REINDEEK IN ALASKA. 49 



the range and best results with the animals. Under present meth- 

 ods, in addition to being used as fawning ground in spring, the 

 range is often grazed continually during the summer season, and 

 this subjects it to becoming depleted through over-utilization. Set- 

 ting aside a separate area for use only during fawning would in- 

 sure a forage crop each spring and plenty of the best available fresh 

 green food for the does at the time. 



The practice of weaning fawns is not followed in Alaska, and 

 many of them are still being suckled when the next fawn arrives. 

 This is not only a double drain on the doe, but also is detrimental 

 to the new fawn. Consequently herd owners should separate year- 

 lings, along with bucks and steers, from the does prior to fawning. 

 One Alaskan owner has already put this into effect. It is an old 

 Lapp practice which was discontinued by them when they came to 

 Alaska and should be revived. 



FEEDING EXPERIMENTS. 



Feeding reindeer has been tried out on a small scale. In 1920 

 two fawns were brought to the Unalakleet station and kept inside 

 a small yard and shed for a period of six months. During this time 

 they were fed the following: Reindeer moss, 3,000 pounds; wild 

 native hay, 1,500 pounds; and assorted meal, 200 pounds. The meal, 

 which was such as could be purchased at any village store, consisted 

 of rolled oats, cornmeal, oatmeal, farina, graham flour, wheat flour, 

 and hominy. The only item on this list which the fawns refused 

 to eat was the hominy, which was apparently too hard for their 

 teeth, and after attempting to crack the kernels a few times, they 

 gave it up. In addition, apple and potato peelings and similar 

 scraps were fed and much relished by the animals. The above test 

 indicates that reindeer may be housed and domesticated like other 

 animals, although the pair experimented with were not kept en- 

 tirely away from reindeer moss. 



Reindeer are not careful feeders like the horse. They resemble 

 cattle in this respect and do not object to food which has been han- 

 dled or, in some cases, even trampled. There is little difficulty, 

 therefore, in getting them accustomed to a new food. They may 

 refuse it at first if it looks or smells strange, but this can be over- 

 come by forcibly placing some of it in their mouths, and if it is 

 found palatable they will soon take it freely. 



Reindeer respond promptly to a good food supply. A corre- 

 spondent on the lower Yukon acquired a herd which had been badly 

 oianaged, and the animals were in very poor physical condition. 

 He put them on good pasture, and though they improved to some 

 extent, the average dressed weight of the steers was only 150 pounds 

 105932°— 22 i 



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