34 BULLETIN 1423, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
upon instead of cabins, and where the herder must carry his sup- 
plies and equipment on his back in hiking over the range, there can 
be no efficient herding or rounding-up of stock. When the herder 
must carry his own pack, the time he can spend out on the range is 
limited, and consequently on a large range he may fail to bring in all 
the stock at a round-up. Furthermore, hiking with a pack over 
Alaska tundra is grueling work and consequently not conducive to 
the best results. By using pack reindeer to carry his supplies, there- 
fore, the herder's task is made easier ; he is able to stay out on the 
range a long time ; and by being able to cover his range thoroughly 
he is assured of a complete rounding-up of all stock. The use of 
permanent cabin camps, well situated to cover all parts of the range, 
is also an important aid in this respect. With supplies stored at 
these camps, the herder can conveniently work his range by patrol- 
ling between cabins and by working out from them during the 
round-up. The cabins also provide a comfortable abode and make 
reindeer herding a more attractive occupation. 
SUMMARY 
The stock of 1,280 reindeer imported from Siberia into Alaska 
between the years 1892 and 1902 has increased to approximately 
350,000, not including about 125,000 utilized for food and clothing. 
The annual gross increase in herds is behveen 33 and 45 per cent. 
About a third of the Alaskan reindeer are now under white and two- 
thirds under Eskimo ownership in individual and company herds. 
One incorporated company owns about 50,000 reindeer in six herds. 
In the two years 1924 and 1925 reindeer meat weighing more 
than 1,000,000 pounds was exported from Alaska, and a steady in- 
crease in the output and in the demand for it is indicated. The 
meat is fine-grained, compares favorably with beef, and when fresh 
is exceptionally juicy and tender. 
A rapidly growing industry requires that scientific studies be 
made for its best development, and under congressional authoriza- 
tion such studies were begun by the department in 1920 through the 
Biological Surve} 7 . Improved methods have been recommended to 
herd owners for handling reindeer and utilizing the range, and in- 
vestigations on these lines are being continued, with the reindeer 
experiment station of the Biological Survey at Fairbanks as a 
center. A study of range units is being made with the view to inau- 
gurating a permit S3 7 stem of grazing allotments. Careful and con- 
tinuous inspection will be required to determine whether an area is 
being under or over grazed. 
Of the two tj^pes of reindeer in Alaskan herds, the long, rangy type 
is usually heavier and better for meat production. The dressed 
weight of a carcass averages 150 pounds, with 300 pounds as the 
maximum. Experiments in the development of a heavier type are 
being conducted on Xunivak Island through crossbreeding with 
caribou bulls captured in the interior of Alaska and transported to 
the island for the purpose. 
The use of sled reindeer is recommended for herd management and 
other transportation uses, and studies have been made in breaking* 
and training the animals and in feeding them on other than a lichen 
diet. 
