IMPROVED EEINDEER HANDLING 



15 



20 miles inland from the coast for fawning, instead of bringing them 

 to the coast as formerly. In selecting the spring range, it might be 

 well for owners of adjoining herds to plan their layouts together and 

 perhaps choose adjoining localities. This will tend to concentrate 

 the infestation and to insure that, when leaving one grub-infested 

 area, the reindeer will not be approaching another on an adjoining 

 range. 



Salting the fawning ground is suggested as an aid to holding the 

 herd inland. Salt is particularly desired by the reindeer in spring 

 and should therefore prove an inducement for them to remain in the 

 locality. About 1 pound of salt for each animal would be required 

 during the spring period. This salt should be delivered to the area 

 by reindeer or dog sled during winter. 



Efforts to reduce the number of warble and nose grubs in reindeer 

 will be amply repaid in the better condition of the animals and the 

 production of cleaner hides. Reindeer hides free from grub holes 

 have considerable market value. Irritation of the animal by the 

 presence of flies and grubs results in loss of weight. Remove this 

 irritation and the animal will gain rapidly in weight and produce 

 better meat. 



USE OF SLED REINDEER 



The desirability of using pack and sled reindeer in handling the 

 herd has already been indicated. The use of sled reindeer is not 

 common in Alaska, whereas it should be an important factor in the 

 handling of every herd. The dog team is best suited for the main 

 trails and for travel along the coast, but for cross-country travel and 

 for use in the reindeer herd, the sled reindeer w^ould be much more 

 practical and economical. For each 1,000 reindeer in the herd there 

 should be at least 10 well-trained sled or pack reindeer. They may 

 be used effectively in traveling over the range, hauling supplies to 

 camps, f ollow^ing up the herd or making drives, and for use as leaders 

 in corralling the herd. They forage for themselves on the open 

 range and obviate the necessity of carrying feed, other than a small 

 quantity of grain when on long trips or when they are continuously 

 used. Also, the presence of several tame sled reindeer in the herd is 

 of great value in the bettor domestication of the herd and makes its 

 handling easier. 



Training sled reindeer may be greatly simplified by keeping them 

 in a barn or inclosure at the headquarters camp, instead of staking 

 them out on the range, the necessary feed being gathered in fall 

 and stored at the camp for winter use. Likewise, gathering lichens 

 and storing them at the villages will facilitate handling the draft 

 animals when the immediately surrounding lichen range has been 

 depleted. 



RANGE USE 



The purpose of lichens in the scheme of reindeer raising is to fur- 

 nish the animals winter forage. They are unnecessary and unde- 

 sirable for summer feeding, as it is on the succulent green herbage 

 and browse, and not on lichens, that reindeer fatten during the sum- 

 mer months. Furthermore, in summer lichens are dry, brittle, and 

 easily destroyed, and as it requires a depleted lichen range from 15 



