262 



RECREATION MAGAZINE 



Before my first sheep 

 hunt, and in fact for a time 

 after, I thought of the 

 mountain sheep as an ani- 

 mal that spent its life on the 

 dizziest crags. This is some- 

 times true, as sheep are 

 agile and fearless climbers, 

 but my experience - with 

 Dall's and Stone's sheep 

 has been the reverse and 

 my opinion changed. 



In mountains where they 

 are seldom molested they 

 are usually found at some 

 canon-head or on a well- 

 watered plateau. On the 

 Iskoot summit we hunted 

 a plateau for sheep. They 

 had been there in good 

 numbers, but Indians had 

 driven them away. This 

 plateau was dotted with lit- 

 tle lakes and was so pas- 



peared before either of us 

 could shoot. I killed one 

 later, but it was pure luck, 

 when, had they been cari- 

 bou, we could have killed 

 them all. 



Sheep, at times, are eas- 

 ily approached, but I think 

 they are less given to mo- 

 ments of panic than cari- 

 bou, moose, goats, bear and 

 deer. Instances are com- 

 mon where the last-named 

 animals have used poor 

 judgment. On the other 

 hand, I have seen sheep be- 

 have with the greatest cool- 

 ness and intelligence where 

 man would have been help- 

 less. 



Their greatest weakness 

 is that of running uphill 

 feet of female ovis stonea when alarmed. The power 



to run enters largely into 



toral in appearance, covered as it was the success of a sheep hunter. In fact, 



with wild flowers and green grass, 

 that one expected any minute to hear 

 a far-off shout of "fore" and see a golf 

 ball roll past. On this hunt we found 

 a ewe and lamb. The ewe had been 

 shot through the jaw by the natives, 

 and was starving to death with her 



sheep hunting is often an out and out 

 foot-race. The man who can keep up a 

 good stiff pace in rough country, and, 

 when the time comes, hold his gun 

 steady, will win in the end. Men differ 

 greatly in this respect. Some who can 

 run with great speed on level ground 



lamb, when we ended her sufferings, are utter failures when on a rugged 



To me sheep hunting is a most interest- 

 ing sport. Mountain goat hunting is 

 too apt to be a mere question of climb- 

 ing. 



The act of killinpf an Alaska brown 



mountain side. Denis ran down and 

 killed an uninjured black sheep on the 

 Iskoot summit, but cases of this kind 

 are rare. 



The mountain sheep will stand more 



bear is more thrilling than the killing punishment than any big game animal 

 of a sheep, but a bear is more easily ap- I have ever hunted. I could give many 

 proached. In sheep hunting the hunter instances of sheep having traveled long 

 not only has to take occasional chances, distances under frightful conditions, but 

 but he is pitting his skill against an ani- it would not make pleasant reading, 

 mal whose eyes are telescopes, and I have seen the large brown bear of 

 whose sense of smell and hearing are the Behring Sea coast lie down from 

 wonderfully developed. Stone and I wounds that would only have helped to 

 once lay in ambush for a bunch of six increase a sheep's speed, 

 sheep. They were coming towards us Two prospectors on the Stikine head- 

 and were unsuspicious. We were out waters had an unusual experience with 

 of sight, absolutely still and the wind a large Stonei ram. They saw it feed- 

 was blowing from the sheep towards us. ing on a grassy plateau and made a 

 All at once when about one hundred careful stalk. When within easy rifle 

 yards away they dashed off and disap- range one of the men shot it with a 



