, 1901-01-16
TEDDY'S HUNNNG
VICE PRESIDEkT-ELEcT HAS
GOOD SPORT IN coLoRA-
DO MOUNTAINS.
Gets a Wild Cat Early In the Hunt
Dogs freed the Animal and the
First Shot from R~ooseveIt's Gun
Brought Him Down-story Of the
First Two Days Shooting.

MeeKer, ColO., Jan. ac-
cidents Vice President Roosevelt will
clean out all the mountain lions and
before he finishes his outing. He has
been hunting from daylight to dark ev-
cry day since he left Meeker and
brought down a magnificent specimen
of a wildcat and a lion in two days. The
first day from Meeker he got the
wildcat and the second day out on the
trip from COTS lodge on the Strawber-
ry to Coyote basin he brought down
his first lion. The country around
which he is hunting is literally alive
with the game he is after, and follow
ing the best pack of dogs in Colorado
there is every indication that he will
have a lion for every day he is in the
country.
The excitement attached to the
bringing down of the first wild animal
will probably never be forgotten by the
vice president. 1t was after one of
the prettiest rum to hounds that could
have been planned. The party left
Meeker shortly after s o'clock in the
morning for Sulphur creek, where a
rancher had reported seeing some of
the largest lion tracks that had been
seen in that portion Of the country this
winter. 1t is known that there was a
big lion in that section as many colts
have been found dead with the marks
o. lions claws and teeth in them. Guide
Gof felt sure that his hounds could
bring this lion down and he was partic-
ularly anxious to get it on account Of
its reported size.
The First Trail.
The entire party was in high spir-
its when the start was made from
Meeker. The magnificent bloodhounds
were baying and anxious to take up the
chase. When the start was finally
made, the horses were prancing, the
dogs wildly excited and the men INK
ious to make the start. AS the caval-
cade moved off Roosevelt thanked the
assembled people for their courtesy
and kindness and they in turn wished
him good luck.
Scarcely four miles out of town, but
of the main road, n Of the old dogs
of the pack found a trail. He shifted
for a moment and then bayed his sig
nal to the rest of the pack. In an in
slant they came in from che many diff
ferent directions in which they had
been sent by Mr.. Gof. In another in
slant they had shifted at the tracks
and then the entire pack was of, with
the horsemen following and urging the
dogs and horses on to their utmost. 1t
was the first trail the dogs had been
on for weeks, it was the first time that
the vice president had eve taken part
in the sport, and it was with a wild
enthusiasm that the trail was followed.
The tracks in the snow could be plain
ly seen at times, but it was evident
that the animal had been along at least
three days before and possibly more
The light snow on the ground, about
four inches deep, made it possible to
follow the trail, but in places where the
wind had drifted the snow the tracks
were completely lost. The dogs did
not hesitate for a minute, but, keeping
their noses close to the ground, ran
along until the tracks would commence
to show up again.
The Lion freed.
This chase was kept up for fully
three hours, and 1t became evident that
the lion had left his footprints in the
snow many days before and had tray
eled over many miles Of ground since
then. Not once did the dogs latter,
but the vice president and the other
members Of the party not being used
to that kind Of riding commenced to
lose sight of the hounds before the chase
ended. When the horses were all but
a loud baying, in which the
entire pack took part, notified the rid
ers that the lion had been freed. The
excitement Of the chase was only
by this welcome news, and
the horses appreciated that the
end Of a long chase was near and start
ed out with renewed energy for the
scene of the baying.
A short trip over a small hill brought
them in sight of the pack on their
around q small cedar and
baying with all the strength of Their
deep voices. The bulldogs were bark
ing viciously and jumping around the
tree, apparently anxious to get at the
game.
The party rode up feeling that the
victim Of the hounds was as good
as tied behind the saddle, but they
we're doomed to disappointment. The
dogs had freed all right, but the most
search failed to locate the
lion. Such a thing has not happened
to COT a half a dozen times in his
career. and he is still pondering on a
solution Of the mystery. There was
NosoI Eafnrrla nuiclly yielda In tr>aks !