96 



GAME AND. FISH RESORTS. 



to be found elk, black and white-tailed deer, buffalo, bears, moose, mountain 

 sheep, and antelope in large numbers. All the streams are full of pike, perch, 

 catfish, sturgeon perch, suckers, trout, grayling and salmon trout. Fort Benton 

 is a good place to start from, traveling north along the base of the mountains. 

 Take the Northern Pacific Railway to Bismark, thence steamer up the Missouri 

 River. There is plenty of game all along the river region between Bismark and 

 Fort Benton, and the river and its tributaries are full offish. 



Fort Belknap is situated above the two forks on the Milk River, two hundred 

 and fiftv miles from Fort Buford, one hundred and seventy miles from Fort Peck, 

 two hundred and forty miles from the city of Helena, one hundred miles from 

 Fort Benton at the head of navigation on the Missouri River, twenty-five miles 

 from the boundary line. The outlying country is filled with game, buffalo, 

 white and black tailed deer, antelope, elk, and at the Little Rocky Mountains, 

 thirty miles southeast, are quantities of bears, big horns, mountain sheep, and 

 smaller game in abundance. To reach this county start from Sioux City, early in 

 the season, say in April, in time to take the first boat for Fort Benton, a trip 

 occupying nearly a month ; thence a day's ride into a country not attractive from 

 surroundings, on the contrary desolate from the monotony of the prairie, but 

 full of the game mentioned. 

 Deer Lodge County — 



Deer Lodge City. Foxes and hares, of the latter two varieties. Reached via 

 the Union Pacific Railroad to Kelton, thence via stage. 



I,ewis and Clarke County — 



Helena. Grizzly bear, elk, antelope, moose, deer, jack-rabbits, pinnated 

 grouse, snipe, curlew, ducks and geese ; trout and salmon trout. Take the Utah 

 Northern Railroad from Ogden to Franklin, Idaho, thence stage four hundred and 

 twenty miles. Mountainous country. 



Dead-wood City is in the heart of a game country, most easily reached by the 

 following routes : 



No. I, beginning at Bismark, Dakota. No. 2, beginning at a point on the right 

 bank of the Missouri, known as Fort Pierre, or some point not over eighteen 

 miles north of that place. No. 3, beginning at the Yankton crossing of the Mis- 

 souri river, and thence up the south bank of the Niobrara to its crossing opposite 

 the mouth of the Keya Paha river, thence up the latter stream to or near the 

 sources of the Porcupine Creek. All are to cross the 103d meridian on the shortest 

 and most practicable route, the first two to Deadwood, the third to Custer City. 

 There is a tri-weekly mail service between Kearney, Neb., and Deadwood, in 

 the Black Hills region, three hundred and thirty-nine miles, and a daily service 

 between Hat Creek and Deadwood, one hundred and twenty-one miles. There 

 is daily mail communication with Hat Creek and the Uniori Pacific Railroad at 

 Cheyenne. The distance from Deadwood from the railroad is two hundred and 

 thirty-five miles. 



Deadwood City is a good starting point for a campaign in the Black Hills. 

 Elk or wapiti are very numerous on Rapid Creek, Elk Creek, and Red Water. 

 Black-tailed deer, white-tail deer, antelope, on the prairie and foot-hills, moun- 

 tain sheep along the foot-hills, jack-rabbits, common hares, red squirrels, ground 

 squirrels, wild geese and ducks in the spring and fall, pinnated grouse in the 

 foot-hills, sage hens in the timber near the prairies, ruffed grouse and quail in the 

 hills, all are very numerous, and afford attractions to the sportsman not often 

 found in one locality. Cinnamon and black bears, mountain lions, grey wolves, 

 prairie wolves, beavers and otters are common. 



The Sweet Grass Hills are in Northern Montana near the boundary line of 

 the United States. These hills are separated into two ranges by a belt of prairie 

 about ten miles wide. The well known landmarks the Three Buttes are \n this 

 neighborhood. This locality is a splendid game country. Elk, mule deer, buf- 

 falo, bears, mountain sheep' and antelope abound. These hills are visited by 

 many tribes of Indians in the hunting season. 



Tlie Yellowstone Valley — 



The Yellowstone Valley abounds in game of great variety and abundance. 

 The varieties comprise the buffalo, elk, mountain sheep, grizzly bear, antelope 

 California lion, hare, squirrel, several species, swans, pelicans, Canada geese, 

 brant, many varieties of ducks and dippers, herons, sandhill cranes, grouse ana 

 pinnated grouse. The streams are filled with large salmon trout of great weight 

 and fine flavor. Giayling also abound. Entrance to this valley is through the 



