Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-09-10
Ths Story Tsller.
A BRAVE YOUNG HUNTER,
How He Brought Home Two
Deer In a Blizzard.

Deer In a Blizzard.
When John Wesley Wolfe wa!
scarcely 10 years of age he was goot
shot with his fathers Winchester, al
though 1t was too big for him to pu
,up to his shoulder in the proper man
ner. He learned to shoot after
fashion of his own, and could knocl
the head from a deadly rattlesnake a
Is to 20 PAGES five times out Of six
and he easily acquired skill in "rop'
ing and cow punching"
He had grown up on the eastern
Wyoming plains in sight Of the pic
turesque Rawhide mountains. He hac
no brothers nor sisters nor neighbor-
hood children with whom to play, anc
it is not surprising that at a very early
age he accompanied his father or
some Of his trips over the range.
Although rattlesnakes and coyotes
gray wolves and wildcats are pretty
good game for a boy Of IL or 13 years
this one had never been allowed to &C.
company the hunters Of the ranch or
their quest for the annual supply OF
winter meat into the haunts OF big
black tailed deer. However, wher
John had reached the age Of 13 years
the opportunity came.
The storms Of an unusually early
winter had sent the range cattle be-
longing to his father fifty miles south
east Of the ranch, drifting along In
front Of the cutting northwest wind
and this before the winters supply OF
beef had been safely housed in the log
icehouse. When this predicamen,
faced the family, some Of the cowboy
hunters decided to inaugurate hunt
and obtain the full quota Of the usual
supply from the foothills, where a
large herd Of black-tailed deer had
been seen a few days before. This
was agreed to, and John was allowed
by his parents to accompany tine
hunters.
1t Is pretty we'll established that the
boy didn't sleep much the night before
the hunt. Before daybreak the hunt
ers were in the saddle, the boy being
the first one to get ready. His rifle
was slung in a holster at his pony'i
side and his belt, loaded with shells
was buckled about his waist. Day hao
not broken when they left the ranch
and they had been out but few houri
when a fearful blizzard set In. During
the storm the hunters were separated
and the boy soon found that he was
entirely alone. He was not troubled
on that account, however. and he re-
solved to go to a place where he had
often seen Ieer grazing. The snow
had drifted Hsdly all day, and his par
ents on the ranch were not little un-
easy lest, in the fearful storm, John
might become separated from the
others and lose himself in the great
plains where every hill looks just like
its neighbor and where trails are un-
known.
The sun finally burst through the
clouds, but the boy did not return. Oi
the four cowboys who had started out
all returned by twilight and reported
they had not seen the lad for hours
Although cold and benumbed by theil
battle with the storm the hunters die
not remove their saddles, intending tt
start out to look for John. Finally
just as searching party was starting
a telephone message from a neighbor.
ing ranch announced that the boy hat
just passed there on foot leading hi:
pony, upon which were roped tht
carcasses Of two deer.
There was joy at Nine-Bar wher
the message was made known, anc
when the lad came into view it was
let loose in such a welcome as anxious
parents and cowboys only know how
to give. Sure enough, there were two
deer roped to the saddle Of the little
fellows pony, and then all crowded
around as he related the story Of the
days adventures.
John said he had gone to canyon
after he realized that he was alone
about eight miles from the ranch
reaching there after the storm broke
where he remained under a protecting
ledge of rocks awaiting clearer skies
He had found and followed deel
tracks in the snow and had finally
come upon herd of a score Of fully
grown black tailed deer. He had sue
ceeded in getting within $50 yards OF
the herd without being seen. Just a;
he was about to fire the leader Of the
herd saw him and the deer were of
with the wind. AS quickly as possible
securing two.
The boy said he found that the deer
were too heavy for him to lift to the
pony's back and he was at loss fol
moment as to what he should do. II
he left them and went to the ranch fol
help it would give the big gray wolves
feast. Finally he said he thought o:
a hunters trick. He took his rope
1 IL IOIll lllC liOll VI lilS ScNOlC anu ieiS'
ening one end to the saddle horn he
fastened the other to one Of the deer
and dragged it over the snow to a pine
tree near by. He then threw one enc
Of the rope over limb and started the
pony so that the rope wound about the
tree and the deer was lifted higher
than the back of the horse. He ther
lowered it to the pony's back and fast
ened it securely. The same method
was followed with the second animal
When, after two hours hard work
the two deer were securely fastened
with his lariat, there was no place or
the horse for him, and there was nc
alternative but for him to walk to the
ranch and lead his horse. The dis
tance to the ranch was ten miles and
most of the trail was obliterated by
snow, but John was the son Of q
plainsman, born on the great centra
plains, and reared under just such
conditions as now confronted him.
So, leading his pony, he began The