WITH UUCLE SAIvI'S IJATURAilSTS 



FOE BROADCAST USE OITLY 



Reading Time: 10 Minutes. 



AMOTOTCELtEITT ; Every other Friday at this ti::ie the Naturalists in the United 

 States Biological Survey talce us into the Great Out-of-Doors to see how Uncle 

 San is protecting our wild Dird and aninal life. Today, we visit the "bia: elk 

 herd at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. 



We are going into the Jackson Hole country where nearly 20,000 elk 

 are spending the winter. 



As you will see, the elk look very imch like ordinary deer. Only, the 



elk or "wop-i-ti" ("/apiti), as the Shawnees called the:.i are larger. 



They are the largest deer in North A^'aerica except the noose. 



They will keep those antlers all through the winter. Then, along ahout 

 the middle of March, the antlers break off almost flush with the stag' s head. 

 But right underneath the old antlers, you see a little "bony ba.se about an 

 inch or so long. Within a few days, those little stubs begin to grow. In a 

 month, they are a foot high. By September the new headgear is finished. The 

 stags are then ready to battle for the leadership of the herd. 



Two stags come charging down upon eaxh other through the woods. One 

 will likely be an old stag. He roars out his challenge to all comers in a 

 deep bugling voice. The other may be but a youngster. His voice is nothing 

 more than a mere whistle or squeal. 



When two stags meet, they rash at each other vdth lowered heads. The 

 air rings with the clash of antlers, perhaps they draw apart and attack 

 each other again and a.gain. But, finally, the strong, springy antlers may 

 yield a little under a terrific onset, and spring together locked. The stags 

 may be able to free themselves. But occasionally they tug, and push, and 

 wrestle until they fall exhausted and slowly die of starvation. 



Travelers in the early days tell of many a duel of that kind in the 

 forest. But, over most of the country, the bugling of the mighty elk stag 

 is silenced. The elk vrent the way of the passenger pigeon and buffalo. 



— oOo— 



I expect most of you liave never seen an elk« 



But you will see plenty of them today. 



You'll notice the stags still wear their big crown of antlers. 



No doubt you have read a.bout those famous battles. 



As that great naturalist, Ernest Thompson Seton, sa;/s: 



