A NEW GAME COUNTRY. 



249 



Working off to the Southwest, the whole 

 country is well stocked with game. Most 

 of the deer in the region West of the San 

 Miguel are white tails. They are hard to 

 kill, and furnish exciting sport. 



The high divide between the San Miguel 

 and Santa Maria rivers is another fine hunt- 

 ing district. There a great many black tail 

 deer are found — large, handsome fellows 



PERMANENT CAMP IN HOP VALLEY. 



that make the hunter's eyes shine. In these 

 mountains are many bear as well. 



This wonderful game preserve is almost 

 a virgin country, and as yet has not been 

 devastated. It is open now to ready entry, 

 and some unscrupulous butchers have taken 

 advantage of the situation to go in and 



A CAMP AMONG THE PINES. 



kill indiscriminately for the market. How- 

 ever, the Governor of the State of Chihua- 

 hua, aided by the owners of the territory 

 involved and the transportation companies, 

 has taken steps to stop this slaughter at 



once, and the country will be preserved 

 as a sportsman's paradise. 



The best time to go is in November. 

 Then feed is good, water is abundant, and 

 the game is in good condition. The best 

 places are the broad mesas at a lower 

 level, rather than the highest ridges. The 

 best way to go is with saddle horses and 

 pack animals, for although wagon roads 

 penetrate all parts of the hunting country, 

 a wagon rather hampers the selection of 

 a camping place. The camp, once pitched, 

 should be permanent, and if the site is well 

 selected, the surrounding country will not 

 be soon cleared of game. 



A few pictures help to bring the country 

 nearer home. The 1st is a view in the Pie- 

 dras Verdes canyon, below Pratt's ranch; 

 the 2d is a one night camp among the pines; 



THE RESULT OF A MORNING'S WORK. 



the 3d is of a party about to leave the per- 

 manent camp, at an abandoned shanty in 

 Hop valley, to go on an over-night hunt 

 in the hills (the pelts are bear and lion) ; 

 the 4th is at the same place, a morning's 

 work; the 5th was taken at Casas Grandes. 

 This man left the station at noon one day, 

 alone, and returned the next afternoon with 

 three black tail bucks. These he killed in 

 the hills about 15 miles Southeast of the 

 station, and the 3 were all of one bunch. 

 The one he holds by the horns is a par- 

 ticularly fine fellow. 



The freedom, the openness, the newness 

 of it all make hunting in this region de- 

 lightful in every way, and most refreshing 

 to tired workers. 



Mrs. A. — Do you find it more economical 

 to do your own cooking? 



Mrs. B.— Oh, yes. My husband doesn't 

 eat half so much as he did. — Tit Bits. 



