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for these animals with less injury to the forest cover than would 

 result from its browsing by goats. 



The whitetail deer has often been the subject of experiments in 

 domestication. The beauty of these animals, especially the fawns, 

 appeals to every admirer of wild life, and early settlers of the coun- 

 try soon learned how easily they could be tamed and how promptly 

 they attached themselves to the persons Avho fed them. The danger- 

 ous character of the same pets, especially the males, when grown up 

 was soon learned also. It followed that the domesticating process 

 usually ended with the maturity of the first subject, which was soon 

 disposed of or banished to a safe inclosure. 



The propagation of the Virginia deer has seldom been undertaken 

 in a systematic wrj. The animals have often been bred in parks for 

 pleasure or in large preserves for sport, but the economic possibili- 

 ties in raising them have received little attention. Recently breeders 

 have recognized the fact that they are profitable under proper man- 

 agement and Avould be much more so were conditions for marketing 

 live animals and venison more favorable. 



EXPERIENCES OF BREEDERS. 



The Biological Survey has reports of successful experience in rais- 

 ing Virginia deer from more than a dozen persons, located in differ- 

 ent parts of the country, who are now engaged in tlie business. The 

 management of the herds varies slightly Avith the surroundings and 

 the object for which they are kept. 



Thomas Blagden, of AVashington, D. C., began raising deer in 

 1874. After an experience of over a third of a centuiy he is confi- 

 dent that the business can be made profitable. In his own herds he 

 has carefully avoided in-breeding by securing new bucks from time 

 to time. His stock is vigorous and of the large size characteristic of 

 the Adirondack and other northern deer. Consequently the animals 

 are in demand for breeding purposes, the bucks bringing $50 each 

 and the does $75. He feeds grain, using corn and a mixture of bran 

 and meal, and during the summer cuts as much wild forage as pos- 

 sible. He finds that the animals prefer the rankest weeds to the 

 choicest grass. Of the various kinds of hay, they prefer alfalfa. 

 He provides abundant water at all times. 



John AV. Griggs, of Goodell, Iowa, writes that he has been engaged 

 in raising deer for about fourteen years. Until two years ago he sold 

 all his surplus stock for parks, but since then has disposed of about 

 half of it for venison. For park purposes he gets $20 to $30 a head, 

 but they bring fully as much or more when fattened for venison. 

 As to management of deer, Mr. Griggs writes : 



In. raising a large herd tlie park slioiild be divided into two or three lots, 

 and one plowed each year and sown to red clover, mustard, rape, and seeds 

 of different kinds of weeds. Bluegrass and timothy are useless. Corn is the 

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