The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-06

WhGer, A1u Only u wholesome IeAr OF Inc
law has kept the hunters at home. When
the season has fully opened, day and night
expeditions begin. Whatever the morality
of night hunting, it is most fascinating
sport. The hunter goes out with one or at
most two companions in a light canoe, or
one of those marvelously stanch yet deli
cate Adirondack boats that a child may
row laden and a skillful paddler may drive
as he will up and down the swift, shallow,
kinky streams Of the mountain region.
The night hunters, with dark lantern
f1aring ut the bow of their craft. paddle in
absolute silence up the stream of a little
creek flowing into the lake. Crouching in
the bottom of the boat, the man with the
gun watches in nervous silence for the ap-
proach Of his prey. Sometimes the victim
Is first heard walking straight down the
creek toward the light. Sometimes strain
ing eyes detect his dim form on the shore.
1t is tho business Of the silent watcher to
shoot just at the right moment and so make
sure OF his prey. If it be a misty, moon
light night, he may aim clear over the back
Of the intended victim. 1t may be that he
has for guide only two blazing eyes and
must choose the right point below and be-
hind to reach the heart. 1t would be a
greedy night hunter who should not be con-
tent with a single deer.
The game, once secured, is flung into the
bottom Of the boat, and the homeward
journey begins. Stiffened limbs are re-
Taxed, and sealed lips are unlocked. Once
the boat has left the narrow channel of tho
little creek, the oars are set going, and the
boat is rowed swiftly across the lake. The
precious load is taken ashore and safely
slowed in the icehouse, and then there is a
late luncheon for the hunters beside a roar
ing fire in the great dining room. II o.
Sometimes the hunter chooses the sunset
hour. He takes a green boat in order that
his movements may attract less attention,
and rowing swiftly across the lake paddles
in silence up some cold trout stream or
down the little river that drains the lake.
Everybody is silent and m%otionlesss as be-
fore, and in the strained condition of all the
senses no sight or sound escapes the hun
ters. The sunset O in the A~dirondacks
sets a host Of nocturnal creatures in mo-
ton. As he almost invisible boat glides
silently along its pathway, shy beast and
bird lay bare their mysteries to the eyes of
the hunters. Now a muskrat peeps eau
tiously from his half submerged dwelling
on the bank, fops into the stream aud
swims to the opposite shore with incredi-
bic swiftness. Next a luck suddenly rises
with keen whistle of swift wings and is
soon Il mere speck in the distant sky. Then
a heron rises on shell-like wings to disap-
pear beyond the tree tops ashore.
The silence and mystery of those cold
streams at the sunset hour are well worth
the expedition, though no game should be
sighted. the hunters are not to be turned
from their object by the glories of nature.
The sights and sounds of the wilderness
are but incidents of the expedition. The
real excitement comes when the game is
spied browsing ashore or just coming down
to the stream for drink. There is no out
ward sign of elation at the sight unless it
DO the added keenness of the watching
eyes. The problem is to get within killing
distance without attracting the attention
of the game. The paddler, never removing
his paddle from the water, slowly urges his
boat toward the browsing deer. So long rs
the pretty head is bent to the ground the
paddler keeps at his work; so soon as the
head is lifted the paddler is frozen into a
statue. A single seconds inattention on
the part of the deer gives the hunters a
chance to move a yard or two nearer.
Whenever it is possible the hunter man.
ages to place Il bush between himself and
the game, and from this screen to approach
as rapidly as possible. When within a
long range shot, lie watches more closely
than ever the movements of the deer.
Every yard gained is SO much in favor of a
fatal shot. The tail Of the game is an i'm
portant indication. When it begins to be
n~ervously uneasy, the hunter knows that
his shot cannot be long deferred. Then
the puff and explosion come, and the HUN
ter eagerly watches for the effect. If the
deer bounds away with tail in air. then
there may be a long chase before the game
is captured. If, however, the tail lies fiat be-
tween the Launches, the shot is mortal,
and the chase will be short.
Really keen hunters love best of all the
life in rough camp when they leave the
comfortable hearth with guide and boat
and dog to spend days and nights in the
depths of the wilderness. The guide knows
the region and the haunts Of the deer. The
hunters, stationed at the runways of the
game, wait patiently for hours while the
dogs start the deer. 1t is the object of the
latter to put IA lake or large stream between
himself and his pursuer, and the hunter
lies in ambush to shoot the deer rs he seeks
this refuge. The life in rough camp is va
ricd by expeditions up and down almost
inpenetrable streams and laborious night
journeys when daylight sport has yielded no
luck. The guide improvises rude shelter
for tbs night or finds a hunters lodge that
Is public property aud cooks u simple meal
by an open air fire OF logs. He is An adept
in all the woodman's art, and he cooks for
diners whom hunger has robbed of Il crit