Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-10-10
THE ELK HUNT.
MY EDWARD n. CLARK.

kue Cpul canyon country III MoHLdHd,
said Billy Blake. i've heard big stories
pf the shooting in that country"
That's the place t. 60" chimed in
Percy Brothers and I'ed Rankin to-
gether.
Mot too fast, boys said Bob Low
den. Wen not go to spur Canyon,
and IL you'll listen, I'll tell you why"
You see, boys" sad Lowden, 1T
will be just three years next October
since Frank Billings, George Now
bray and youngster named Todd and
l went to Spur Canyon. You may not
know it, but old Doc BaGr had a shack
up there, and lived in 1t the year
through Doe was from Indiana, where
he had pr.s.uced medicine about six
months and spent the balance OF his
time experimenting. He was looking
after a means Ci producing perpetual
daylight so that man could bottle the
sunshine and carry 1t around with him
nights.
doc had invited me to take some
friends UP there to visit mm during the
elk season, and so took along those
have mentioned. The doctor gave US
a cordial welcome, and we started out
for our first days shoot Now, Todd,
the youngster-he wasn't day over
22-had never seen any game except
the ducks that pitch into the water OFF
Michigan avenue in front Of the club
He used to go out to Sharphooter's
Park occasionally, though. and peg
away at the targets, and SO we thought
he might 40 something at elk.
I'VE agreed that il we ran on any
of the big fellows before we separated
to let Todd have the first shot. 1t was
absolutely unexpected and ! never had
such luck before, but when we rounded
the foot of a hill we came onto two
elks not hundred yards away. while
far beyond them the whole mountain
side was covered with the noble game
Now, Mr.. Todd, your chance, said
the doctor. We were all looking at the
elk and didn't notice Todd, but sud-
den chattering turned our attention to
him. His teeth were knocking togeth-
er like dice in a box, his eyes were
starting out of his head and he was
HudhlnS 81 lilhl HIS StlOt ldtto Cttilt
united. 1t was the worse case of buck
fever | had ever read Of much less
seen. Just as / was about to draw a
bead Todd pitched to the ground and
his rifle went off and awakened the
echoes The blamed fool used black
powder. The two elk were away fast
enough to beat out Todd's bullet. IL it
no he y.
same direction that they were. All the
far-away animals took fright ar left
US there GUESSING.
I'VE started back to the shlc-. dis
gusted and more than half carrying
Todd, whose eyes were rolling and
whose teeth were still ehattering.
saw Doc Baer watching Todd with
deep interest all the way back, and he
never took his eyes off him the rest of
the day, while the youngster sat in
chair looking the picture of despair.
THE Doc told us to spend our time
fer a day or two fishing and mat he'd
take us out Tor elk again later. That
night heard noise outside, and peer
ing through the window | saw Doc
go into the barn where he kept the
horses feed. The next night l heard
the noise again and saw Doc making
his second mysterious trip TO the barn.
The afternoon following fifteen men
appeared at the shack. / found that
Doc had sent a boy over to the near
est village to bring them in. Early
that evening Doc and the men loaded
l. tIr
the trail toward Spur Canyon.
EARLY the next morning man came
running down the trail. waving his
arms wildly. He whispered something
10 Doc who turned to us and said.
Boys, wen go elk hunting this morn
ing.
I'VE started out, accompanied by the
fifteen men who had come over from
the village, Todd, still pretty weak
and shaky, went along, too. We
reached the place where the youngsteI
had his attack of buck fever and
looked into the valley and on the
mountain side beyond.
Boys. I never saw such sight in
all my life. | tLog ght there were 8
mllllOn elk lHtIe. ms mai COT ""N
not % yards away.
stand up, roared Doc, and come
into the open
The IS men who had joined the
party raa out, and at Does command
waved their arms above their heads
Every elk in that mighty drove start
ed shaking. If they'd upper teeth like
Todd you could have heard them rattle
in Chicago Half the herd was down
with their legs thrown out at an angle
and kicking convuisively.
AT it, boys yelled Doc, and those
Is hireling of his waded into that no
bile band with knives, and before they
got through with it eight hours latel
they had cut the throat of $4,000 elks
1T IS needless to say that not one o
us Chicagoans took a hand in thu
slaughter.
well. boys, to make the fnisi
short, that experimenting doctor h2t
tapped Todd's arm and obtained abou
an ounce Of buck fever virus, which h
mixed with several barrels OF water
and with it soa I'd ton or two o