ELK HUNTING IN WYOMING. 



JIARRV A. SHIELDS. 



I had long wished to hunt big game in 

 the far West and last summer I iound 2 

 congenial friends, Mr. J. M. Murdock and 

 Mr. W. W. Porch, of the same mind. We 

 accordingly began, with the help of Recre- 

 ation, to make inquiries as to the best lo- 

 cality, etc. W r e decided to try Jackson 

 Hole, Wyoming, and wrote Mr. S. N. Leek. 

 He advised us to go in October. We then 

 secured a copy of "Camping and Camp 

 Outfits," by G. O. Shields, from which we 

 got much useful information. 



W'e started October ist from this place, 

 leaving Chicago the 2d, by way of the Chi- 

 cago & Northwestern and the Union Pa- 

 cific to Pocatello, Idaho, where we changed 

 to the Oregon Short Line, which took us to 

 St. Anthony, the end of our railroad jour- 

 ney. We had the finest train service and 

 the most courteous attention possible 

 throughout, which gave us an exceedingly 

 favorable impression of everything West- 

 ern, especially of the railroads in that part 

 of our country. 



At St. Anthony we were met by the local 

 liveryman whom we had engaged to take 

 us to our guide's ranch, Recreation lodge, 

 90 miles distant. We left St. Anthony at 

 1.30 p.m.. and drove 38 mile: to West's, 

 where we had supper. We then pushed 

 on to Jones', 20 miles farther, which we 

 reached at midnight. In the morning, after 

 an elk breakfast, the first we had ever 

 tasted, we pulled out for the hardest part 

 of our wagon journey. We soon struck 

 the foot of the Teton mountains, and the 

 farther we went the rougher and steeper 

 was the road. Finally we all got out to 

 walk to the top of the divide. We had 4 

 big horses in the spring wagon but they 

 could go only a few feet without a rest. 

 Luckily we met 2 empty wagons coming 

 West and made a bargain with the drivers 

 to help us to the summit. They hitched 2 

 of their horses in front and we finally 

 reached the top. At 6 o'clock o.m. we 

 were at our guide's place. It was nearlv 

 noon Monday before we got the 6 pack 

 horses ready. Then we rode for the Gro- 

 vont river, 22 miles distant, which we 

 reached before 5 o'clock and went into 

 camp for the night. The next morning we 

 took the head guide and struck over the 

 mountains to hunt, while the pack horses, 

 under the care of Charles Wort and the 

 cook, went by trail to State creek, our per- 

 manent camp. 



Up to that time we had seen but one 

 antelope, which Mr. Murdock missed. 



About 2 o'clock p.m., while riding through 

 a nark, we discovered our first elks, 2 bulls, 

 in a fir woods to our right. The wind was 

 in our favor. We dismounted and got 

 ready our 30-40 Winchesters. The elks had 

 taken the alarm, but we dropped both, one 

 dead and the other mortally wounded. We 

 were much elated at our earlv success, but 

 we had to hurry. We quickly took a few 

 photos, then the guide secured the elk 

 heads, took some of the meat and we went 

 on to camp, which we reached about dark. 

 The tent was up and a big fire was burn- 

 ing. Supper was soon ready for us, and 

 we did justice to it with the relish that 

 only outdoor life can give. 



The next day Murdock and I went with 

 the guide to bring in the heads we had 

 killed and some more of the meat, while 

 Porch went with Charley to hunt for elk. 

 Un our way out we saw a large bull but 

 too far off to shoot. We also saw 2 more 

 bulls which we could have shot, but did not 

 think their heads very good. We found 

 our dead elks but were sorry they had not 

 been disturbed by bears as we had hoped 

 they would be. We packed the heads and 

 what meat we could on 2 pack horses and 

 returned to camp. 



Thursday we hunted all day over 

 rough high mountains, and though we 

 saw a number of elks we did not get a shot. 

 Friday we killed 3 large bull elks and I 

 could have shot 3 more but as I had my 

 allowance I let them go. 



Saturday Leek went for the heads of 2 

 elks which had been left out the day before, 

 while the rest of us staid around camp, 

 and caught some trout in a small stream 

 just below. They measured 13 to 15 inches. 

 Monday we all went after antelopes. They 

 were scarce on account of the lateness of 

 the season, as they emigrate East to the 

 great desert about the ist of October. We 

 killed 4. 



The remainder of our stay was spent in 

 hunting bears and although we saw lots 

 of signs we were unsuccessful. In our 

 7 days' hunting we killed 5 bull elks and 

 4 antelopes, besides small game. I do not 

 believe there is another place in the United 

 States where there is anything like so 

 much big and small game as around Jack- 

 son Hole. Anyone wishing to go there 

 can get all the information he wants by 

 writing any of the guides who advertise in 

 Recreation. I met several of them and 

 they are all good men. 



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