AMONG THE BLACKTAILS. 



H. C. WILCOX. 



Still hunting in Pennsylvania has become 

 a thing of the past. Lumbering operations 

 have transformed this former paradise of 

 sportsmen into barren wastes. Bears, deer, 

 and speckled trout, formerly numerous, are 

 nearly extinct, and the hunters who once 

 made annual pilgrimages to Pine creek, 

 Cross Forks and Sinnemahoning creek 

 for game and trout, are compelled to seek 

 localities where their favorite pastime of 

 still hunting can be indulged. 



"What do you all say to a trip to' the 

 Rockies?" 



"The proper thing to do; let's start in 

 September." 



So. September 8th found Roy, Harm, 

 Alf, Vol and the Scribe on board the Santa 

 Fe train en route for Denver, where we 

 were to be joined by George and Frank, 

 completing the party. The ride over the 

 prairie recalled tales we had heard of the 

 Indian, elk, antelope and buffalo, while the 

 mountains suggested thoughts of the griz- 

 zly, cinnamon and black bear. We reached 

 Denver on the ioth, where George had 

 been waiting several hours, fearing the 

 train would be ahead of time. 



The curio stores of Denver are novelties. 



Here may be seen Indian relics, heads of 

 buffalo, mountain, sheep, deer, antelope, 

 coyotes, timber wolves, etc., with innumer- 

 able specimens of polished stones of beau- 

 tiful colors. We visited the mine where gold 

 bricks are moulded. One with the value 

 $17,183.66 stamped oh the side, gave Vol a 

 surprise when he attempted to pick it. up 

 for closer inspection. 



Continuing our journey via the Denver 

 & Rio Grande railroad to Wolcott, • we 

 passed through the Royal gorge in the 

 early morning. The gold crowned- peaks 

 of the mountains were grand beyond de- 

 scription in the morning sunlight. 



At Wolcott arrangements had been made 

 for guides and outfit for a trip 75 miles 

 into the mountains. The natives smiled 

 knowingly when our .30 calibre Win- 

 chesters were brought forth, mistaking 

 them for .22 calibre rifles as we were after- 

 ward informed by our guide. After a 

 hearty dinner served by Mrs. R. J. Wilson, 

 who also furnished the teams and guides, 

 we started for Williams river mountains. 



We made our first camp on Grand river 

 where we had expected to get trout for 

 breakfast, but placer mining above kept 

 the water muddy and saved their lives. On 

 the road to McCoy's ranch we passed near 

 a salt spring which resembled the crater of 



an extinct volcano, furnishing a large 

 stream of salt water. Johnny, our driver, 

 said the spring had no bottom. 



Passing Red Dirt divide, we flushed our 

 first sage hens, bagging a portion of the 

 flock, a fact which was a source of regret 

 when they were served at breakfast. Sage 

 hens should be very young, drawn immedi- 

 ately after killing (before if possible), 

 served to hungry people with good teeth 

 and possessed ■of an aching void, in their 

 equatorial regions. 



We made our next camp at Finger rock, 

 which appears as if pushed up from the 

 earth 200 feet, and resembles a giant finger. 



Passing through Yampa in the forenoon 

 we sighted a peculiar mountain resembling 

 an immense grave, with a boulder placed 

 at, the head for a monument. 



"What is that mountain called, Johnny?" 



"Hats off and show respect to your an- 

 cestors. It is the Devil's Grave!" 



This being satisfactory, we uncovered. 



Passing through Egeria Park some of 

 the party shot at a prairie dog, when John- 

 ny shouted: 



"There they go! Give it to them quick!" 



Two deer, evidently alarmed by the shot, 

 broke cover in the quaking aspens and 

 started across a stretch of sage brush. The 

 response to this call was generous and we 

 devoted several shots to the buck, who was 

 taking the lead. Then the doe halted on 

 the brow of the hill, and turning my Win- 

 chester on her I broke her back at the first 

 shot. When the deer was packed to the 

 wagon Vol measured the distance as 312 

 paces. This by a long man, down hill, was 

 very satisfactory. 



At Willow Creek a permanent camp was 

 made, all hands turning in to make things 

 comfortable, after which George and Roy 

 took a stroll up the mountains, where Roy 

 bagged his first deer, and the indications 

 satisfied us we were in the paradise 

 of deer hunters. The timber consisted of 

 quaking aspen and scrub oak, interspersed 

 with spruce and cedar, following the can- 

 yons generally, while larpe fields of sage 

 fill the space between. It was agreed in 

 solemn conclave that none but bucks were 

 to be killed on any pretext, and all opera- 

 tions should cease when a set of horns 

 were provided for each member of the 

 party. 



At daybreak, with Harm for a partner, 

 we climbed the mountain in search of 

 horns. 



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