98 THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 
ing up and around the side of old Mt. Pitt. We followed along for a 
long ways and at last came to where they had been standing around 
under some fir trees, and out in a little opening they had been lying 
down, but were not there now. On we went, as they were easily fol- 
lowed, going most of the time in single file, and finally came to a 
grassy spot away up on the south side of Mt. Pitt, facing towards Fish 
Lake, and there they had a great hole pawed out where they had been 
lying down. They had moved again, but we soon discovered that they 
had gone out at the upper end of the glade, but this time they had 
swung back east around the side of the mountain. We followed along 
until about 3 o’clock, when the trail took a turn up hill towards a gap 
in the ridge that runs down east from Mt. Pitt. We went on up to the 
gap and passed through and turned down on the other side, and here 
we discovered them. About two hundred yards below us was a small 
lake, and right out in the middle was a big buck elk standing up to his 
knees in the water. Near the edge of the lake were two more smaller 
ones, and a few yards away, lying down, was a cow and calf. It was a 
long shot for a .44, but a big mark. We wanted him and wanted him 
bad, so we decided to both shoot at him and take chances on getting 
one of the others, so we drew down and, taking careful aim, fired. He 
threw up his head and staggered and started to wade out. Bang, bang, 
went the Winchesters, and bang, bang again. He was out to the edge 
now and we could see he was going to fall, so did not shoot any more, 
but ran down the hill to get a shot in one of the others, but too late, as 
they had gone. However, we were well satisfied, and went to work to 
dress him, which was no small job as he was as big as an ox and had 
horns that were grand—six on one and seven on the other, and five and 
one-half feet long. By the time we got through we could see very 
plainly it would keep us busy to get to camp before dark, so we hiked 
out. When we got back to the gap we turned and followed the ridge 
for some distance and then turned down hill and took a straight shoot 
for camp. We were tired and hungry, having had nothing since morn- 
ing, but had fed the dogs on liver. 
When we got about half way to camp old Trailor struck a bear track 
and away he went, down the hill towards Fish Lake, making the woods 
ring. I and Bob stood and listened, hoping they might turn and tree it 
between us and camp, but we were disappointed, for they kept getting 
farther and farther and finally went out of hearing. We knew then 
the jig was up, so we went on to camp, arriving there a little after 
dark. We didn’t wait long to commence getting supper, and I’ll tell 
you right now buck meat disappeared mighty fast when we got it 
cooked. Bob said he never was so hungry in his life, and I believed it. 
Well, we were up against it now, both dogs out with a bear, and 
an elk and big buck to bring in. I and Bob talked the matter over and 
agreed there was only one thing to do, and that was one of us would 
have to take a horse and go hunt the dogs and the other take the pack 
animals and go after the elk. It was finally agreed that Bob should 
go after the dogs and I after the elk. Now I will acknowledge that this 
didn’t suit exactly, but Bob argued that I knew so much better how to 
skin and cut up the meat that it was best for me to go; it would take 
him forever to do the job, ete. So TI said, ‘‘All right, I’ll go.’’ But I 
had a pretty strong suspicion that Bob was pretty anxious to go after 
the dogs, for it was almost a sure shot that he would get a bear. So 
he saddled his horse and lit out with a caution from me not to let 
Trailor get hurt, at any cost. I took the pack horses and went up to 
where the elk was, and by the time I got him skinned and cut up in 
shape to pack it was 3 o’clock, which made me late getting into camp. 
