The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-10
A REA ARMY OF ELKs.
The Imposing Spectacle Witnessed by
n Hunter in Colorado.
New York Sun.

New YORK sun.
When I read in the Sun about twenty
thousand elks having wintered last year in
the Jackson's Hole country, south OF the
Yellowstone Park. my thoughts ran back a
few years to the day when / was the silent
spectator of a tremendous migration Of
elks," said a young r~anchman.. at a neigh
OF Iss5- sSu on INV tu Routt Count r ranch Chin in
Colorado. Toward the middle
of that winter we found that the outfit was
making great inroads into the supply OF
venison we had hung up in the autumn To
carry us through l thought l would shoot
an elk or two. If the chance came. It
seems to require considerably more wild
meat than domestic to appease the appetite
of the average ranchman.
"Just across the Yampa river from the
ranch are bluffs and gulches. and beyond
are the rolling sand hills extending far north
of the Wyoming line These sand hills are
lest and most prominent of them within
sight of the ranch was a hill about three
quarters of a mile his should judge.
Of snow, every object OF Gould be seen
fairly well. From the do, the cabin we
swept that hill with the gla, es at intervals
saw a band of seven elks quite well to the
top, near a small cluster of .cedars. While
the boys quickly saddled up for me 1 saw
that my rifle was in good order, and my
horse soon carried me over the river on the
Ice. We went cautiously up the hill; The
wine for once was just right, and l was
pleased to think / could gain the cover of
the cedars without fear of being seen by the
elks.
Just before reaching them I was crossing
a long, barren slope, and was greatly dis
concerted to see that the elkS had changed
their feeding ground and were slowly stroll
ling over a knoll at the head OF the slope.
They saw me quite as quickly as | did them
Their heads went up. and against the white
background of the hill they looked grand.
/ thought they Were about eight hundred
yards Off AS soon as 1 saw them l refined
my horse and kept perfectly still. There
was not a single bit of cover for me to
turn to advantage, and my chances for get
ting an elk seemed small / expected them
to trot of every moment They seemed
more curious than uneasy, SO l decided to
move slowly toward them and try a Surer
shot. Well, this was a success. Every tima
horse and remained as rigid as a statue. AS
soon as they were quoted / would move
up This maneuvre was kept up until II
saw it was being worn threadbare, so, quick
notch. which / thought about right, slid off
my horse. dropped the bride reins over his
head, and fired at a young bull.
the snow flew on the hlll where the bull
let struck. and l knew I had shot too high.
The effect of my shot was to bunch the
band and start them off on a rapid trot
There was no time to lower sights or take
very careful aim, but after hastily pushing
home another cartridge and holding lower
on the center Of the bunch as they ran. I
10 see a young two-prong bull drop like a
rag. He was shot through the head I
paced the distance and found 1t to be Just
over 400 yards l was sorry to see that nv
which I could cherish for the rest Of nv
days. but this young bull only had two
straight prongs. What he lacked in hone.
however. he made up in hesh-he was prime
eating. 4 dressed him on the SPOT. took
out tho ton9ue and cthor choice tidbits. snd