The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-02-29
freed by Elk Herd.


are encroachng on the farms has started the spin
ners of elk stories off again in good shape, and
there good ones, some fiction and some
fact And, speaking of abundance of elk, recalls
little experience the writer had in Wyoming a
number of years ago-and this is not pipe Dream
either party of three left Raw1ins one day early
in the fall, and after an easy journey of three or
four days, during which time we had all sorts of
sport with small game and antelope, dropped
down into the basin of the Muddy, and few days
later went on to the Savory, where a permanent
camp was established. There was the finest trout
fishing in the universe in those days. and any amount
of game. 1t is safe to venture that many
as 5000 head of antelope in one herd, and the coun-
try was full of deer But to revert to the elk part
of the story. We left camp early morning, and
two hours ride brought us into pine timber and
low range of hills. Along toward evening
located our elk and there was bunch of about 600
feeding all over a knoll A gentleman by the
of Wanbo1e who was the oldest of the party, agreed
to make long crcuitous ride around the knoll, while
the other two dismounted and gradually worked
their way through the underbrush and trees toward
the base of the hill where the animals feeding.
After locating in our positions waited long and
patiently for Wanbole's shot, which to be the
signal. An hour passed after we had gained
points and it interesting to watch the noblest
of Rocky Mountain game animals browsing uncon-
scous of their danger the nearest of the elk being
not over 800 yards distant from Suddenly over
the top of the ridge came sharp crack of an old
Winchester, and away near the top of the ridge
saw big bull go down. The herd jumped in alarm,
and two more shots rang out. Then came the fun
it was fun for a minute. The big herd of elk
headed our way. We rose from our position picked
out animals and downed two bucks each, neither
past pe NELL They came through the timber in
our direction like ix-pound shells from Krupp, the
bulls with their horns thrown back, and all in
wild stampede Some of the elk did not miss us
over twenty feet, and when this happened we went
on the theory that discretion the better part
of va1or and quickly setting Winchesters against
the trees we under both of us reached tor the
limbs above our heads and got busy climbing. And
there was no small measure of excitement about
it, either
We had not got thoroughly out of the way when
the great ant1ered bodies shot under the limbs. Of
course this takes longer in the telling than in the
action. 1t lasted about two three minutes before
the herd got into the timber, when we descended
and looked for trophies. The three OF us had
seven bull elk and they were all saved. That
was good many years ago. We have never Wis
tied the old hunting grounds since, and while that
section is still reported rich in game doubt that
it is as plentiful in the old days And while
game stories are looked nowadays with patience
and heard with respectful attention, there is often
twinkle of doubt in the eyes of the listener. And
for that reason, and being also somewhat skeptical
we have not often referred to the time we had to
climb tree to avoid being over by elk but
the circumstance is fact, nevertheless. We camped
there that night, dressing our kill, and the wind
and snow whistled about camp, while the horses
turned their heads toward clump of dead quaken