Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1913-07-25

Yellowstone National Park o
begun. Thousands Of the n
mails are now being rounded up
by cowboys on the overstocked winter
range in Wyoming and Montana, n
are being shipped by the carload to
states that have sent in requests for
them.
A carload of eighty elk, rounded up
on the Yellowstone Park region and
shipped from Gardiner, Mont, the
northern gateway to the Yellowstone,
arrived in Denver the other day on
they way to Arizona. These elk Will
be turned out upon their new range In
Arizona. They will be protected from
hunters, under state laws, and will be
given avery opportunity to increase.
In the last few weeks herds of elk
have been sent in this way to Penn
sylvania, West Virginia, North Dako-
Ia, Washington, Oregon and Califor-
mia. Many other states have put in
application for elk, and will be pro-
vtded with shipments as fast as the
animals car be rounded up. 1t was
prophesied that, when this plan was
adopted, the elk would not stand ship
ment, but the percentage of loss has
been small. Only one Of the Arizona
consignment died en- route. 1t is neces-
sary to give the elk a rest every day.
They are unloaded from the cars and
put into convenient ~corrals, and after
a few hours rest they proceed on
their journey. In this way the loss
ia comparatively small.
Prevent Extinction.
The government was forced to adopt
this plan to prevent the elk in the
west from going the way of the buf.
talo to extinction. Most of the elk in
the Rocky Mountains had ranged north
until they reached the Jackson's Hole
region south of Yellowstone Park
Here they congregated in vast herds
The number of elks in this region has
been estimated at from $4,000 to 100,
600 head, but D. c. Nowlin, former
game commissioner of Wyoming, who
is now at the head of the work o.
transportation carried out by the gov
eminent biological survey, estimates
that the smaller number Is nearer
correct.
Last year congress appropriated {
considerable sum for the care AND
feeding of the Jackson's Hole elk
which were starving in the deel
snows. Government employees, aidet
by ranchmen, carried hay to the ell
ranges, where they found condition,
appalling, especially in the earl,
spring. Hundreds of calves, as wei
as older elk, were dying of starvs
ton. The lives of thousands of eli
were saved by feeding, but 1t wa
soon demonstrated that this measur
Of relief was only temporary. ]
would entail a tremendous expens
to keep up the work of feeding, 80
was determined to distribute the ell
among the states that put In apple,
tons for herds and that were willin
to pay the expenses of transportatio
and guarantee protection to the an
mails after arrival.
Many states have taken advantas
of this offer. Probably 1900 elk hay
been shipped, and this number will
%zebled before the shipping season hi
ended. The herds are rounded up
the deep SHOWS and driven to Ga
diner. Ranchmen, state game wa
dens, forest rangers and Yellowstol
Park employees are assisting in Il
work. 1t is easy to round up the e
which become stalled In the de,
SHOWS. During recent seasons tn,
have become comparatively used
men. They have descended to the v,
leys and have fed from all the unpl
tected haystacks of the Wyomi
ranchers. 1t did not take them 10
to become used to the visits of t
men who composed the governme
rescue parties, and they would follt
the hay sleds for miles. Sometim
where hay could not be carried
bobsleds, owing to the depth of I
snow and the rough character of
range, alfalfa was packed" to the
on snow-shoes. The animals &c
learned the friendly nature of the
its of these snowshoe men. All tn
THINGS have made 1t comparativ