206 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Oct. 11, 1883. 



conversant with the ground and of groat nerve and good 

 riders, tarring their horses trained to come to them when 

 called and no' to keep very fat from them while hunting on 

 [cni. Almost all their shooting being witb shotguns, esa>- 

 pn(*m, they have to approach quite close to the hull to do 

 execution. It) approaching this game care should he taken 



in haVe some trees i 



shot should not prove 



diutelj Lo the spol wl 



prudoul to change pit 



'•hi et nl nol to let the i 



Uieapol where heexi 



tactics are ki pi up in 



down for good, a< st 



again more enraged a 



near al hand to dbdg 



e the first 



.--«:■•: 



hi 



lit. 



s the I'ull will charge : 

 i lie pniT of smoke, 1 

 i.-k :.-:i BhOl is tired, be 



ire full 



lothing 



bette 



•aches 

 ilant. These 

 ered aud lies 

 . only to rise 

 1' than ever, 

 than " reliable 

 •vcr neces- 



For this kind of shoqting 



magazine rifle, a brace of heavy revolvBrs&nd il 



sary machete. 



Much more roighi be written on this subject, bul I will 

 leave it Uor the present, fearing to encroach lob much upon 

 your space. -I. M. <i. 



Porr.HKF.F.i'KiE, Oct 4, 1883. 



A HUNT IN THE PLATTE VALLEY. 



THAT portion of the North Platte Valley wliieli lies be- 

 tween the Medicine How Range and the Continental 

 Divide is famous throughoui ihc West as one of the best 



bunting grounds in the 

 highlands, encircled by "< 

 tiv.lv sale retreat for subh 

 grate in the spring from i 

 i.iiiie oiountains. Bears, i 

 in the mountains. Spruce 

 the highlands, to migrate v 

 to Hi. r.H.iiiiiis in early fs 

 the valley antelope graze ii 

 largest of the grouse faj 

 tlavorcd bird in America 



The rugged, pine-clad 

 own umber," afford a compara- 



iiame animals as instinctively mi- 

 le lowlands and adjacent foothills 

 Ik. ami black tailed deer abound 

 grouse and blue grouse breed in 

 iih their almost full-growd young 

 i. Lhere to fatten on berries. In 

 herds. I'loeks of sage hens, the 

 lily, and. in my opinion, the hest 

 ,n the sage- 



me. As she turned a point she suddenly stopped, threw her 

 ears forward and stood motionless, apparently looking in 

 ii mlv al something in the valley below her. Walking tip to 

 her 1 looked over the point In the valley helow. standing 

 in the edge of a clump of willows, were i wo large black- 

 tailed bucks Mv Marion rifle came to mv shoulder, and 

 the largest buck Ihavetwer seen fell dead as the whip-like 

 report of the rifle broke the silence of the solitude. The rc- 

 ■k slood stupidly looking around losee whe 



graj sage brush confused myi 



ol came from. Then, 

 yelled at him. he sprang 

 pea red I dtesRed the la 



We crossed the Platte 

 while the horses led 

 high, rocky hill 

 the river was o 

 river roared. Beyond 

 brush, among which a b 

 My setter bitch Queen 

 and had evidently 



antily 

 X P 



1 walked around the point and 



into the willow thickei and disap- 

 -k and hung him in a pine Iree. 

 I the upper ford. I ate mv lunch 

 the rich grass. Around me were 

 covered with stunted pii.es. Down 

 inc-elad canon, through which the 

 were long slopes covered with sage 

 ,v antelope were standing, 

 that had been a vear in the forests. 

 he conclusion that there 



lamsflo 



; fro 



brush-clad plains On all 11 



tains tn i in- Platte River, willow grouse nvc and innve. 



I had luinteil in tliis valley last year and the year lie fore 

 last. The recollection of. Ikegpojl haunted me throughout 

 ihepasi summer, [resolved U) hunt in (hep 



spend a 



the -ray pi 



gashing rrom gn 



thirs;. 



Tin- trail from 

 leads down to D'( 

 precipitous bluffi 

 foaming water, a 

 jut into the strea 

 ih. down timber 

 of fallen lives. 



any of the voui.e 



Dig the taller, tin 

 in a jackslraw-li 

 Hie lower hills 



Dg lie 



nd r 



•e|<s. |, 



s and birds that live on 

 where springs of cold waler. 

 npt antelope to quench their 



niiilain home to the Platte Valley 

 reek for ten miles, winding around 

 the narrow trail is high above the 

 K crossing high, rocky points that 

 en it leave- Ihe valley and leads-into 

 our miles ii winds among the trunks 

 . not a ilia/.- or a broken twig on 

 h.ii compose the dense thicket cover- 

 guide the traveller. The trees lie 

 e. The rains that fall frequently in 

 sh away all Hacks made by horses. The 



trail is a blind one, and is purposely kepi blind by the few 

 men who know ii. H would he considered saeiileeii.n- to 

 blaze tho route, After I had resolved to hunt in the upper 

 .North Platte Valley, this trail arose before me spectre-like, 

 and disturbed my slumbers as a nightmare of a gigantic 

 -erpen! eliding sinuously through a tangle of fallen trets and 



Sine thickets. The knowledgi that-many men, boastful of 

 ie possession of woodcraft, had tried lo follow the Hail. 

 and none had succeeded, bul had wandered miserably in the 

 adjacent hills, aud had been tantalized by seeing the Conti- 

 nental Divide and the Platte Valley without being able to 



get their horses through 



waking hours. I had bee 

 a blinding snowstorm fro! 

 My comrade on Ihal trip 

 miner. II 



iowii Umber, disturbed 



i over the trail once, riding through 

 i the Platte tomv mountain home, 

 was a hunter, trapper, and gold 

 in the highlands, haviug crossed 

 the (Jriai Divide last spring. The horse 1 rode on that, trip 

 tVas a celebrated mountain' animal, famous for the length of 

 her head, the bump of locality on which, if there is an\ truth 

 in phrenology, should have been as large as a goo- egg, I 

 had used the mare, a mild-eyed, high-slrting. intelligent 

 creat re. more or less for two years. It mattered not where 

 i had carelesslj taken her. She, if l did nol stupidly seek 

 to control her actions, would follow Ihc trail back to my 

 home. I believed this mare would remember the tipper trail 

 io the Platte. I sent for her. She came trotting into camp 



be no more upland shooting in her life, was frantic w iih joj 

 I,, he once more in the Open. She vigorously beat thegrouud, 

 and broke all Ihe rules Ihal control the behavior of well 

 conducted setters, by Hushing and chasing grouse, giving 

 tongue the while. Jack rabbits ahe joyfully pursued. I lei 



her have her lline:. I camped in a thicket of quaking as- 

 pen, and unpacked and unsaddled mv horses and picketed 

 them. Then putting m-j shotgun together I called Queen 

 to me and talked to her, telling her that she had had her (ling 

 and thai now business was lo commence. I emphasized my 

 remarks about ihe folly of an old dog chasing iaek rabbits 

 by a few cuts with a" switch. She yelped her approval of 

 w'hat 1 said, and promised, as plainly as a flog could, lo be- 

 have herself. 



Walking over the -age brush-covered divide. 1 saw many 

 antelope standing in the brush looking anxiously at us. as 

 though they had never before seen aman and a dog. They 

 were very fame. Does, with fawns at their sides, gazed with 

 open-eyed astonishment, at us. One don that had three fa 



the first I ha 



me. I sat on a rock, with n 

 her. She would slowly ad 

 stand and stamp, sheep lik. 

 three little antelope would fu 

 doe, I suspect, had a 

 orphan whose motbei 

 They slowly 



llllllt 



van I 



('-Mil 



te eh 

 v dog ai my feci, and watched 

 auec ten or twelve feet, I hen 

 . with one fore foot, and the 

 milv stamp in imitation. This 

 Iv heart, and had adopted an 



had beln kilted bv some thoughtless 



approached me until " 



'id plainly see 111- sides of the do, heave with 

 •nt as she slood looking al me. Slowly my hand 

 mv hat. and then, with a spring, 1 iumped to my 

 feel anil threw the hat at the four. Their curiosity was fully 



satisfied. They fled through ihe sage brush, and as fong as 

 1 could follow ihem with mv eves Ihev were running rapidly, 

 1 saw but few bucks. They were alone, the running sea- 

 son nol haying commenced, standing widely separated from 

 each other ami from the docs. Some of the bucks stood on 

 the en-sis of roekv ridges, apparently absorbed in admira- 



th f tin- mountain BCenery. Thoroughly enjoying the 



gray valley and the animal life. I sal on the rock and thought- 

 lessly allowed mv dog, that had tired of idleness, lo range in 

 Ihe sa-e l.iush. 'A covcv of saire hens whirled past. Mushed 

 as the dog ranged down the wind. With hanging head and 

 pendant taii she abjectly crawled forth from the brush and 

 lav whining at mv feel, protesting, dog-like, against the 

 whipping shfl kuew she ooeht to receive. I gently pulled 

 her soft ear and forgave her. Having marked the birdi 

 down, I went to the BpOl and the sport began. The rapid 

 reports of the heavily charged gun resounded from rocky 

 bluff to bluff. The antelope lied in wild disorder. The 

 large game birds rose singly or in pairs. The shooting was 

 exceedingly rapid. Of that covey none escaped. The de- 

 light of the doe- was cliildlike. Winn bug gathered the dead 

 buds iii a pile al my feet she looked at me with adoration 

 plainly expressed on' her handsome face. In shootingsage 

 possible. If 



srray sage orusii contused mv vision. !• inallv, as 1 once again 

 Irew the rill, down on him, ihc black pinhcad of the globe 

 sight was fairly distinct on his forehead, and I pulled the 

 trigger. He fell in a heap. 



My proposed week's sport was at end. 1 had a sackful of 

 BBge hi lis. an enlelope. and a deer: I could use DO more. I 

 packed my horse, saddled my mare, forded the river and 

 began the ascent of ihe hare mountain to '.\ here mv deer was 

 hanging. There I ate breakfast, ihe brisket of a' fat buck 

 ore a fire of resinous logs, Afl 1 sat smoking nn 

 aiter-hi-e.-ikfast pipe, tin- son .arose behind me, and the desolate 

 looking gray of the valley became tinged with pink. 

 BegretttilCT 1 mounted. 1 turned in my saddle, and bade the 

 vall.-v of the North Platte a last farew'ell. Sadly 1 rode into 

 the forest, feeling that my play time had passed. — Fran/, 

 WiV.i-mn, in the film. 



THE RACE OF THE BULL ELK. 



IN l>iVs the terminus of the freight and passenger traffic 

 on the then unfinished 1'iiioti Pacific Kailroad was at 

 Hi yan. in Wyoming Territory. The track west of that point 

 was used onlv for construction material, and was uneven, 

 half ballasted, and unlit for running trains at. a high rale of 

 speed. Bryan Station was about" two and one-half miles 

 west of the -second crossing of the North Platte River." 

 South of the station buildings, at a distance of abonl one 

 thousand yards, was a range of low. horseshoe-shaped hills. 

 With the webs of the shoe toward the west. One afternoon 

 as a construction train, consisting of empty fiat cars, was 

 running toward Bryan, the engineer discovered a baud of 

 elk. just ahead and near the track. He let on all the steam 

 he dared and gave chase, and it proved an exciting one; for 

 Ihe elk kepi the line of the track and the fifteen or twenty 

 men thai made up the passenger list of the train, being armed 

 to a man with rifles or revolvers, opened a fusilade with big 

 guns and small pops. The band of elk, numbering thirty- 

 three, and led by a line old bull, kept their lead and were not 

 Injured by the .shooters during the chase of abonl two miles, 

 until the town was reached, when thirty-two of the elk that 

 were behind swerved lo the south and wenl into the park 

 formed by Ihe horseshoe hills. The big bull kept his course. 

 running just BoutS ot the railroad warehouse and in sight of 

 the whole town. 



The Indians had run off a lot of Mormon cattle only a 

 few days before I'mm just across the river, where they were 

 Waiting until the arrival of a Irainload of the faithful 

 would bring their services in demand to haul the emigrants 

 to Salt Lake, and at the firing from the incoming train the 

 town turned out, expecting there was another raid upon the 

 bull train of the saints, but the gghl of the elk caused more 

 of a flurry, anil horses that were saddled and bridled in the 

 streets were hastily mounted, and their riders started in pur- 

 suit. Then followed the most exciting chase that ever l wit- 

 nessed. The bull was tired, the horses fresh, bin he ran 

 game and lo his death before he reached the river Two 

 men divided the honor of his capture, and he was grallocked 

 and boxed, that his magnificent antlers might not be i.mk. d, 

 and sent to Si. Louis, where I presume he was duly 

 admired for his great size, bul there was nothing to tell of his 

 grand race that brought him to death. A. N. C. 



iu.kns falls, n. v.. (Jet, 1883. 



PHILADELPHIA NOTES. 



SINCE my last communication we have had new tliirlits of 

 rail birds and some fail tides, which made Ihe shooting 

 better. Ii required some fortitude, bi 

 driving storm which took place durii 

 but many undertook il aud good bags i 

 our mutual friends slipped up Haccoon f 

 his pusher, and worked out the ground wl 



• are left 

 Oh Ihev li\ 



..I. 



C tin 



behind Ihe stae,.. Whe 

 followed nn- to the kilch 

 of mv hand Theu tun 

 , -ailed for admission. 



•l'he n.M morning we 

 little undecided as lo the 

 I guided her to the uppe; 

 point below w 

 and confident 

 mv leg gently 

 antelope ami". 



Jim. Ihe stupid i 



ode o 

 nuch 



ntied the whin- beauty, she 

 n door and daintily ate bread mil 

 ing, she walked lo my stable and 



stalled. At first the mare was a 

 course I intended to take; but when 



Plate trail and had followed it to a 

 er Hail crosses, she tossed her head 

 ward. Shi- would turn and nibble 

 % to say. "Going to the Platte after 



We'll' have a time, and we'll make 

 rsc carry Ihe meat." Tl 



would |: 



scented breath 



fords of the creel, i. 



arrived at the point lo 



down timber 1 gave he 

 we reached the f'u-a tn 

 looked at inc. as much : 

 lo jump w iih GK I olT 



command. Aft 



ih dejfcht, and blow lo 



all. 



She I 



it confidently 

 e.ve the valley 

 her head. Sh. 

 il-obsl moling lo, 

 s to say, "Yoi 



rcolum 



v.r hesitated at the 

 ,sscd. When we 

 aud enter into the 

 turned, and when 

 sin- slopped and 

 3 heavy f 



I, ,1,1 be 

 pack hoi 

 not think 



passed o. 

 I had gn 



lltll Ihe I 



miles sh, 

 me. I r. 

 of the G( 

 by capt . i 

 em marl 



ha\ 



kn 



I obeyed her unspoken 

 ihe stirrups acrOSS Ihe saddle 1 



■ bell 



ihe trail. 



isler fondly H 



of a bear walking 



I recognized. Crossing 



long slopes, tin- srtfitc m 

 hour and a half 

 slopes down lo ihe I'lai 

 As we entered th 



iad. She plunged into the thicket, with the 



id her, and began .jumping the lot's. I did 

 iblc for a horse to 'remember a trail it had 

 once, and then through a furious snowstorm, 

 ibis as lo the outcome of my experiment. 

 numbered th.- trail, Afiei traveling two 

 ■d at a bear nap made of logs and looked at 

 • p-d ih. hap. It was the work of a minister 

 i,,, soufchf to improve his financial condition 

 nd shipping them for sale to East- 

 ie was not successful, ihere never 

 in the Medicine Bow Range, who 

 heavy log-cabin-like pen, the min- 

 a nan. sufficiently high io admit 

 This trap was the tii-l landmark 

 re.-ks. climbing divides, descending 

 ie,iaii.iil\ picked her way. In an 

 slood on the crest of a bare hill that 

 1 was a marvellous performance. 



down which ihe [rail leads lo 



alive 

 BCllI 



to lilt 111 

 Ugh1 to I 



r'awn for an hour Ihe taste of the sa 

 penetrates their while flesh and renders it 

 Pulling the birds into a sack and erecting a 

 1 wenl into an adjacent ravi 



flocks, in sixes, in pairs, and singles arose befor 



was no need of a dog to find them. They wen 



Th. dog quivered with excitement. M\ uu 



when a large cock arose behind and flew p 



I thrust mv hand into my cartridge bag, 



and kill him before he was., 



toiiishmenl the bag was empty. 



when 1 left camp. 1 had bagg 



1 missed. I am happy to say, 1 



no broken-legged birds to fly into the 



Ma 



i piles of r 



lord- iii 



There 



vwh.re. 



empty 



Hastily 

 nlendiuu' to load 

 5& Much tomv as 

 lined fifty cartridges 

 me birds', and those 

 leanly. There were 

 age brush and die a 

 bird$, I relitnii .1 lor 



painful deatl 



the pack horse and packed them into camp. 



\\ hen I lived in Kansas m v lite was made miserable b\ 

 f my siubble fields. T" 



jack rabbit that 1: 

 fiendish creature lured 

 phantom form before me 

 than this erealure offered 

 missed them. I became 

 rabbit of ihe Gyps 

 hint, and frecpier 

 depraved erealure 

 enjoy mv shooting 

 through half a mil. 

 other rabbits that 



f hen I \ 



poverty by presenting hi 



liel 



shot- 



:1 Ihal 

 nn Valley. Finally 1 1 

 i Iv declined r 



.-ould jump up 

 al him six or eight lime 

 of stubble. I could distinguish him fn 

 y prey, by the sinister ex_f 



ie fore 



d 1 alway 

 7 as the spectre 

 me afraid of 



shots. That 

 nd apparently 



i rabbit was Undoubtedly the devil. 

 I honestly believe be powerfully 



the river, the mar.- ».,i- :, 'couple of hundred yards ahead of 



;ion of his f 



I used to dr 



influenced my departure from the land of 



agine mv horror when I saw the twin broil 



i-ai.i.ii imp i. in oiihe sage brush by my cam 



creature had the same sinister expression a 



1 grasped mv gun, and asl threw it to 



my dog: "Queen, you shall have 



per." 1 pulled the trigger. The 



discharged the oilier barrel. He 



guisb 1 dropped the gun, and i 



claimed. "Ii is, it is the spectre 



drove the rabbit into the sage brush, and I w 



chcerfulneL— 



ll„ nasi morning I awoke early. There was a heavy 

 frost .in ihe grass. Mv blankets were white. As I turned, 



preparatorj to a cat nap. I saw thai the white mare was 

 intensely interested in something she saw. Looking in the 



-am. diieeiioii 1 saw a large buck antelope standing motion 

 less in the edge of the sage brush behind me. Jli- breath 

 formed a tiny cloud of vapor as it arose above him, I drew 

 my rifle from beneath the blankets aud tried to cover him 

 The grav light was too dim; so i wailed patiently. Again 

 and agaiii 1 tried to cover him, but Ihe gray light and the 



of that Ks 

 The aecursei 

 is brother had 

 mlder 1 said lo 

 tasted jack rabbi I for sup 

 ■abbii gaily hopped off. 1 

 continued to bop. In an 

 terror stricken tones ex 

 rabbit:" Promptly the dog 

 i resforcd to 



-he 



these belter tides: 



re made. One of 



-k. N .1.. wilh 



h lies above the 



!ek. 



.ike bridge at Swedesboro during one day of Ibis 

 lie liad great success, finding rail in abundance, and a grown 

 brood of summer ducks, some teal and a brae or two of 

 English snipe. The marsh was too high to get all over il, 

 bul rail did not appear to have been disturbed there at all 

 this season; and the ducks w.-rc easily paddled on. Reing 

 alone he had things as he wauled them, and returned with ils 

 good a showing as had been made for some time. One can 

 v.-rv often have the best of spoil by going to these unfre- 

 quented places, and it generally repays the extra trouble taken 

 to reach Ihem. 



The war continues on the English sparrow in our county. 

 It has been suggested by one of our morning papers that Hie 

 little bird be put on our game list, and advocates' the open 



T. 



bul st 

 fowl 

 that o 

 fee. Iii 

 niug iui 



i lo be fn 



, D. 



kepi 



atli 



.- Ih. 



c nr. 



n to Jan. 1. 



nsclves in numbers now in our river. 



so continuous through the day the 



ring, and ii is only iii the early morning 

 ;hoi from some secluded point near the 

 This little duck frequents the creeks run- 



• than ihe 



had by B| 



grounds are 



season, and the birds si 

 meadows and on the marshes which fi 

 As we draw near to the quail shooting 



■ poor condil 

 snot and killed i 



from all pari 

 of birds that wi 

 having the best 

 Pennsylvania. 1 hear 

 rule good accounts 



COUQtIes, Several hi 

 Ihe litalfB Of l'ainiioii 

 but these birds are Si 

 material for dogs, a 

 used, guns, of eou; 



id grentei 

 such places Some 

 meadows, but the 

 account of the dry 

 found in the spring 

 tlc.ieii by the tides, 

 reports come 



f Delaware and Maryland of the number 



la-.. I fflis year, and expectation is high of 



ason for some years. In some part, of 



tin quail did not do so well, bul as 



h( 



id fr< 



hate 



Of th( 

 ed Ihissuinme 

 uldsav, Ihe n 



■astern 

 within 

 vpark. 

 raining 

 ir were 

 ling 



Park, or, I sin. 



. aud will make excellent t 



those thai were found last ve 



, n„i being allowed. A i 

 wav into Ihe oulskirtsof Darby dur- 

 itr' the week but were not disturbed as far as 1 can learn. 



'fhc Schriebei bovs have been kllliug a number of bnlL. 

 heads, v. How l-es and calico-backs near Deiinisville. N -I. 

 this week. The birds are on their way South aud will have 

 all passed through before your next issue. English snipe are 

 being killed on the Darby < 'reek meadows. Homo 



October 6, 1«*1. 



Hi IKM.OES FOR THE SCOTTISH HlOlll.A NO-. — 'I he Moil 



neal Witness of o.-i. •■ Bays: "The steamship Brl King, 

 which sails to-morrow morning for London, has ,„, 

 board a pair of buffaloes intended lor breeding in Scot- 

 land. They" are line ihrce vear olds, wilh good coals 61 

 hair, and though not vet full grown, arc heavier than cows. 

 Thc\ wen- boughl by tin- Marquis of l.oine from thebuffalo 

 ranch connected with the provincial penitentiary at Stony 

 Mountain. .Manitoba. 



