BUGLE OF THE ELK

A bull elk, leader of the herd, is shot by an archer, then saved by a surgeon. Set in Washington's Olympic National Park, this combines zoological information--the life cycle of Tatonka the elk--with a less satisfying drama involving man's intervention in the natural scheme. Bernsen has crammed considerable detail into the narrative, a lockstep series of representative events--ranger round-up, forest fire, escape from predators, even a quick mating with Nateena, ""the prettiest cow Tatonka had ever seen."" The rescue operation, following a Marlin Perkins-type tranquilizer dart to the thigh muscles, goes smoothly, and Tatonka recovers without complications. Pictures on nearly every page support the text. Dutiful and generally undistinguished.