A COLORADO SKETCH 47 



nificent antlers, and is altogether a glorious animal. 

 Wapiti are very shy. They require quiet and large 

 undisturbed pastures ; and they are hunted with 

 a thoughtless brutality that must shortly lead to 

 their extermination in civilised districts. They do 

 not accustom themselves to civilisation as easily as 

 do moose or antelope, but resent deeply the prox- 

 imity of man — that is to say, of civiUsed man, for 

 Indians do not interfere with them very much. 

 Indians, as a rule, are not really fond of hunting ; 

 they hunt for subsistence, not for pleasure, and, 

 where buffalo are to be found, never trouble their 

 heads about smaller game. Elk are plentiful in any 

 Indian country that suits them ; in fact, as a rule, 

 there is very little use in hunting wapiti in any 

 country that is not exposed to Indian incursions, 

 and the more dangerous the country, the better 

 sport you are likely to have. But this is not an 

 invariable rule. There are some places where 

 wapiti may be found in quite sufficient numbers 

 to repay a sportsman's labour, and where he need 

 not incur the smallest risk to life or limb. I imagine 

 there are more wapiti to be found in Montana and 

 the adjacent territories than in any other part of 

 the United States. Wapiti are to be met with in 

 forests of timber, among the mountains, and on the 



