30 WAPITI HUNTING. 



and chilled to the bone. For three hours we faced it steadily, our path 

 growing rougher at every step. Several roedeer and a wild goat were 

 seen, but excepting the latter, at which a few shots were fired, they 

 were left alone. Presently, as we neared the head of the now rapidly 

 ascending valley, we glimpsed our first wapiti standing on an open 

 'hillside gazing at us. Seeking cover behind some scrub, we got out 

 our glasses, and, made out that the deer was a buck with fairly good 

 horns. There was no chance of stalking him, so we both tried a long 

 shot but missed. He turned and vanished over the ridge. Next instant 

 two more deer broke cover, and we fired bringing first one and then the 

 other down. On hurrying to the spot where they lay, we were chagrined 

 and ashamed to find that in our excitement we had shot a couple of 

 does. We were hardly to blame for 1 this, however, for, at the range we 

 had shot them, it had been impossible to make out the horns on the buck 

 without the aid of glasses. There was nothing for it but to skin the 

 deer for museum specimens and then go after the buck. 



After the unpleasant job was over, and one of the hunters had been 

 dispatched to camp with the skins, we discussed the best way to secure 

 the buck, and finally I left my companion to follow up its trail, while 

 I cut across country in search of other game. I drew blank and after 

 a long, tiring tramp returned to camp. On the way back I shot a large 

 roedeer with an unusually fine pair of horns. 



My companion, after we separated, crossed the grassy upland and 

 finally came upon his quarry lying down in what is known as a "yard," 

 a place, usually in a well sheltered wood, specially favoured by deer 

 as a dormitory and playground. He successfully stalked the stag and 

 wounded him in the leg. Then followed one of those long heart-break- 

 ing chases across country, but finally he got his chance, and brought 

 down the animal with a well directed shot at long range. 



Next day we went off in different directions, but my luck was out, 

 and I did not even see a wapiti, while Holcomb ran on to the trail of 

 a large stag, followed it up, and came upon his quarry quietly feeding 

 in an open glade, surrounded by fifteen hinds. At the fourth shot he 

 brought, the splendid animal down. It had a magnificent pair of horns, 

 the measurements of which I have already given. 



After this my companion devoted his time to hunting wild-goats, 

 while I kept on in the hopes of securing a wapiti with good horns. 



Next day, leaving camp before it was light, with the hunters at my 

 back I set off towards the wapiti "yard" where Holcomb had wounded 

 his first buck. It was empty, so we struck off over the snow-covered 

 uplands. 



