Arizona republican., 1917-07-27
WILL BE
 L|bERATED|N 7. STATEFOREST

Another shipment of elk is to be brought from Montana and liberated in the great forest reserves of Ari- zona, according to information made public yesterday by Joe " Prochas- ka, game warden, who is making ar engagements for the receipt of the an imals and for their care.
 This will be the second shipment of elk to be brought to this state, the first having arrived four years ago. This latest shipment will not arrive for two months and will be liberated in the Graham Mountain game pre- serve in Graham county, near Stafford Senator Claridge and other prominent citizens of Graham county are re- spOnsible for the movement which has resulted in the definite announce ment that the elk will be secured for Arizona.
 As was the case in the first ship ment four years ago, the elk will be procured at Gardner, Wyoming. Sen ator Claridge has made arrangements for the receipt fthe elk and will at tend to the liberation of the animals It is expected that there will be at least forty elk in this shipment.
 Information that elk were starving in Montana and that many hundred head were being fed hay at Gard ner, Wyoming, caused the Elk lodges of Arizona in 1913 to institute a movement to secure some of the an 1mals. Contributions were made and representative was sent to Wyoming who, armed with a permit from the secretary of the interior made ar engagements to ship two carloads of the animals to Arizona. Eighty five head were loaded in two cars which. under the care of a competent keeper made the journey to this state with the loss of only two of the animals which were killed enroute
 The two carloads arrived at Win slow, Ariz, on January 31, 1913. Af- ter resting in the stock yards at that place for several days the animals were loaded in crates, eight in a crate, and hauled in freight wagons to point forty miles south of Winslow in the Sitgreaves National Forest on line between Coconino and Navajo counties. On account of the impassible condition of the roads it was impos- sible to haul the animals further.
 The place where the elk were iber- ated was splendid home for the an- imalS had there been sufficient food during the severe winter weather JTn- fortunately the animals were com- pelled to drift into agricultural dis tricts to secure food and caused the farmers much annoyance. For this reason the shipment of elk to be re- ceived this fall will be liberated in the Graham Mountain reserve where the weather is not severe in winter and the animals will not cause trouble to farmers
 Joe V. PrOchaska. the present game warden, under whose direction the elk are to be brought to this state this fall, was prominent among the F,lks in 1913 who furnished the funds to secure the original shipment. At that time he urged strongly that the ani- mals be liberated in the Graham Mountain reserve. but his efforts were unava1ltng. The lesson learned at that time will be followed in this shipment
 The bringing of elk to Arizona four years ago, caused considerable com ment mong Elk lodges throughout the country and communications were re ceived from many lodges congratuIat- ing the Arizona Elks on their efforts. The total expense in bringing the first shipment of elk to this state was s2.- l25.o7 which made the elk cost only S2e.90 each.
 The elk liberated in the Sitgreaves national forest four years ago have done well Two years after they were set free thirty y-seven calves were counted. It is estimated that there now are 250 elk in that forest reserve The expense of the shipment of elk to he made this fall will be met by the game Warden's office and by private subscription.