Elk Attack Buffalo

W.C. Witney's Game Preserve Scene of Fierce Fight.

William C. Whitney's game preserve on October mountains, in the Berkshire hills, was the scene recently of a most unusual and bloody contest.

In the spring the elk become restless and pugnacious, and the bison, though usually stolid, are quick to resent any attack. So when a few days ago a young elk stag prodded a big buffalo bull there was something doing right away.

With the first assault on the buffalo half a dozen elks joined in a circle around the combatants.

The circle of stags drew close, each head shaking menacingly its antlers.

With mad fury the bull dashed into the circle, but met with no resistance. He might as well have charged a shadow. On the other hand, he found himself the target for several pairs of sharp horns and pointed hoofs, which gouged at his flanks or tore into the flesh on his back.

Mad with pain and thoroughly infuriated, the bull charged again and again, each time meeting with no resistance from his nimble antagonists and always laying himself open to rear and flank attacks from the stags, which danced about him with seeming glee, snorting defiance.

The bull was rapidly exhausting himself with his futile exertions and all the time growing madder and madder. 

His sides were covered with crimson scars, and his flanks smarted. He was fast approaching the point where he must lie down and suffer himself to be gored to death or beat an inglorious retreat into the thicket, which his huge bulk could penetrate, but which would stop the pursuit of the wide antlered stags.

Luckily for him a diversion came in the shape of a misunderstanding between two of his tormentors. Unwittingly one of the stags hooked a fellow and hurt hum so that he turned in anger and charged.

Instantly the attack upon the bison ceased, and the big beast was glad to wander off. The attention of the elk was quickly centered upon the two champions of their own race, and the buffalo was left alone to nurse his wounds.