^7^ 
POTEST Ant> STREAM. 
tCct. to, tga.i. 
Life in the Rockies.-— IV. 
(Cmclitded f rom pagt ?58.| 
For a few days in the timber camp 1 had been slightly 
indisposed, during which lime vac bad run out of meat, 
c'lnd I did not feel equal to going out to hunt. One 
morning I took a glance around, as I invariably did when 
coming out of the cabin, and saw a deer standing fibout 
100 j'ards away, taking a look at our camp. I went in- 
side, got my rifle, and stepping to the door I fired at it, 
when it humped its hack, went a few steps and lay down. 
We had in camp a large shepherd dog, old Jack, the 
best hunting dog for big game 1 have ever seen. T had 
npt then an opportunity to see liim after big game, but 
had heard his master, Mr. P., talk of his worth, and 
thought this was a good time to try him. The dog was 
200 yards above the cabin with Mr. P., who _was_ making 
fence-bucks. I went up and told him the situation, and 
he came down with the dog to help. We started over, 
and when we were half way to it, it got up and old Jack 
saw it, but as usual would not go a step toward it until 
told to go. I told him to go after it, and he went with 
a will. It was in a bad windfall, and the way that deer 
cleared that down timber and left the old dog behind was a 
revelation to us, >vho expected Jack to come up with the 
deer immediately. I followed a short distance, but could 
not go far. I sat down and in a very short timeMr. 
P. gave a whoop, which I knew meant something, and 
I made my way about a mile down the gulch which we 
were near, and there found that Jack had caught and 
killed the deer in short order, and we prepared it for 
transportation to camp. Previous to that I never would 
allow him to go with me hunting, but after I saw how 
much sense he had, and also how speedily and surely he 
could run down and capture a wounded deer, I generally 
took him with me on all my hunts. 
It was seldom that I needed to take time during my 
regular working hours to go hunting, but generally man- 
aged to kill enough to keep us in meat by going out late 
in the evening after the day's work was done. One even- 
ing, just as the sun was sinking behind the great tower- 
ing mountains in the west, old Jack and I started out to 
look for meat. We went straight up the side of a tim- 
bered mountain, then followed one of the numerous 
der paths around the side of the mountain toward some 
little open, grassy spots. It was a perfectly still, quiet 
evening, without a sound of any kind of life, and the 
only thing to be heard as I slipped noiselessly along with 
moccasined feet, was the panting of old Jack, who was 
fat and covered with long, woolly hair. As long as I 
would keep walking he would keep up his panting, but 
the instant I would stop he would cease, and not a sound 
would escape from him as long as I stood still. While 
I would be listening he would look up at me, then turn 
his head to one side and listen so intently and eagerly 
that no one, seeing his great, intelligent eyes, and noting 
bis actions could doubt that he knew as well as I what 
I was looking for. Just as it was getting dusk I stopped 
near a thick, brushy place, and heard the muffled thud! 
thud! of deer, which had probably winded us and were 
taking a hasty leave. Jack heard them also, and knew 
well what it meant, but never budged. Some fifty yards 
ahead was a little rocky knoll, beyo^ which was a steep 
slope of open ground, at the bottom of which there was 
a windfall, and I judged rightly that they would go 
through this. I therefore made a lively run for this 
opening, and when I got there saw the deer — ^two of 
them — just entering the windfall, lOO yards away. 
They stopped to look back after entering the windfall 
a few rods, and I immediately got in my. work and 
brought down the largest of the two, but fearing it might 
not stay down, as is frequently the case when they drop 
in their tracks at the crack of the gun, I told Jack to go, 
and he went like a whilrwind, but he missed the one that 
was down and got after the other one, and did not get 
back until after I got to the one that was down, which 
was dead when I reached it. T was then about a mile 
from camp, and thought I could call to Mr. P. to assist 
me in getting the meat to camp, so I sent out some wild 
whoops, and succeeded in making him hear me, and he 
started out to hunt me, but not getting the direction ex- 
actly, he failed to locate me, and went back to camp and 
to bed. 
I had never tried packing a fresh killed carcass of a 
full-grown deer alone, but concluded to try it. Shoul- 
dering the warm, sbppery thing I took my rifle in one 
hand and started for camp, and about an hour after 
dark staggered into camp, as hot and tired as any 
American who ever shouldered venison. One afternoon 
we had a hard rain, and about three o'clock, after the 
rain was over, Mr. P. said, "Guess you had better take 
the rest of the day looking for meat." I took my rifle 
and started, up through the woods and in twenty-five 
minutes was back to camp for a horse to pack in a deer 
which I had killed. 
It was seldom that I went out for meat and came back 
empty, but one day I went out right after din- 
ner and spent all of the afternoon without seemg any 
big game. While sitting along a game trail, watchmg, 
I heard a rustling noise, and soon an old mother grouse 
with about a dozen young ones following her, came in 
sight only a few steps away, and it was with much in- 
terest that I watched them as long as they were in sight. 
They were tiny little iellows, and it was most interest- 
ing to see how suddenly they would dart off and seem 
to vanish out of existence at the least warning sound 
from the old hen. I have since thought that if some of 
the debaters who have been recently advocatmg the 
theory in Forest and Stream that the young have to be 
taught by example what to do rather than by knowing it 
by mstinct, could have watciied that family for half an 
hour or more as I did, they would weaken in their be- 
lief, for could these little youngsters, but a few hours 
old, have been taught what they knew by seeing other 
grouse run and hide at the same sound? No, they knew 
it by instinct, before they were two hours old. To those 
not familiar with birds of the grouse family, it is sur- 
prising how shifty the young ones are. I_ knew of the 
nest of a quail being passed in the morning whe-n the 
eggs were all there, none of them being broken open, 
and in the evening of the same day the eggs were all 
hatched and the young gone. . • 
The next day at 4 P. M., as I was dhoppitig about one 
and one-half miles from camp, I took my rifle along, and 
took a circle on my way to camp. When passing the 
point where I had killed my first elk, it was getting so 
dusk that objects were very dim, and I jumped a yearling 
bull elk, which ran toward camp, into the heavy green 
timber. Not having a good opportunity for a shot, and 
being much opposed to shooting at game by random, I 
withheld my fire and went on into the green timber to- 
ward camp. After going some distance into the woods 
I saw the elk off to my left about fifty yards, running 
parallel with the way I was going. It being so dark in 
the woods, and the timber so thick, I did not risk a shot, 
but saw at once where I could maneuver to its undoing. 
About 200 yards straight ahead of me was the head of a 
ravine, around which was a favorite pass for all kinds of 
game, and I was quite certain it was making for that 
pass. I got down to a 200 yard sprint in a way that 
could only be induced by the vision of 250 pounds of 
good, tender elk meat. It was so dark, and I was so 
busy watching for a clear track through the underbrush 
that I was within a few yards of the head of the ravine 
before I realized it. Just as I put on the brakes to stop, 
I saw his majesty coming straight toward me; he had 
gone rather beyond the place, in his hurry, and was com- 
ing toward me to get around the head of the ravine, 
rather than going down through it as I had planned he 
would. I dropped on one knee, which was always my 
favorite attitude for good s^hooting, and when he was 
within about 25 yards of me I whistled and he_ stopped. 
It was so dark I could only level the rifle at him, with- 
out seeing the sights; when the rifle cracked he whirled 
around and ran back a few rods and lay down by a tree, 
with his head directly behind the tree, so that I had no 
difficulty in crawling up within a few steps of him, and 
I broke his neck with the next shot. Mr. P. had been 
in bed when he heard me shoot, and when I came in he 
suggested that I had better just do my hunting at night 
thereafter and save time. 
Work in the wild woods, which have never been 
touched with an ax, and where the wild creatures live 
in their natural state, is full of interest, and I have at 
times become so engrossed in the study of wild life about 
me as to almost forget what I was working at. To note 
with what engineering skill their trails are laid out 
through the mountains, so as to take advantage of every 
ravine, canyon, ridge and peak, so as to get from one 
point to another through rough, wooded country by the 
easiest possible routes, would cause anyone to admire 
and wonder at their seeming wisdom. 1 never crossed 
one of these well-beaten and long used trails along the 
steep mountain slopes without thinking, "What could 
an observer have seen could he have been stationed by 
the side of this trail all through the past ages, and seen 
all the wild creatures which contributed their share to- 
ward the making of this trail?" 
Once, while removing an old log which was so decayed 
as to be readily torn to pieces by the hands, I found, 
directly under the log, and consequently several inches 
under the ground and old leaf mould, a pair of buck deer 
antlers, with the skull attached to them, which had evi- 
dently been protected from the rodents all these years 
by being covered up. I spent considerable time holding 
an inquest over the remains, to try to determine how 
and when it met its death; and whether it was lying 
there and was killed by the tree falling upon its head, or 
whether it had met its death before the tree fell. It was 
all so fascinating to try to picture in the mind_ the 
tragedy that must have happened there in the solitary 
wilderness long before the foot of any white man was 
set in those mountains; for, judging from the great 
length of time which the fallen pine timber on those 
dry mountain sides will remain solid, the log must have 
lain there more than a hundred years. 
While working on the same spot at another time, I 
stopped, straightened up and looked around to see if any 
living thing was in sight, as was my habit. Up on the 
mountain side in the open timber, less than 100 yards 
away, stood an immense buck deer with wide spreading 
antlers, watching me at my work. I began to talk to him 
in a loud voice, and apologized for intrudding on his 
territory, and told him with some genuine sadness that 
he and his kindred were doomed to be crowded out, like 
the Indian, whose tepee poles were scattered around 
only a few rods from that spot. He stood and hstened 
to it all, then walked slowly away, as if in a deep study. 
The next camp meat was that of a ■ full-grown elk 
which I found late one evening about one and a half miles 
from camp, as I was on my way from my work. 
I frequently got on my horse and rode over to Big 
Creek Park, to see my neighbors, and look after my 
ranch. One evening while on my way back to camp, and 
while going through a little open park, I looked off to 
my left, and there was a fine buck deer with large antlers 
standing in the edge of a windfall, about seventy-five 
yards away, watching me as I rode by. I had no gun, 
but remembered hearing of people who had roped deer 
and other game from their horses. As I was riding a 
horse that was swift for a short distanpe, my plans were 
made in an instant. After getting somewhat past the 
buck, so as to keep him unsuspicious, I began circling 
gradually around toward the windfall, to get as near as 
possible to him, hoping when he would start I could get 
him to go out into and across the park, which was about 
200 yards wide, and believing that in such case I could 
make a dash and come up with him. All this time I was 
taking my rope from the saddle, and had it all ready to 
throw, and was just getting ready for the chase when he 
wheeled around and went off through the windfall, after 
I had gotten quite close to him, and spoiled my plans. 
One day I was at Luke Wheelers' and they had been 
out of meat for some time. ' It was getting late in the 
season, and the deer were gathering in bands prepara- 
tory to leaving for their winter quarters, and were hard 
to find. As the country between there and the timber 
camp was all unsettled and " full of game, Luke suggested 
that I take his rifle with me as I went back to camp and 
try to kill a deer for him, which he might get the next 
day, as he intended driving to our camp with the wagon 
and take his wife and sister over for a day's outing. 
While I was allowing my horse to clirnb slowly up the 
side, of a steep mountain on the other side of which was 
our camp, just as the sun was setting, I saw a deer stand- 
ing away above me feeding. I had a lariat rope tied 
around my horse's neck, and fastened in- a wil to the 
saddle, so that it could be taken loose in an instant. 1 
loosed the rope from the saddle, jumped off my horse, 
and dropped the rope at my feet, dropping on one knee 
on top of it to keep the horse from leaving me, and took 
a shot at the deer. The horse made a plunge to get away 
and ray feet in some way got caught in the coils of the 
rope, and , for an instant there was a general mix-up. 
By some of the most creditable high-kicking and contor- 
tions ever executed, I was disentangled from the rope, 
and as soon as the horse found it was free it stopped and 
began grazing. 
I gathered up the gun and my scattered senses and 
slipped up a little ravine a few yards, where I could get 
a better view of where I had seen the deer, and raising 
up I saw not only the one I had seen, but about eighteen 
or twenty others, all standing within gun-shot. 
It was the largest bunch of deer I ever saw together, 
and it was a splendid sight. They were in their short 
gray coat, and looked so much the color of their sur- 
roundings, in the dusk of the evening, that it was diffii- 
cult to see them only as they would move a big ear or 
turn their head. 
Taking careful " aim at a large doe, which was nearest 
to me and standing broadside to me, I shot, not doubting 
that it would collapse right there. It never moved when 
the gun cracked. Pumping in another load I shot with 
even more care, if possible, than before, and it still re- 
mained motionless. Then it just occurred to me that 
I was shooting a strange gun, and I knew it was sighted 
entirely different from mine, but how I did not know. 
Some of the deer were by that time getting uneasy and 
beginning to walk cautiously away toward the timber a 
few rods distant. I was iincasy also, but remained wherd 
I was. I concluded that the gun was shooting high, and 
aimed for the fore leg, half way between the knee and 
the body, and when the gun cracked that time the deer 
dropped, but I knew full well that it was not down to 
stay. I jumped up and ran with all possible speed toward 
it, and did this so suddenly that I was fairly among the 
others before they were aware of it, and such a stampede 
as was on for an instant would have made a picture for 
an artist, could it have been continued. I was within 
ten steps of my doe when she saw me, and seeming to 
rally all at once did what I had expected — jumped up 
and started off on a good run. I was as close as I 
wanted, and at the second jump put in a shot that 
brought it down to stay. The first shot had simply 
creased it on top of the shoulders, as I supposed. By 
the time I had the game dressed and got my horse it was 
dark, and I left it there and rode on to camp by star- 
light. 
If in all the affairs of life I could profit as well by the 
mistakes made, to guard against a recurrence of the 
same, as in the art of hunting, it might be well. I owed 
my success of that evening to a failure on a previous 
occasion, when I was stopping at Wheeler's for a few 
days. Deer were very hard to get just then, and I vol- 
unteered to try and get one for them. I had hunted hard 
and faithfully until about two o'clock, when, in coming 
over a bare ridge, I saw a fine bunch of deer, but they 
saw me at the same time, and were off. There was some 
snow, and I followed after, but soon found that they 
were sighting me at intervals and moving on. At last, 
by great care and some maneuvering, I saw one of them 
standing on a bare hill nearly a mile away. Having 
them once located and stationary, I knew it was only a 
matter of time until I should get to them, unseen, for 
stalking was my strong hold. By much circling I kept 
in ravines and sheltering places, and crawling on my 
hands and knees the last hundred yards I finally got to 
the nearest point to them that it was possible to get, 
which was still a long shot. There were quite a bunch" 
of them standing and lying around, at a point where 
they could see far back on their trail, and were evidently 
feeling secure in their advantageous position. The one , 
which was nearest to me was lying down, and taking a 
very careful aim I fired at its shoulder. When the gun 
cracked it began to flounder and kick around, but could 
not get up. In my inexperience at that time I sup- 
posed of course that if it was disabled for the time be- 
ing it was so for good, and after taking a few long run- ^ 
ning shots at some of the others, I began hunting around ; 
for the empty shells which I had thrown out of my gmi, 
and after a minute or more of search for them, I started . 
ieisurely over to take care of my deer. When about half ' 
way to it I saw, away down to my left, a deer running 
away, and it fell, but got up quickly and went on at a 
good rate. I realized as soon as I saw it fall that it was 
the one I had been so sure was mine, I fired a couple of ' 
parting shots at it, but it went on, and although I fol- 
lowed it for miles, I never again got sight of it, and 
never even found where it had stopped. Subsequent ex- ' 
perience taught me that it had been creased on top of the i 
shoulders or neck, and I have never followed any game 
thus wounded and come up with it, though I have fol- j 
lowed some animals many miles. Such wounding is .j 
probably not fatal, and they soon recover from the effects. ' 
When I looked back through my "hind sight" and saw : 
how easily I could have gotten it before it got up at all, ,) 
and then realized how badly I wanted it, my remorse was j 
a just and full punishment for my mistake. A day or I 
two later, when telling the famous hunter, Cooke Rhea, I 
of my blunder, he said: "Take this advice, which I can 
give from a long experience : when you shoot at any- 
thing and it drops at the crack of the gun, get to it just 
as quick as you can !" With the above experience and 
advice I never lost another head of game in that way, 
but have frequently had success which depended on get- ! 
ting on the spot with all speed. On the other hand, when 
a big-game animal is shot and runs a few _ rods before \ 
falling, then it is safe to take plenty of time in getting to j 
it, for it will stay down. ' 
The time was drawing near when our work would be 
finished, and camp would be broken. I was anxious to 
get some meat to take home with me to my ranch. My 
saddle horse and a mule belonging to another fellow had 
left the range where they usually stayed, and Andrew 
Pennoyer and I started out one morning to hunt for, 
them, and I took my rifle, hoping to see something to , 
shoot. The mountain on which we were camped was 
mostly covered with timber on the north side where we 
were camped, and on the south side it was open, and 
covered with fine feed for stock; it was there we believed 
our stock had gone, and we went over and found them 
