FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



199 



said, " Let's go back to camp." I said, 

 " No, we will make a fire in a stump and 

 dry out." I saw a big hollow snag close 

 by, soon had it blazing, and we had our 

 clothes off, wrung out, and drying. We got 

 on nicely before a roaring fire, and had be- 

 gun to don our raiment again when the top 

 of the furiously burning snag pitched 

 toward our boat. I jumped out in the 

 water, preferring the bath to the burn. Mr. 

 Fonville caught the burning fagot on his 

 shoulder, but without injury, and dumped 

 it to one side where it caught my trousers, 

 that were hanging on a bush, and burned 

 off one leg before we could rescue them. I 

 was in a fix. I stripped again, dried out 

 and put on what was left of my trousers, 

 and we struck out for deeper water and 

 smoother sailing. We had been out in the 

 main channel of the river only a few min- 

 utes when we met another boat with 2 gen- 

 tlemen and a lady in it and, bless my soul! 

 the lady had on a full suit of men's clothes, 

 except her hat. There I was with trousers 

 off, burned to a crisp, and there was a hand- 

 some woman with trousers on. Mr. Fon- 

 ville suggested that I get up a swap with 

 her, but I had nothing to swap. Don't you 

 think that was hunting under difficulties? 

 But it was so funny to the other boys that 

 I did not care after I got back to camp and 

 borrowed a pair of trousers. 



The fishing in St. Francis river is superb. 

 Mr. Ladd and Mr. Lloyd were especially 

 successful in landing a fine lot of bass. It 

 was no trouble to have them take the troll. 

 To put a live minnow in the water was to 

 create a general sensation among the finny 

 gamesters. Our camp was flush with fish 

 and wild ducks all the time, and we remem- 

 bered the folks at home with a toothsome 

 taste of our luck. Then, too, the fish caught 

 out of that pure running stream of water 

 are the best to be found anywhere. In trol- 

 ling near the bank, or under the smart- 

 weed ledges, we could frequently see the 

 bass or pickerel when they would start for 

 the hook, and could enjoy the decided sport 

 of seeing them as they seized what they 

 thought was their game. They would 

 strike the little red and white bunch of 

 feathers with a righteous vengeance. 



Squirrels were also abundant where we 

 were camped. Those who did not care to 

 go on the water could and did have fine 

 sport in killing them. They were fat, and 

 it is hard to find a better piece of meat for 

 camp use than a good fat squirrel. 



Judge McGlothlin and J. Ramsey also 

 supplied us with some nice fat turkeys 

 which they succeeded in bringing down. I 

 think some of the other boys got some 

 turkeys, but have forgotten who it was. 



The regular visits of your splendid maga- 

 zine are very much appreciated by your 

 many readers in this section of the country. 

 You are certainly giving us an interesting 

 monthly. Success to you. 



A PARADISE IN THE BITTER ROOTS. 



Stevensville, Mont. 



Editor Recreation: The Bitter Root 

 valley is in the extreme Western part of 

 Montana, and for those fond of fishing and 

 hunting, no better place can be found. 



The Bitter Root river, a large stream, 

 runs through the valley and is fed from the 

 ice cold springs in canyons which seam the 

 mountains many miles back. The waters of 

 both river and canyons are full of gamy 

 and luscious mountain trout. Often these 

 streams issue from lakes many miles back, 

 and the lakes, too, are full of trout that 

 take the fly more readily than those in or 

 near the river, as they are not fished for 

 so often. 



One known as Burnt Fork lake, distant 

 from here 2 days' travel with pack horses, is 

 possibly the best fishing place near here. 

 Trout have been caught there weighing 12 

 pounds. The last time I was at this lake, 

 it showed evidence that some greedy outfit 

 had used giant powder in the water, leaving 

 many dead fish on the banks. The lake is 

 possibly Y\ of a mile long by Y% of a mile 

 wide, and is encircled, except at its outlet, 

 by high mountains. There are also 7 or 8 

 other small lakes near this, their waters 

 emptying into the river 30 miles from the 

 mouth of Burnt Fork creek. Near these 

 lakes are a few large meadows or basins 

 which are literally cut to pieces with deer 

 tracks and game trails. Here also are 

 found some bear and elk. The latter are 

 difficult to find, and hunters are generally 

 satisfied if they can get a black-tail deer. 



In the forepart of November of last year, 

 a party of 4, together with a driver, who re- 

 turned home the same day, went to the head 

 of Woodchuck creek, 20 miles from Ste- 

 vensville. We made camp, cooked supper, 

 and before dark took a little stroll up the 

 mountains to locate the country for our 

 first day's hunt. After a careful investiga- 

 tion of the surroundings we returned to 

 camp and retired for the night. At early 

 dawn we, Jos. Little, who weighs 275 

 pounds, Clyde Hatch, John Foust, one or 

 the best guides and hunters in Montana. 

 and I, started for our hunt. John and 

 Clyde took the North side of the creek and 

 had been gone from camp about an hour 

 when they jumped a band of 7 elk, but ow- 

 ing to their distance did not get a shot. 

 They followed them all day, and that even- 

 ing about sun down we heard the report of 

 a rifle and counted .3 shots in quick succes- 

 sion. When he returned to camp, John 

 brought the liver of a large elk. The 3 

 shots he fired all took effect. Any one 

 would have proved fatal, but it is impossible 

 to knock one of those large animals down 

 with a rifle shot unless that shot is through 

 the head. This elk ran about 150 yards be- 

 fore it fell. One ball had pierced the heart, 

 one the lungs, and the other the liver. 



Climbing mountains at a pretty stiff gait 



