Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1908-09-04

tWdy sUuC 1T grew rapl1ly taSaters gtsH
II Then. as we trod noiselessly over the
dense moss. and on the pine needles
under the scattered trees, we heard. al
sharp clang and clatter up the valley
ahead Of rs. In d little glade. hun
bred and twenty five yards from MS
two bull elk were engaged IN deadly
Eombat while two others we're looking
tbn. It was a splendid sight The great
beasts faced each other with lowered
horns the names that covered their
thick necks, and the hair on their shout
ders, bristling and erect. Then they
charged furiousIy, the crash OF the
meeting antlers resounding through the
galley The shock threw them both.
pn their launches: with locked horns
Ind glaring eyes they strove against
each other, getting their hind legs well
under them, strainlng every muscle In
their huge bodies, and squea,ing saw
agely. They were evenly matched In;
weight, strength, and courage; and
push as they might neither got the
upper hand, first one, yielding a few
inches, then the other, while they
swayed to and fro in their struggles,
smashing the bushes and ploughing
up the soil 81 35
Finally they separated and stood
some little distance apart, under the
great pines; their sides heaving, and
columns Of steams rising from their
nostrils through the frosty air of the
Frightening morning Again they
rushed together with a crash, and each
stroye nightly to overthrow the other.
or get past his guard; but the branch;
Ing antlers caught every vicious lunge
and thrust. This set-to was stopped
rather curiously. One Of the unlocking
elk was yearling; the other, though
scarcely as. heayy-bo bodied as either Of
the fighters, had finer head. He was
evidently much excited by the battle.
and he now began to walk towards the
two combatants, nodding his head and
uttering a queer, whistling noise. They
dared not leave their TANKS uncovered
to his assault; and as he approached.
they promptly separated, and walked
off side by side a few yards apart, Ina
moment however, one spun round and
jumped at his old adversary, seeking
to stab him In his unprotected flank;
but the latter was just as quick, and as
before caught the rush on his horns
They closed as furiously as ever; but
the utmost either could do was to In
hict one or TWO punches on the neck
and shoulders of his foe, where the
thick hide served as shield. Again
the peace-maker approached, nodding
his head, Whistling, and threatening;
and again they separated.
This was repeated once or twice; and
! began to be afraid lest the breeze
which was very light and puffy should
shift and give them my wind. So,
resting my rifle on my knee I fired
twice putting one bullet behind the
shoulder of the peace-maker, and the
other behind the shoulder Of one Of the
combatants. Both were deadly shots,
but, as so often with wapih, neither Of
the wounded animals at the moment
( showed any signs Of being hit. The
yearllng ran off unscathed. The other
three crowded together and trotted be-
hind some spruce on the left, while we
ran forward for another shot. In d
moment one fell; whereupon the re-
naming two turned and came back
across the glade, trotting to the right.
As we opened fire they broke Into a
numbering gallop, but were both
downed before they got out of sight in
the timber.
The wapiti is, next to the moose, the
most quarrelsome and pugnacious OF
American deer. It cannot be said that
It Is ordinarily dangerous beast to
hunt; yet there are instances in which
wounded wapiti, incautiously approach.
ed to within striking distance, have Sc
verely misused their assailsnts, both
with their antlers and their forefeet.
However, the fiercest wapiti bull,
when In a wild state, fees the neigh,
borhood Of man with the same panic
terror shown by the cows; and he
makes no stand against grisly, though
when his horns are grown he has little
fear Of either wolf or cougar IL on his
guard and attacked fairly. The CHIEF
battles Of the bulls are Of course waged
with one another. Before the begin
ming Of the rut they keep by them
selves: singly, while the sproutine
horns are still very young, at: which
time they lie In secluded spots and
move about as little as possible; III
large bands, later in the season. Al
the beginning of the fall these bands
Join with enc another and with the
bands of cows and calves, which haFs
likewise been keeping to themselves
curing the late winter, the spring, and
the summer. Vast herds are thus
sometimes formed, containing, in th,
fcld days when wapiti were plenty
thousands Of head. The bulls now be
gin to fight furiously with one another
and the great herd becomes split into
smaller ones. Each OF these has one
master bull, who has won his position
by savage battle, and keeps it by over
coming every rival, whether solitary
bull, or the lord Of another harem, Rht
Ichallenges him. When not fighting O.
lloVe-making he is kept on the run
chasing away the young bulls who ven