ELK 241 



Dwarf Elk. Cervus nannodes Merriam 



The history of the Dwarf or Tule Elk, the largest hoofed game animal 

 known to have occurred in the Yosemite section, is a closed chapter. Once 

 abundant on the plains of the San Joaquin Valley along the Tuolumne 

 and Merced rivers, it is now entirely extinct there. Being of large size 

 as compared with other native game, and possessing flesh that was highly 

 palatable, the elk was singled out for first attention in a country plentifully 

 supplied with game. Its disappearance was evidently more rapid than that 

 of the Mountain Sheep and Pronghorn Antelope. We cannot, however, 

 feel so great regret in the passing of the elk as in the case of the Mountain 

 Sheep. Elk, in numbers, could not exist today in the San Joaquin Valley 

 where intensive agriculture is practiced, without inflicting great damage. 



Records of elk within the Yosemite section are fragmentary. Edward 

 Bosqui in his Memoirs (1904, p. 66) tells of meeting with a herd of elk 

 on Dry Creek, north of the present town of Snelling, in the winter of 

 1850-1851. He was camped on the then dry bed of the watercourse in a 

 grove of big cottonwoods. 



At daylight the next morning I was suddenly awakened by the heavy tramp and 

 noise of large animals, and on looking through the fog which prevailed I could see 

 indistinctly, not thirty yards away, giant-like figures of elk passing, so to speak, in 

 procession before me. They were tossing their great antlers about and snifiing excitedly. 

 Suddenly, with one accord and with an impulse that shook the ground like an earthquake, 

 they swept out of sight. It was a procession of phantoms such as one might conceive in 

 a nightmare, and left an impression on my youthful mind never to be forgotten. 



W. L. Manly in a book entitled "Death Valley in '49" (San Jose, 1894, 

 p. 392) tells of following up the Merced River [below Snelling]. "As we 

 [he] came near groves of willows, big, stately elk would start out and trot 

 off proudly into the open plains to avoid danger. These proud, big-horned 

 monarchs of the plains could be seen in bunches scattered over the broad 

 meadows, as well as an equal amount of antelope. They all seemed to fear 

 us, which was wise on their part, and kept out of rifle shot." Later, this 

 author and a companion came down from Big Oak Flat to the plains to 

 try to get some elk meat to use on a contemplated trip. But they were 

 altogether outwitted by the elk and had to shoot some antelope instead. 



The Tule Elk was deer-like in general appearance, but of much larger 

 size and different coloration. The antlers of the old males were large, 

 widely spreading, and considerably branched. The coloration of the Tule 

 Elk was pale brown, with a large whitish area on the rump. 



