Mat 31, 1888.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



871 



to it formed a contrast of winter and summer in one 

 picture. We had started out on our trip with web snow- 

 shoes, but left them at Norris, preferring the long 

 Norway shoes. 



I had a few plates exposed on men snowshoeing 

 in the Park with their packs en route to the Lower Basin. 

 They used both long and web shoes. 



Returning to the Springs we saw a great many elk in 

 Swan Lake Basin and on The mountains, but did not at- 

 tempt to get a picture. 



A few days after our return to the Mammoth Hot 

 Springs I learned that Peter Nelson, the mail carrier in 

 the Park, had seen a band of forty-five buffalo on Alum 

 Creek, while on a. trip from the Grand Cation to the 

 Lower Basin via the old Howard road. Although 1 had 

 promised myself not to go out again until I could go with 

 horses to do'my packing", the hope of obtaining a picture 

 of the bison made me break my promise. The weather 

 had improved very much, the "days were hot and the 

 nights, though cold, were clear; in' fact the weather was 

 so pleasant that one could scarcely realize that it could 

 storm in this country. Making the outfit up into two packs 

 I was again ready for a trip. Captain Harris, the officer 

 in command of the troops in the Park, induced the scout 

 Ed. Wilson to go with me. 



To king- the pack-R we started out on the morning of the 

 17th by 5 o'clock. It was daylight when we passed 

 Golden date. This time we had only long snowshoes 

 and the crust was so hard we could walk on it without 

 the aid of the shoes. These we carried until the sun 

 had softened the snow so that we were obliged to use 

 them. We saw the usual number of elk, and Where 

 they had attempted to go back over the road to their sum- 

 mer range. On Beaver Lake we saw swans, geese and 

 ducks. The geese were mating; the ducks bad been 

 pairing off for some time. We found that the snow had 

 settled wonderfully during the past few days. Where it 

 had been i\ to 5ft. deep, it was now but 3 to 3ft. deep, and 

 in many places there was little or none for long dis- 

 tances. 



At Norris we learned that Peter Nelson was at the 

 Lower Basin, and would meet us in the Alum Creek 

 country. From Norris to the Yellowstone Falls we found 

 the most snow. Here too, we saw the first bear trail, 

 where the "bare-footed gentleman" had crossed the 

 road. From the man in charge of the hotel we learned 

 that the elk had wintered all around that place, but he 

 bad seen no bison. Foxes were very plenty, and so bold 

 that they even ran over the roof of the hotel, once lying 

 down on the roof in the daytime in sight of a dog which 

 they were in the habit of playing with. On the 19th we 

 took a little extra lunch, intending to pack our outfit out 

 a few miles, and leave it to return the next day with 

 more provisions and then try for the buffalo. While 

 going up the river we started 'up a great many swans, 

 geese and ducks, these dying on a little way up, to be 

 again started with others. The number increased to 

 hundreds, making a great noise with their calls and 

 wings, splashing the water in starting and alighting. 



We turned away from the Yellowstone, when we came 

 to Alum Creek, and before we had gone a half a mile, 

 saw T winter sign of buffalo and elk. Foxes and coyotes 

 were seen often, and soon elk were in sight. About noon 

 we saw a band of elk running. This we were sure was 

 caused by Pete. In a short time we' saw him, and he 

 came up, reporting that he had seen forty -seven bison in 

 one band, consisting of cows, yearlings, bulls and young 

 stock. They were some ten miles from where we were. 

 Pushing on, we often saw elk on the road, but at too 

 great a distance for a picture. Besides we were after 

 rarer game. 



In due time Ave came to where Pete had seen the 

 buffalo in the morning. The whole country was tracked 

 up with them, for throughout this section is where they 

 had wintered. On many dry places we could see where 

 they had rolled and wallowed. As the sign was all fresh, 

 Wilson followed up their trail to locate them, while Pete 

 and I hunted up a camp, it being too late in the day to 

 take views. In about an hour Wilson returned, having 

 got within 40ft. of one buffalo before discovering him, 

 lying down behind a tree. As the animal had his head 

 turned from Wilson, he did not see the latter. Using 

 field glasses, Wdson saw several more among the timber; 

 he retreated at once to us. We held a council, and 

 decided to remain where we were until morning. Eat- 

 ing very sparingly of our lunch, we gathered a good pile 

 of pitch stumps for an all-night fire. We dried our foot 

 covering, overshoes, leggings, etc., for we were wet 

 almost to our knees; in fact, we were wet from morning 

 until night while we were out, wading swamps, creeks, 

 and through the soft melting snow. We talked and spun 

 yarns until we began to get sleepy, and then lay down on 

 the ground by the fire. When one side got hot we would 

 turn over, giving the cold side a chance at the heat. The 

 colder the night became, the oftener we would turn. 

 Sometimes one of us would build an extra large fire, 

 when those who had been getting almost into the ashes 

 would begin to roll away as the fat stumps got in their 

 work. I was the only "dude" in the party. The ground 

 was not soft enough for me, and I had to gather a lot of 

 spruce boughs. No sarcastic remark about being a dude 

 would make me exchange my luxurious feather bed for 

 the ground. Once during the night we thought the bison 

 were coming, but it turned out to be only a porcupine 

 getting out of a tree within 20ft. of our fire. Looking 

 from our camp in the night one could see that the country 

 was white with frost, all except a dry ring around the 

 fire. By daylight we were rested and ready for business. 

 Making some coffee in an old tomato can we indulged in 

 a very light breakfast. By this time the sun was high 

 enough to light up the country w^ell, and shouldering the 

 camera, I was ready for work. Pete and Wilson carried 

 the plate holders. 



As Wilson was the best hunter and quick-sighted, he 

 went ahead a little way to look up the game. I had 

 plenty to do to get the camera and myself through the 

 timber without making a noise. Just before coming to 

 the place where Wilson had seen the buffalo the evening 

 before, we saw a fresh trail leading off toward Mary's 

 Lake, where some ten or twelve had gone down that 

 morning. Moving very carefully, we pushed on, and 

 while looking at trails and listening, we heard the low 

 bellow or roar of a buffalo bull. In a moment more Wil- 

 son called my attention to one coming toward us, I set 

 up the camera in what appeared the most favorable place 

 for a picture, and awaited, the animals. Soon we could 

 see them feeding among the trees and coming directly 



toward us; then a lot moi-e appeared (the main band), 

 scat tered out and moving in a direction which would lead 

 them just below us on the mountainside. Here the timber 

 was not, very thick, but thick enough to bide most of the 

 buffalo. We were directly in the trail of one fine bull, 

 who came up within 40ft. of us. He was black and 

 glossy. As a small bushy tree hid us I did not pay much 

 attention to him, except to admire his dark color and 

 great size. His hide would have made what is known as 

 a, "silk robe." As the other buffalo came on slowly we 

 had a good opportunity to see them by standing on our 

 toes and parting the limbs of the tree behind which we 

 were hid. The 'band was quite large, consisting of young 

 bulls, cows and yearlings. Most of them showed they 

 had passed an easy winter, for they were fat and all 

 looking well, though their robes were bleached out to a 

 dead grass color. The shaded parts were very dark, 

 much more so than in the plains buffalo. All the time I 

 was admiring them I was anxious to have them got 

 where I could get the camera to bear on them. Seeing 

 by their movements that they w^ould soon discover us by 

 the wind, I moved out a little to get the camera in 

 position. They saw me the moment I was out of the 

 brush. I worked as fast as possible and fired. They had 

 started before I was ready, but I got a few of them as 

 they went through the timber. Replacing the slide, I 

 watched them as" they came in sight among the trees 

 about 150yds. away, all hastening off. At no time did 

 we see the whole band, but only thirty-five of them. We 

 could hear them running in the timber breaking limbs 

 and twigs. 



We thought this was the baud Pete saw the morning 

 before, in which there were forty-seven head. They did 

 not run far, but soon came to a walk and passed on 

 around a butte to the head of one of the branches of 

 Alum Creek. We followed the trail for a half mile and 

 then went up on the butte, which is covered with heavy 

 timber. When we came to the summit we saw where 

 we had started a single buffalo which had been lying on 

 the edge, and could see us coming. Following along the 

 edge as carefully as possible, we turned a point of the 

 bluff where we had to turn north. Wilson was in the 

 lead, and soon signaled me that he saw something. 

 Crawling up wo could see buffalo coming through the 

 edge of the timber, following the rim of the butte. As 

 they passed within 25yds. of us I counted them — seven- 

 teen. They were moving at a walk, stepping in each 

 others tracks as they made their way through the snow, 

 which in the timber on the butte was about 3ft. deep. 

 The last one, a large bull, walked faster than the young 

 stock just ahead of him. He would give the nearest one 

 a hook with his horns which would start that one out of 

 the way on the jump. We could not get a picture as 

 they passed us, although it would have been an easy 

 matter to have killed one or hit him with a snowball. 



We waited a few moments for them to get out of sight. 

 As soon as possible we looked for them, and found they 

 had stopped on the south edge of the butte where w r e had 

 come up, but back in the timber. We could see some 

 down, others standing, most of them asleep. The hot 

 sun, reflecting on the snow, appeared to hurt their eyes 

 and those standing would have their eyes closed most of 

 the time. They were scattered about in twos and threes, 

 and wore where they had us cornered. We could not get 

 a picture neither could we get into a position for one, so 

 we sat down and waited their movements. From where 

 we were we could see most of the Alum Creek country 

 and the buffalo range. The altitude of the butte was 

 8,500, as shown by the Geological Survey Map of the 

 Park, and only a mile southeast of Mary's Lake. We 

 could see the Howard road, where the buffalo had rolled 

 the day before, could see all the high mountains in the 

 Park, except those to the northwest, which the timber 

 hid. To the south the Grand Tetons loomed up clear and 

 sharp. Mt. Sheridan and the mountains at the head of 

 Yellowstone looked but a few miles off. Of these moun- 

 tains I cotdd have taken a photograph without any trou- 

 ble, and yet 200yds. off there were seventeen buffalo, of 

 which I could not get one picture. By standing up I 

 could see three of the animals which I thought would 

 never move. Finally two of them went out of sight, but 

 one hung on for half an hour longer, then got up and 

 slowly walked away. We lost no time in getting away 

 from "that place. Going along to the edge of the bluff, 

 we found a place where we could get down and thence 

 around to where we could crawl up in sight again. Wil- 

 son worked up to a big snowdrift, which hid him from 

 the buffalo, and standing up he could see most of them. 

 Getting the camera ready we took hold of the legs and 

 pushed it slowly up. I made two exposures on two old 

 bulls, one standing the other lying down. The standing- 

 one is the only one that showed up on the plate. I ex- 

 posed other plates on the buffalo which were in the edge 

 of the timber. On one of the plates one can count ten 

 head. Getting all the plates I wanted of the buffalo in 

 tha t posttion, we tried to get them to move out by mak- 

 ing a noise, but this they would not do. Then in the 

 hope of getting a better position, we attempted to move 

 across the snowdrift in front of us. This movement at- 

 tracted their attention, and in a second they were off. We 

 followed slowly, but the band did not stop. 



We struck the trail of other bands, but did not follow^ 

 them. We returned to camp and ate what we had left 

 over from breakfast— a little coffee and a bit of biscuit. 

 We had now to go either to the Falls Hotel or to the 

 Lower Basin. We were in hopes of finding a band of 

 buffalo on the head of Nez Perce Creek, and determined 

 to go that way. Making up the outfit into three packs 

 we struck out. The snowshoeing was very hard. Where 

 the crust was softened, Wilson, who is very heavy, would 

 sink down from one foot to eighteen inches. Even a 

 lightweight would sink at times. We crossed Mary's 

 Lake on a thin scum of snow-ice over the thick winter 

 ice. The thin ice bent under under us so that we were 

 snowshoeing in two inches of water. Striking the road 

 at the top of the long hill leading down on to Nez Perce 

 Creek, we soon came to a buffalo trail, more like a wagon 

 road than a trail. This crossed the road twice, and fol- 

 lowed down one of the forks of the main creek. We 

 shouldered our snowshoes and followed the buffalo trail. 

 This showed very much use. It led directly down the 

 creek, over logs, rocks, through nmdholes and every- 

 thing, nothing appearing to hinder the animals' move- 

 ments. Along this creek we saw where bison had win- 

 tered. We followed the trail to the open country on 

 I Spruce and Aspen creeks and saw sign where buffalo 

 I had wintered here, There was no snow at all in the open 



country. The high groimd was dry, the grass well 

 started, several early flowers— among which I noticed 

 violets— in bloom. Wilson followed the main trail for a 

 mile to a branch trail, and counted where twenty-one 

 bison had crossed a spring creek the day before. He 

 returned without seeing buffalo, and as they had gone 

 into the heavy timber at the head of Aspen Creek, we 

 gave up finding them. Having no provisions, we did not 

 want to camp out another night without something to 

 eat. We saw elk sign where a very large band had 

 crossed the buffalo trail going toward Yellowstone Lake. 

 There were ducks, geese, sandhill cranes, porcupines, 

 skunks and foxes. The former we would have liked the 

 privilege of killing for food. Then we could have fol- 

 lowed the buffalo anywhere. 



After deciding to go to the Lower Basin we struck 

 directly for the road, on Nez Perce Creek. Swamps, 

 ponds, streams, mud or dry ground were all the same to 

 us. We could not get any wetter than we were, unless 

 we went in all over. Reaching the main creek, we fol- 

 lowed it down until we found a ford not more than knee 

 deep, and crossed to the wagon road. We reached the 

 hotel a little after dark. 



The next day we rested and filled up. The evening 

 was spent watching the beaver in the Fire Hole River, 

 where they have houses in the banks less than half a mile 

 from the hotel. At the first house we saw three beaver, 

 and watched them for an hour feeding, sometimes on 

 grass and water plants at the bottom of the stream, then 

 out on the banks eating the fresh green grass. By alarm- 

 ins' them, Wilson got them to slap their broad tails on 

 the water, a very comical proceeding, as they must dive 

 to do it. The beaver here arc quite tame, and any one 

 can see them out feeding of an evening by keeping quiet 

 and watching the shore and water. A ' field-glass is a 

 great help, for then you can bring them up close. 



The 21st, Pete was called away to repair the telephone 

 wire which was down, he having the care of the line in 

 the Park. 



Wilson and I put in the day going over a considerable 

 part of the country between the two basins, to see if any 

 buffalo had crossed, but we saw no sign. All the bison 

 tha t have been in or around the Geyser Basins have gone 

 up Nez Perce Creek. We who have been out among the 

 buffalo are sure, from the sign and the number we saw, 

 that over one hundred wintered on Alum Creek. Those 

 that had gone down on to Spruce and Aspen creeks were 

 not the fifty-two we saw and photographed. I regret very 

 much we were unable to get them in an open country 

 where they could have all been shown in the picture. I 

 trust to have better luck next timo. 



I do not regret being wet every day while out, as I feel 

 no bad effects from it. I would be willing to lie out 

 many nights if I could get pictures that would satisfy 

 people East that there are buffalo in the Park, and good 

 big bands: that wdth what protection they have had for 

 the past four or five years they have increased, and will 

 continue to do so if properly cared for. Our return to the 

 Mammoth Hot Springs was as interesting as such a 

 tramp always is in the mountains. We saw the 

 trails of quite a number of bears, wolverines, lynx, and 

 other animals. Soon after leaving Norris Geyser 

 Basin we found the fresh trail of a dozen elk in the road. 

 They had come up from the Swan Lake country, where 

 they had wintered. We found bare ground almost to the 

 Twin Lakes, and but few places that one could not take 

 a horse through f rom there to the Hot Springs. As we 

 approached Obsidian Cliffs we saw a large band of elk 

 going up over the rocks. They had come clown on to the 

 road, saw us coming, and had gone back up. They were 

 following up the first band that had gone toward Norris. 

 The heavy snow in the road from Willow Park to Beaver 

 Lake compelled them to follow the edge of the bluffs to 

 where they could get on the road again. The snow melts 

 out of the 30ft. road much faster than in the timber, and 

 is opening up the Park to travel at least thirty days easier 

 than in the days of narrow tracks. When we came down 

 one could ride a horse all the way from the Upper Geyser 

 Basin to Norris by following the. elk to the Mammoth Hot 

 Springs. 



The bands of buffalo seen by us are not those that have 

 wintered around the Yellowstone Lake or the south side 

 of the Park. A buffalo cow and calf was seen this winter 

 on Hellroaring Creek. It would be a very hard task to 

 find all the buffalo in the Park, but it could be done in 

 winter, and would show up a total of over 200. 



E. HOFER. 



[We have received the negatives made by Mr. Hof er , 

 and have had prints made from them. There are twenty 

 different prints. The game includes buffalo, elk and 

 antelope. Some of the buffalo are indistinct in the timber, 

 but they can be distinguished nevertheless. We have 

 Mr. Hof er's permission to supply the prints to any of our 

 readers who may wish for them. They will be sent post- 

 paid for the nominal price of twenty-five cents each.] 



Altoona, Pa., May 16. — Some of the leading sportsmen 

 of this city convened this evening in the hall of Zeth's 

 Commercial College and organized a rod and gun club, 

 Which will be known as the "Alta Forest and Stream 

 Club." The object of the organization will be to protect 

 game and fish, and the enforcement of the laws govern- 

 ing the same, also practice in shooting at the trap as well 

 as other objects of clubs of this nature. Application for 

 a charter will be made at the June term of court. F. G. 

 Patterson, Esq., was elected president, and G. G. Zeth 

 secretary and treasurer. G. G. Zeth, G, B. Bennett and 

 W. D. McDowell were appointed committee on constitu- 

 tion and by-laws. This club meets a long felt want in 

 this section of the State, and we predict for it the hearty 

 support of farmers and all who are interested in the 

 welfare of this healthy sport.— Hunter. 



Where are the Wild Pigeons.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: A question I would like to ask and have 

 answered by some of your correspondents is, what has 

 become of the pigeons? Twenty to twenty-five years ago, 

 as many of your readers know, they were in countless 

 thousands over the Eastern States and Canada, where 

 they are known no more. I am sure it would be interest- 

 ing to hear through Forest and Stream where there are 

 any now and in what numbers. Is it possible that the 

 beautiful passenger pigeon is becoming extinct? He has 

 left the East for good. I hope some of our friends who 

 take an interest in bird bfe will let us hear from them. 

 Let us hear from Michigan, Wisconsin, Arkansas, the 

 Indian Territory and from anywhere this fine bird may 

 still be staying.— L. H, Smith (Strathroy, Ontario), 



