DEER FARMING IN THE UNITED STATES 



271 



Mr Russ has a herd of 34 elk. 

 "They have ample range in the 

 Ozarks on rough land covered 

 with hardwood forest and abun- 

 dant underbrush. The animals 

 improve the forest by clearing 

 out part of the thicket. They 

 feed on buds and leaves to a 

 height of 8 feet, and any growth 

 under this is liable to be elimi- 

 nated if the range is restricted. 

 If not closely confined, elk do not 

 eat the bark from trees, nor do 

 they eat evergreens. In clearing 

 out underbrush from thickets 

 they are more useful than goats, 

 since they browse higher. Goats, 

 however, eat closer to the ground ; 

 and as the two animals get along 

 well together, Mr Russ recom- 

 mends the use of both for clear- 

 ing up brushy land and fitting it 

 for tame grasses. 



The increase of elk under do- 

 mestication is equal to that of 

 cattle. Fully 90 per cent of the 

 females produce healthy young. 

 An adult male elk w^eighs from 

 700 to 1,000 pounds; a female, 

 from 600 to 800 pounds. The 

 percentage of dressed meat is 

 greater than with cattle, but, ow- 

 ing to hostile game laws, expe- 

 rience in marketing it is very 

 limited. An offer of 40 cents a 

 pound for dressed meat was re- 

 ceived from Saint Louis, but the 

 law would not permit its export. 

 Russ says : 



From the fact that as high as $1.50 per pound 

 "has been paid for this meat in New York City 

 and Canada, and that the best hotels and res- 

 taurants pronounce it the finest of all the meats 

 •of mammals, we are of the opinion that if laws 

 were such that domesticated elk meat could be 

 furnished it would be many years before the 

 supply would make the price reasonable com- 

 pared with other meats. Elk meat can be pro- 

 duced in many sections of this country at less 

 ■cost per pound than beef, mutton, or pork. 



]\Ir Russ thinks that large areas of 

 rough lands in the United States not now 

 titilized, especially in localities like the 



ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK: AN ANIMAL WHICH CAN 



BL PROFITABLY RAISED IN ALMOST ALL 



PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES 



Ml 



Ozarks and the Alleghenies, could be 

 economically used to produce venison for 

 sale, and he regards the elk as especially 

 suited for this purpose. 



Another feature of Mr Russ's report 

 is of more than passing interest. He 

 says: 



We find from long experience that cattle, 

 sheep, and goats can be grazed in the same lots 

 with elk, providing, however, that the lots or 

 inclosures are not small ; the larger the area the 

 better. We know of no more appropriate place 

 to call attention to the great benefit of a few 

 elk in the same pasture with sheep and goats. 

 An elk is the natural enemy of dogs and wolves. 

 We suffered great losses to our flocks until we 



