Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-14

only two or three inches in diameter, a suf-
icient space could be easily cleared Our
beds were made of the fragrant ends of pine
and tamarac boughs, covered with buffalo
robes and blankets Then the Sibley stove
| lighted, we could defy wind and weather.
As soon as it was light in the morning we
cooked our breakfast and were off.
Our hunting suits consisted of heavy un-
derwear, "prair1e broadcloth" (canvas) coat
and trousers, moccasins or rubber boots, un-
| der which was worn several pairs of stock
| ings, flannel shirt and close fitting cap
that could be pulled down over most Of tho
head in case of blizzard. But such was the
violent e1ertion of those mountain climbs
the cap was never worn unless we had to
face a storm; it was habitually carried slung
to the belt and an ordinary white handker-
cqef was tied around the head Our ap-
pearance with this headgear, and our faces
well blackened around the eyes with char
coal to lessen the effect of the light and pre-
vent snowblindness, was anything but pre-
possessing, but the comfort was unspeak-
able.
Habits Of Deer in Gold Weather.
follow the caps and be slung to the belts or
the light, strong rope that each carried
around the waist or over the shoulder. On
cold nights the deer leave the mountains
and come down to the valleys and take
shelter in the brush by the streams. When
the day breaks they commence to climb the
mountains, feeding as they CO. This habit
gives the hunter who makes an early start
an opportunity to head them off and as they
are feeding it is easy to approach unseen.
On this particular hunt my friend and I
followed the spurs of the mountain and we
soon were walking along the first plateau
IN old daar trail wall haatap in tho daay,
snow. Expecting to find fresh trail any
minute we put on our snow-shoes and as it
was a little late turned off up the side of the
mountain. Soon the rising sun made it
sufficiently light to see distant objects, and
on the side of little gulch we made out
lines of irregular, meandering trails, lead
ing from one good feeding ground to another.
The next moment we discovered that three
deer were above us. Unless they had seen
us we would be able to head them off and
get shot at them.
Three Animals Brought Down.
Retracing our steps until we reached the
gulch adjoining this we silently snowshoed
rapidly up it. After ascending half mile
we crossed back and approached carefully,
looked about for our game, but no deer were
to be seen. Continuing on upward we
reached an overhanging cliff when we saw
our three deer emerging from the same
gulch we had so rapidly toiled up in order
to head them off. For some reason they
had crossed over, too, and had leisurely fol-
lowed up in our footsteps.
But they were pursuing course that
soon would bring them within easy range.
Moving back from the edge of the cliff, we
made ourselves. comfortable and waited for |
them. When they got close we took posi- |
tions where we could see, but not be seen,
settled to who the first shot belonged, |
opened fire, and were fortunate enough to |
get them all.
Then came the prosaic part of hunting |
large game-butchering it. My companion |
and I had reduced this to science We
always hunted together, for the localities we
most frequented were rugged and danger
Gus, especially SO in winter. One of our
brother officers had lost his life-frozen to
death-while hunting and we found de-
cided comfort in being together when danger
came upon us, as it often did; besides it
Iightened our work.
Tobogganins on a Carcass
We always butchered our game, and in
winter dragged it into camp, sometimes five
miles. In butchering we took the light
ropes that we carried and swung the deer up
,y his hind legs between two trees; this
made the work comparatively light The
hree deer thus disposed of, we made tea in
! tin quart cup, melting snow for water over
/ little fire. Lunch over, we tied the ropes
Iround the necks of the deer, a half hitch
,eing taken around their noses, and then
he homeward haul commenced
Keeping along the modhtain side we
inally gained point nearly above our
amp. Then we put in practice labor
aving device that generally afforded us
much satisfaction. Selecting slope free
rom trees and brush, one of the deer was
ct to slide down the declivity. The other
wo, now frozen stiff, were arranged as to-
,oggans, their heads pointing down hill so
hat they would slide with the grain of the
lair. Then sitting astride and holding on
% the forelegs, down over the thick crust
We few. Sometimes hauling, sometimes
lidlng, we at last arrived at camp, where
he deer were hung up to lodge poles.
Then supper and an early bed
F. P. FREMONT.
Lieutenant, q. S. A.