HUNTING ELK WITH ONE LUNG. 



DR. C. W. LOMBARD. 



The purpose of this narrative is to show 

 that a man with only one lung, or with 

 other physical disability that prevents him 

 from climbing, may yet kill anything in the 

 mountains without great exertion or hard- 

 ship. Although I am not strong, I was in- 

 duced to make a trip through the Bitter 

 Root mountains by the promises of an 

 old hunter and guide who knew of licks 

 where elk congregate by the hundred in 

 May and June. He agreed to take me to 

 the place, give me a fair shot at an elk 

 within ioo yards and return me to our 

 starting point within 2 weeks. Three 

 sportsmen who, unlike me, did not require 

 their hunting made easy, joined the party. 

 One pack and one saddle horse were 

 provided for each person. Our cook 

 was a colored man, a discharged soldier. 

 He was a crack shot and a good story 

 teller. 



The start was made from the railroad 

 terminus in the Bitter Root valley, and 

 was somewhat interesting, as 2 of our pack 

 Tiorses had never had a rope on them. 

 The horses were driven in a corral and the 

 wild ones lassoed, thrown and packed with 

 bedding and tents and then turned loose. 

 They bucked a while, vainly trying to 

 get away from the diamond hitch, but 

 soon became quiet. After all were loaded 

 the gate was opened and our train headed 

 for Lost Horse creek, 20 miles distant. 



Our first day's march was through a 

 lovely valley, shaded by tall pines. It was 

 without incident except when one of our 

 green pack horses would try to go between 

 2 trees where there was not space enough 

 for his load. They soon understood that, 

 however, ..nd would calculate as well as 

 the older ones. In fact, the new horses, 

 being young and strong, proved the most 

 sure footed of all. My old horse knew far 

 more about his business than I. 



We had just reached the end of our first 

 day's journey, and Wright had selected 

 the camping place, when Dr. Penfield 

 spied a brown bear on the mountainside 

 about 200 yards distant. Having been trav- 

 eling through a somewhat settled country, 

 our guns were not loaded; but cartridges 

 were soon found, and we made that gulch 

 ring as though a battle was being fought. 

 But the bear went his way unharmed. 



The second day we left civilization, and a 

 20 mile drive up a grand canyon took us 

 to Twin lakes, on the summit of the 

 Bitter Root mountains. Feed being good 

 and our young pack horses tired, we rested 

 there 2 days. The time was employed in 



taking pictures and in fishing in the lakes. 

 We enjoyed that immensely until noon 

 of next day, when snow began falling. 

 A rousing fire of dry wood in a 3 sided 

 pen of green logs in front of our tent made 

 us comfortable until morning. Then we 

 pulled out for a warmer country. 



Three days of short drives down a fork 

 of the Clearwater took us into the cedar 

 forest where our licks were located. After 

 making camp. Wright piloted me to the 

 lick, about 5 miles away. It was under a 

 cut bank 25 yards from the river, and was 

 a warm, brackish water, which I think con- 

 tained sulphur. The sand between the lick 

 and the river was covered with tracks. 



Although I had made no provision for 

 staying over night, I told Wright to leave 

 me a saddle blanket and I would camp 

 right there until I got my elk. The sun 

 was about 3 hours high, and I sat behind 

 an upturned root, watching until I could 

 no longer see my sights plainly. I de- 

 cided to return to camp and come down 

 the next day better prepared. I had trav- 

 eled about 2 miles when darkness came 

 on, and I was forced to make my way to 

 the river bank and build a fire. It was a 

 long night without supper or shelter, but 

 I was disturbed only once by a deer or an 

 elk stamping on the opposite bank, per- 

 haps 30 yards away. At the first peep of 

 day I was on my way to camp. Soon I 

 met 2 of the boys on horseback, who gave 

 me a rousing drink of whiskey and a bis- 

 cuit; also a slice of moose steak. The bull 

 had been killed in sight of camp by Dr. 

 Penfield the day before. After getting to 

 camp and rounding out my breakfast with 

 more meat and drink Shively and I saddled 

 up. By noon we were back at the lick, 

 had picketed our horses and taken our 

 stations. 



We had waited 2 hours when I saw in 

 the woods on the opposite side of the river 

 a cow elk with her calf headed our way. 

 Peeping out again the cow was seen in the 

 middle of the stream going back, which 

 looked as though she suspected danger. 

 Her suspicion was well grounded, for I 

 put a .45-90 copper-patched bullet in her 

 side, and before I had time to think 

 Shively had the calf down on the opposite 

 bank. My cow came out on our side and 

 fell dead. There was a war dance and then 

 we made for camp to get the boys' help 

 in carrying in our game. My object ac- 

 complished, Wright piloted me back to 

 Twin lakes. By night I was safe at the end 

 of the track with a dead pack horse; but the 

 contract had been fulfilled. 



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