The Nome nugget., 1924-04-19
LOCAL NEWS
CONFERENCE OF REINDEER
 MEN SUCCESSFUL

On April [, s and O. at White Mountain, conference of reindeer herderS and owners, and Govern lnent teachers was held to discuss matters relative to the reindeer in dustry among the natives. More than 115 delegates attended this conference, representing the villages O. Teller. Igloo. Nome, Solomon, Golovin. Film, Bonanza, and Shak- toolik The following subjects of interest to reindeer people were dis cussed: The Organization of Rein deer Herds was discussed by MT. F. l.. Range, Government teacher at White Mountain. His remarks were confined principally to the organza- tion of the Council herd of which he has charge. and under whose direc- tions the herd was organized. The main features of the plan are one mark and brand. and increase and decrease. as well as operating cost, o,. percentage basis.
 Corrals and corral building was discussed by Mir. Elmer T. Forsling. of the Biological Survey Bureau, MT. |, l.. Range and MT. Misha s. Ivan off. Government teacher at Shak
 toolil MT. Forsling pointed out the necessity of adequate corrals in or der to handle large herds to the hest advantage. His remarks were based on his observations of many corrals on Seward Peninsula and Norton Sound and other parts of Alaska. He urged the use of chutes in handling deer and the entire elimination of the lasso. By means Of diagrams h., explained in detail the construc- tion of corrals and chutes. emphasiz- ing especially movable fence by means of which a corrall could quickly be divided into compari- ments to facilitate the handling of large herds, and d V-shaped chute through which the deer are to be passed. MT Range discussed cer- tain corrals built and used by him self and the Council herders, corrals which have been used for counting and cutting out deer as well as branding. castrating and slaughter ing. Mir. Ivanoff described the type o' corrA developed at Shaktoolik by himself and the herders there. This corral conforms in the essential fea- tures with those discussed above. the difference being that the chute is double and placed within the corral iE such a manner as to divide it into two equal parts The advantages of .his are that large herd can he put into each division of the corral at the same time, and be worked simultan- ecusly by two crews of men by means of the double chute. Corrals, os what may be called a modern type. are rather recent and so far the de- velopment has been along the line of the Lomen Reindeer and Trad in. Corporation corral at Golovin.
 Breeding, Castrating and branding were subjects discussed by MT. FOrs- ling. in which he emphasized the im- portance and significance of the proper selection of breeding stock, and modern methods of emascula- tion. He also explained and urged the use of the branding iron as the best means of marking reindeer. Mir Range also recommends the use of the branding iron. having used it successfully in the Council herd.
 MT Dupertius explained the mar keting on meat in general, and of reindeer meat in particular. with the view of giving the natives the right ideas regarding the price they may expect for meat when sold in large quantities. as compared with the price for meat sold in the local mar ket. The natives have been under the impression that they, themselves can determine the price of the meat. One of the objects of the discussion vas to correct this erroneous idea. The subject of cooperative stores in each village was touched upon. It is the plan of the Bureau to estab- fish cooperative stores in every vil- lage in which such an enterprise will be likely to succeed, and make the reindeer herd of the village a part of the assets of the store, or rather oi the company operating the store.
 The keenest interest was ev- denced at every session of the con- ference, and everyone present felt