SUMMARY. 59 



At the annual meeting of the same association held at Columbia, 

 Mo., January 6-8, 1909, the following resolution was adopted : 



Resolved, That state laws regulating shooting, possession, and handling of 

 game should be amended so as to permit the sale of live game for propagation 

 at all times. That hand-reared game and game reared in a wild state by breed- 

 ers (including farmers) should be distinguished by law so that such preserved 

 game can be sold legally under state regulations, except during the breeding 

 season. 



SUMMARY. 



The foregoing information relating to the raising of deer, elk, 

 and other large game animals in confinement may be briefly summar- 

 ized in the following conclusions: 



The rearing of wild game mammals, both native and introduced, 

 offers a promising field for experiment, as well as for the practical 

 investment of capital. 



The Kocky Mountain elk and the Virginia deer can be reared suc- 

 cessfully and cheaply under different conditions in regard to food 

 and climate, as has been proved by many successful experiments. The 

 complete domestication of either species is a possibility which, if 

 realized, would be a source of lasting benefit to the world. With 

 proper encouragement, the production of venison from both elk and 

 deer can be made profitable industries on lands unsuited for cattle, 

 horses, or sheep. The rearing of both species for stocking parks and 

 game preserves would for a time be even more profitable than the 

 production of venison. 



Instead of hampering breeders by restrictions, state laws should 

 be modified so as to encourage the raising of deer as a source of wealth 

 to the individual and the State. Safeguards against the destruction 

 and sale of wild deer for domesticated deer are necessary. For this 

 purpose a system of licensing private parks or of inspecting and 

 tagging or otherwise marking live animals or carcasses sold or shipped 

 is recommended. 



It is believed that with proper encouragement much of the other- 

 wise waste land in the United States may be made to yield profitable 

 returns from the production of venison, and that this excellent and 

 nutritious meat, instead of being denied to 99 per cent of the popula- 

 tion of the country, may become as common and as cheap in our 

 markets as mutton. 



