ARTIOD AC TYLA 313 



moose and 143 caribou. 20 In 1927 it was 671,050 deer (70 per cent 

 of the total for all of the United States) and 82,478 elk. 21 



Human hunters are not the only enemies of deer. In 1924 it was 

 estimated that 31,000 deer are killed annually in California alone, by 

 mountain lions, 22 though in many instances the destruction of deer is, 

 without investigation, wrongfully attributed to these big cats. Wolves, 

 coyotes and bears also kill deer at times. Deer and elk are also sub- 

 ject to many diseases and at least 15 kinds of parasites. In one county 

 alone no less than 5000 deer died in one epidemic of bladder-worm 

 infestation. 23 Among other diseases with which they are afflicted may 

 be mentioned the foot-and-mouth disease, pinkeye, fatal neck tumors, 

 liver flukes and various other diseases of stock, and nasal parasites. 24 

 Also heavy winter snows are harder on deer than on elk, moose and 

 caribou. 25 



Under natural conditions an approximate balance had been struck 

 between deer and their enemies and diseases, so that during the cen- 

 turies the deer neither decreased to the point of extinction nor increased 

 beyond the capacity of their range to support them. With the advent 

 of modern civilization the equilibrium was sadly disturbed. Forests 

 were cleared off, agriculture claimed large areas for grain fields, herds 

 of cattle and flocks of sheep came in to compete with the native ani- 

 mals for grass, herbage and browse, bringing with them serious dis- 

 eases from which deer were not immune, predatory mammalian enemies 

 of deer were killed in large numbers, on one hand, while on the other 

 death-dealing rifles were placed in the hands of thousands of hunters, 

 for the destruction of deer. Hence it has become necessary for man 

 to assume complete control of the situation to prevent the extermina- 

 tion of the deer or their increase beyond bounds. The whole subject 

 is very complex and much yet remains to be learned about the best 

 plans to accomplish these ends. 



It has been found that too rigid protection may overstock the range 

 and lead to disastrous results. Several years ago newspapers had much 

 to say about moving a large number of deer from Kaibab National 



20 Adams, Roosevelt Wild Life Bull, in, table opp. p. 558, 1926. 

 "New York World Almanac for 1928, p. 364. 



22 California Fish and Game, x, 22, 1924; xvi, 253, 1930. 



23 Hunter, Deer hunting in California, California Fish and Game, x, 22, 1924. 



24 California Fish and Game, x, 127-128, 145, 1924. Hall, The deer of California, 

 California Fish and Game, xn, 248-249, 1927. See also Murie, An epizootic disease of 

 elk, Journ. Mammalogy, xi, 214-222, 1930. 



25 Brandreth, Deer in winter, Forest and Stream, Jan., 1928, p. 26, etc. 



