368 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Mat 29, 1890. 



nttd 



" FOREST AND STREAM" GUN TESTS. 



THE following guns have been tested at the Forest and 

 Stream Range, and reported upon in the issues named. 

 Copies of any date will be sent on receipt of price, ten cents: 

 Colt 12, July 25. Parker 12, hammerless, J une 6. 



Colt 10 and "12, Oct. 24. Remington 16, May 30. 



Folsom 10 and 13, Sept. 26. Remington 12. Dec. 5, Feb. 0. 

 Fkancotte 12. Dec. 12. Remtngton 10, Dec. 26. 



Greener 12, Aug. 1. Scott 10, Sept. 5. 



Greener 10, Sept. 12 Sept. 19. L. C. Smith 12, Oct. 10. 

 Hoelis 10, Nov. 7. Whitney Safety 12, March 6. 



Lefever 12, March 13. Winchester 10 and 12, Oct. 3. 



Pabker 10, hammer, June 6. 



AN ELK HUNT IN WYOMING. 



IN the fall of '86, Kin D. B. and myself, with the hunter 

 Jo James, spent parts of two weeks hunting elk in 

 Deer Creek Park, Wyoming. "We reached the park early 

 one afternoon after a twenty mile ride from Deer Creek 

 Ranch. The park, contrary to our expectations, was a 

 treeless, comparatively level plain. It was surrounded 

 by mountains, from two to three miles wide, and about 

 twenty miles long. On the east, in the direction from 

 whicli we had come, the hills were low, and, to a certain 

 extent, regular. On the west, where our hunting ground 

 lay, however, they were jagged and pinnacly, and looked 

 like sections of a Gothic church roof. They presented a 

 vast surface of bare rock; trees, as a rule, grew only in 

 the narrow valleys or "draws" that separated mountain 

 from mountain. 



Arrived at camp, we ate a hasty dinner and then set 

 out for a short hunt before supper. A half hour's walk 

 around the base of a craggy peak brought us to the 

 mouth of a "draw." Here we struck an old elk trail, 

 leading up the draw, which we followed. 



At first the traiL led through a thicket of quaking asp, 

 but presently this was left behind and we found ourselves 

 in a little arena, clear, except for a few pine trees that 

 grew here and there at intervals. Just as we left the 

 quaking asp we saw a blacktail doe. It was 150yds. off, 

 bounding down the hillside toward the bottom of the 

 valliy, with easy, graceful jumps. Both the tenderfeet 

 hesitated at the shot, but James raised his rifle and sim- 

 ultaneously with the report the deer fell in its tracks. 



The next day we set out from c imp early. For a mile 

 or two the way was easy, but soon we were well in 

 among the mountains, and began to realize that we had 

 a hard day's work bt fore us. In the only places where 

 climbing was possible the mountains were obstructed by 

 a tangle of fallen trees. These trees had managed to 

 grow to a height of from 20 to 25ft., and to a butt unas- 

 urement of from 4 to 8in., and then had died, the sod 

 failing to supply their increasing wants. They made 

 very acceptable fence rails for the nearest ranches, for 

 they were tough, light and perfectly seasoned, but they 

 played the mischief with climbing. 



Despite all obstructions James set a good pace, his ob 

 ject being to cover as much ground as possible before 

 night. Along the base of one mountain we went, then 

 ciicled around it and began climbing tor the top. From 

 below it looked an impossibility ever to gam the summit; 

 but after a three hours' scramble with tooth and nail 

 success finally crowned our efforts. Once on the top we 

 took a short breathing spell, and then set out for the next 

 peak of the little range. 



Scarcely a hundred yards had been covered over the 

 rough, shrub-grown ledges, when we were confronted by 

 a 300ft. precipice. This effectually put a stop to our 

 further progression in that direction, and we were forced 

 to fall back over some of our hard- won ground. Then, 

 by means of a steep, rock-strewn slide, we descended into 

 a narrow valley, and began climbing the mountain on 

 the other side. 



Our enthusiasm had by this time largely fled. It was 

 2 o'clock, and we had seen no game whatever; moreover 

 we had nothing to eat. For some unknown reason James 

 seemed to think it the proper thing never to take out any 

 lunch. 



It may have been that he doubted our ability to climb 

 and carry the luuch in addition to our guns, but, at any 

 rate, it was hi6 principle and he stuck to it. Breakfast 

 had been eateu at daylight that morning, and we were 

 pretty well used up by the hard climbing. Taking it al- 

 together, we had good reason to be cross and dejected 

 with the prospects. 



"There are no elk within a hundred miles," we thought. 

 "They could not climb these precipices, and, even if they 

 could, they would starve to death before they could 

 collect enough food for a meal." 



Such were our thoughts, and we were on the point of 

 calling for a retreat, when suddenly, from a little point 

 70yds. to our left where some stunted pines grew, a tall, 

 brownish-red animal clumsily rose, hindfeet first, like a 

 cow. 



"By George, there's an elk!" said Kin, and fired. 



In an instant a thrill of life shot through us. Dinner 

 and disgust were forgotten. We ran toward the spur 

 with the stunted pines. The elk had disappeared over it, 

 but we had seen the hair on his shoulder fly and had 

 neard the welcome "pud" of the bullet, and we knew he 

 was hit. 



In our scramble we each tried to outdo the other, but 

 finally all arrived at the point together. Just below, 

 within thirty yards, was the elk, stumbling along with a 

 broken shoulder. And scarcely ten yards further we saw 

 a second elk in the act of rising to his feet. All three of 

 us fired simultaneously, and then for about sixty seconds 

 we kept two Winchester repeaters and a Marlin working 

 till the hills reechoed and there was no more occasion for 

 shooting. 



Both elk lay dead. The first had fallen almost directly 

 in his tracks. The second had stumbled on after receiv- 

 ing his mortal wound, and finally had fallen in an excep- 

 tionally steep place, from which he had rolled eighty feet 

 down the mountain side. He now lay held back by 

 a little clump of quaking asp. If he had not caught just 

 as he did, he would have fallen into the gorge 500ft. 

 below and been ground to mince meat. Both were bull 

 elk, and both fine specimens. One had four and the 

 other six prongs to his antlers, and James estimated that 

 together they would weigh a good half ton. 



This trip met our expectations so well that we deter- 

 mined on another. This time we hunted unsuccessfully 

 one day. The next we climbed to a snow-water spring 

 high up on a commanding mountain. Here, in the coarse 



grass we found depressions where eight elk had made 

 their beds; all around the spring were fresh tracks. We 

 followed up the trail left by this band for some time, 

 but then lost it. About the middle of the day we took a 

 siesta under some dwarf pines, and then set out for camp, 

 but by a different route from that by which we had come. 

 Soon we ran on a fresh trail. It led in just the direction 

 we were going. It had been made by a small bind of 

 seven or eight elk, who were traveling Indian fashion. 

 In about ten minutes we came to a place where a second 

 trail from the left had joined the first. This too had 

 been made by a small band of eight or ten. Then we 

 came to where a third band of about twenty had joined 

 the other two. At the same time the trail began to de- 

 scend into a ' 'draw" that was thickly wooded. 



The prospect, to say the least, was growing interesting. 

 Like hounds we followed the trail— now broad and re- 

 sembling a well-beaten cow -path. The walking was 

 easy and we made good progress. Half a mile further 

 we were again surprised. A new trail, still from the left, 

 came into our path. It was nearly as well defined as the 

 one we had been following. Our hearts beat faster still. 

 When was this to stop? 



In some bad ground the trail separated, and part flowed 

 on one side and part on the other of a little island of 

 rocks and trees. Soon, however, it united again. A 

 little further we met with the first indications that we 

 were nearing the band. Every now and then we could 

 faintly distinguish whistling cries. 



"It's the calves," James whispered as we pressed on. 

 Soon the whistling was all around. We stepped into 

 a little glade, and at the same instant a large elk showed 

 its head at the other side. Two of us fired, and the elk 

 fell and began thrashing about the quaking asp. In an 

 instant a wild commotion arose. Calves cried with ter 

 ror, and on all Bides we could hear elk tearing through 

 the saplings. We stood with rifles ready. Several elk 

 ran across the open space, but as they were all cows or 

 calves we did not shoot. Finally a young boll broke 

 through the trees at one side. The writer fired and he 

 fell. 



The "draw" was very narrow at the point where we 

 had taken our station. On the opposite side from us, not 

 more than a hundred and twenty yards off, was a low, 

 treeless ridge. Happening to look across at this we saw 

 that the elk were all taking up their position on it. As 

 they came out of the thickets, in small bands of six or 

 eight, they ran down the line of those who were already 

 on the ridge, and when they came to the end stopped 

 and fell in. 



It was a curious, and, at the same time, a very pretty 

 sight. No old bulls were in the band, and about haif the 

 line was formed by calves. These calves were the hand- 

 somest animals I have ever seen. They were something 

 like Jersey calves, and had markings, contrary to the 

 mature animals. The elk were within good range, but 

 none of us felt like shooting. We stood and watched, 

 till, finally having satisfied their curiosity or whatever 

 feeling it was that made them stop, they g adu Uy left m 

 the same small bands in which they had come. 



We counted seventy elk in all. James said that this 

 herd was the largest he had seen for several years, and 

 that it comprised all the elk in that section of the 

 country, who were banding up for the winter. 



J. B . BURNHAM. 



WILDCAT CHASE ON THE NORTH FORK. 



"TTELLO, Julius! how do you do?" I was sitting at 

 JIX my desk at the office working for dear life, for 

 it was the* busy season, and looking up, there Btood old 

 Hank in his ragged hunting suit, his old muzzleloader 

 slung over his shoulder and his two lean hounds at his 

 heels. 



"Hello, Hank! Glad to see you, old fellow. Sit down 

 and make yourself at home until I am through with this 

 account." 



As was his habit once a week Hank had come in to 

 town from his mountain cabin to sell his game and 

 baskets. Business over, he would drop in and smoke a 

 cigar, the only ones he ever smoked — under ordinary 

 circumstances an old clay pipe was good enough for him. 



I could see the twinkle in his keen old gray eyes, for I 

 knew what was coming, and the old rascal knew very- 

 well the weak spot in me. I could ill afford a day's hunt- 

 ing in the busy season, but how could I resist such temp- 

 tations? Old Hank and his dogs and his old rifle brought 

 back to me the recollection of many a glorious tramp 

 after reynard. 



"Fine tracking snow, Julius. Saw a wildcat track a 

 little above the North Fork mill— a dogoned big one, too! 

 What do you say about taking old Leader and the pups 

 and giving it a tussle to-morrow morning?' 



"I can't go, Hank; I have too much work." 



"Well, all right, I will get Steele, or tackle him alone. 

 Let me have old Lead; he is a capital dog to ^rk out a 

 cold trail." 



Hank had finished his cigar, and was standing before 

 me, his big, bony, muscular frame the personification of 

 bodily strength and endurance; and visions of the tramps 

 and camps Ibad enjoyed with him came back. That was 

 too much; work could wait a day. "Well, Hank, I will 

 try and get Steele to come along. Meet us at the mouth 

 of Red Lick at half -past six." 



What a glorious winter morning it was! Calm and 

 cold; the snow, which had fallen during the night, had 

 draped the dark evergreens in a mantle of pure white; 

 not a breath of air was stirring. Steele and I walked 

 silently in the rugged mountain path, drinking in the 

 magnificence of the scene. Hank was on time. We 

 crossed the creek on the ice and went among the rocks 

 toward the wildcat den. Uncoupling the hounds, old 

 Leader soon gave sign of scent, and upon investigating I 

 found it was a tolerably fresh wildcat track. Trailing 

 slowly, for the scent of the wildcat is not as strong or as 

 enjoyable to the foxhound as that of the fox, the dogs 

 giving tongue occasionally, we crawled after the dogs 

 over rocks and fallen trees, until the old dog gave full 

 tongue, and that opened the ball. The chase went toward 

 Mill Creek. Steele ran up the creek, Hank down to the 

 crossing below, whije I kept my position and waited. I 

 waited for more than an hour with my back against a 

 rugged old hemlock, long before the dogs had gone out 

 of hearing. 



The scene before me was magnificent. A woodpecker 

 was hammering away on an old tree, and the sun shin- 

 ing on the snow-covered pineB and hemlocks made them 

 glimmer as if covered with diamonds. 



I heard a shot down the creek. That long, whiplike 

 crack was old Hank's rifle. Soon I heard the dogs com- 

 ing toward my crossing. I got ready, peering through 

 the trees and down the creek to catch a glimpse of the 

 quarry, when not a hundred yards away the cat broke 

 cover. It was loping; and aiming a foot ahead I pressed 

 the trigger. At the crack of the rifle I saw it tumble 

 over. Quick as lightning it was on its feet ag-ain and off. 

 I sent another bullet after it, but without avail. Going 

 toward the spot where the cat was when shot at first, I 

 found plenty of hair and blood; evidently it was hard 

 hit. By this time the dogs had come up, and the scent 

 of the blood made the pursuit, if possible, more ardent. 

 Such music as rang through those hills. 



The dogs were soon gone, and I after them more cau- 

 tious than before, for to encounter a wounded wildcat at 

 bay is no small matter. Hank had come up after my 

 shot, the strange cry of the hounds convincing him the 

 cat was wounded, and together we went as best we could 

 over fallen logs, over rocks, up and down ravines. After 

 a mile or two of this work we heard the dogs howling or 

 barking; and coming up found one of the young dogs 

 literally disemboweled, and the cat up a small sapling- 

 hissing and spitting at the hounds, which were all around 

 at a respectable distance. I cautioned Hank not to go 

 near, but to let me finish him with one more shot. But 

 the sight of the dog had put the old fellow's blood up, and 

 going about ten yards he blazed away. He m ver hit her, 

 and quick as lightning the cab was on him, clawing and 

 growling, and then ran. My first shot had broken a front 

 leg, and it could hardly run fast. I took deliberate aim 

 and killed it. Hank was badly clawed about the hands 

 and arms, but with no mortal wounds; and a few days 

 of care put him on his feet again. The skin of the cat 

 made a handsome rug, which now embellishes my sanc- 

 tum. Julius the Fox Hcjnter. 

 Pittsburgh, Pa. 



STEWED PARROT. 



ONE of my long cherished anticipations was at last to 

 be realized by a trip in Mexico, in making acquaint- 

 ance with the parrot tribe in its natural state. 



Since boyhood I had cherished an antipathy against 

 all the squalling, whistling, sluggish, stupid race, and I 

 fully intended to even up on some unfortunate if I could 

 once get him before my gun and fairly fljing. 



My first protrtcted trip in eastern Sonora and western 

 Chihuahua, being principally in the plain country, or in 

 mountains not heavdy timbered, was fruitless, although 

 I never failed to look for the game. 



On returning to the city of Chihuahua, and during 

 preparations for a trip to western Durango, I happened 

 to call one morning at the rooms of one of the first con- 

 ductors of the M. C. R. R., and there found either i-even 

 or nine of the usual green-bodied, yellow-headed Mex can 

 p irrots, ranged on a pole on one side of the room, but 

 none of the family at Inane. Returning to the street I 

 met Mr. L,, the conductor, talking to some of our mutual 

 acquaintances. After the u-ual greeting, I explained to 

 Mr. L. my having been at his rooms, and not finding him 

 or any of the family, and innocently queried, "By the 

 way, why do you have so many parrot^?" 



He answered, truthfully I hope, "Oh, because I like 

 them." 



"Why, Mr. L., are they good eating?" 

 "E-eat ! I would just as soon eat a baby as one of my 

 parrots." 



Our friends laughed, as Mr. L.'s parrot hobby was well 

 known to them, but his answer did not deter me in the 

 least from my full purpose of some day dining off par- 

 rots, even at the risk of being considered canni •alistie. 



At last the home of the parrot was reached and we 

 were encamped in the Arroyo de los Friales, directly at 

 the eastern base of the Sierra Madre, in Durango, with 

 frowning bluffs on either side and the mountain bights 

 as a background, riven by the arroyo, whose sparkling 

 waters flowed past our camp. The hights were well 

 covered with large pines, while around us was a grove 

 of oaks, furnishing fine shade and plenty of fuel, for fire 

 is necessary for comfort at this altitude of over 6,000ft., 

 even in the months of April and May. 



The repeated calls, "Parrots," "Parrots," from some of 

 our men had several times induced me to grasp my gun, 

 but the birds were invariably passing high in the air, for 

 the sleepy, sluggish, crawling parrot in his native wild 

 is a bird of action, strong of wing as a hawk, and circles 

 for hours in the blue ether of the mountain hights, his 

 discordant cries reverberating from cliff and crag, and 

 what is more, he is a wary bird, not usually to be caught 

 napping, as I found by after experience. 



One morning, however, just as we were at breakfast, a 

 flock descended in a small pine tree and began tearing 

 apart the cover in search of pine nuts, their favorite 

 food. Snatching my gun, I was soon under cover of 

 some bushes and wending my way down the arroyo, 

 reaching shooting distance just as they were alarmed by 

 a Mexican returning with our horses and mules. As 

 they arose I made a fine double and with my game re- 

 turned to camp, more elated than I remember having 

 been, even when a boy, just after a successful shot at 

 ducks or grouse. 



The boys, after a Bhort examination, wanted to un- 

 dress the birds, having a natural curiosity to see how a 

 parrot looked without his gorgeous plumage, and a fur- 

 ther desire to decorate themselves with the long green 

 feathers. 



Naked, a parrot might; — minus bead and feet — be mis- 

 taken for some variety of the duck family; a duck that 

 had been unfortunate when young in being reared on dry 

 land, which had crooked and destroyed the symmetry of 

 its legs, and in being stepped on, which misfortune had 

 acted very unfavorably on its graceful figure. 



The game was finally turned over to Dr. Allen, the col- 

 ored cook, with orders" to prepare for dinner by cooking 

 thoroughly, as they might be old ; for an examination of 

 their beaks and tongues had been made without finding 

 any teeth, and neither the Doctor nor I could be positive 

 in regard to a parrot's, age from other evidence. 



Returning from field work at midday, dinner was soon 

 on the table before us; stewed parrots entire, dark with 

 richness and exuded juices, occupying a prominent 

 place. 



My assistants looked longingly toward the tempting 

 morsels, so in generosity they were asked to share both 

 the birds and my realization'of the long-expected day of 

 triumph when I could make game of the parrot, instead 



