Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-01-02
ELK HUNT IN IDAHO.

clothed the narrow Salmon River valley
and the rugged mountains IA a downy
shroud my work was ended for the season.
IL was holiday for the mining camp. IL
was the signal for shut down, which
means spree for the average miner. My
heart bounded with joy, too. Not that /
expected to get drunk, but the report had
reached me every day for two weeks that
large herds of elk and deer were low down
on the mountain In the open tiinber. Ny
rifle was bright as new silver dollar. /
had cleaned aud oiled IL ten times since l
had fired IL, just because | enjoyed the
work by lamplight | was busy day
times
There WAS young English gentleman
In the camp who had been tied down to
business for the same weary months. His
responsibility was great, but when night
came he sought my lodgings, aud it was
recreation for us all to see the spirit
which he entered into the hunting we did
by the fireside. He had new Winchester
which had never frightened n wild animal
by its report, but he dreamed OF many
trophies which he should bring down with
IL and forward To his noble father when
the season of rest from business and of
sport should arrive. He sought me at
night when snow began to whiten the
ground, and insisted that we 20 fifteen
miles mp the mountain TO Fish lake, and
that We invite no one 10 accompany us.
So on the first day of snow we were of.
We employed a packer with a pony TO
take our outfit to the place designated.
The stage road passed within three miles
of the lake, and we could. of
course, walk that distance. Besides, the
hnnfinu a. rna ont hn ral
tain between the road and the camp
ground we had selected. We paid the
stage fare to Granite Ridge, and, after a
two hours run in n four horse sleigh,
were put down In the silent, trackless for
est. We knew that Fish lake and our
bed and board were over the mountain
southwark. We could see the fruwning
barrier through the breaks IN the trees.
1t was high and gloomy, but we had six
hours of daylight. We started, tramp,
tramp The snow was foot deep where
we left the stage road On we ascended;
II grew sleeper. But we came to the
fresh trail of herd OF elk. Then we had
a beaten path. The elks were evidently
aiming to cross the mountain toward the
lake, but were hunting around TO avoid
increasing depth Of snow and to find a
pass that was less abrupt.
We followed them for a mile or more,
when we came TO very deep canyon,
which seemed to almost cut the noun
tain In two, but in reality was a sort OF
pocket. We discovered that the walls
grew sleeper aud fenced in the little cove.
Our game was in trap. They could
only escape by coming back as they went
in, or by crossing the rocky washout
along the width of the valley and return
ing on the opposite slope between us and
the rock wall
While we were discussing q plan OF at
tack we caught sight OF the moving mass
of brown against the snow They were
feeding slowly about in the shelter OF the
towering piles OF serrated basalt They
were browsing the slender red willows
that grow In clumps In the moist ground
at the head OF the rayine.
My young friend, of hot, aristocratic
blood, became restless. The scene was
not new one to me, so advised caution,
and finally succeeded in securing his con-
sent to what seemed to be the most
rational course to adopt. But the young
Britisher was like the proerbial war
horse. He must rush TO the battle. de-
sired that he should walk across the mar
row strip Of woods To the open ground
and wait in ambush for his quarry. But
no, he must go forward and shoot down
this noble antleresl elk in open field. And
he went, nor did he wait ON the order. A
quarter of an hour later the report of his
gun echoed down the canyon The thump
of heavy feet and the swapping OF brush
was soon heard all over the narrow valley.
] was not tout of the woods, but | saw
grand buck going at trot that was
equal TO Jay -Eye-See's best gait, and
fired, fired, fired, but the buck still trotted
on with stride | never saw equaled be-
fore. His feet did not go over the SNOW,
but through its fieeey depths like plow.
As looked spon the flying form soon
could see only cloud Of white. was
surprised. My trusty gun had never
failed al such mark before. Had
nursed IL all summer To fiud IL unreliable
when the hunting season had GOMEZ In
my haste 10 get to the open space | fell
and rolled In the SHOW, but was not long
in getting TO the track of the elk. There
was blood ON the SNOW Five yards from
where he was when fired the last shot he
had snorted blood from his nose in large
quantities. had pierced his lungs. He
would fall as surely as II shot through the
heart. Yes, ten rods further ON he was
dead lie had crashed blindly against q
log and tumhled over IN the snow.
After had slashed the trinity curved
throat of my victim, aid watched with q
hunters exultation the gush OF crimson
that stained the pure snow till the excite
ment subsidized, my thoughts turned 10 my
uninitiated companion. heard strained
voice as II some creature was in distress.
fastened In the direction whence came
the wall Il was repeated at intervals of
a few seconds, so that my interest in the
object of my desire did not allow my
speed to slacken till | had run nearly
half q mile through the deep snow, al
though | had tripped over fallen buried
brush till | was white as ghost from
hair 20 heels. AS / neared the open slope
at the head Of the canyon whore we had
seen the unsnspicions elk. large buck
was seen rearing up and striking both
with hoofs and horns ut scrubby fir
bush, that, although thick at the butt,
was not over ten feet high. | could see
nothing hut the dark green foliage and
wondered at the energy displayed by the
mad beast The voice that guided me
seemed to come from the bush. drew
my gun down to shoot. just then the elk
settled down behind and seemed to bs
dying.
moved forward somewhat cautiously
Some object moved in the clumpy little
tree A pair OF legs Strengthened down
near the nose OF the elk. The frenzied
beast aroused from his stupnr and rushed
at them. Again the scream rang out
The legs were drawn aud the elk sanh
slowly back In the snow As / came
within ten yards his eyes We're CLASSY and
fixed. but every time my English friend