4 



BULLETIN 1423, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTURE 



ownership of reindeer is concerned, in havin<>; the privilej^es of both 

 the Eskimo and the ^Yhite man. The native Eskimo rates lii<;li in 

 intellijrence, but is somewhat lackin<i; in initiative and mana<;erial 

 ability. Moreover, since reindeer grazing to him is often merely 

 of secondary consideration to hunting or fishing, as a grazier he 

 requires constant and direct supervision. If the reindeer industrv 

 depended upon the unaided efforts of the Eskimo it would be lim- 

 ited in scope. To obtain the best results in range and livestock 

 management and to perfect a desirable gi'azing scheme and develop 

 the industry on a large scale calls not only for capital but for busi- 

 ness ability of a higher order. 



A recent count indicates tliat about a tliird of the reindeer ai'e 

 owned by white men, including several Lapps, and the remainder 

 b}' Eskimos. One large incorporated company at Xome owns be- 

 tween 45,000 and r)0,000 animals in six herds. Through this white 

 ownership definite efforts have been made during the past few 

 years to place the industry on a commercial basis. 



REINDEER AS GRAZING ANIMALS 



Reindeer on the range most closely resemble cattle, but band 

 together more like sheep. Like horses they trample over much 

 range in nervous feeding, but, unlike horses, usually travel against 

 the wind. In winter they paw through the snow with the forefeet 

 to reach lichens and other forage. During the summer they move 

 about considerably over the range, and at times cover distances of 

 1") or 20 miles against the wind. In winter they graze over a com- 

 paratively small area, and remain for the most part in one general 

 locality. At fawning time the herd divides, the does grouping by 

 themselves and the bucks, steers, and some of the yearlings banding 

 together elsewhere. 



Reindeer become attached to their accustomed haunts, and once 

 well located on a range will uneri'ingly return to it if moved away. 

 In one case, several adult animals were transferred from one herd 

 to another over a distance of 200 miles, and the next year were found 

 back in the original herd, in spite of the fact that there were five 

 other herds between the two places. L^nless restrained the reindeer 

 instinctively seek successively their favorite fall, winter, or summer 

 pastures. Such reindeer pests as mosquitoes, horseflies, and warble 

 flies are an important factor in (he choice of summer pasture, as 

 they cause the reindeer to resort to the wind-swept areas along the 

 coast, or the ridges and mountain tops of the interior. 



Reindeer are excellent swimmers and take readily to water. In 

 Norway it is commonly reported that herds are made to swim as 

 far as S or 10 miles IVom the mainland to some island for sunnner 

 pastuiage. They graze well on the wettest ground and fre(]uently 

 may be seen wading out into ponds to feed on the pond vegetation. 

 In Alaska (he tyi>ical sunuuer range of the coast is often a wot 

 tundi'a of hummocky gi-ound (niggerheads) with many ponds and 

 sloughs, and over range of" this charac(ei' the reindeer graze with 

 appai-cnt ease. They are fleet of foot and seem to travel as ns'idily 

 ovei- (he niggerheads as over ground more level and firm. 



