The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-29
HUNTING THE ELK.
EXCITEMENT OF THE CHASE OF
THE STATELY ANIMALS.

way OF the OnCe numerous Buffalo.
This is perhaps the greatest game coun-
Try In the United States. Situated in the
very heart of the Rocky mountains, the
least settied part, the towering peaks and
WOODED slopes literally TEEN with deer elk
ana pear. But the onward march of civil
ilzatlon Is making great inroads upon these
proud denllens OF the forest, and soon they
will have joined the buffalo in the happy
hunting ground. In varied experience,
covering several years, it has been nv
pleasure to study the habits and character
istics of these animals, and believe of all
the large game on this continent the ell. is
the noblest, the grandest, the stateliest.
The moose, caribou, deer or mountain
sheep has each its points of excellence that
endear it to the heart Of the sportsman
but the elk possesses more than any of the
Others. In size, sagacity cunning and
wariness he is the superior of them all.
His keen scent, his penetrating eye, his
acute sense of hearing, combine in making
him one of the most difficult animals to
kill.
He will travel twenty-four hours with
ease, never stopping to eat or drink. His
gait is swift, swinging trot. He is as
graceful as q fawn and moves over the
ground at an astonishing pace. With his
immense antlers thrown back on his shoul-
ders he will 90 through rocks, down tim
ber or brush with the greatest ease where
| horse, and sometimes man, would have
difficulty in following. He is often found
above timber line and will traverse narrow
| =
rock and through fissures where it would
seem impossible for an animal of his size
to go.
Iwell remember the first time heard an
elk bugle. / was alone on top of the great
divide, and was walking along the bank of
the dizzy canyon at the very head of Fish
creek. was Il novice in those days, and
fully expected to see herd of grizzly bears
at every step. My nerves were at great
tension, as the deRp and gloomy canyons
and craggy cliffs at that point are dark
feet on tenderfoot.
Suddenly there burst upon my ears the
clear, penetrating bugle of an elk. 1t was
a most strange, weird, peculiar sound,
battling all efforts of the most skillful
word painter and startling in its sudden
ness. My hair stood on end. | wanted to
run, but did not know which way to 90,
as the sound seemed to come rolling in
from every direction. j was bewildered
as the sound echoed from cliff to cliff and
went rolling away in the distance. Again
pealed out that Clarion note, and this time
| espied along the canyon bank moving
| IL. Il, 4 4
He was noble specimen, with immense
spreading aDtlers, and was coming directly
toward me. dropped down behind q rock
and awaited him. Just in front of me was
a beautiful little park covered with a
carpet of green grass, plentifully sprinkled
with flowers, and into this he turned. He
stopped, threw his head back, swelled his
neck to an enormous size and once more
emitted that mournful wall. While be
was standing thus l took careful aim and
fired. He dropped like log. The bullet
took him square between the eyes. His
antlers had niAe prongs to the side, and
the tip was six feet from his head.
During the latter part of November
when the soft downy snow had piled up
over a foot deep on the valley, accompa-
MED a hunting expedition to the head
waters of Elk river. Here the elk congre-
gate in large bands preparatory for their
winter trip south. We shoveled off a
camping place and built roaring fire
After supper we sat around on logs and
smoked and told stories until late and
then rolled into our beds, spread on n
thick layer of spruce boughs, and dreamed
of elk and bear and all other game that is
dear to the heart of the sportsman. How
one can sleep on bed of spruce boughs!
Morning dawned bright and clear, and
long before sunrise we were in motion.
We heard an elk bugle just over little
hill from our camp and believing there
was band of them we made in that direc-
tion.
AS we came upon the hill and looked
over we saw beautiful sight. There in a
little valley was q bunch of more than zoo
elk. Some were lying some standing and
others walking back and forth like senti,
nels watching over sleeping army. Noise.
lessly we crept back, and making wide
detour we surrounded them. The sun
was well up by this time, and as it shone
upon the frost incrusted boughs of the
spruce they shone and sparkled like clus.
ters of diamonds. The peaks are warmed
with glow of sunlight, and are tinged
with golden halo 1t was u scene OF
, marvellous grandeur and beauty. A signal
, was given and we all moved forward. An
ever watchful bull sounds note of alarm
and instantly the herd is in motion. They
go slowly down the gulch, moving in good
. | n,.1ar a1tbp,,ryh ha SC tbran foot
deep.
The leader stalks proudly at the head Of
the band. Suddenly from in front ther,
is a report, and we see a little puff o.
( smoke ascend. The leader stops, turns
Z around with his noble head lowered to thu
ground, and his noble body trembles with
a new and deathly sensation. The snow
Q around is covered bright crimson, ant
p this magnificent animal, which few mo
ments ago walked proudly at the head o.
+ his band, summons all his effort for a grea
: leap and falls over dead. The band thus
suddenly deprived of leader stands wa
u vering for moment and then break
J, apart, and one part runs up our hillside
Il while the others go the other way. Nov
? is the chance for the hunter and we, whit
are above him, look with eager eXpectanc!
u to see him accept it. He rushes forward
3 just as the elk, seeing that they are sep
; arated, turn and come together again lik
u the wings of a great army.
II He is in tbe very midst of them, ant
they bewildered by the shooting, jumI
first one way and then the other all aroun'
him. But this man, who moment befor
g could kill an elk the first shot, is now sui
e fering from severe attack of "bucl
i ague." 1t is too much for his nerves, an,
e he shoots fast and wild. He keeps up thi
IS fusilade until his cartridges are gone
: Thirty shots and he has rot drawn blood
t The elks come to their senses and swee
Q off down the gulch out of range. We ha
s lots of fun twittiug this hunter about hi
a good craftsmanship, but there are lots c
e good hunters who get "rattled" when the
II are in the midst Of band of elk, some c
t which could be killed with butche
h knife. The tactics of the pot hunter ar