188 EARLY DAY STORIES. 



We were now out on a scouting trip, looking for the 

 best hunting grounds, where a few weeks later we would 

 be likely to get a big load of game in the shortest possible 

 time. It was the last of October, or possibly the very first 

 of November. There had as yet been no snow at all, and, 

 although the nights were sharp and frosty, the days were 

 mostly warm, as is generally the way in our Nebraska cli- 

 mate at that season of the year. We wanted to find a place 

 where black tail deer were the most plentiful, and where 

 there would likely be a herd or two of elk — white tail deer 

 we knew would be found everywhere along the streams and 

 level bottom lands where there were willow thickets and 

 big grass. We therefore spent most of the time going from 

 place to place, stopping generally only a single night at one 

 camping ground. 



Not liking the camping place on the northeast side of 

 the Cedar, the stream was forded, and following up along 

 the southwest side several miles a good camp was made 

 among the willows on a little tributary stream. We were 

 now camped well up toward the head of Cedar river in what 

 was afterward called Garfield county, but was then a part 

 of Wheeler county. West of us there was a large tract of 

 country, several miles in extent, of exceedingly rough sand 

 hills and ridges, without valleys of any considerable size. It 

 was thought best to explore this rough tract in order to 

 determine whether or not it should be the place for our con- 

 templated hunt later in the season. 



The next morning, leaving the horses in camp, we 

 struck out afoot, going in dififerent directions, as we both 

 preferred to hunt separately. Up to this time we had not 

 hunted much, and the game killed was only one deer apiece 

 — thanks to my negligence in letting the herd of elk get 

 away without firing a shot. This proved to be a very bad 

 day for hunting. It did not storm, but there was a fierce 

 northwest wind all day long. Game does not move about 



