Show small territory over which elk herds graze when our country was first settled ell elk ranged over the plains and much of the eastern states says nature magazine they were gradually killed off or driven to take refuge in the foothills and mountains they now summer in high altitudes in forest and alpine meadows where they feed on succulent grasses and the tender leaves of herbs and trees return ing to the lower country only when the snows of winter make life at high altitudes impossible ble for them the largest herds now summer in yellowstone rellow stone park and the tacit jack son hole country shelters and feeds many of them during the winter months it Is unfortunate that early settlers called the animal the elk it is the counterpart of the european red deer and Is the finest lo looking oldrig of our american deer in late summer and early fall the bugling of the males may be h heard e ard as they wander through the upland forests defending their rights over the herd which Is theirs the fine antlers anglers and II 11 light bt rump are unmistakable field marks the spotted young usually only one although twins occasionally casio nally occur are born in may lay or june |