The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-04-28
The American Elk.


American elk or wapiti from the yell
lowstone National Park has just been
put on exhibition in the west wing of
the new building for the United
States National Museum at Washing.
ton, d. c. The animals in this exhibit
were especially collected for Nthe
Smithsonian through the courtesy of
the Interior Department, from one 81
the herds OF elk under government
protection. The group was prepared
originally for the Panana-Pacific Ex-
position at San Francisco, and was
exhibited there in the Palace of Ag-
rieulture, but has lately been reeeiv-
ed at Washington and placed on ex-
hibition.
This group shows a family OF elk
in the Yellowstone National Park, at
the first sign of winter. Snow has
fallen during the night while there
was no wind, and lies heavily on the
pine boughs and branches.
At this time, the bulls, which are
in their prime, being muscular but
yet graceful, take possession Of the
cows by combat. There may be from
one to 20 cows to a herd, which may
or may not be accompanied by their
spring calves. This small band has
been wandering carelessly about
through the timber when they hear
from not far distant a challenge.
The COW has become concerned in
the bulls sudden stop, and has her
attention divided between the dis
turbance and her offspring. The
calf, feeling the mothers anxiety,
awaits dependently on her next move.
Although the animals are shown
in a prime condition, they have yet
to obtain their longer and thicker
growth of hair and heavy layers of
fat which carry them through the
long, stormy winter, when shelter
and food are hard to find.
American elk or wapiti, scientifi-
cally termed cervus canadensis, which
once had a wide distribution in North
America, are now confined chiefly to
the states of Wyoming, Montana and
Idaho, and the provinces of Manito-
ba, Alberta and Saskatchewan, Can
ada. The largest herds occur in the
Yellowstone region, numbering be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000, distributed
in two main herds. During the sum-
mer these herds range near the sum-
NIT of the Continental Divide in the
park, and in the mountains of Wyom-
ing, Immediately south. In the win
ter, the northern herd living in the
park, numbering between 10000 and
$4,000, descends to lower attitudes
in the Lamar Valley near the north
ern entrance to the park. The other
herd, numbering from $4,000 to &C.
900, moves down into Jackson Hole
and the surrounding foothills.
On account of the occupation of
their former winter range by farms
and settlements, the elk herds are
forced down from the mountains to
find sufficient food, and in some OF
the past winters large numbers have
starved to DEATH Since 1909, how
ever, these losses in Jackson Hole
have been averted by winter feeding
provided for through the direction OF
the Biological Survey andthe State
of Wyoming. The Congress Of the
United States has recently approp-
rated $50, 900 for the purchase Of an
elk refuge, where sufficient hay can
be raised each year for feeding the
herds during the winter. This re-
fuge, comprising about 1000 acres,
is located in Jackson Hole, two miles
north of the town of Jackson, Wyom-
ing.
Elk are polygamous and breed
readily in captivity. The wild herds
in Montana and Wyoming bring in
large returns to these states in the
form of hunting licenses. guides
fees, and money spent by tourists
and sportsmen.
During the past few years expert
ments have been made in transferring
small herds Of elk from the Yellow
stone Park and Jackson Hole to other
localities for the purpose of restock-
ing government and state reserva-