04 CALIFORNIA FI8II AND GAME. 



The offer of Miller & Lux was accepted by the Academy, and plans 

 were made for carrying- out the undertaking. 



On April 25 and 2(n in company with Uv. M. TIall McAllister, thi'ongh 

 whom Messrs. Miller and Lux made the offer to the Academy, I visited 

 the Kern County ranch for the purpose of consultation with the super- 

 intendent as to the best time and method for catching and shipping 

 the animals and regarding all preliminary details. At that time a visit 

 w^as made to the alfalfa fields in which the elk feed and to the sage- 

 brush plains to which they retire during the day or when disturbed, 

 and about 100 of the animals were seen. 



After giving the matter careful consideration it was decided to 

 undertake the catching and shipping of the elk in October. Early in 

 that month Messrs. Miller and Lux constructed a corral one fourth of 

 a mile long and one eighth of a mile wide in an alfalfa field into which 

 the elk were observed to come every night to feed. A wing one fourth 

 of a mile long was run out from each corner of the end toward the foot- 

 hills. Woven fence wire was put upon the wings at once, but only the 

 posts for the corral proper were placed at that time. After the elk 

 had come down into the field several nights and gotten used to the 

 posts, heavy woven fence wire was placed on the two sides and the 

 rear end of the corral, and the following night about 150 elk came into 

 the corral ; then the wire was placed on the posts at the entrance and 

 the animals were trapped. (See figs. 19 and 20.) 



The wire fence was very strong and at least eight feet high ; never- 

 theless, some broke through or jumped over it. A good many people 

 came out in automobiles and otherwise to see the elk, and so frightened 

 them that about 100 broke out the first afternoon. Those that remained 

 became quite tame in a few days. (See fig. 21.) Various, diverse and 

 unexpected difficulties came up every day and it was not possible to 

 predict what success would be attained in the undertaking. The animals 

 might break through the corral or jump over the fence and escape ; 

 they might escape M'hen being loaded into the cratas for hauling to 

 the railroad cattle pens ; or escape from the cattle pens ; or refuse to eat ; 

 or run amuck and kill or injure themselves; or die in the cars while in 

 transit to the parks ; any one of a score of things might happen to 

 cause failure. 



However, it is gratifying to know that, in spite of all difficulties and 

 uncertainties, Messrs. Miller and Lux succeeded in capturing and 

 placing in the cars for shipment a total of fifty-four elk. These were 

 disposed of as follows : 



1. To a thousand acre private reservation of Mr. J. M. Danziger, Los 

 Angeles, six elk. 



This reservation is in the Santa Monica Mountains, near Los Angeles. 

 The environment, it is believed, will prove very favorable. 



2. To a six hundred acre private reservation of Mr. E. L. Doheny, 

 Los Angeles, ten elk. 



This reservation also is in the Santa Monica Mountains, only a short 

 distance from the Danziger ranch, and is under elk-proof fence. 



3. To a seven hundred acre park of Mr. S. C. Evans, Riverside, four 

 elk. 



This park adjoins the city limits of Riverside and furnishes ideal 

 conditions. 



