The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-08-05
AN ELK STORY.
Result of Shot Sent at Random Into .
Large Herd.

Large Herd.
''It was on the western slope of the
Snowies, not far from the present town
OF Copperopolis. that the writer saw for
the first time large band of elk, and
experienced the pleasure and pride OF
seeing the first one fali before his rifle.
was a member of a military expedi-
tion which started from Helena. Mont,
late in October. 1882, our objective
point being Fort Maginnis. near the
entrance OF the valley known as the
Judith basin, and about two hundred
miles from Helena. We say. no game
of consequence until after passing
White Sulphur Springs. eighty miles
out. Leaving that place, we entered Il
country OF high. bare hills. covered
with abundant grass and having a
dense growth of underbrush along the
little creeks. which flowed through the
ravines which separated them. We had
been told at White Sulphur that we
should find plenty OF game along our
route, but this prediction did not prove
true the first day. for, though we trav-
eled about twenty miles Of the coun-
try, we saw nothing but few stray
antelope and deer, which, from their
exceeding slyness, must have been
hunted very recently. / was greatly
disappointed, for l had heard from old
hunters that this particular bit of coun-
try probably contained more elk than
any other section for hundreds of miles
around
''That night we camped near the
summit of a little divide not far from
the bin of miner who was engaged
in sinking shaft into the hill in search
of copper. He, like most western
miners, had very expansive notions as
to the future of his claim, and gave the
place the name OF Copperopolis, and so
it is set down upon the map. But his
glowing recital of the superlative rich
ness of his mine and generally brilliant
prospects for himself and his property
had only a passing interest to us, until
he incidentally remarked that he had
seen that morning large herd of elk
covering the next hill, a mile distant.
It was too late then to take any ac-
tion upon this information, but it was
q OlASC III Sell anu OIit
of the officers of the detachment that
we should investigate the matter in the
morning as soon as there was sufficient
light.
''We were awakened by one Of the
guards at five o'clock, arranged that
we should pursue nearly parallel
tracks; he to take the left of the range
of hills that hN,.n fn ffra ~
US, and l to the right. The morning
was chilly and the hills covered with
dense fog, or mist, which extended
from these SUBMITS half way to the
valley below. The path was very rough
and was intersected at frequent inter-
walls by deep ravines between the hills.
It was thought that these ravines
would be the most likely place for
game, since each of them contained a
small water course, and the grasses
and brush upon which the elk feed grew
there in greater luxuriance than upon
the hills.
| had gone perhaps two miles, and
though signs were abundant. / saw no
living thing. had given up hopes of
SutStoS tOi thot ltStSl. anu
turned into one OF the ravines men
toned for the purpose of joining my
companion on the other side of the
hills. Owing to the dense fog, which
prevented me from seeing more than
twenty yards in any direction. was
compelled to proceed very slowly. I
had gone, perhaps. half way through
bar INV yvac o..poc4aJ hr- .,
sudden snort, and second after. from
the noise, it would seem as though I
was in the midst of charging regi-
ment of cavalry. The shadowy forms
which arose apparently from the
ground on each side of me were dis
torted in twice their actual size by be-
ing seen through the fog. | had walked
into large herd of elk.
For moment ! had bad case Of the
''buck fever" but quickly recovering,
raised my rife and fred-I must con
fess at random, for there was no time
for sighting-into the mass of animals,
as they were tearing at full speed over
the hills. / could hardly have missed
if tried, but did not anticipate my
good luck in seeing one of them fall
and remain upon the ground behind
his fleeing companions. He was shot
both shoulders and was help
less, though he made vicious lunges at
me with his antlers as l approached
him. A second bullet soon dispatched /.
him and secured to me the grandest
prize of all my hunting experiences. /
1t was large bull, and his antlers,
though not by any means the largest,
were by far the most symmetrical ] I,
ever saw. l secured them and the
head and still preserve them as me-
mentOs of the adventure.
My companion heard the shot. and !
though the herd came close to him. he |
could not make them out on account of |
the fog. We soon reached camp and /.
detachment brought in the elk just in |
time for the members of our party &c |
enjoy some of its steaks for breakfast
Review.
The government of New South |
Wales has been driven TO the creation