14 CONDITION OF ELK IN JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING. 



5,000), at least 48 per cent live to be 3 years old. If the herd just 

 holds its own, the death loss each year would be about 1,200, or one- 

 fourth of the calves; 800, or one-fifth of the yearlings; 600, or one- 

 fifth of the 2-year-olds; and 2,400 mature animals. Comparison 

 of these figures with those of the losses by starvation of the calves 

 during the past three seasons shows how rapidly the total number of 

 elk must have diminished. 



FEEDING IN WINTER. 



The two winters preceding the past one (1910-11) had been 

 unusually disastrous to the elk, and some feeding had been done. 

 When it became evident, following the crusting of the deep snowfall 

 of early January, that the loss was likely to be unprecedented, the 

 legislature was appealed to and promptly made an emergency appro- 

 priation. As a result, about the 15th of February the feeding of hay 

 was begun on as large a scale as possible. The construction of a large 

 dam by the Reclamation Service at the outlet of Jackson Lake had 

 created an abnormal demand for hay, and an amount approximately 

 equal to the normal excess supply had already been taken out of the 

 valley. It was, therefore, possible for the State to procure only 

 about 250 tons, and, while this saved large numbers of the animals, 

 it was far less than the amount needed. Arrangements were usually 

 made to have the hay fed by the person of whom it was purchased, 

 a certain amount, varying with the number of animals which could 

 be most readily reached, being hauled each day to some point easily 

 accessible to them. The elk soon learn the time of feeding and come 

 readily to meet the loads. (See Plate V.) It is the custom of most 

 of the feeders to drive past a band, and, as the more eager of the 

 animals follow the load, the herd is gradually "strung out/' in popular 

 phrase ; that is, becomes scattered in a long line. The course is then 

 retraced or paralleled and the hay is thrown out in small quantities 

 at short intervals. This method insures a fair share of hay to most 

 of the animals, large and small. The latter part of the afternoon is 

 considered the best time for feeding -the elk, since they are then 

 fortified for the night. One of the results of feeding is that the 

 animals become extremely tame, especially when approached only in 

 vehicles or on horseback. This familiarity, however, is quickly lost 

 when the feeding is discontinued, and within a few weeks those which 

 ate freely from the hand of their benefactors become as wild as ever. 

 It is supposed by some that the feeding during past years has caused 

 the animals to seek the region earlier, and it is a fact that their 

 advent in the autumn of 1910 was sooner than usual, but probably 

 this resulted from the weather conditions rather than from the fact 

 that they had been fed during the previous winter. 



