324 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 16, 1888. 



AN ELK HUNT IN THE ROCKIES. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Agreeable to promise I herewith hand yon a tew 

 hastily written notes of our ten days among the elk, 

 bear and deer: . A . . 



At 2:30 A.M.. Monday, Sept. 8, our party consisting ot 

 Messrs. J. E. Brown, Dall De Weese and myself took the 

 train at this point for Dotsero, a station on the Denver 

 and Rio Grande R.R., at the junction of Eagle and Grand 

 Rivers, where we had saddle horses and pack animals 

 (jacks)' awaiting us. We arrived there at 11:50 A.M. of 

 the same day. . 



We soon packed our bedding and supplies on our jacks 

 and started at once into the very heart of the Rocky 

 Mountains, each feeling like a school boy let loose. 

 Crossing the Grand, we plunged at once into the cedars 

 and pinons, and made across the country to Sweetwater 

 (Turret Creek), then following up the stream still higher 

 to the quaking asps, we went on and up to the spruce 

 covered mountain tops and timber line peaks. We rode 

 leisurely along, now gazing in wonder and admiration 

 at some dark and weird canon, and at the next turn in 

 the trail feasting our eyes upon the grandest panorama 

 of mountain range, hill and dale ever presented to the 

 view. Nature in her wildest moods has never excelled 

 her handiwork here. It is only amid such scenes that 

 one can appreciate the vastness of the universe. But 

 we must move up the trail, for this is bigger game than 

 I can handle. 



We reached the Sweetwater Lake the evening of the 

 second day, distant from Dotsero 15 miles, and camped 

 for the night. This lake lies in a deep basin between 

 two great mountains, and is a beautiful little sheet of 

 water, being about a quarter of a mile wide by three- 

 quarters long, and its waters are alive with the beautiful 

 speckled mountain trout. 



The weather being clear and fine, we did not put up 

 our tent. Our animals were soon relieved of their loads 

 and picketed for the night. Our rods, lines, flies, etc., 

 were quickly adjusted and seventeen of the speckled 

 beauties were landed and prepared for supper. Such a 

 supper! And such appetites! The inference would only 

 have been natural that we, as is the custom with the 

 Utes, in the midst of plenty were taking a meal which 

 should last us for three or four days. 



Bright and early the following morning we again took 

 the trail, with here and there some very steep ascents to 

 make, but passing through groves of quaking asp and 

 beautiful parks, covered with a luxuriant growth of 

 bunch grass — so long as to reach the sides of our pack- 

 animals. Higher and higher wended the trail, and 

 steeper and steeper grew the grade, like the path to fame, 

 till at last we gained the fiat tops. What a scene lay be- 

 fore us! An immense water shed, from which you can 

 see the source of the Eagle, Grand, Piney, Gore', Lake, 

 Gypsum, Roaring Fork, Muddy and Bear rivers, while at 

 the western base rises the White River. In the distance 

 were Turret and Shingle Peaks, whose summits rise some 

 12,000ft. above sea level, and probably 2,000ft. higher 

 than the flat tops; while to the north and east lay Trap- 

 pers Lake, Egeria Park and the Williams Fork country. 



Even though we are now at an elevation of near 10,000 

 feet, we have just reached the hunter's paradise. Here are 

 dense groves of the stately spruce, where the sun never 

 penetrates, beautiful undulating parks, waving with a 

 heavy growth of nutritious grass, springs of water as pure 

 and cold as ever flowed from old mountain side ; while here 

 and there, both in grove and park, are large pools of water 

 left by the melting snows, which furnish excellent water- 

 ing places for the herds of elk. deer, mountain sheep, etc., 

 which here abound. And this is not all. Step down to 

 the edge of this water hole with me and inspect the 

 tracks which are so plentiful here in the soft earth, and 

 you will at once see that it is also the home of the grizzly, 

 silver-tip, cinnamon and black bear. (The marks of the 

 claws of the grizzly and silver-tip show plainly in the 

 tracks, while with the cinnamon and black bear they do 

 not.) This locality has long been knownas theUte Indians' 

 great summer and fall hunting ground, and even after 

 they were restricted to the limits of a reservation, their 

 attachment for this locality has been so great, that while 

 many have visited here by consent of the Indian agents, 

 many more have done so in violation of agency orders, 

 and finding themselves once more in their old hauntsj 

 and in the midst of game of all kinds and in countless 

 numbers, have dared to dream that they were again a 

 mighty people and the sole masters of this broad domain. 



Three o'clock P. M. found our jacks and horses un- 

 packed and picketed out, tents up, dinner over and our 

 hunting equipments in pl&ce; after which we started out 

 for fresh meat for supper. Sundown found us all in 

 camp, with three deer packed in and hung on the spruce 

 hack of camp, Mr. De Weese having had the good fortune 

 to kill a fine buck which dressed 2601bs., with fat Uin. 

 thick over the rump. His horns were large and very 

 uniform and in full velvet, making a fine trophy. 



The next day we spent looking for elk sign through the 

 spruce, along the breaks of the flat tops and around the 

 watering places, and so locating the bedding places as 

 well as watering places and feeding grounds of the many 

 bands of elk which it was plain to be seen were ranging 

 there. On our return to camp, after comparing notes' 

 taking our evening smoke and listening to the experiences 

 of the day, we retired for the night, fully convinced, as 

 Mr. DeWeese expressed it, that "we were in the land of 

 the wapiti." 



The next day more prospecting discovered to us a chain 

 of small lakes about six miles to the north, and judging 

 from the elk, deer and bear sign in their vicinity, these 

 were their principal watering places. We saw scores of 

 fine fat deer at short range, but did not molest them, for 

 we were not out to slaughter game to lie in the hills, as 

 is too often the case. 



We returned to camp early, boned our meat, salted it 

 down in the hides under the thick shade of the spruce 

 and covered it well to secure it from the flies. The 

 remainder of the afternoon and evening was spent in 

 arranging little conveniences in camp and planning the 

 next day's hunt, for we had decided that it was about 

 time Ave should introduce ourselves to the elk. We fin- 

 ally decided to do just a little more prospecting in the 

 morning, return to camp about noon, get dinner and rest 

 an hour or two, then mount our horses and ride to near 

 the point where we should decide to make our evening 

 hunt (one hour at about sundown is worth the whole dav 

 for elk shooting). J 



While sitting around the camp-fire that evening we 



were treated to a splendid serenade, which was nothing 

 less than the musical "bugling" of a bull elk. At first 

 half a mile distant, then nearer and nearer, until within 

 200yds. of camp. Again and again he struck the notes 

 in aloud, clear, shrill, whistling tone that echoed from 

 park to woodland. Hastily catching up our rifles we 

 crept down the edge of park near by and secreted our- 

 selves, but there being no moon we could not see him, 

 though he came so close that we imagined we could hear 

 him breathe, and we could plainly hear the rustle of the 

 grass beneath his feet. After passing US and gaining the 

 edge of the spruce across the park from us he again 

 stopped and bugled. One of our party attempted to 

 answer him, but his bugle was so badly out of tune that 

 the old fellow did not deign to notice it, further than to 

 bugle us an occasional ta-ta as he wandered further and 

 further away, until his notes were entirely lost to us. 



In the morning we were out early, and keeping together 

 followed along a high ridge near 'the lakes. Fresh sign 

 was plentiful, and we kept a sharp lookout. Presently 

 our attention was attracted to the si^lashing of water near 

 at hand, and looking in the direction whence the sound 

 came we could see that at the foot of the hill on which 

 we were standing, and in the midst of a dense growth of 

 spruce, was a lake which we had not discovered before. 

 Knowing it to be the habit of elk to wallow at these 

 water holes, we were at once satisGed that there was an 

 old bull not very far from us, and to reach him we must 

 take a roundabout course, and over ground which we did 

 not know; so hastily retracing our steps to the covering 

 of spruce we cautiously stole down the hill toward the 

 lake. When within about 300yds. of the lake an unusual 

 commotion in the midst of them told us that the elk had 

 either heard us or scented us. Halting and peering 

 through the dark spruce, we sighted a band of about 

 forty elk, all cows and calves but one, and that a good- 

 sized bull with fairly good antlers. They were restless 

 and moving about so that it was nearly impossible to get 

 a shot; however, as soon as the bull stopped where we 

 could do so, we fired on him, taking care not to hit any 

 of the cows or calves. Then a mad race began, they to 

 gain the dense spruce cover at the head of the lake, and 

 we to gain the open ground before they should do so, 

 which resulted in a complete victory for the elk. How- 

 ever, on taking the trail we found that at least one of us 

 had put his mark on the old fellow, for lie was leaving 

 quite a trail of blood. After trailing them nearly a half 

 mile and finding that he would neither leave the band 

 nor spread his toes wide apart in running (both being 

 almost sure signs of a death shot), we abandoned the trail 

 and returned to cauip, feeling almost tempted to shoot 

 down some of the dozens of deer we saw on our way. 



Arriving at camp about noon we found to our disgust 

 that our "San Juan canaries" (jacks) had pulled their 

 picket pins and "lit out." Mr. Brown at once volunteered 

 to take their trail and follow them until found, fearing 

 they would, if given a little time, return to Dotsero; so, 

 hastily partaking of dinner, he saddled his horse, taking 

 an extra blanket, started, but with an expression on his 

 face which told us plainly that it would afford him 

 infinitely more pleasure to shoot those, jacks than to bag 

 all the bighorns that ranged the hills. 



Toward evening Mr. De Weese and myself saddled trp 

 and started out for an evening hunt. It is quite evident 

 that we had much the best of Mr. Brown in this matter. 

 After having ridden a mile or more from camp, we 

 sighted a band of eleven elk just emerging from the 

 spruce at the head of a long park about a mile to the 

 north. The sun was just sinking and the long shadows 

 were fast creeping out over the parks, which told us that 

 we must act quickly. They had evidently sighted us, so 

 sitting quietly in the saddles until they began feeding, 

 and hastily dismounting and leaving our horses for a 

 "blind," we began to steal a march on them. The ground 

 being somewhat in our favor, we made good time, and 

 just as dusk was fast approaching we peered cautiously 

 through the spruce boughs into the park. There lying 

 down, and evidently on guard, was the very monarch of 

 the hills, while the band had passed just over the hill 

 into the spruce. He was lying in tall grass which nearly 

 or quite concealed his body, but nothing short of a forest 

 of spruce would have hidden that magnificent head of 

 horns from our view. At the instant we sighted him. he 

 sprang to his feet, but as he rose from the ground we 

 both fired. Another instant and he was over the crest 

 of the hill and out of sight. Hurrying to the top of the 

 hill we found he had plunged into the thick spruce. We 

 found no trail of blood , and stood and stared at one an- 

 other, wondering if it were possible to miss such a 

 monster, Mr. De Weese was invited to kick me back to 

 where we had left our horses, and in return I volunteered 

 to kick him from there into camp. However, we still 

 had reason to believe that we had hit him, and pretty 

 hard at that, for he had not followed the band, and every 

 footprint showed the toes well spread. It was now too 

 dark to attempt to follow him, so we retraced our steps, 

 wondering if either of us could hit an elephant if one 

 should get up before us. I don't think we slept like babes 

 that night; at least I did not, for as soon as I closed my 

 eyes I seemed to see that old bull, and the fact is I drove 

 sleep away trying to frame some excuse for having missed 

 such a mark. 



As soon as it was light we were again in the saddle, 

 and rode over to where we had left the trail. Leaving our 

 horses, we started at once to follow it up. Although the 

 woods were tracked in every direction by elk, it was not 

 difficult to trail him, his tracks being 'so much larger 

 than other tracks. Soon, however, we found a plainer 

 trail — a light trail of blood, and at that moment we were 

 absolutely certain that old big horns was ours. After 

 trailing him a mile or more into the very heart of the 

 dense dark spruce forest where the fallen trees were 

 thickest, and where the ground was thickly covered with 

 moss, which prevented the sound of footsteps, suddenly 

 he broke from the cover of a dense mass of fallen trees. 

 In less time than it takes to tell it we had sent five shots 

 after him, which had the effect of checking his speed 

 somewhat, and turning him to the left. As he turned we 

 gave him two more. He suddenly stopped, tottered and 

 fell. 



We were soon at his side, and though we knew him to 

 be a monster, we could but stand and gaze in astonish- 

 ment at his gigantic proportions. Lying naturally on his 

 side, with one hindleg extended, he measured 15ft. 4in. 

 from hoof to point of antlers, and girthed 9ft. just 

 back of the shoulder. He would certainly dress, as you 

 would dress beef, 8001bs, His antlers were very fine and 



I heavy, the beams being 6ft. long and 5ft. spread, ant 

 having nine points on one beam and eight on the other 

 the front fenders being long and very heavy. 



An examination showed that Mr. DeWeese had hit him 

 in the neck the evening before, while I, much as I dislike 

 to own it, had missed him. Mr. DeWeese used a Win- 

 chester .40-60, while I used a Sharps .40-70. After jump- 

 ing him that morning we had put five balls into his right 

 hip, one ball breaking the bone, and as he turned we had 

 put one ball through his side, and another through his 

 shoulder. After dressing him we returned to camp, and 

 as we rode into camp we could not restrain ourselves 

 longer, but gave three rousing cheers for the "Monarch 

 bull elk, Harrison and Morton, and the flat tops." 



The following day Mr. Brown returned with our "mock- 

 ing birds," and we packed in our elk and boned the meat, all 

 the while Mr. Brown's looks saying plainer than words 

 that he considered it decidedly underhanded for us to 

 have such sport while he was on the trail of such game 

 as three miserable runaway jacks. 



The next morning we broke camp and started to move 

 over to the brakes of White River, more with the view to 

 see the country than to hunt. After having proceeded a 

 half mile from camp, I stopped to re-sinch my saddle, 

 the others moving along the trail with the jacks in 

 the lead. Presently, and when they were some 300yds. 

 in advance of me, 1 heard them shoot. Again and again 

 the sharp report of their rifles rang out, and hastily 

 springing into the saddle I dashed along the trail through 

 the woods, and as I emerged therefrom into a gulch 

 thickly grown up with low willows, and probably 1 00yds. 

 in width, I espied two silver tip bears making their way 

 down the spruce ridge on the opposite side of the gulch. 

 My companions having dismounted, were giving them 

 chase and firing whenever they could get sight of them. 

 Off to the right was another bear, which they had 

 wounded so severely that he could not get away, and the 

 way he was making those hills and woods ring was a 

 caution. Riding as rapidly as the ground would permit 

 some 200yds. down the ridge and along the edge of the 

 spruce, I dismounted and ran into the spruce a short dis- 

 tance to where a small ravine headed. Scarcely had I 

 gained this position when the two bears showed them- 

 selves on the break of the ravine. They were climbing a 

 steep embankment and presented the full line of their 

 backs to me. Dropping on one knee I fired, and at the 

 crack of my rifle the hindmost bear rolled over and died 

 without a struggle, the ball having broken his neck. The 

 other bear escaped into the thick forest and we were 

 unable to again get sight of him, although he was 

 wounded. This was indeed a picnic. The crack! crack! 

 of our rifles, the unearthly squalling and rushing hither 

 and thither of the bears, the terror-stricken bray of our 

 jacks as they fled through the woods and over fallen tim- 

 bers, regardless of their heavy packs, and our shouts to 

 each other to "stand your ground and give 'em fits," I 

 made up a very exciting scene. 



After it was all over, we started in search of those 

 confounded jacks, and after trailing them through the 

 woods for a half mile we found them, two of them with 

 the packs turned and all nearly frightened to death. ; 

 Soon everything was put to rights, and returning to >' 

 where we had killed the bears, we removed the pelts i 

 carefully with the view of having- them made into rugs, ' 

 as mementoes of a most thrilling experience. We took j 

 the trail for the west fork of Sweetwater Creek, camp- 1 

 ing there for the night. 



The following morning we began preparations for our 

 home trip, and about 3 P.M. we were again An the saddle 

 and started down the stream to middle Sweetwater, 

 reaching there a little before sundown. Crossing this 

 stream the trail ran along a high and somewhat broken 

 plateau, lying 200ft. or more above the creek. Just as it 

 was growing dusk we approached a salt lick where wo 

 had previously seen a band of mountain sheep. Mr. 

 Brown was in the lead, Mr. De Weese and myself fol- 

 lowing with the jacks. As Mr. Brown neared "the sum- 

 mit of the ridge forming the western boundary of the 

 basin in which the lick was located he quickly dis- 1 

 mounted and motioned us to him. Following as quickly 

 as possible, we left our horses and crept to a point 

 where we could look over into the basin, and as we did 

 so, we saw a band of eleven elk standing around the 

 licks, some 300yds. distant. It was now too dark to see | 

 their antlers at that distance, and located as they were | 

 in the basin below us, but we were satisfied that several 

 of the larger ones were bulls, so selecting the largest i 

 ones for our targets we opened fire. At the first volley 

 they rushed wildly up the hill which formed the north- 

 ern boundary of the basin, and which is very steep and 

 destitute of timber, save here and there a clump of scrub 

 oaks. We continued firing until each of us had brought 

 down an elk, Mr. Brown securing a bull having a par- 

 ticularly fine set of antlers. They were not so large as 

 the one Mr. De Weese and myself had killed, but very 

 uniform and handsome, securing to him a trophy of which 

 he is justly very proud. We dressed our game and i 

 placed it on poles where it would cool, and again took 

 the trail, arriving at the mouth of East Sweetwater at I 

 11 :30 that night, where we camped and prepared supper i 

 from the "fat of the land." Late as it was we ate I 

 heartily, for indigestion doesn't stay out on a two weeks' 

 hunt. 



The following morning, feeling that the "swelling" 

 had left our necks, we started for home, reaching Dot- 

 sero on the 16th, We sent two packers and eight pack 

 animals back for our game, and at 4:30 that afternoon j 

 boarded the train, reaching Canon City at 12:20 that 

 night, all feeling more than satisfied with our trip, and 

 feeling that we had secured a new lease of life, which 

 could be had only through an elk hunt in the Rocky 

 Mountains. L, E. Franck. 



Canon City, Colorado. 



Dakota Ducks.— Milnor, Dak., Nov. 9.— I have been 

 shooting in this place for the last three weeks. There 

 are lots of ducks in the ponds, and they are shot by 

 wading around in the rushes for them. Decoys are not 

 used to any extent. A great many brant and geese are 

 shot in the wheat stubble. Bags of from forty to fifty 

 ducks are every day affairs. The principal ducks being 

 shot now are the mallards.— A. C. K. 



The Dram. — "Seneca" is correct in his statement that 

 the dram is a unit of avoirdupois weight. There are 256 

 drams in a pound avoirdupois, containing 7,000 grains, 

 Therefore a dram equals 27H grains.— T. H. G, 



