Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1909-02-26

aSely lney We're 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.
Finally they separated and stood
some little distance apart, under the
great pines; their sides heaying, 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
strove 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 a yearling: the other. though
scarcely as heavy-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 few yards apart In
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
flict one or two punches on the neck
and shoulders of his foe, where the
thick hide served as a shield. Again
the peace-maker approached, nodding
his head, Whistling, and threatening;
and again they separated.
This was repeated once or twice; and
l began to be afraid lest the breeze
which was very light and puffy should
shift and give them my wind. So,
resting my rife on my knee l 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 wapiti. neither of
the wounded animals at the moment
showed any signs of being hit The
yearing ran off unscathed The other
three crowded together and trotted be
hind some spruce on the lefr. while we
ran forward for another shot. In g
moment one fell; whereupoD the re
naming two turned and came back
across the glade. trotting to the right
AS we opened fire they broke into 4
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. 1t 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
verey misused their assailants, 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 a grisly. though
when his horns are grown he has little
fear of either wolf or cougar if 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 sproutinS
horns are still very young, at which
time they lie in secluded spots and
move about as little as possible; in
large bands, later in the season. At
the beginning of the fall these bands
Join with one another and with the
bands of cows and calves, which have
likewise been keeping to themselves
Turing the late winter. the spring, and
he summer. Vast herds are thus
sometimes formed. containing. In the [
I'D days when wapiti were plenty, I
of head The bulls now be- /
Tin to fight furiously with one another, /
md the great herd becomes split into /
mailer ones. Each OF these has one
Master bull, who has won his position
W savage Daltie- anu httpS IL w o'ct-
oning every rival, whether solitary
,uU. or the lord of another harem, who
challenges him. When not fighting or
ov making he is kept on the run,
hasing away the young bulls who ven
ure to pay court TO the cows He has
srdly time TO eat or sleep, and soon
ecomes gsunt and worn to de-
rec.
The battles between the bulls rarely
esult fatally After longer q
horter period OF charging. pushing,
nd struggling the heavier or more
nduring OF the two begins TO shove
is weaker antagonist back and round;
nd the latter then watches his chance
nd bolts. holly. but as rule harm
.ssIy, pursued for few hundred
ards. The massive branching antlers
arve as effective guards against the
lost wicked TRUSTS While the an
,gonIsts are head on. the worst that
IN happen is punch on the shoulder
.hich Will not break the thick hide.
,ough II may bruise the flesh under