The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-05-03
Many Yellowstone Elk Dying.
Deep Shows Cause Starvation.


WASHINGTON, April 80; Alarming re-
ports of conditions which threaten deci-
nation Of The Yellowstone elk herds are
beginning to reach the Department Of
Agriculture, both from the dickson S
Hole region AMI from Gardiner Montana.
The danger is said to be due to an ex-
ceptionslly heavy winter snowfall and
late oncoming Of soring. Deep crusted
snow is preventing the elk from obtain
ing their usual feed and the weakened
animals, especially the calves, are re-
ported to be dying rapidly in spite of the
large supply of hay provided by the Fed
ersl Government for such emergencies.
This supply, however, has been ex-
hausted.
The elk which winter around Jackson's
Hole, in Wyoming, are known as the
southern or Jackson's Hole herd and
number more than 20, 000 The northern
or Park herd is estimated by the Park
authorities to contain over 80, 600 ami
mails. According to the reports receiv-
ed by the Forest Service the losses in
the southern herd may reach even as
high figure as one-tbird the entire
number. with practically an entire loss
of last years calves In the northern
herd conditions appear to be less critical,
but an immediate spring breakup is
eagerly hoped for by those interested in
seeing the elk preserved.
When | left Gardiner about three
weeks ago." said Charles Sheldon, the
explorer and naturalist who was selected
by the Government to represent the
sportsmen in the elk census attempted
this spring, "the elk that | saw seemed
on the whole not in bad condition for
this time of year except the calves,
many of which were pretty weak. But
the snow was unusually deep and the elk
widely scattered in search of food. |
understand it has been showing since
left and that considerable losses are
thought probable. The winter has been
extremely severe and both elk and do
mestic livestock are bound to suffer I'M
der such exceptional conditions. Be-
cause of the depth of the snow it was i'm
possible to make the elk census that we
had planned.
''Ordinariy there isn't enough snow to
prevent the elk from getting at their
feed. This winter, however, a success
sion of storms has piled the snow up,
with the result that the animals have
become weakened by prolonged starva-
ton. At Jackson's Hole the Biological
Survey had GOO tons of hay available for
feeding the elk, but l understand the
supply is now exhausted.
''In most places feeding the elk is out
of the question. Hay costs around $40
ton and it is almost impossible to get
hold of any at that price. The cattle
and sheep men are unable to secure
enough to feed their stock and will, am
told, probably suffer heavy losses. Even
if unlimited amounts of hay could be
had, there would be no way to get it to
the elk, since the roads are impossible.
In many places in the Yellowstone Park
region the mails are being carried by
men on snowshoes and skis.
ELK preservation is matter that
presents many difficulties. 1t involves
problems which can't be solved without
careful study. 1t would be neither
wise nor possible policy to attempt ex-
clusion of homesteaders and stockmen
from the natural range of the elk to the
extent that would be required to insure
adequate natural feeding grounds In
year like this. At the same time nearly
everybody now recognizes that some
thing should be done to guard the elk
against recurring years of starvation.
1.-THE solution is evidently some form
of carefully thought. out control, under
which there will be provision of suf-
ficient amount of both summer and win
ter range for reasonable number and
also some provision for utilizing the nor
NAL increment of the herds instead of
letting the elk alternately multiply and
starve off.
ITO provide feed for elk the Forest
Service has either prohibited or greatly
restricted grazing on about two million