13° 



RECREA TION. 



driven out by the deep snow, on the 13th 

 and 14th of December. About 3,000 of 

 them came over the trail from Hell-Roar- 

 ing creek and passed out of the park over 

 Crevasse mountain. I rode over that coun- 

 try, on the afternoon and night of Decem- 

 ber 17th, and saw where about 100 had been 

 killed; but so far as I know none was 

 killed by residents of Gardiner, in excess of 

 the number allo'wed by law. Of all that 

 number only one was killed for his horns. 

 That one was killed. by Geo. Scott, within 

 the limits of the park. Much of this game 

 was killed by residents of Cinnabar, Bear 

 Gulch and by people living near these 

 places. All the meat was taken, showing 

 plainly that the elk were killed only for 

 food. 



During the winter of 1895-1896 elk and 

 deer were killed in the park, near here, for 

 the saddles and horns only. The men who 

 did the killing were arrested, tried, con- 

 victed and punished, under the laws then 

 governing the park. 



During the past winter, so far as known 

 by any of the persons patrolling the park, 

 no game has been killed within or near the 

 park, for tusks or horns. I have ridden 

 over the country a great deal and have seen 

 nothing to indicate that game has been 

 killed for such purposes. The past winter 

 was a hard one, and the game died by the 

 hundreds. I have seen bunches of 5 to 9 

 elk, all dead in one place, with their tusks 

 gone; but from personal examination, I 

 am positive they died from exhaustion and 

 starvation. 



, Owing to the fact that all lawless char- 

 acters caught in the park are brought here, 

 when discharged and turned loose, some 

 people seem to take a delight in claiming 

 that all the residents here are lawless. To 

 show the feeling that exists in regard to law 

 and order in this town it is only necessary 

 to state that last winter a man was arrested 

 by the State Game Warden, for illegally 

 killing elk, and was brought here for trial; 

 but fearing he would be convicted here, he 

 took a change of venue to Horr, where 

 our law abiding friend " R. G. W." claims 

 to live, and was promptly acquitted. 



William Van Buskirk. 



ON ARKANSAW LAKE. 



LEWIS C. BURNBLL, JR. 



The cool night air gently fanned our faces 

 as we drove up to the " O " ranch. With 2 

 companions, I was out for a hunt, and in a 

 few minutes after reaching our destination, 

 we were seated around the little table, try- 

 ing to satisfy appetites made vigorous by 

 an all-day's ride across the rolling sand- 

 hills of Western Nebraska. After supper 

 we gathered around the stove, to discuss 

 the shooting on Arkansaw lake. 



This lake is in the heart of the sand-hills. 

 Here, during the migratory season, geese 

 and ducks gather in great numbers. One 

 may find canvasbacks, mallards, redheads, 

 bluebills and other varieties of ducks, 

 where they come to feed on the wild rice 

 along the marshy shores. 



The clock struck 10 as we rolled in for 

 the night; and I was sure I had not slept 

 15 minutes when I received a rude thump 

 in the side, which I was half inclined to re- 

 sent; but my friends were up and dressed, 

 while the aroma of coffee filled the room. 



We probably looked somewhat like ar- 

 mored knights of old, in the dim light, as. 

 with hip boots and Stanley helmets; we 

 marched across the hills. H. jumped a 

 jack rabbit, and after giving it both barrels, 

 watched it disappear over the top of a 

 ridge. He redeemed himself soon, by kill- 

 ing a grouse that crossed our front. 



Sharp-tailed grouse were plenty a few 

 years ago, in Western Nebraska; but the 

 merciless pot hunter, shooting before the 

 law was off, killed the birds in such num- 

 bers they are now a thing of the past 

 Where hundreds could be found, only an 

 occasional one is left. 



Arriving at the, lake, we saw many flocks 

 of water fowl scattered over the glimmer- 

 ing surface of the water. Stationing our- 

 selves about ill the rushes, every thing was 

 ready for the sport to begin. Presently 

 some one got a shot and the ducks began 

 to fly. A flock of mallards headed for my 

 blind. Nearer and nearer they came, and 

 in a moment were over me. Giving them 

 both barrels, I was pleased to see 3 of the 

 beauties strike the water. Next came a 

 flock of bluebills, and 2 left the ranks at 

 my summons. Then followed a miss. 



So the sport continued for an hour or 

 more. The incessant banging, on my right 

 and left, told that my comrades were not 

 idle. From the noise, one might have 

 thought there was a small battle going on. 



My attention was suddenly attracted by 

 a steady " ho-onk, ho-onk." Glancing up, 

 I noticed a long, V-shaped line coming 

 straight toward me. Frantically I dug into 

 my pockets for some shells loaded with 

 heavy shot, and had just gotten them into 

 my gun when the geese sailed over, not 50 

 yards high. Covering the leader, I pulled 

 the trigger and then gave number 2 the 

 second barrel. Both birds fell with an im- 

 mense splash; one striking so near I was 

 drenched with water. 



The ducks having left for quieter places, 

 I gathered up my birds. 



Throwing the spoils on the grass, I 

 counted 2 geese, 2 canvasbacks, 4 mallards 

 and 8 blue-bills. My comrades soon came 

 up with 20 birds, making 36 for the morn- 

 ing's shoot. 



In an hour we were back at the ranch, 

 packing the ducks in the wagon for the 

 start homeward. 



