American Big-Game Hunting 



over mountain, plateau, and valley alike, the 

 higher portions in summer, the lower in 

 winter. For elk, the park is an ideal coun- 

 try. They frequent the alpine meadows and 

 grassy terraces, passing freely from one to 

 the other of the open uplands. Where streams 

 flow through these openings, or ponds occupy 

 shallow depressions, the elk resort to them in 

 large numbers during summer and autumn. 

 The accompanying picture gives an excel- 

 lent illustration of such a favorite haunt. 



In midsummer cows and calves frequent 

 the picturesque park-like country near the 

 sources of the Snake River. In my opinion, 

 the head waters of the Snake furnish one of 

 the best breeding grounds for elk anywhere 

 to be found. In winter they descend to the 

 broad valley-bottoms, where food is accessible 

 and shelter easily obtained. In traveling 

 over the country about these feeders to the 

 Snake, I have been impressed by the apparent 

 absence of elk, yet the first heavy autumnal 

 snow will drive them from the mountains to 

 the lowlands, the freshly fallen snow being 

 tramped down by hundreds of elk tracks 

 coming from all directions. In the more 



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