178 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[March 24, 1887. 



HUNTING IN THE ROCKIES. 



"PERTHOTJD, Colorado, Nov. 22, 1886.— Bob L., Jay H. 

 X> and myself left home on Oct. 14 for a month's hunt 

 on the Continental Divide, or the "range," as we call it 

 here. Our road was up through North Park, then Big 

 Creek Park to the Hans Peak Cabin. There we left one 

 wagon, put all our load on the other wagon, and hitching 

 on the four horses, pulled up over the Park Range a dis- 

 tance of five miles to the summit, where we f ound the snow 

 over a foot deep. Then our road started down the moun- 

 tain. Talk about roads. These were the worst in all my 

 mountain trips I ever attempted to drive a team over. 

 About 4 P. M. we crossed a beautiful mountain stream 

 called the Grand Encampment, and just at dark pulled 

 into Camp Coe, and camped by the side of John Coe's 

 camp. Coe is an old hunter and guide from North Park, 

 and an old acquaintance of ours. There were also four or 

 five other hunting parties camped near by. Camp Coe is 

 situated in a beautiful little park known by the hunters 

 here as Hog Park. Two miles from our camp is the sum- 

 mit of the range, then some three or four miles down the 

 western slope bring us to the Snake River, where the 

 elk were to be found now, as the deep snows had driven 

 them all over and down off from the range, except a few 

 straggling bulls. 



Oct. 21. — Had a hard trip to-day; arrived in cainp at 

 dark; and it is now snowing like fun. 



Oct. 22. — We have been snow-bound in camp all day: 

 rather dry fun. 



Oct. 23. — Jay and I started out for a hunt on foot: found 

 the snow knee deep and fearfully hard traveling. Found 

 the fresh trail of a band of deer, but could not overtake 

 them in the deep snow. Saw one elk, but did not get a 

 shot. Arrived in camp at dark, about played out. Bob 

 soon had a hot oyster stew for us which brought us around 

 all right. 



Oct. 24. — Jay stayed in camp while Bob and I took the 

 saddle horses and rode over the range to see if we could 

 find where the elk were feeding. Saw one old bull, but 

 no fresh trail of the herd. Returned to camp early. 



Oct. 25, — Jay and I mounted our horses early and struck 

 Out over the range, bound to find elk if there were any. 

 After a long ride over the range, and down on the Snake 

 among the low hills, we got entirely out of the snow ex- 

 cept on the north hillsides. Here we found a fine bunch 

 of blacktail deer feeding. After about an hour's skulking, 

 creeping and dodging, Jay got within gunshot, fired and 

 scored a miss. The deer ran around the south side of the 

 mountain out of my sight, until they were some 300yds. 

 off. I then opened fire with my Winuhester (.45-75) and 

 succeeded in breaking the hindleg of one and shooting an- 

 other in the body, but they both took to the willows and 

 red brush along the creek below, and as there was no 

 snow, they gave us the slip, greatly to our disai>point- 

 ment, for of all things I do dislike is to wound game and 

 not get it. Somewhat crestfallen we turned our horses 

 toward camp, as it was now sundown, and camp a long 

 way off, and strange mountains lay between. We had 

 gone but a short distance when we discovered a band of 

 about 100 elk feeding on a high ridge, some two miles 

 away. We started for them, but by the time we arrived 

 where we saw them it was too dark to shoot, so we pro- 

 posed to go to camp and return on the following morning 

 and bring Bob and have some tine sport. But alas! "man 

 proposes." At about 11 o'clock that night we found our- 

 selves some ten miles from camp, sitting by a roaring 

 camp-fire, Avith our horses tied near by, snow a foot deep 

 all around us, and the murmur of a little brook trying to 

 lull us to sleep. By taking turns one could get a little 

 sleep while the other kept up the fire. At daybreak we 

 discovered some patches of grass near by, on which we 

 put our horses, while we prepared our breakfast of elk 

 tracks and wind pudding. We arrived in camp at 11 A. 

 M. (Oct. 26) as hungry as a pair of mountain lions. Jay 

 and I lay in cauip the rest of tire day. Bob went out but 

 got nothing. 



Oct. 27. — Bob, Jay and I started out early in the morn- 

 ing for the band of elk we saw on the 2oth; but found 

 they had left and gone down the Snake too far for us to 

 follow, so late in the afternoon we started for camp. As 

 we rode over a ridge near the top of the range, I discov- 

 ered two fine bull elk, standing on a point some 300 yds. 

 distant. I dismounted and began firing. This soon 

 brought the boys to my side. A few more, random shots 

 from us and they were around the point. I jumped on 

 my horse and put him on the run up the next lidge. 

 Here I got one good shot at the largest bull at about 250 

 yds., and broke his shoulder. The boys then came up and 

 a general fusilade began, as the elk made off for some 

 thick green timber on the mountain side. Some one. I 

 think it was Jay, broke the shoulder of the other bull, 

 and they disappeared in the pines. 1 I sprang on my horse 

 again, which had stood near by bobbing his head at every 

 shot, and was soon down in the timber. Here I again 

 left my horse and started on foot after the elk. They 

 soon parted, the smallest one going down the mountain, 

 while the big fellow kept on around the side. The boys 

 soon fonnd the other elk lying down, and a ball through 

 the head finished him. After a chase of a mile I caught 

 sight of the big fellow and gave him a ball that brought 

 him down. It was now too dark to see my sights, so I 

 had to guess it: but guessing is as good as seeing, if it hits, 

 and I soon had my elk lying on his back against a big 

 pine tree. I could hear the boys' loud " Hallo," and I 

 answered, telling them to bring my horse. It was some 

 time after dark when we had our elk dressed and were 

 on the trail for camp, where we arrived rather late. 



We continued to hunt when it was not snowing until 

 Nov. 4, with no success, as the deep snows had driven the 

 game all out. The other hunting parties had all gone out 

 and left us alone in our glory. Two bear hunters camped 

 with us two days, and they killed one very large range 

 grizzly near our camp. 



Nov. 4. — Broke camp to-day; saw a large fresh bear 

 track near camp this morning. Camped near the Grand 

 Encampment to-night. 



Nov. 5. — Drove over the Park Range to-day. Saw an- 

 other bear track and the fresh trail of two elk. Bob shot 

 a grouse. Camped in Big Creek Park, where there is 

 good grass for our horses, the first we have had for a long 

 time. 



Nov. 6. — Went antelope hunting to-day, but only found 

 a small band and did not get a shot at them. Broke camp 

 at noon and camped in a beautiful tittle valley, just down 

 out of. Big Creek Park. 



Nov. 7. — Our horses started for home to-day (Sunday) 

 and gave us a good tramp to overtake them. 



Nov. 8.— This morning while looking at the mountain 

 sides and discussing which way to go for a day's hunt, 

 Bob discovered a band of ten blacktail deer coming down 

 the mountain on the west side of the valley; he grabbed 

 his gun and started up the creek keeping behind the wil- 

 lows. After watching him a short time I told Jay that I 

 thought we had better go up the mountain and get on 

 their trail as Bob was going to drive them back. This 

 we soon accomplished, and discovered the. deer down in 

 the valley drinking and Bob crawling over a ridge for a 

 shot; about 300yds. being as near as he could get he fired, 

 but missed, and the deer came bounding back for the 

 mountain side and soon disappeared in some green pines 

 below us. Jay had gone down toward the pines, while I 

 had hurried over into a thicket of aspens. Hearing 

 several shots in rapid succession before me, I turned back 

 and saw the deer bounding up the mountain not more 

 more than 50yds. distant. I dropped my Winchester on 

 them and killed three in rapid succession, shooting one 

 of them twice. I then missed three shots as they went 

 tearing through the brush. At this moment a four-point 

 buck stopped about 50yds. from me. I took extra pains 

 to get him, but my gun failed to respond, and on looking 

 I found the magazine was empty, and my tine buck went 

 bounding away unhurt. Calling down to Jay I found he 

 had killed two", making five out of a bunch of ten, which 

 we thought was good enough. Late this evening Bob 

 killed an antelope near camp, and our five deer can be 

 seen hanging in the aspen trees as we stand at the tent 

 door. 



Nov. 9. — Loaded up our game this morning and broke 

 camp again, but got snowbound at Scribner's ranch. 



Nov. 10 — Arrived at Coe's ranch to-day. Saw plenty of 

 fresh antelepe trails, but no antelope. 



Nov, 14— Arrived home to-night. Had a cold disagree- 

 able trip of four days through the hills and over Laramie 

 plains. 



For the benefit of the readers of Forest and Stream 

 I will add that by actual count by me while in camp at 

 Camp Coe, there were 50 dead elk and quite a large num- 

 ber of deer taken out by the different hunting parties: 

 mostly for the market. When will our Legislature slop 

 this slaughter for the market? A. A. K. 



A RECORD OF FAILURES-I. 



A S I take up the recent numbers of Forest and Stream, 

 xjL I am interested to note recitals of one hunt after 

 another, and all successful, bear, deer, coon, turkey and 

 grouse, right down to sparrow hunts. Now the immor- 

 tal philosopher, Artemus Ward, of blessed memory, says: 

 '•Thar aint no ftm in a steddy streke of luck, an' the 

 beauty of huntin' is its mity onsartainty," or words or 

 sentiments which, if not to that effect, embody the same 

 principle. 



Now you have a vast army of subscribers who do all 

 their hunting in your columns (I know it, for I have been 

 there myself ), that is to say, for example, in your issue of 

 Feb. 10 is a most amusing account of a hunt in which 

 Mr. Foore covered himself with glory by the slaughter of 

 a bear. A type of the above-mentioned army reads this 

 article, enters fully into it. actively takes part, in ima- 

 gination, figuring, of course, as the hero, and in spirit 

 and in fact is right with the hunt from first to last, and 

 finally and actually he killed that bear himself. And here 

 is where I wish to apply the philosopher's aphorism and 

 give that same reader a. keener relish for his next exploit 

 by thoroughly wet-blanketing him hi this column. 



"The fall of 1886 was exceptionally tine in Manitoba all 

 through October and most of November, it was like sum- 

 mer, there was neither rain nor snow, nor was it until 

 well on in December that "the beautiful" came down in 

 sufficient quantity to make tracking possible. 



Soon after the ground was fairly whitened I cha nced in 

 the post office late one Saturday night to hear one of the 

 section men telling of a herd of seven deer which had 

 stood and watched him at work that same evening, at a 

 lake about three miles from the village: two he described 

 as magnificent bucks and the rest as does and yearlings. 

 Mentally resolving to prove the truth of the account as 

 soon as possible, I went home and early on Monday morn- 

 ing (hove to the lake with two friends. We soon found 

 the track of the band; they had gone southward, and by 

 their leisurely manner showed that they had not been 

 alarmed by any hunters. We drove along on their trail 

 through the sandhills, knowing that they were two nights! 

 and a day ahead, and so we took no precautions at first 

 and found nothing very interesting to note until at length 

 two fresh moccasin tracks joined Oil, showing that we 

 were not the only pursuers. It was very disheartening, 

 but a second glance showed that they were the tracks of 

 white men, and from what I knew of jumping deer 

 (Cctriacus inacrolis) and of the white hunters of this 

 neighborhood, I was able to assure my companions that 

 our chances of success were not materially lessened. 



Now for the benefit of the paper-chaser that I have in 

 my mind (in my heart, too, for a would-be orator or 

 writer always feels warm toward any one who will hear 



night. They had turned northward again this morning. 

 We camped, dined, fed our horses, and followed hard 

 until late in the afternoon, still seeing the two moccasin 

 trails ahead of us. Then, later, the number increased to 

 three at a place where the herd had passed near a farm- 

 house. Presently we met the third hunter returning and 

 learned from him that the herd had gone back to the 

 small lake from whence we had tracked them in the 

 morning. We also learned that the other two men were 

 neighbors, that they had had two or three shots, and that 

 they had pursued the herd to a creek some miles to the 

 north. We immediately left the trail and drove straight 

 toward this creek. Drove, mind you: we had found that 

 it was quite easy to do most of the hard following in this 

 way as the hills are readily crossed in any direction by 

 sleighs, and the timber is found chiefly in small groves. 

 It was late at night when we got there, but we put up at 

 a near house and flattered ourselves that now, at length, 

 we had the chase to ourselves. But at dawn of next day 

 just as we started off on the seven-fold trail, we were 

 joined by one of the hunters of the previous day. His 

 first hunt had not been successful, so he had resolved to 

 set out with a full equipment this time. His outfit con- 

 sisted of a rifle, a toboggan, and an Indian pony, known 

 here as cayuse, or schaggineppi. On the toboggan was 

 a small barrel of provisions, and- on the barrel sat Bill, 

 holding a double-barreled rifle in one hand and the reins 

 in the other. As the toboggan was but a foot broad and 

 the road continuously up, down and along hillsides, the 

 number of complete upsets was very considerable and 

 the amount of dexterity required to^ maintain a seat at 

 all was worthy of a circus rides, At the tail of the tobog- 

 gan were two coUie dogs; they belonged to the come-at- 

 any-price breed: nothing but a ball would have kept them 



him) I will add a sketch of the tracks of various hunters. 

 In this diagram, A is the track of an Indian, just about 

 straight and with a long stride. D is the track of a boot- 

 wearing Englishman, B and C are tracks of whites used 

 to moccasins; here all are in moccasins. B is one of the 

 tracks that were ahead of us — white, because his toes 

 were turned out; and green, because he followed the 

 track of the deer across a very rough piece of plowed 

 land, for at this place the herd had crossed a plain that 

 was partly settled. He should have known the deer 

 would not" long travel there but would strike for the 

 wooded country a couple of miles to the south. Pres- 

 ently we found the place where the deer had slept on 

 Saturday night. All day Sunday they had continued 

 about the same place and again slept there on Sunday 



at home, so they had their way. Doubtless, already, my 

 imaginary comrade begins to catch on to some of the 

 mistakes and causes of failure. 



All morning w r e followed the trail with a certain 

 amount of caution, but still not hesitating to shoot a few 

 prairie chickens (Pedioccetes) now and then when they 

 went the length of tempting Providence by gazing at us 

 in flocks from a hillside some thirty yards away. Sev- 

 eral times the trail seemed to warm up, whereupon we 

 tied up our horses and proceeded on foot in skirmishing 

 order, but without results, until near noon, when we had 

 gone ahead on foot once more to inspect a long dark 

 slough. After slowly beating around it, we again found 

 the track out, but it led into a second slough, and we 

 were just beginning to stalk around this when one of my 

 comrades, Mr. Oliver, more commonly addressed as Jack, 

 gave the signal that he heard branches moving, then in 

 another moment he saw three deer sixty yards away. 

 His weapon was a shotgun; I was twenty yards behind 

 wfith a rifle, but before I could get sight the wary animals 

 had taken alarm and were already bounding away with 

 the speed of the wind and the ease of a swing. Of course 

 I fired on the run. ''There's no luck unless there's lead 

 a flying,", but the only effect of the ball, as I afterward 

 learned, was to scatter the herd, three went one way and 

 four another. As soon as they were gone, and I had not 

 long to wait, I, as is my wont, aimed at a mark on a 

 tree", which was just where I saw the deer, and the ball 

 struck within an inch of the spot. After dining we fol- 

 lowed the. four until eveniug, then again tied up and set 

 out to skirmish. Bill came on the herd again and had 

 four shots at long range without results. We slept that 

 night by Pine Creek in a great gorge, with which it has 

 here gashed the level country to the depth of a hundred 

 feet. Many scores of nights have I slept under the wil- 

 lows, but I do not remember ever before making my fire 

 in such an utterly desolate looking glen.the hills all around 

 were steep and bare, everything was white, and from the 

 time when first we lay down by the fire until early dawn 

 we were incessantly disturbed by the howling of wolves 

 and the furious answering bays of our dogs. But wolves, 

 dogs and owls were hushed by dawn and again we took 

 up the trail. By noon we were brought right back to our 

 starting point of the previous day, and here we read in 

 the snow that our close pursuit had broken up the re- 

 mainder of the band. Each of us now took a track, the 

 one that I followed being that of a large buck. I had 

 proceeded cautiously for half a mile, when to my delight 

 I saw him break cover 300yds. ahead and slowly move 

 along feeding. I could not get near without exposing 

 myself, so I got a rest across a tree and when ready gave 

 a low whistle. Instantly he struck the well-known Land- 

 see rian attitude. How" I did admire his round glossy 

 form, his great upright neck, and above all his beautiful 

 head and wide spreading antlers. But admiration engen- 

 ders covetousness and covetousness pulled the trigger. 

 But alas! for my aim, the ball struck the snow at his feet, 

 and in a second he was 50yds. further away, but again 

 stopped to gaze. Slowly and carefully I covered him 

 and again splashed the snow up under his belly. Away 

 he went this time, but not before I sent a third messenger 

 after him. I then examined my rifle, a new Winchester, 

 I had been shooting with the sight at the third notch, and 

 it was not until two weeks later I found that each of 

 these notches did not stand for lOOvds. So much for 

 shooting with a strange gun. I followed until evening 

 and then was obliged to return hoine. 



Two days afterward I reappeared on the Scene with 

 Mr. Oliver and my old friends Messrs. Wright and Duff. 

 We had hardly reached the hills before four deer ran 

 across the track 200yds. ahead and disappeared down a 

 valley. We ran on foot to intercept them, and I had a 

 standing shot at 300yds. and scored failure No. 3. We 

 now tied up the horses and set out in pairs, Jim Duff, my 

 old bruiting comrade and I going together. Jim and I 

 always preferred hunting together: we were alike in stay- 

 ing powers, perseverance and hunter's enthusiasm, but so 

 diverse in other ways that we suited each other well. I 

 always had a knack of keeping a trail and following it 

 fast and far through all sorts of mazy wanderings, while 

 my eyesight is not very good. Jim, on the other hand, 

 cannot be bothered with trailing, while his wonderful 

 powers of vision were continually calling forth my ad- 



