The Wapiti and his Antlers. 49 



pounds heavier than the other. Weight would thus have spoken 

 the determining word in this friendly rivalry. 



While on the topic of length, I may mention that the longest 

 wapiti antlers I have ever seen was a wonderful old head I picked 

 up on the Grosventre Creek in 1880. It measured 68in. The 

 longest head I have ever killed myself was a 6-4in. head. 

 Unfortunately it shared the fate of two of my largest bighorn 

 heads, which were lost to me by a fire which destroyed a log cabin 

 where I had them stored. I believe I am right in saying that no 

 European sportsman has killed finer heads. 



My favourite head of all is one of over 6oin., with peculiarly 

 long and gracefully shaped tines of good curve the sur-royals are 

 2ft. in length and for this reason I am tempted to reproduce a 

 likeness of it as it hangs in my study (see Frontispiece). The 

 grizzly old stag that carried it gave me one of the most exciting 

 stalks man ever enjoyed.* Two other fine heads were presented by 

 me to two great Continental collectors ; one of the trophies hanging 

 in the great dining hall at Reinhardsbrunn, amid giant red deer 

 heads of past centuries grassed by the matchlocks and flintlocks 

 of the Dukes of Saxe-Coburg ; while the other is hanging in 

 Langenburg, the ancient castle of the Hohenlohe dynasty, amid 

 similar " good and worthy fellows." 



Measuring heads is ticklish work, and should not be undertaken 

 by the owner if he wants to quote the result. What made the 

 American Trophy Show such an interesting event was not only the 

 fact that most of the best heads in Europe were collected together, 

 but chiefly because they were measured by impartial and reliable 

 judges according to one and the same principle. Anybody who has 

 ever had to do with measuring antlers knows only too well the 

 perplexing variety that exists of taking measurements, and how 

 easily mistakes, notwithstanding the best intentions, will occur. 

 As already observed, the weight of antlers would add an important 



* It was described in an illustrated article in the Illustrated London News, 

 Nov. 6, 1886, and pictures of this head have appeared in the principal sporting 

 papers of England and the Continent. 



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