262 AN AMERICAN HUNTER 



destroy an entire herd of wapiti when one of these fits 

 of confusion was on them. Even nowadays they some- 

 times behave in this way. In 1897, Mr. Ansley Wilcox, 

 of Buffalo, was hunting in the Teton basin. He came 

 across a small herd of wapiti, the first he had ever seen, 

 and opened fire when a hundred and fifty yards distant. 

 They paid no heed to the shots, and after taking three or 

 four at one bull, with seemingly no effect, he ran in closer 

 and emptied his magazine at another, also seemingly 

 without effect, before the herd slowly disappeared. 

 After a few rods, both bulls fell; and on examination 

 it was found that all nine bullets had hit them. 



To my mind, the venison of the wapiti is, on the 

 whole, better than that of any other wild game, though 

 its fat, when cooled, at once hardens, like mutton tallow. 



In its life habits the wapiti differs somewhat from its 

 smaller relatives. It is far more gregarious, and is highly 

 polygamous. During the spring, while the bulls are 

 growing their great antlers, and while the cows have 

 very young calves, both bulls and cows live alone, each 

 individual for itself. At such time each seeks the most 

 secluded situation, often going very high up on the moun- 

 tains. Occasionally a couple of bulls lie together, mov- 

 ing around as little as possible. The cow at this time 

 realizes that her calf's chance of life depends upon her 

 absolute seclusion, and avoids all observation. 



As the horns begin to harden the bulls thrash the 

 velvet off against quaking asp, or ash, or even young 

 spruce, splintering and battering the bushes and small 

 trees. The cows and calves begin to assemble ; the bulls 



