the mountains
into the foothills for the cold months, find
no forage
During the last winter about twenty-five
hundred elk Ghese being the chief suffer
ers) perished for lack OF food in the Jack
son Hole region. south of the park. Driven
TO desperate straits, they gathered in great
numbers 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 10
reach a few morsels Of hay, while the
calves were trampled by their adult COM
panions, and thus lost their lives most mis-
erably.
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 creatures. But II
was Impossible TO obtain more than about
two hundred and fifty tons of hay. which
was only a fraction OF what was needed
Meanwhile however. an appeal was made
10 Congress for help, and early in March
too late to be of service In the winter OF
i9lO-'n-President Taft signed bill giving
$4,000 to the Biological Survey for rescue
purposes.
During the last summer the Biological
Survey made thorough study Of the sit
uation, and provided for the elk in such
q way as TO make them fairly safe, It Is
hoped. against starvation during the pres-
ent winter Hay has been bought in large
ousntities--a bargain being usually struck
with the person from whom 1t is purchased,
under the terms Of which certain amount
IS hauled each day to some point easily ac-
cessible TO the animals.
FEEDING THE ELK.
They soon learn the time Of feeding, and
come readily to meet the loads. The plan
commonly adopted is TO drive past ounch
Of the animals, and, as the more eager OF
them follow they are gradually strung
out in a long line Then the course is re-
traced and hay is thrown out in small
quantities at short intervals. This plan in
a
and small
one result of the feeding is that the elk
become extremely tame, especially when
spproscbed in vehicles or on horseback.
such familiarity, however, is quickly lost
las experience has shown when the free
distribution Of provender is discontinued,
and within a few weeks those which ate
most readily from the hands OF their hene-
factors are as wild as ever
What might be termed the elk "hreao
line" IS nevertheless by no means tenn
porarv affair ii must be continuously
!. maintained from this time on, during the
2Nwintcrs. IL the animals are to he saved
X/NVith this idea in view, the Biological sur
Vev, in cooperation with the state authorl-
ties Of Wyoming. has already made ar
ranCemcnts for the maintenance OF the
great herd Of jackson Hole-its preserVa-
ton being Of importance not merely from
a natural history point of view, or for rea-
sons Of sentiment, but because it repre-
scnts a large economic value. 1t U.s. in fact,
q productive resource and a permanent
source of income to the state.
ii is estimated that the value of the elk
10 the region of Jackson Hole Is equal to
the revenue derived from stock raising IL
that district. The amount OF money when
the animals bring into the country is very
large Many hunting parties are attracted
thithcr every year, being allowed to Kill a
limited number OF elk under certain re-
strictions Hunters are obliged to hire
guides, packers. cooks and pack animals
and TO buy considerable quantities Of food
supplies The average daily expense of a
person hunting in that region is at least
ST. Thus a thirty days trip would cost
each nonresident Si9c, all of which is spent
in the vicinity Of the hunting grounds.
About two thousand elk are killed each