HISTORY OF CORBIN PRESERVE — MANYILLE 439 



century ; 500 were estimated in the park in 1908. Hunting was done, 

 but was too slight to hold the population in check. 



The history of the area is obscure for several decades. Deer and 

 other ungulates increased ; browse lines developed on striped maples 

 and other preferred food plants; ground hemlock disappeared. Sup- 

 plemental foods were provided. In 1940, the deer population was 

 estimated by the park manager at from 1,000 to 1,200 — a minimum 

 population density of one deer to 25 acres. This number had remained 

 fairly constant for about 10 years, with an annual kill of about 100 

 deer, which were said to be in good condition. The preserve may still 

 be overpopulated, but attempts are made to provide for the surplus. 

 Food plots are planted with mixtures of rye, buckwheat, clover, tur- 

 nips, and carrots ; salt licks are provided ; openings are cut in the wood- 

 land to provide browse ; supplementary rations are provided for deer 

 and boar — 17 tons of corn were distributed by plane during the winter 

 of 1952-53. From 1948-54, inclusive, a total of 575 deer were har- 

 vested. In 1956, the kill was 156, or about 3.9 per square mile. 



Moose, Alces dices. — Sixteen moose from the Canadian border of 

 Minnesota originally reached the preserve, but eight later died. Corbin 

 continued picking them up, but also losing them. One carload of 15 

 all died, for lack of understanding of their habits. In 1892, Corbin 

 estimated that he had 25 or 30. Spears states that later shipments, 

 plus births, brought the number up to 60 — ChampoUion says 200 ! 

 Further efforts to establish them were abandoned after a few years 

 (Merrill, 1916 : 36) , but actually they persisted until about 1940, when 

 the last of them died of starvation. 



Barren-ground caribou, Rangifer arcticus. — Four "reindeer" were 

 brought from Labrador in 1890, but all soon died. 



Woodland caribou, Rangifer caribou. — A small herd (about six) 

 from northern Minnesota was imported in 1890, but soon died off for 

 lack of suitable food. 



Roe deer, Cajyreolus capreohus. — ChampoUion states that "roebuck 

 also were put in, but died probably on account of the severe New 

 Hampshire winters." No other details are available. This was a 

 popular game species in Europe, and introductions were attempted 

 at other places at about this time, some of them with fair success 

 (Manville,1957). 



Pronghorn, Antilocapra americana. — Six antelopes were introduced 

 in 1890, but their exact source is not recorded. They apparently sur- 

 vived for a few years, but then succumbed to the rigorous winter 

 climate. 



Bison, Bison hison. — In 1851, Corbin had seen "one hundred thou- 

 sand buffaloes at one time" on the Western plains. The great herds 

 of these shaggy animals numbered perhaps 60 million in the early 

 1800's. "By 1883 they were practically gone, and by 1900 only 20 



