, 1923-04-11
w. C. DeLoney

is not commenced until the animals
begin to fall from weakness. Then,
in the majority of cases, when an elk
gets down he is done for.
No effort is made to divide the
herds, separating the weak from the
strong or the calves from the older
animals-can anyone imagine a COW
man handling his beef in this man
ner?
At the present time we are work.
ing on an experiment on the Govern
ment ranch where we have calf en-
closures with openings just large
enough for the calves to get into and
here they are fed away from the old
er animals. The experiment is, prov
in ga tremendous success.
An interesting point however has
developed-the only deaths among
the calves so far has been proven
to result from fox tail. Upon exam
nation we have found their tongues
cut entirely through and in two in
stances over one-half of the tongue
completely severed.
1t was this reformation in winter
provision that i vas most hopeful of
accomplishing in the ley game bill.
/ insist-and have the opinion of our
oldest residents-people best acquaint
ed with the habits of the elk herd
that if we will eliminate the winter
kill we can have an open season the
year round and the elk herd still in
crease al the rate of 5 per cent.
There is positively no other solu-
ton than to winter feed the elk. We
have over five and one half million
acres of summer range and not n
foot of winter range. The Jackson
Hole cattle do not diminish their
feed, for, in the winter of 1888, with
only seven settlers in the country,
the elk suffered the greatest loss ever
known in winter kills.
There is a prevelant idea hat the
This is but partly true; 20 per cent
only spend the summer in the Park
and the remainder have their summer
refuge in the Teton State Game Pre-
serve south of the Yellowstone Park
where the altitude is approximately
1000 feet. There they have the least
annoyance from insects.
During the summer months the
bulls usually range alone above limb
err line and rarely join the cows and
calves. Toward the end of August
they seek slightly lower range and
the stronger bulls begin to herd the
cows.
The rutting season begins early in
September and continues to about
the first of October. 1t is during this
period that the bugling of the males
can be heard in its highest perfection.
This is the time when the cow are
most restless and watchful while the
reverse Is the Ease with the bulls and
they fall an easy prey to the hunters.
Were It not for the Teton Preserve
the herd would be hunted at this
most important time.
When the rutting season is over,
the older bulls separate from the
cows and remain in the higher hills
after the main herd has sought a low
err altitude. Many winter mt elevations
not much lower than the summer habi
tat.
As the winter advances, the cows,
calves and younger bulls begin their
travel south toward the lower valley.
Then the heavy SHOWS of November
and December cause them to gather
into large herds numbering from
hundreds to thousands in n band.
Their migration in the fall is in a
south and south easterly direction,
following always the lines Of least
resistance south of the Buffalo,
thence easterly to the eros Ventre
River and thence south west. cross
ing the river Mt or above Goose Wing,
recrossing about Crystal and Red
mond Creeks, again about Turpin
Creek and then along to rolling foot
hills to the head of Feat Creek
where the herd usually splits, some
hills TO the head of Flat Creek
country, about $500 to 5000 seeking