Feb., 1912. Mammals of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 71 



dance in the counties of Huron and Sanilac about the head waters of the 

 Cass River. The unrelenting pursuit of hunters by means of the rifle 

 and trap pens will soon exterminate it, unless means are taken to pre- 

 vent an indiscriminate slaughter at all seasons of the year" {I.e., p. 222, 

 foot note). Wood says ''Mr. Fittenger informed us that in 1856 the 

 Elk was not uncommonly found on Sand Point (Saginaw Bay) and that 

 he shot a specimen on the shore of Mud Lake (at the base of the Point) 

 in September of that year" {I.e., p. 309). 



In Minnesota Elk were at one time very numerous and it is 

 claimed that a few individuals still exist in the extreme northern part 

 of the state. Herrick states that as late as 1885 the Indians occa- 

 sionally succeeded in killing one in the region north of Lake Superior, 

 and he was informed that in that year they were found about Red 

 Lake {I.e., p. 280). 



Even at the present time Elk antlers are occasionally found within 

 our limits, usually in ponds or buried in marshy ground. I am informed 

 that some years ago a good pair was found in Fox Lake, Illinois, and 

 Mr. Paul Hohnheiser of Wausau, Wisconsin, writes me he has a large 

 pair of Elk antlers found in a lake in that vicinity, which measures 

 45 inches in length. Mr. Jacob Bream of Cream, Buffalo County, 

 Wisconsin, writes me that ini87o he found a pair of Elk antlers with the 

 skull, in Township 22, Range 11, West. The spread of the antlers was 

 about 4 feet. Jackson states he has examined antlers found in Ashland 

 and Iron counties, Wisconsin {I.e., p. 15). Hollister says: "Sections 

 of antlers are still occasionally found in Walworth County, most fre- 

 quently under marshy ground. A fine pair was taken from Delavan 

 Lake some years ago" {I.e., p. 137). Mr. H. L. Ward records a pair 

 of antlers in the Milwaukee Public Museum, which was found by Mr. 

 Frank Clark in Pewaukee, in 1899.* 



Elk are gregarious animals, being found in large herds, especially in 

 winter. In summer the herds are much smaller, the animals being 

 scattered in wandering bands over a much larger territory. They 

 prefer a forested country, and in a mountainous region during the warm 

 season they frequent the higher ranges where spruce and pine abound; 

 but at the approach of cold weather, when the snow begins to get deep, 

 they descend to lower levels and pass the winter in the valleys and foot- 

 hills. They are promiscuous vegetable feeders when hungry, but they 

 much prefer the leaves and buds of deciduous trees and shrubs. Elk 

 are polygamous and during the rutting season in September and early 

 October the bulls fight savagely for the possession of the females. In 

 these combats they use their antlers, f sometimes with serious results; 



* Bull. Wis. Nat. Hist. Soc, VI, 1908, p. 146. 



t In attacking a dog an Elk will very often attempt to strike him with his feet. 



