The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1903-09-12
BIG GAME in ALASKA.
Caribou I'm Herds and Mountain Sheep
I'm Droves Are Found in the
Southern Part.

To the seeker for easy" game-fish
fowl or mammal-I would recommen,
that portion of southern Alaska, north
ern British Columbia and western
northwest territory, through which tn
Dalton trail to the Yukon and tn
Klondike passes, writes a correspond
ent OF the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
There are other portions in this north
ern country where certain kinds of gam,
are more plentiful, but none where there
is SO great variety within q short dis
lance OF the coast. Few il any bear.
Will be found to rival the 1000 pound
monsters described in the government
reports of Kodiak island; no herds OF
caribou are likely to be encountered to
compare with the great bands, number.
Ing thousands, that roam beyond the
arctic circle; some difficulty may even
be met with. in getting a shot at 9
moose on, the coast side of the noun
tains But the hunter who desires to
make record kill in two weeks time
OF more kind Of big game than he is
likely to see even in any other district
OF North America, l would advise to
board steamer at Seattle with ticket
to Haines, Alaska.
Haines. formerly Haines' Mission, lies
near the head of Lynn canal, nearly
1000 miles north Of Seattle, about 80
in the same direction from Juneau, and
Is miles south Of Skagway. 1t is the
starting point of the Dalton trail. and
furnishes ample Quitting facilities.
though IL one is out only for a short
hunt, 1t is best to go light in Porcu-
pine City, 40 miles up the Chilkat river,
near the British Columbian line, and
go out In two-day or three-day jaunts
from there. If a longer stay is possible,
the chance of getting moose or a carl
bou will be enhanced by taking saddle
and pack animals and crossing over the
mountains to the valleys of the upper
Alsek river. on the British side Of the
line. The customs officials at Pleasant
Camp are very lenient toward hunting
parties, and 1t is possible to get through
with very low bill of duties.
The mountains of this district con-
tain more mountain sheep than any
other section of America. have often
sen them In droves numbering many
hundred, standing motionless on the
steep slopes of a small mountain-side
glacier, their white bodies almost in
distfnguishable against the snowy back
ground. and their black noses and big
back-curving horns standing out like
q page covered with mixed punctuation
marks. But they are as characters |
ticaily wary here as in the southland. |
and / often found them more difficult to |
approach than the more-hunted sheep |
OF the Rocky mountains. They grow to |
a great size and the horns of some of |
the big rams are enormous. Those of |
the only male killed measured 16 inch
es In circumference at the base, and
there were rams in the same herd have
to have much larger ones.
The sheep is the only animal that is
wilder than in other districts. Joined
couple of mounted police once on a
moose hunt in which we, on our snow
'hoes and with the assistance of several
indians, ran big bull off into the deem
'now and shot him. My first caribou
all around the edges and
missed two or three times while he ran
rom couple of gun lengths on, the
distance at which l first raised him.
yer the top of HILL My packer fol-
owed him and brought him down with
pretty 2O0-yard shot, just as he was
into little lake to make
is escape by swimming. Several other
aribou lost at short distances by Door
bear, black and brown.
shot at under ten yards, and once I
,st big silver-tip at 20; ptarmigan
nd grouse ! killed on several occa-
ions with the "gee pole" jerked from ,
~ sled; salmon l have gated at the
ate OF ten minute, and literally
licked them from the water as they
over rifle.
The bear are wonderfully tame, par 9
cularly the black, and almost any kind g
shot can average two or more q day i
thin ten miles of Porc.pine City, !
"a other game in proportion.