Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1911-05-06

Il
The gun l was using was muzzle-loader
that I had brought from home and was
sure of my game, if standing sideways
at distance of 200 yards, as almost
invariably shot them through the lungs,
liver or heart, and as pulled the trigger
on this fine animal fully expected to
hit him in the heart. When the snap
crack of the rife rang out dozen or
more elk bounded away and the one l
had fred at with them. was satisfied
from his movements that he had not
been hit, but how or why had missed
him was simply beyond my ability to
guess or power to imagine.
On examination l found the ball had
ljust grazed the tree on my right and Of
course had glanced and thrown the ball
off the elk. This, of course, made it
clear why had not hit the elk, but it
left the puzzle if anything, more con-
fusing, as was positive my sight was
clear of the tree when l pressed the
trigger, and as there was no record to
the gun could usually tell almost ex-
actly where the ball would strike as
soon as fred. But this was a poser.
l was terribly chagrined and set out in
pursuit of the herd that were trailing off
in a course directly from camp. l must
have travelled at least 7 miles farther
before coming in sight of them again.
Then took another long shot but could
not tell that had bit any of them, and
as they still kept in a course directly
away from camp, reluctantly turned
toward camp.
l had never been in this part of the
Hills before, being nearly south of Gus
ter Park, or the present site of Custer
City. took as direct course for camp
as possible, for 1 must have been as
much as IL miles from camp in direct
course. l saw lots of deer tracks and
some deer, but l gave them but very
little attention until, as near as could
Judge, l was within about 3 miles from
camp, when a couple of large deer
stopped broadside to me, not more than
hundred yards distant. 1t was too
tempting mark to pass and l was q
little anxious to make another test of
my gun, so ] dropped to one knee and
fred at a point just back of his shoulder
fully expecting the animal to drop or
make but feeble run. But he bounded
away instead, though / could see that
he was quite badly wounded. He ran
but short distance and laid down be-
hind point of rocks. Here / crept up
close to him and dispatched him with
Colts revolver.
The other deer had been standing
near and took shot at him, but only
succeeded in wounding him in the hip.
He would run little, soon getting tired.
Finally attempted to creep upon him,
but he winded me and jumped to his
feet. He stood with his left side toward
me. / had been shooting to the right
all the time, as near as l could tell, SO l
thought would try for his neck and
gun cracked he fell but soon got up and
made few jumps, only to fall again.
He was hit in the back and could make
but little headway; so l ran after him
but before l could get as close to him as
1 wished, he would jump up and run
again. l shot at his neck two or three
times, but as near as could tell missed
every time. I was terribly vexed and
disappointed. had lost all confidence
in my old friend, my trusty rifle, that
had never failed me before, but all at
once had become almost useless. could
not leave the deer wounded as he was,
to die or be torn to pieces by the wolves,
but it was getting late and knew not
just how far was from camp. had
had no dinner and the exercise l had
taken was of a nature to give one an
Appetite besides l had lost all interest
in the chase. finally came up to him
as he lay on sidehill. had taken out
my sheath.knife and l was just stoop-
ing to cut his throat when he caught me
with his feet as quick as fash and sent
me rolling down the hill, but he could
only make jump or two when fin
ished him with ashot. bent a sappling
down, hung him on and raised the tree
up with poles so the wolves could not
reach it. l had thrown some pine
chunks around the first deer and had
set them afire, to keep varmints away.
1t was dark when reached camp and
Tom was beginning to get alarmed. But
he had pot of beans and loaf of warm
bread, Just from the Dutch oven, and
with frying-p pan of venison, felt suffi-
ciently recuperated to survive until
morning. We sat around the campfire
quite late this evening chatting.
Tom had been to the Stockade with
some venison and as he came back his
ponies winded something that was
strange to them something that seemed
to frighten them for they became quite
nervous. Tom could not see anything
unusual or hear any uncommon sounds.
But the idea of these ponies becoming
frightened was really the strangest thing
we had run across in this strange land,
for they had never before given the least
attention to anything that might jump
up before them; deer, elk, wolves and
lions, were regarded by them with idle
curiosity, consequently it could not be
either of these. And now, to actually
get frightened and nervous, we could
attribute it to nothing less than the ap.