316 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



;~^^- 



CAPTAIN AM^ KlXr, 



"So rapidly do white-tailed deer, the 

 common variety, increase that preserves 

 soon become overstocked unless their 

 numbers are diminished from time to 

 time. A herd of 19 head which in- 

 creases to 400 in 10 years is one not 

 uncommon instance. The does usually 

 produce twins annually after the second 

 year, when they have their first fauns. 



vTHE RATE OF INCREASE 



"On our preserve in Pennsylvania, 

 where 90 deer were liberated 10 years 

 ago, there are said to be nearly 4,000 

 head. In many cases the fences have 

 had to be taken down to let them es- 

 cape owing to shortage of food. 



"It is probable that the Wapiti, or 

 Rocky Mountain, elk is best suited to 

 breeding for market. This animal, sec- 

 ond only to the moose in size, formerly 

 ranged over the greater portion of the 

 United States. It was plentiful in 

 Maryland when the first settlers came, 

 and we have reminiscences of its pres- 

 ence in such names as Elkton. Elkridge, 

 etc. 



"A mature elk will weigh from GOO 

 to 1,000 pounds, and the proportion of 



meat to correspond is greater than is 

 the case with beef or mutton. Heads, 

 horns and hides are also valuable, and 

 the net return from one animal would 

 be $150 or more. 



"Deer and elk become very tame 

 when kindly treated and given a little 

 salt or corn from the hand. 



"An important fact is that the busi- 

 ness can be engaged in by the smallest 

 land owner with very little equipment, 

 while it is also capable of extension if 

 capital is available. One hundred and 

 sixty acres can be fenced for $200 for 

 elk and slightly more for deer. Even 

 in a paddock, with shelter and food, 

 the business can be successfully prose- 

 cuted. 



"In and around the Yellowstone Park 

 there are some 30,000 elk. Their sum- 

 mer range is in the mountains, but at 

 the beginning of winter they seek the 

 plains where they formerly found am- 

 ple food to carry them through the win- 

 ter. In recent years most of this land 

 has been taken up by farmers and the 

 elk find it fenced and haystacks guard- 

 ed and there is nothing to save them 

 from starvation. Immense numbers 

 have miserably died in this way. 



