American Elk 



large herds, which used formerly to number several hundred 

 individuals, and wander about for a time till they finally select their 

 winter feeding grounds. These are usually open hills where the 

 ground is kept more or less free of snow by the wind, so that such 

 food as there is at this season may be obtained with the least 

 difficulty. During the hot weather, when they are much persecuted 

 by flies and mosquitoes, wapiti resort to water, in which they will, 

 stand for hours ; and, in the pairing season at least, the old stags are 

 fond of wallowing in mud-holes from which they emerge coated with 

 dirt and presenting anything but a prepossessing appearance. The 

 antlers are shed in March and the new pair free from the velvet by the 

 end of August or beginning of September. Saplings of aspen or pine 

 appear to afford the favourite rubbing posts for freeing the antlers 

 from the last remnants of the velvet. In a wild state the hind breeds 

 when two or three years old ; the number of fawns at a birth being 

 sometimes two, or rarely three, although one is the most common/' 



As to food the elk is not particular. Mr. Caton says: " All 

 the grasses and most of the weeds within his reach are taken freely 

 and the leaves and twigs of all the deciduous trees are alike enjoyed. 

 A considerable proportion of his daily food he desires to be arboreous, 

 yet if deprived of it he will keep in good condition on herbaceous 

 food alone. In winter he will take the coarsest food, and will eat 

 freely even that which the ox and the horse reject." Elk feed 

 leisurely during the morning and afternoon, usually resting at mid- 

 day, and unlike most deer they are not active during the night. 



George Bird Grinnell has recently given us an excellent pen 

 picture of a herd of elk which we cannot do better than quote. He 

 writes : " From a distant ravine comes the shrill sweet whistle of a 

 great bull elk as he utters his bold challenge to all rivals far and near. 

 You can see him plainly as he walks out from the timber and slowly 

 climbs the hill, followed by the group of watchful cows; and he is a 

 splendid picture. Short-bodied, strong-limbed, round and sleek- 

 coated, he is a marvel of strength if not of grace. His yellow body is 

 in sharp contrast with the dark brown head and mane, and the hugely 

 branching antlers, wide spread and reaching far back over his 

 shoulders, seem almost too much for him to carry; so that as he 

 marches along with ponderous tread each step seems to shake the 

 earth. At intervals he throws back his head and utters his wild call, 

 and before its first notes reach the ear you can see the white steam of 

 his breath as it pours forth into the frosty air. His cows feed near to 



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