The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-09-23
GAME VERY SCARCE
HUNTERS WHO WENT OUT SUN
DAY RETURN EMPTY HANDED.
PLENTY OF WORK BUT NO FUN
Moose Turns Out to Be Only Horse,
and a Big Bear Resolves Itself
Into a Blackened
Stump.
Especial to Inter Mountain.)

Anaconda. Sept 23.-Anacondans who
were over towards the Big Hole hunting
grounds yesterday report scarcity OF
game and considerable snow.
Two young men who decided to go
hunting yesterday returned last night in
time for dinner A detailed account d
the trip was give mas follows:
I'VE left town before daylight on
horseback. We intended stopping a few
moments at the Three Mile house, but
decided not to at the hast moment. In
stead, we thought we would hurry up
and reach the places where 1t had been
said game could be found in abundance
I'VE left the beaten road and rode
into the Businesses of the mountains. a
good place for deer and grouse, and pos
sfbly more ferocious animals. After a
time we sighted in the distance what
appeared to be a moose. We lmme>
diately dismounted, picketed our horses,
looked to our rifles, and began TO stalk
the moose.
Did you ever stalk a moose? No:
Well, it's quite a job. I found that out
yesterday. It's awful hard work. Well.
we succeeded in getting within range Of
the beast, but, by George! if it wasn't
a horse. We had forgotten about moose
not having long tail or we would have
known from the first that our quarry
was not a moose.
while going back to our horses we
crossed deer tracks. My partner inspect
ed them closely and pronounced them
as having been made by large buck
but a short time before. We hastily
mounted and gave chase. After foNow
ing the tracks for about three-quarters
of an hour, I swear if they didn't run
into a gopher hole. Wouldn't that kill
you! 1t couldn't have been a deer at all.
We'll, by that time we began to get
hungry. so we decided to eat our lunch,
although it was still couple Of hours
before noon.
We found sunny spot and ate our
cold meat, crackers and cheese, washing
it down with copious draught from ID
sparkling mountain stream a short dis
tance away.
Then we smoked. All hunters smoke.
Most of them smoke pipe, but we didn't
have any, but we had some cigarettes.
which are much better.
We began to hunt again. much re-
freshed. We rode for some distance and
discovered no sign of game, with the ex-
ccption of place where it was evident
a covey Of grouse had been feeding a
short time before. However, the birds
We're an gone, and as they left no trail
they must have flown, SO we Gid not
pursue them, but decided to let the in
nocent birds go. We wanted larger
game.
well, sir, we rode and rode. and rode
through those hills and didn't find any,
thing. Once we sighted what looked to
be bear, but when we came UP to it
IT proved to be a blackened stump.
That's the way it was all afternoon.
! don't believe there ever was any game
in that country. And to think that ]
spent 500 for a. rifle with which to kill
big game! I'm going to donate it to the
Boar army. It's useless thing here"
And the young man finished his ice
cream, drank his coffee, lighted q
cigarette, donned his raglan and started
for church, where he was billed to sing
in the choir after delivering a short ad-
dress before the young peoples meeting
on western Influences on a Young
Man."