FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



The man who quits when he gets enough, with plenty of game still in sight, is a real sportsman. 



A PLETHORA OF MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 



A. T. BICKFORD. 



At the Southern extremity of Lake Okan- 

 agan, B. G, reached by the Canadian Pa- 

 cific railway, from the junction at Sica- 

 mous, on the main line, is a country 

 studded with hills towering 1,500 to 2,000 

 feet above the lake. The steep slopes of 

 these hills are covered with patches of rich 

 bunch grass, and with thyme, affording ex- 

 cellent pasturage to numerous bands of 

 mountain sheep, which are indigenous to 

 that part of the world. During the summer 

 the sheep seek the seclusion of the higher 

 mountain ranges to the Southwest, where 

 the ewes can raise their lambs without be- 

 ing molested, as few hunters ever attempt 

 to invade their summer solitudes. About 

 the middle of October the sheep begin to 

 make their appearance on the lower hills, 

 gradually increasing in numbers until deep 

 snow drives them all down. 



After several days of severe frost, about 

 the middle of November, my partner and 

 I loaded our pack horses and set o"ut for 

 the haunts of the sheep to secure some good 

 heads for mounting. Arriving at our in- 

 tended hunting ground, we were disa- 

 greeably surprised to find 2 parties on the 

 field. Camping there for the night, we 

 learned from our neighbors that they had 

 seen plenty of sheep on the adjacent hills, 

 and about 8 p. m. one of their party gave 

 color to the statement by bringing in a 

 head with a 15-inch horn, base measure- 

 ment. The next morning we moved far- 

 ther up the hill to undisturbed country, and 

 made preparations for a permanent camp in 

 a sheltered spot among some pines. 



On a fine frosty morning we commenced 

 our hunt and barely half a mile from 

 camp we came in view of a bunch of 9 

 sheep, standing among some scattered 

 pines only 40 yards from where we stood. 

 Having a good look at the sheep, we con- 

 cluded that there were no suitable heads 

 among them for our purpose, so we pro- 

 ceeded farther up the hill, and reached a 

 position which afforded a view of a large 

 extent of the hillside on either hand. 



By the aid of our 8 power Lomb-Zeiss 

 binoculars we saw a large ram feeding on 

 a hill a mile or more distant. We decided 

 to stalk this animal, and in order to ap- 

 proach we took advantage of some pine 

 ' scrub running up a hogback, somewhat be- 

 yond, and above our game. Among the 

 timbers we came on 2 ewes which ran 

 down hill into a bunch of about 30 more, 



in the center of which we recognized our 

 ram. A general stampede followed and 

 the big ram became hopelessly mixed with 

 the rest, making it impossible to get a shot. 

 We tried to head off the sheep but failed. 

 By that time we began to feel like eating 

 our lunch, and watched, while we ate, the 

 movements of 2 ewes, which were slowly 

 approaching our position. When about 200 

 yards from our hiding place the ewes were 

 joined by a good sized ram, which also 

 allowed his curiosity to lead him to investi- 

 gate us ; but it cost him dearly. When he 

 was within 100 yards he was met by a 50- 

 110 bullet from my companion's rifle, which 

 brought the ram down. The ewes, be- 

 wildered by the noise, ran within 10 yards 

 of us, giving us-an excellent chance to ob- 

 serve them at close quarters. 



We took the head of our ram and start- 

 ed along the hillside toward camp. On 

 rounding a rock bluff we saw another ram 

 coming up a draw, or ravine, toward where 

 we stood. We took some running shots 

 and wounded our game, which turned and 

 ran down hill. I left my partner to look 

 after the head and hastened down after the 

 ram, keeping him in sight for about half 

 a mile, when he disappeared among some 

 rocks. At it was late, I rejoined my com- 

 panion, who in my absence, had located 

 another bunch of 10 sheep. 



We did not turn aside after them, but 

 proceeded toward camp. However, our 

 day's sport was not over, for when some 

 distance from camp we saw a large ram and 

 3 ewes slightly below us, about 300 yards 

 distant, which offered too tempting a 

 chance to resist. Taking a careful sight on 

 the ram with my 30-40 I fired, and broke 

 one of the ram's front legs, sending 

 him in the same direction as the for- 

 mer ram. Again leaving my partner I 

 gave chase and followed the wounded ani- 

 mal into some rocky ground, startling 2 

 ewes, "which were in hiding there. The 

 ram went straight down hill toward camp. 

 Following him about 300 yards farther, I 

 got a good broadside shot at him as he 

 stood 40 yards away behind a bunch of 

 scrub, and he fell, shot through the heart. 



It was almost dark, so leaving the car- 

 cass, I made for camp, crossing fresh sheep 

 tracks and seeing shadowy forms vanishing 

 into the gloom. My partner and I reached 

 camp thoroughly tired, and well satisfied 

 with our unusually good day's sport. The 

 next morning we were lucky enough to 

 kill the other wounded ram, and we put 

 in the rest of the day securing our heads. 



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