Dec. 29, 1906.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
1017 
The Seamy Side of Elk Hunting. 
Taking forceful possession of an elk—if I may 
describe a harsh act by the means of smooth 
words — had been represented to us as a pro¬ 
cedure closely allied to the shooting of cari¬ 
bou in 'Newfoundland,-viz., locating a herd of 
the animals, and after this no difficult per¬ 
formance, because of their abundance, a series 
of interesting maneuvers until the selected 
possessor of a fine pair of antlers could be 
singled out of the group and approached to 
within rifle range. This seemed such an easy 
thing, with the assured result always plainly 
in view, that we classified the elk with stupid 
creatures, and the hunting of them with mild 
forms of exercise. Had not one of our lady 
friends, who, by the way, was no amazon, shot 
a proud elk, and had not several acquaintances 
who could not hit a flock of balloons with a 
shotgun returned from Wyoming with the full 
legal allowance? Surely elk hunting is easy, 
we thought, as we journeyed toward our ren¬ 
dezvous in the Jackson’s Hole country.. We 
were not a little surprised and disappointed by 
seeing none of these animals in the Yellow¬ 
stone Park and hearing only one “call’’; but, 
while it would have been most appropriate and 
considerate of them to have made some de¬ 
monstration for our benefit, still, we knew they 
must be present in large numbers, and our 
expectations of the future were undisturbed. 
Wyoming’s game preserve, adjacent to the 
nation’s, now excludes hunters from one- 
third of the heretofore best elk hunting coun¬ 
try, and in consequence, their ruling passion 
must be controlled until twenty-five or more 
miles are traversed, after having their guns 
unsealed at the P-ark boundary. This seemed 
no hardship to us, however, since the Teton 
Basin, like the Park, supplied a rapid succes¬ 
sion of impressive panoramic diversions, and 
the .time of transit was crowded with many 
interests. 
The town of Jackson is but a short distance 
beyond the limit of the State’s game preserve, 
and here, after our drive of over two hundred 
miles, we stocked our larder, packed it and 
our duffle upon seven pack horses, and in 
company with George, Selar and Tom, each 
bestrode a saddle horse, we set out upon our 
quest. 
Our first camping ground was reached on 
the evening of Sept. 15, the first day of the 
hunting season, and extracts from my diary 
will reflect hopes and disappointment during 
the several days of “uphill work,” when the 
elk was our paramount thought. 
On the 16th George and I headed our horses 
up the neighboring wooded mountain in the 
early morning—and, by the way, we soon 
learned that up the mountain is a matter of 
course in this country, for to go more than 
fifty yards from camp in any direction, ex¬ 
cepting when following the streams, necessi¬ 
tates going up a mountain. The day was 
given up to scouting and attempting to learn 
whether the elk are high or low at this season, 
whether they have herded as yet, and which 
way they are traveling. The result was .not 
satisfactory, for while we discovered many 
signs several days old, there were very few 
fresh ones, and these had been made by scat¬ 
tered animals. We saw only a fox and coyote 
during our day’s travel, but after returning to 
camp, one of the knowing horses attracted 
our attention to the bare mountain above our 
heads, and we were surprised to see against 
the sky line, almost within shooting distance, 
a large elk. We attempted a hurried climb- 
through some nearby sheltering timber, but 
our exhausting efforts failed of result by 
means of the bull’s return by the route he 
came. My partner with his guide Selar had 
reached camp in the meantime, and reported 
having met two cow moose—an unexpected 
pleasure—and having fruitlessly persuaded a 
bull elk, which, after a comparison of notes, 
we agreed was the one seen from camp. 
17th.—In order to make a careful search in 
some dense timber upon slopes so steep that 
horses could not be used to advantage, George 
and 1 departed on foot. Jove! how one puffs 
and blows after slight exertion in this high 
altitude. Pauses were frequent when climb¬ 
ing; but by the aid of many steep declivities, 
we covered considerable territory, and found 
only very few indications of the recent pres¬ 
ence of elk. We saw one coyote and several 
jays, with plumage of peacock blue. Partner 
was in camp on our return, and reported an 
uneventful day. 
18th.—We broke camp preparatory to mov¬ 
ing further south. While the horses were 
being brought in, the cayuse bucked, upset 
Tom (the cook) and dislocated his knee; but 
he, after being repaired by his companions, 
remounted the ill-tempered critter and stuck 
fast. After ups and downs oft repeated, we 
pitched our second camp about mid-afternoon 
in. a place where, in former years, game was to 
be had at almost any time. After the tents, 
were pitched, we ascended some hills and saw 
some bald eagles. 
19th.—George and T made an early start for 
a section of country he had hunted with good 
results. Our disappointment was keen when 
we saw the impressions of horseshoes in the 
game trail, and, a little later, discovered evi¬ 
dence that a hunter had spent two nights here. 
We encircled an extensive pocket in the moun¬ 
tains, which last year had harbored more than 
two hundred elk at one time, searching care¬ 
fully for tracks. This route took us near the 
mountain crests, and while it was exceedingly 
interesting and gave us extended views of 
surrounding peaks, including the always im¬ 
pressive Tetons, it was at times so rough with 
loose boulders as to require leading the horses. 
Again we saw tracks of unshod ponies, sug¬ 
gesting native hunters after winter supplies. 
We concluded the location was no longer a 
safe refuge for the elk and they knew it. Our 
fellow huntsmen had visited some formerly 
popular licks, but saw only tracks. 
20th. — George planned that he and I should 
canvass the whole territory lying between this 
and our former camp, so as to satisfy our¬ 
selves that no large bands of elk would be 
left behind when we again moved our base 
of supplies. ’Twas a long march, and the 
opalescent light of evening clothed the moun¬ 
tains when we were still far from headquarters. 
George is untiring in his efforts to produce 
results. 
“Something hidden, 
Go and find it; 
Go and look behind the Ranges,” 
seems to be his motto. The ascent and de¬ 
scent of mountains by starlight is not a form 
of amusement likely to become popular with 
me. The horses used their own judgment 
about jumping streams and crevasses, climb¬ 
ing over fallen timber, pushing through un¬ 
derbrush, which might conceal any kind of a 
pitfall, and walking along the edge of gorges, 
in which the hurrying water seemed very far 
below. Then, too, those we rode, substitutes 
for our weary customary companions, had a 
way of cutting off corners which was not at 
all reassuring. In camp partner and Selar told 
an interesting story of having heard bugling 
in a tract of heavy timber visited by them. 
They had "approached quite close to some of 
the elk, but owing to intervening underbrush, 
had not obtained a shot. 
21 st.—The territory in which the elk were 
• located yesterday was extensive, and so all 
four of us directed our course thither. When 
George and I reached the boundary line of the 
sections apportioned to us, we heard the call 
of a bass-voiced bull, and a little later an 
answer from a younger one away Off in the 
valley. The old fellow was loquacious, and 
' kept us informed of his whereabouts, but was 
wary. He would dare us to approach, and 
then, before we could get near him, go deeper 
into the timber, and finally, as though startled 
by something else, “hit the trail.” We then 
took time to study the signs a little, and when 
we reached our horses, which always patiently 
PATIENTLY WAITING. 
NEAR THE CREST. 
