Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-02
GAME BUTCHERING IN THE BAD
LANDS.

10000 Elk. Mule Deer and Antelope
Butchered by Hide Hunters Annu-
ally.
~ hen 1 tell you that not less than
5000 elk, antelope and mule deer are
sIau Inferred every winter in Minnesota,
Montana and Wyoming Alone" said En-
gineer William Phillips, late of the North
ern Pacific Railroad, to a New HOrk San
reporter, 'yOu may readily believe that it
will not be many years before the race OF
three Of the nobiest game animals on the
American continent will be entirely ex-
ainct.
s'Elk, which formerly ranged from the
Eid5ie States to the Pacific, are now
never aund east of the Missouri river.
Twenty-Five years ago they were still
plenty in Kansas and Nebraska, but the
rapid advance of civilization in those
States has driven them into the dense and
as yet uninhabited regions Of Minnesota
and the northern territories. If they
were doomed to extinction by the natural
progress Of civilization, or the effects of
legitimate hunting in those regions, they
would be certain of a long lie tenure;
but the wholesale slaughter of
elk in all seasons that has been
going on for the past Is years, has re-
suited in so thinning out their ranks that
she sportsman has now to seek the game
in the most remote parts of even the COM
paratIvely unfrequented region to which
they have been driven. This indiscrimi-
mate and organized crusade against elk
and its kin, the mule deer and antelope,
began about 1872, when some Fort Benton
parties conceived the idea of trading in
&heir skins. These men f ted out hunting
parties, and they spread through the
FRY mo affn 10 W. "a so
satisfactory that still larger parti' s,
equipped with the most approved and
destructive weapons, were sent out, and
she business has been increasing ever
since.
&c travel in herds, and to the legiti-
male hunter there is no more noble and
exciting sport than elk hunting. When
not hindered by deep snow they make
thpr way with wonderful ease and ra-
pidity through the very worst of the bad
lands oil the region they inhabIt. Mounted
on a feet BrOnchO, Ike hunteTis frequent
y led a chase for many miles before he is
abb - capture his wary game. The
Aarural gait of the elk is a graceful
swinging tTOt, and as long as they main
tain mat they never tire. 1t is one great
object Of the hunter to follow so closely
on nIs pony as 10 break his trOt into "A gal-
Top. This done, he is almost sure Of his
elk for 1t soon tires and ags. An elk will
weigh from 800 to 500 pounds, and no
member of the deer family has such deli
sate and finely favored flesh.
"The greatest destruction to these game
an mails is carried on 10y the hide hunters
during the season of deep snow. In April
Gbe COW elks leave the bulls To themselves
and retire to the tlickets and close tim
Der. [ have known one single hide hun
f1es- to Kill in one month in the snow, and
Ghat IN the month of April, thIrty-ive cow
eiES- This man was one OF party of
SbiTteen, and each one of the others aver
AGED as large a number. Their party
kjlei over 45O COW elk7 Tq 7 0ue 3 % ~.
20 calf. The elk brings forth its
yOuGg about The first of June. These
men were but a very small number of the
hide hunters operating in the region, and
thousands IF elk were slaughtered that
month. After the elk is killed its skin is
stripped from the body and the carcass
left living in the snow. | have seen hun
g7reds Of dead elk along the Yellowstone
The average price of an elk skin is 50.
The hide hunters are equipped with re-
peating rifles, and even when the snow
does not aid them in their butchery, they
are able to frequently kill from six TO
SWelve elk in herd before il gets out of
range. The hunters are selected from
a5e most worthless and unprincipled
Elasses.
The mule deer, which are also singled
ont by these hide hunters, range from
idaho to Oregon. They are shyer than
she elk, and seek the higher portions Of
the bad lands. Quick Of eye aud scent,
ahey are the better able to elude the hunt
sT- The female gives birth to two young
5u the latter part Of May. Hunting the
mule deer requires all the skill and cum
ming the hunter is able to bring to his
aid. The elk, once fired at or hearing the
sound Of a gun, Will immediately run,
and once chased will not stop until they
sr0ss running water, although the run
may be many miles distant. The mule
deer, however, has his regular runs,
and may be hunted in the
game locality throughout the season. Mule
deer hides are not as valuable as elk hides.
bat the animal Is slaughtered just as I'M
scFupuOuslY. The antelope is being eX-
terminated in the same manner. Besides
She slaughter of the above named AMI
mails, know that in the year 1882 more
ghan $4,000 bufialOes We're killedtor these
Graders between the Yellowstone and the
Ecadwaters of the Little Missouri.
Iii the spOTtsmen of this country have
any desire 10 enjoy the sport of the great
Nest in tho future, they should move at
Rnce toward obtaining legislation that
viii give some protection to game in those
States and Territories. In five years from
now, at the present rate of destruction,
aAcTe will be very few elks, buffalo, mule
deer or antelope left to hunt