426 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[NOV. 16, 1895. 



SEPTEMBER IN THE MOUNTAINS. 



Sept. 10, 1S95. -We— Fay, Walt. Dock, Charles and Bill 

 —left Chicago over the C, B. & Q, Ry for Parkrnan, 

 Wyo., for a hunting trip in the Big Horn Mountains, 

 after whatever might fall in oar way, either chicken, 

 blue grouse, deer, elk, bear or wildcat. After a very 



?leasant trip of about forty- eight hours we arrive at 

 arkman, and were received by Harry Huntington, who 

 is to be our guide. Park man is situated about twenty-five 

 miles northeast of Sheridan, Wyo., in a valley between 

 the Big Horn and the Wolf Mountains. It is about 5,500ft. 

 above the sea level, so that really we were quite a dis- 

 tance up when we arrived there. We pitched tent at 7:30 

 o'clock P. M. of Sept. 12 for the first time. Sleeping on 

 the ground was new to all of us — except Dock — and we 

 did not rest quite so well as usual, particularly on account 

 of the hard ground and on account of Fay's snoring. 



Sept, 13. — Up early and had breakfast by 7 o'clock. 

 We all took a drive over Huntington Brothers' ranch. 

 While out we shot ten prairie chickens, which were 

 enough to eat, and returned in the afternoon to prepare 

 for our journey. 



Sept. 14.— Up and had breakfast by 7:30 o'clock and 

 started on our trip. The party was made up of Dock, 

 Walt, Charles, Fay and Bill from Chicago, and Harry and 

 Halla Huntington and Fritz, the cook, from Parkman, 

 besides seven saddle horses and four team horses hitched 

 to a large spring wagon, also the bird dog Rodger, be- 

 longing to Fay. J ust after the start Fritz's horse, Towser, 

 ran away with him and ran about six mileb before he 

 was able to stop him. We stopped for lunch on Pass 

 Creek. Had fresh trout, caught alongside of the wagon, 

 for lunch, together with other good things. In the P. M. 

 we rode fourteen miles, which together with eleven in 

 the A. M. made twenty-five miles in one day. The last 

 ten miles the roads were something awful. ' No person 

 would believe that a wagon could be taken over them if 

 they did not see it done. We camped that night on the 

 Little Horn River and after a very late supper were all 

 willing to retire by 9 o'clock. 



Sept. 15. — Up early and found that all had slept well, 

 although the ground was hard and rocky. After a fine 

 breakfast of prairie chicken, trout, biscuit, potatoes and 

 coffee, we started out — Dock and Walt to fish, and Fay, 

 Charles and Bill to shoot chickens. We returned about 

 11 o'clock; total, ten chickens and five trout. Dinner to- 

 day was fine, with all the delicacies of the season to eat 

 and the finest water on earth to drink. Broke camp at 2 

 o'clock, and after a fine ride of eight miles pitched our 

 tent on the Lodge Grass Creek. During the evening Halla 

 Huntington was taken sick with cramps, but after several 

 doses of sage tea and other medicines he improved so as 

 to go to bed by 10 o'clock. 



Sept. 16.— Halla all right this morning. Breakfast fine, 

 with the usual bill of fare, cooked as Fritz can cook. 

 During the night Fay thought he heard a snake in the 

 tent, but it proved to be only his imagination. Had good 

 luck hunting chickens to-day, but not very good fishing. 

 Broke camp at 1:30 and moved about five miles to Spring 

 Creek. For supper we had "Missouri quail," trout (that 

 Dock caught), biscuit, potatoes, coffee, cheese and crackers. 

 Retired by 9 o'clock. 



Sept. 17.— Every one up by 4 o'clock A. M. Breakfast 

 by 5. Broke camp and started up the mountains by 6:30. 

 Wagon arrived at the top by 11 :30 pulled by nine horses. 

 It was a long — six miles— strong pull. On the way up we 

 passed an unknown cave, to which we gave the name of 

 "Parker's Hole," and as the guide said the mountain we 

 were climbing did not have a name, the boys named it 

 "Nash's Butt." From here we could see the streams of 

 Big Horn, Little Horn, Lodge Grass, Rotten Grass, Soap 

 Creek and others; also Custer's battlefield in the distance. 

 Here we found a pretty flower called the Absoike queen. 

 After a light lunch we traveled about five miles over 

 awfully rough roads, when we met two trappers, who 

 told us that there was no water within ten miles. So we 

 made our first dry camp, and the Huntington boys started 

 to drive the horses back about three miles to a spring for 

 water. They also took pails, bottles and rubber pillows 

 with them to fill with water for cooking and to drink. 

 Had abed on top of a lot of pine boughs to-night for the 

 first time. Did not make it thick enough, but it was bet- 

 ter than the ground. Shot our first blue grouse this 

 evening — fine bird — large and meat fine. 



Sept. IS.— While the rest were asleep last night Charles 

 and Walt thought they saw some kind of an animal stick 

 its head into the tent, but the rest think it was like J ay's 

 snake. Breakfast at 8 o'clock and started over very rough 

 roads; and aftera three-hour drive at the top of the Big 

 Horn Mountains, where we could look to the west and see 

 the Shoshone Mountains, which form the eastern boun- 

 dary of the National Park, and part of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains. We could see the Big Horn Basin, which is about 125 

 miles wide here. The Shoshone Mountains do not seem 

 to be over twenty miles away, but are really from 100 to 125 

 miles away. They were covered with snow, while the 

 Big Horn Basin between them and us- was bare of snow. 

 From here the Huntington boys, with the help of Dock 

 and Charles and their tnree horses, took the wagon down 

 the western slope about 1, 000£t., where there was fine 

 water and good feed for the horses. If anyone had told 

 us that a wagon could be taken down that hill, most of 

 us would have been willing to bet our last dollar to the 

 contrary. But they got it down all right, and we would 

 have lost. Here we intend to make a permanent camp. 

 While at the last camp Dock found a large dry goods box 

 and in it was a carpenter's spirit level and several pieces of 

 scrap iron. From the box we have made a table and seats. 

 While on the road tbis morning Charles had a shot at three 

 blacktail deer at about 300yds, Although he came near 

 to them he did not hit them. Just above us there are 

 lots of blue grouse. Walt shot enough for a few meals 

 while the wagon was coming down the mountain. During 

 the evening around the camp-fire we discovered that 

 Halla has a great remedy in sage tea for everything. 



Sept. 19. — Party with exception of Bill started early — 

 after light breakfast— after large game. Bill started after 

 grouse for the camp. All returned by 4 o'clock. Walt, 

 shot one deer, blacktail, weighing about 1501bs., and Bill 

 shot four grouse. Had deer liver fried for supper and it 

 was fine. Went into the tent about 6 o'clock to escape 

 the cold wind. Had a fine time telling stories until 9 

 o'clock. All asleep by 9:30 who were not kept awake by 

 the snorers. Fay voted captain at that. 



Sept. SO.— Awake about 5:30 and found about 3in. of 

 snow on the ground. Had a fine breakfast of venison 

 steak, baked potatoes, hot biscuit and coffee. Fay and 



Halla started off down the cafbn about three-quarters of 

 a mile from the camp, and after about an hour we heard 

 them shoot four or five times: but they returned without 

 any game, as did Charles, Walt and Dock, who had gone 

 in another direction. Halla, Walt and Bill started out 

 in the afternoon over the same ground that Halla and 

 Fay had gone in the forenoon, and in just the same place 

 where tbey had seen deer in the forenoon. Bill was 

 lucky enough to kill a deer, the first he had ever 

 seen wild. The Huntington boys say that the shot was 

 a scratch, as he did not use his Lyman sight, but just 

 blazad away as he would with a shotgun. All the same 

 he got his deer. Although they saw many more tracks, 

 they saw no more deer. All arrived at camp about 4:30. 

 It was so stormy that we ate our supper in the tent and 

 went to bed by 7 o'clock to keep warm. It was the worst 

 night that any of us ever saw. Our camp was not well 

 protected and the wind was blowing a hurricane, and 

 snowing and getting colder all the time. Those who had 

 regular beds were warm, but could not sleep for fear the 

 wind would blow the tent away, and those who slept in 

 sleeping bags were so cold that it was impossible to sleep. 

 Bill got in with Dock about 9 o'clock and in that way 

 kept warm, but Fay, Charles and Walt in their bags were 

 nearly frozen. 



Sept. 21— A little after daylight we all got up, and 

 taking with us what we could carry, started for the tim- 

 ber, about quarter of a mile away. We had a great time 

 getting there, the two Huntington boys leading the way 

 and the rest following in single line. The thermometer 

 was down to zero and the wind was blowing a gale, and 

 the snow was so thick we could not see over 100yds. 

 ahead of us. The snowdrifts in some places were 4 and 

 5ft. deep; and we all fell down from ten to a dozen times 

 before we reached the timber. After floundering around 

 about a half hour we found a fair place and proceeded to 

 get breakfast of venison, bacon, biscuit and coffee. Our 

 potatoes had frozen during the night, so from this on we 

 shall have to go without potatoes. After breakfast we 

 started to build a kind of brush cabin. At our backs was 

 a bunch of pine trees. With these as a wind-break we 

 began by digging out the ground about 2ft. deep and 

 about 12ft. square. Over this we put a cover of pine 

 boughs and around the sides hung our saddle blankets, 

 and filled in small boughs back of them; then we cut 

 small boughs and put them all over the floor. About 10 

 o'clock Halla and Harry started out with a string of 

 horses to break a road over the summit so as to get the 

 wagon over for fear the snow would get so deep that it 

 would be impossible to do so later on and the wagon 

 would have to stay all winter. They returned about 2 

 o'clock and reported enow deeper on the east side than 

 here; in fact, we can look down from here into the Big 

 Horn Basin and see the ground all bare; but they found a 

 good trail and will try to move the wagon to-morrow. 

 Dock, Charles and Walt started out after dinner to try 

 for a deer, but came back disgusted on account of the 

 deep snow. They shot five times while they were out 

 and the rest of us thought they had shot a deer, but they 

 were shooting grouse. That night Harry, Halla and Dock 

 slept in the tent at the old camp and the rest of us slept 

 in the bough camp. It was a very cold night. The brook 

 —which was very swift— froze all over. Water in a 

 bucket within 6ft. of a big fire froze solid. 



Sept. 22 — The boys arrived at our bough camp early 

 this A. M. They had been cold during the night in the 

 tent, but we fellows — Dock, Charles, Fay and Bill, who 

 had sleeping bags — would have frozen had it not been for 

 Fritz, who sat. up until nearly 3 o'clock and kept a big fire 

 going. Whenever we got cold we would get up and go 

 out and j oin Fritz and get warmed up, then go back to 

 bed. Bill got up at 12 o'clock, 2 o'clock, 5 o'clock, and 

 we all got up at 7 o'clock. After breakfast we all started 

 out for the tent and with the help of two horses brought 

 over the tent and most all of the things needed here. The 

 weather, although hot as cold as yesterday, is still cold; 

 but it has stopped snowing. Still water will freeze 8 to 

 10ft. from the fire. ' We dug down a small hill to make 

 room for our tent. . We made a fire all over the ground to 

 dry it out, then covered the ground all over with pine 

 boughs. Over those we put our saddle blankets and our 

 beds on top of those. To-day we spent mostly around 

 camp, although we did not do much work. Thanks to 

 Fritz's good cooking, we ate three hearty meals and 

 retired to bed about 9 o'clock. 



Sept. S-We all slept late, until Fritz had breakfast 

 ready, which was fine— ham, venison, biscuit, onions and 

 coffee. Dock, Charles and Fay started out one way and 

 Walt another — Bill at camp — while the Huntington boys 

 took the wagon over the divide. They all showed up for 

 dinner about 3:30 o'clock. Dock and Charles tracked a 

 buck for about three miles. Although they saw him, they 

 did not get a shot. For dinner we had two kinds of pie, 

 venison, ham, cabbage, new biscuit, coffee, corn, toma- 

 toes, crackers and cheese. After dinner Halla and Dock 

 started out after the buck and tracked him until dark, 

 but did not get sight of him. We all retired about 9 

 o'clock. 



Sept. 24.— Arose about 8 o'clock and after a good break- 

 fast all started out after the buck the boys saw the day 

 before. Charles and Halla saw four deer, three does and 

 a buck, at about 60yds., but both seemed to have the 

 buck fever, as neither shot at them. Fritz says they were 

 stage-struck— great Fritz I All returned about 1 o'clock 

 for dinner. In the afternoon all went out after the four 

 deer, but returned— Dock had a mishap— without seeing 

 any deer. After supper we sat before the fire and told 

 stories, and Fritz sang to us until 9 o'clock. 



Sept. 25.— Arose about 7:30. During the night Fay 

 thought he heard a bear, but it was only Harry snoring. 

 All started after deer on horseback except Fritz and Bill! 

 They were after the buck near camp. They tramped up- 

 hill and down for three hours, but with no success. Fritz 

 and Bill had lunch at 12:30 of pancakes with maple syrup, 

 which was fine. Both parties returned about 6 o'clock! 

 Each had great success. Dock and Charles each shot a 

 deer, both does, and Walt and Fay together shot an elk 

 and tracked a bull elk all day, but did not get him. We 

 all start out to-morrow to try and get him. Everybody 

 hungry and everything good for supper. All up until 9 

 or 10 o'clock around the fire telling stories. 



Sept. 26.— Up at 6:30. Every one, except Fritz, started 

 after elk, but after tracking them until noon we gave it 

 up. We saw several deer, but were after elk, and did not 

 stop for the deer. We were sorry afterward that we did 

 not, as we came home empty-handed after being out all 

 day. A good supper awaited us. Although we had a 



nice camp-fire and were warm and nice, every one was 

 in bed before 9 o'clock. 



Sept. 27,—XJp at 8 o'clock. Everyone except Fritz and 

 Bill started out for the last day's hunt from this camp. 

 To-morrow we break camp and move back toward Park- 

 man. Bdl is the only one in the party not provided with 

 rubbers of some kind, and as he does not relish having 

 wet and cold feet every day he Btays at home some of 

 the time. It also gives him time to write up the diary of 

 the trip. After being out all day the party returned with 

 great stories of the game and game tracks they had seen, 

 but no game. We had a nice dinner for our laBt one in 

 the permanent camp. Early to bed— 8:30 o'clock. 



Sept. 28.— Up and started to pack by 6:30. We had a 

 great time packing our goods on the horses, but after 

 several hours' work — with several mishaps to the goods 

 caused by the bucking of the horses— we started and 

 arrived at the wagon by 12 o'clock, and after a light lunch 

 started on the trip down to the Rotten Grass Valley. We 

 traveled about six miles into the finest deer country we 

 had yet seen. We made a dry camp about 6 o'clock and 

 after making explorations discovered that the trail down 

 was blocked by a windfall. To-day the boys have seen 

 eight or ten deer, and although they have shot and hit 

 four or five of them, did not get any of them. We do 

 not think much of a dry camp, as our store of wet goods 

 disappears too fast at such times. In fact we are getting 

 very low in that line and are now at least fifty miles from 

 the base of supplies. 



Sept. 29.— An early breakfast and started back over 

 yesterday's trail by 7 o'clock and made the longest day's 

 travel of the trip. We made at least twenty-five miles 

 and landed at 6:15 on the Rotten Grass all dead tired and 

 very willing to eat supper and go to bed. The difference 

 in temperature at 9 P. M. between here and up in the 

 mountains is at least 40 degrees. 



Sept. 30. — Arose at 8 o'clock and had a fine breakfast of 

 trout with other good things. Dock is our fisherman 

 and he caught a dozen nice trout for our breakfast. 

 Started at 12 o'clock and arrived at Lodge Grass at 5:30 

 and made camp in our old camping place. We noticed 

 that the storm we went through in the mountains had 

 been very severe here, as a good many trees were broken 

 down. Late to bed— 10 o'clock. 



Oct. 1 —Up early and started for Pass Creek. Lunch 

 on the Little Big Horn, about five miles below our first 

 camp on that river. In P. M. and after a ten-mile drive 

 arrived at forks of Pass Creek. We have made about 

 twenty miles to-day and have passed through the finest 

 chicken country we have yet seen. We picked up twelve 

 or fifteen chickens during the day, which made a good 

 change from venison and ham. Up until 10 o'clock. 



Oct. 2. — Up early. Had some fine chicken shooting and 

 arrived in Parkman about 10 o'clock. All went to work 

 at once to fix up — unpack our soiled linen, to repack the 

 clean in our grips and to shave and take a bath. Although 

 we had taken a bath two days before in the Rotten Grass, 

 but to-day we could have the luxury of a tub and hot 

 water. Walt got packed up in time to take the 6:25 tram 

 for Idaho, where he has mining interests. The rest of the 

 crowd — after several visits to the Gold Dust — went back 

 to the tent in the rain. We found good beds, as we had 

 plenty of hay to lay our beds on. We all dept well, 

 although it rained and the wind blew all night. 



Oct. 3. — It was still raining when we awoke. All went 

 to the hotel for breakfast. After bidding good-by to all 

 our friends in Parkman, we took the train at 2:30 for 

 home. Dinner in Sheridan, and after saying good-by to 

 our friends there we traveled on, arriving home Oct. 5 at 

 8 o'clock A. M. all O. K. 



What we missed most while away was a small sheet 

 iron stove for the tent, a thermometer to tell how cold it 

 was and a kodak to take camp scenes. The cold for 

 about two days was intense — anywhere from zero to 10° 

 below. I should advise anybody who thinks of coming to 

 this country to get a good bed first — the bed to be made 

 of about three pair of heavy blankets and to go over and 

 under those a heavy tarpaulin. Then be sure and have 

 plenty of clothes also rubber boots and arctic overshoes, 

 besides at least two pair of good heavy shoes. Although 

 they told us that they often had snow here by Sept. 15, we 

 did not expect over 3 or 4in., instead of which it 

 was about 3ft. and in some places drifts 4 and 5ft. deep. 

 It was impossible for any of us to do the same amount of 

 work up here that it was at home on account of the rarity 

 of the air. It particularly affected Fay and Bill. Our 

 greatest height was about 9,500ft. 



Moose Killed with a .22 Bullet. 



New Bedford, Mass.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 While I was hunting in Maine this fall my guide (Frank 

 McKinney, of Patten), during the afternoon of Oct. 26, 

 went out to get some partridges, taking for the purpose 

 a Frank Wesson's 12in. barrel single-shot ,22cal. pocket 

 rifle, using short rim-fire cartridges, and loaded with 

 smokeless powder. He got back home about an hour 

 after sunset, having fallen in with and killed with this 

 weapon a bull moose over 38in. across the horns. It hap- 

 pened thus: On the way back to camp, say an hour before 

 sunset, he thought he would have time to go out and get 

 a saddle of deer we had hung in the woods. He had got 

 within 50yds. of the deer and was making no pretense of 

 hunting or of going still, when over the ridge came a 

 rustling of leaves and smashing of branches which put to 

 shame the little noise he was making, and out came a 

 good-sized bull moose with hair pointing the wrong way. 

 The moose came up to within 25ft. , turned broadside to 

 and looked at him. Frank proceeded to open fire with 

 his pigmy rifle. He fired seven shots before the moose 

 concluded things were getting too hot, and started off. 

 But at about 150yds. he fell. Frank crawled up to within 

 15ft. and got in three more shots, when the moose started 

 off ; but this time he only went about 30yds, , and lay down. 

 Frank again crawled up to about the same distance as 

 before and put in five more shots, when the moose gave 

 a last shake of the head and died. On opening him we 

 found that several of the bullets had gone through his 

 lungs and lodged in the meat on the opposite side from 

 where they entered. Willaed Nye, Jb. 



Going Bear Hunting with Bobo. 



New York, Nov. 12.— Warner Miller, the Republican 

 statesman, was in Spalding's yesterday purchasing some 

 ball-loaded shotgun cartridges. It is said that he is mak- 

 ing preparations for a hunting trip along the Sunflower 

 in the region so graphically described by Mr. Hough in 

 his "Sunny South" articles last spring. 5, 



