The Elk of the Pacific Coast 177 



with lordly grace through fallen tree tops, tangles 

 of vine-maple, ivy, grapevine, and all the net- 

 work of the woods, the same as a deer, which 

 means the same as a rabbit or bird. Although 

 his weight makes the track of his big hoof very 

 easy to follow on almost any kind of ground, the 

 contract for overhauling him is a good one to 

 sublet. For even if you succeed, it will be 

 leagues away from your starting-point and 

 probably in country so rough that you cannot 

 even take out the coveted horns. For this chase 

 must be on foot for much chance of success. 

 With a horse you are apt to make too much 

 noise and cannot afford the time to stop for 

 him to feed. You will probably have to lie out 

 one night at least, and have to make camp 

 where night overtakes you without hunting 

 feed for the horse. I have known two Indians 

 follow a dozen elk on snow over a hundred miles, 

 and would not have overtaken them then had 

 the elk not been intercepted by a hunter with 

 a dog, which so confused them they huddled 

 up while the man shot the whole band. This 

 was many years ago in Northern Wisconsin, 

 but the elk is the same traveller all over the 

 Pacific coast. 



When the elk once starts on a trip even when 

 not suspecting danger the work is bad enough, 

 and about the only chance there is for the hunter 



