Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-10-09

rery excitable and generally poor shots,
30 that they wasted much powder. they
not only wrought havoc among the elk,
but also scared the survivors out OF all
the country over which they hunted.
Day in and day out we plodded on
In a hunting trip the days Of long mo
notony In getting to the ground, and
the days Of unrequited toll after 1t has
been reached. always far outnumber
the red-letter days of success. But 1t is
lust these times of failure that really
test the hunter. In the long run, COM
nonsense and logged perseverance
avail him more than any other quail
ties. The man who does not give up.
but hunts steadily and resolutely
through the spells Of bad luck until the
luck turns, is the man who wins sue
cess In the end.
After a week at Two-Ocean Pass, we
gathered our pack-animals one frosty
morning, and again set off across the
mountains. A two-days' jaunt took us
to the summit OF Wolverine Pass. near
Pinyon Peak, beside a little mountain
tarn: each morning we found its sur
face SKINNED with black ice. for the
nights were cold. Af-~ three or four
days. we shifted camp t. >e mouth of
Wolverine Creek. to get off the hunting
grounds OF the Indians We had used
no our last elk-meat that morning. and
when we were within q couple of
hours journey of our intended lalting-
place. Woody and struck off on foot
for hunt. Just before sunset we
came on three or four elk; spike bull
stood for moment behind some tnIcR
evergreens hundred yards off. Guess
ing at his shoulder. | fired, and he fell
dead after running a few rods. | had
broken the luck. after ten days Of Ill
success
Next morning Woody and l. with
the packer. rode TO where this elk lay
We loaded the meat ON II pack horse
and let the packer take both the load
ed animal and our saddle-horSes back
to camp. while we made hunt on
foot We went up the steep. forest
clad mountun-side. and before we had
walked an hour heard two elk whis-
tling ahead of us The woods were
open. and quite free from under
growth, and we were able to advance
noiselessly: there was no wind, for the
weather was still, clear and cold.
Both of the elk were evidently very
much excited, answering each other
continually; they had probably been
master bulls. but had become so ex-
hausted that their rivals had driven
them from the herds. forcing them to
remain In seclusion until they regain
ed their lost strength. AS we crept
stealthily forward, the calling grew
louder and louder. until we could hear
the grunting sounds with which the
challenge Of the nearest ended. He
was In a large wallow. which was
also lick. When we were still sixty
yards of. he heard us. and rushed
out. but wheeled and stood q moment
to gaze. puzzled by my buckskin suit.
fred into his throat. breaking his
neck. and down he went In a heap.
Rushing In and turning. called to
Woody. Hes a twelve-pointer. but
the horns are small" AS | spoke
heard the roar OF the challenger Of the
other bull not two hundred yards
ahead. as II In defiant answer to my
shot
Running quietly forward. | speedily
caught n glimpse of his body He
was behind some fir-trees about seven
ty yards OF. and could not see which
way he was standing, and so fired
into the patch of flank which was Wis
ible, aiming high, to break the back
My aim was true. and the huge beast
crashed down-hlll through the ever
green's, pulling himself on his fore
legs for fifteen or twenty rods, his
hind quarters trailing Racing for
ward, | broke his neck His antlers