Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-08-02
sEA.nrrER nuMTINo.
q faenc Coast inaantrY About which
nut IIttle Va. Isecn Mrltten.


Aut little Has tsecn Written.
II is not generally known that some
Of the most valuable fur-producing ami
mails arc killed off the coast Of the new
State OF Washington, and It is remark
able that the extent Of territory where
these animals are taken is so extremely
limited, beng only from Damon's Point,
st the northern entrance TO Gray's liar-
Dor, up the coast TO Point Groenville,
distance OF about twenty-four miles.
The animal referred 20 is the sea-otter,
the fur OF which is manufactured into
the robes Of the potentates and princes
OF the Old World.
The fur OF the sea otter requires no
plucking of hair or coloring; in fact, the
most valuable skins are those which are
specl;led throughout with a silyer-tipped
hair, which is known as the silver-tipped
fur, the addition of this hair adding Is
10 80 per cont 10 the price OF the skin.
The hunters build for themselves der
ricks about 40 feet high by taking three
slim poles, or pieces OF timber, each
about 80 feet in length, and boiling
them securely together at one end for
the top, then spread them about 25 feet
apart at the bottom, giving the appear
once OF huge tripod. These are set ON
the ocean beach, about midway between
high and low tides, the foot Of the poles
being embedded in tho sand from two TO
three feet. The structure Is then thor
oughly braced and ladder built to the
top by mailing pieces at convenient dis
tances, crosswise, on the inside. About
Is inches below the top OF the tripod
Gross timbers arc secured TO the legs,
and upon these cross timbers a floor
from 10 feet square Is laid, and on
the oceanward and two ad joiniig sides
walls are built up from 81 TO feet In
height, On the land side door is con
structed to allow the hunter easy in
gress TO and from his crows nest" On
the top Of the tripod, which extends
about IS inches above the floor, a seat
Is constructed, and around the inside
of the wall row OF shelving Is
placed. At low tide, whom the wind
is propitious the hunter HES himself &c
his crows nest, armed with good pair
Of glasses, n Sharp's rifle, lunch and q
little something to keep himself warm
and fer six hours ho scans the line oil
the ocean just outside the breakers
whore he must expect his game 10 ap
pear. When the tide begins to flood, hi,
range is about 800 yards, but as IL run,
In the range is shortened to 200 or sOs
yards. Even al these latter distances
1t requires close calculation 10 know JUS
how to shoot TO overcome tho rise ant
fall Of the ocean swell and the effect o.
tho wind upon the bullets, 1t Is sale
that not one out OF 100 shots Of the hes
marksmen is effective. When the tide il
full the derrick stands in the midst o th,
breakers. and landluhber feels a littl,
saueamish, looking down from the dizz-
heights on the rolling waters below
The shooting Is generally done on foo,
tide, so the animal, whom killed will
wash ashore, and even then II Is some
times three or four days after one 1
killed before 1t is boaehod. Undoubt
eddy many others are killed and move
DO come ashore. Each hunter marks hi
bullets with marks known 70 other hun,
ers, and when an otter In found on tn
beach, the first duty OF the finder Is b
look for tho bullet and ascertain VIII
Is the right owner, for the sig
Ia respected among the hunters as 81
eredly as marks and brands are anon
stockmen. When an otter comes ashor
with no bullet In him, as frequentl
occurs, tho bullet having gone clea
through the body, aud no notice havin
been given, 1t belongs 10 tho finder.
An average skin is about feet Ion
by II inches wide ldoublel, or, whs
cut, "a inches wide, and in the hunter
hand is valued al from 500 TO SlaO: bu
these prices leave handsome margi
10 the fur mon who handle them.
Russia an overcoat made from thes
same otter skins brings from 81. 900 /
$4,000, while In China even more
sometimes paid. The season for KILN
sea otter extends from May to October
and so scarce is the game becoming tina
four a season is considered doing we
by any hunter. In fact. some pass IN
season without taking any The hunter
have n rule among themselves. which
strictly observed, that only one derrie
San be allowed within q range, l. o
about half a mile, thus giving the Who'll
beach n regularity OF appearance ne
elsewhere observable. Portland ore
yoninn