HUNTING IN NEW MEXICO. 



J. F. FOLEY. 



I left Cerrillos October 27, with 2 

 companions, both of that place, Mr. John 

 Kelly, who handled the reins over a fine 

 mountain team, and Roy Green, a boy in 

 years but well versed in woodcraft and 

 with a splendid knowledge of the country 

 we wished to explore. 



The next day we reached Glorieta where 

 we were joined by Hugh Hufford, a con- 

 ductor of the Santa Fe Company. He had 

 heard of our expedition and asked permis- 

 sion to join our party. We were more than 

 glad to have him and Hugh and I speedily 

 became friends. There, also, we laid in our 

 supplies. These we packed in a wagon to 

 which 2 stout mountain climbers were 

 hitched and with the 4 of us we had a good 

 load. We were able to proceed in this man- 

 ner about 30 miles, to Cooper ranch, if I 

 remember rightly. Then by walking, and 

 exercising particular care, we were able 

 to carry the outfit some 8 miles more. 

 Finding it impossible to go farther, we con- 

 cluded to make camp and try our luck. 

 We found a comfortable cabin, containing 

 shelves and a table. After getting our 

 stuff safely in doors, the horses were hob- 

 bled and turned loose, wood was gathered 

 and supper prepared and eaten. 



My trout rod was handy and at my sec- 

 ond cast on the limpid rapids of the Pecos I 

 had a fine rainbow trout flapping on the 

 grass. This was soon joined by another, 

 and in 40 minutes I was the proud possessor 

 of 4, weighing Y / 2 to i$4 pounds. Eager 

 to display the result of my skill, I 

 hastened back to camp to find that Roy, 

 who had gone out with a pole cut from the 

 cottonwoods and an 8 foot section of No. 9 

 cuttyhunk, had caught 9 trout, using only 

 grasshoppers for bait. After that I allowed 

 him to do the fishing and he kept us plenti- 

 fully supplied. 



Next morning Hugh and I rose early and 

 trailed out to size up the country and, if 

 possible, locate a crossing or lick. Being 

 successful, we hurried back to camp for 

 breakfast. Returning to the crossing, 

 armed with sharp hatchets, in 2 hours we 

 had 2 snare blinds, on opposite sides of the 

 trail at right angles. Next, we paid our re- 

 spects to the lick, which we freshened, 

 strengthened decoying scaffold and started 

 back, well satisfied. We had covered about 

 half the distance to camp, walking quietly, 

 when Hugh with a "hist !" stepped quickly 

 from the trail into the long grass and lay 

 down and I swiftly followed. Scarcely 

 were we hidden when a blacktail buck, 

 doe and fawn broke cover 50 yards away. 

 "Mark buck," said Hugh in a whisper. 



Without raising from the ground I threw 

 up my rifle and with quick aim pierced 

 the buck with a 38 behind the shoulder. 

 He disappeared in the forest. The doe 

 dropped almost in her tracks, with a bullet 

 from Hugh's 70 through her heart. The 

 fawn fell an easy victim. I felt like spar- 

 ing it,. While Hugh attended to his 2, 

 I went in search of my buck and 

 found him dead about 300 yards away. 

 This was luck with a vengeance, and we 

 hastened to camp for horses to take in 

 our venison. 



Hugh and I were smoking the last pipe 

 that night, when a loud halloo appraised 

 us of the approach of visitors. We threw 

 open the rude door and soon shook hands 

 with as fine a fellow as I ever had the good 

 fortune to meet. He introduced himself 

 as Anthony Dockweiler, formerly of New 

 York State, but now living in those moun- 

 tains, with his small family, for his health. 

 I don't know what his- trouble had been, 

 but the mountain air must have proved 

 wonderfully potent. I never met a finer 

 specimen of hardy manhood, or attempted 

 to follow a tougher one on a trail. Tony 

 had heard of our arrival, and came over 

 to see if he could help us in any way. We 

 made him acquainted with a silent member 

 of the party not heretofore alluded to, 

 known as "Jinny-John" ; a friend with 

 bowels of compassion for the weary hunter. 

 Tony became valuable over his toddy and 

 entertained us for some hours. He left 

 about 11.30 p. m. and we turned in. 



Next day, having plenty of venison, we 

 did not go far from camp. Put in the time 

 among the hills adjacent, looking for 

 grouse. We found them in plenty, but 

 there is not much sport in grouse shooting 

 in that country ; as when flushed they alight 

 on trees. We used shot guns that day, but 

 had no use for them thereafter; the rifles 

 being found sufficient for all purposes. We 

 killed some grouse every day, and lived 

 like kings. Alternately, 2 of us watched the 

 lick every night, but the deer were evi- 

 dently doing their licking somewhere else 

 and never a one came to our crossing. 

 Hufford made some turkey calls of reed 

 stems and went out 2 mornings, but not a 

 feather did he bring home. 



We had several visits from Tony. When 

 we told him of our ill success with the 

 deer, he said they could be found higher 

 up. He offered his services and 2 pack 

 horses for a trip 10 miles beyond the Ham- 

 ilton mesa, where he and some neighbors 

 had built a cabin the summer before. The 

 trip was arranged for Tuesday, October 



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