The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1901-10-10
A HUNTING TRIP.
o n Gaskin Tells OF an Expedition In
wyoming

LARAMIE, WYOMING, Sept. 20, 1901.
Our hunting party left Laramie today
for the head of Bear River in Colorado, 1T5
miles from Laramie. our party was 5. L.
Ryan, Elan Wymore, A. ]. Wymore, o. II.
GaskilI. We took two teams, plenty of
ammunition, grub tent and plenty of bedding
for four weeks stay. The drst day we
drove to Elan Wymore's ranch IL miles.
ELAN has a fine ranch of 100 acres raises
hay mostly. ELAN had a scrimmage with
one of his wild horses. We went to Laramie
river fishing We caught the finest basket
of fish you ever saw; we caught II fine
Rainbow and Speckled Trout. They are the
prettiest and finest trout l have ever seen.
The rainbow trout weighs from one to
twelve pounds. The raise fine turnips and
potatoes her; l have one potato that weighs
pa pounds. l met Miss Jessie Richards,
one OF the self-made young ladies of this
country, riding horseback ON the Laramie
Plains. We started next morning and drove
over fine mountains, covered with fine pine
timber We drove 30 miles and passed the
Mountain Home where in early days they
charged for man and wife and team over
night S26 Sunday we travelled 80 miles
we found several focks of sage hens, and
stopped over night with Mr. and Mrs. ]. L.
Ish, in Colorado. They entertained us roy
ally; these Western folks are all very soci
able.
OWL MOUNTAIN, colo.
Monday, Sept %, We located our camp at
the foot of the mountain with plenty Of
good bunch grass and fine pure water on
Elk Creek. We staked our horses out on
grass-don't feed any grain. We had two
snow lurries today. froze ice four inches
thick last night. We camped in a tent and
had sheet iron stove and plenty to eat
and plenty of bed clothes. We keep warm
Wednesday, Sept. 20. A. J. wymore
Frank Ryan and o. r. Gaskill started early
in the morning to hunt on Owl Mountain
We climbed until noon before we reached
the top of the mountain. 0. II. Gaskill
gave out and A. J. Wymore carried his rifle
cartridge belt and his A. navy revolver. |
was tired and sat down and wanted to go
to sleep; they thought l was still following
them and when they missed me there was
lively times shooting and following to find
me again. l thought I could lie there and
die ! was so tired. Owl Mountain is 10
600 feet high. We got lost coming down
camp at ) p. m. All of us were tired out
We saw lots of tracks but no game.
We stayed one night with Mr. and Mrs
William Welch. They treated us royalty;
We had chairs to sit on and fine supper
and breakfast and we slept in a good bed
These mountain folks are very sOciable
From here we moved our camp to Buffalo
Mountain. From there we hunted on Sheep
Mountain all day but found no game We
saw signs of bear, elk and deer, but the
mountains are too dry to hunt. We are
out now nine days and no game yet. Sheep
Mountain is $4,000 feet high We had a
hard trip of it; we must have walked 80
miles. You ought to see the large turnips
and potatoes they raise up here in the val
leys. They irrigate here. They raise tons
of wild hay and sell it to the cattle men
to feed. They raise no grain in north part
OF Laramie county, Colorado. We are close
to the snowy mountains yet we can hunt in
our shirt sleeves; the finest weather and
smoothest roads ever saw In the noun
tains.
We Travelled on through the North Park
Colorado. the snow-capped mountains on
our right and the Seven-TOoth mountains
The north part is a smooth valley, rs miles
long and go miles wide, surrounded by high
mountains. They raise wild hay and a few
vegetables. There are thousands and thous-
ands OF cattle here to eat the wild hay.
One man bought 10000 tons of hay to feed
this winter. There aremiIes and miles Of
fence here. The houses are nearly all one
story, made of pine poles and covered with
sand and gravels In some of the houses
you see fine house plants in bloom The
houses are nice and tidy inside. We have
the finest pure water in all the streams and
irrigating bitches. Our hunt lasted two
weeks. We saw plenty of signs of deer
elk, bears and mountain lyons, but 1t was
SO dry we got no game. The mountain tim
Der was on fire on both sides of us, which
Is very dangerous, so we pulled out. Com
ing back we shot coyotes, badgers and
prairie dogs. We hunted on Owl Mountain.
Bunalo, Sheep and Raspberry Mountains.
They have located in Loramie an iron
works, stucco factory, State fishery and the
penltentiary. This leaves me well. Leave
here in few days. Goodbye for the
present
o. r. GAsKILL.