268 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



determine whether it was practicable to separate starving calves and 

 weak elk from among the stronger animals in winter. Many were 

 thus saved which otherwise would have been injured or trampled to 

 death during the feeding oi^erations. The experiment gave such 

 gratifying results that still greater efforts will be made along the 

 same lines the coming year. 



As a result of a visit of representatives of the Biological Survey 

 and of the Forest Service to the summer and winter ranges of the 

 elk, additional lands, in the Teton Forest have been classified as 

 chiefly valuable for elk grazing, and the grazing of cattle on certain 

 parts of the winter range has been further restricted by regulations 

 of the Forest Service. About 5| miles of drift fence to hold addi- 

 tional Avinter grazing areas for elk is being constructed on public 

 lands adjoining the refuge as rapidly as labor conditions will permit. 



Additional farming equipment has been purchased and an effort 

 is being made to bring the yield of forage on the refuge up to a 

 maximum in order to provide a surplus for use during unusually 

 severe seasons. Fifty-six acres were prepared and seeded to oats 

 and grass during the spring of 1918, and 3^ miles of ditches and 

 laterals for irrigation Avere constructed or enlarged. The work of 

 improving the reservation will be continued as rapidly as available 

 funds permit. 



National Bison Range, Montana. — Owing to the mild winter 

 with little snowfall, the game on this refuge came through in fine 

 condition. By an increase of 45 calves, 6 of which were born in 

 July and August, 1917, the bison herd was brought up to 239 head. 

 No adult bison died during the year, but 3 premature births occurred. 

 Contagious abortion is reported to exist among domestic cattle in 

 that region and it is necessary that every precaution be taken to 

 prevent the spread of this disease to the buffalo herd. 



Repeated efforts have been made to secure the use of the bison 

 range for the pasturage of cattle and horses on account of the short- 

 age of forage on the range in that region. To permit this would 

 clearly endanger the existence of the game on the refuge and com- 

 pletely nullify the object for which it was set aside. The presence 

 in this region of the disease mentioned above is sufficient indication 

 of what might occur should the bison range be temporarily devoted 

 to the use of cattle. 



In the spring there were 90 elk and 34 antelope on the range, but 

 the number of young born is still unknown. Through the coopera- 

 tion of the National Park Service a nucleus herd of 6 mule deer — 2 

 yearling bucks, 1 yearling doe, and 3 older does — were transferred 

 from the Yellowstone National Park. As mule deer are natives of 

 this region there is every reason to expect that they will thrive on 

 the range. 



About 4 acres favorably located were seeded to buckwheat and 

 other cereals to supply feed for sharp-tailed grouse, which are begin- 

 ning again to nest on the reservation. Large numbers of ducks, 

 especially mallards, haunt the shallows of the river flowing through 

 the lower parts of the reserve. 



Wind Cave National Game Preserve, South Dakota. — Includ- 

 ing a calf born in August and 8 of the 9 calves born the present 

 spring, buffalo on this preserve now number 42. One buffalo calf 



