Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-19
REAL MEN Of WEST F..
GUIDE PRESIDENT.
Hardened Veterans of Out.
door Life Lead Executive
to His First Fish.
By Consolidated Press.

By Consolidated Press.
CUSTER, s. Oak. June 18.-Rough-
ing it in the Black Hills with Presi-
dent Coolidge are two guides-men Of
the West-who are to teach the Ma
tons Executive the tricks of trout
fishing and acQuaint him with the
fascinating lore of cowboy and Indian
days.
Veterans Of the outdoor life, hard
ened by contact with the frontier and
with intimate knowledge of every
nook and Granny in the huge State
park, they are sure to give the Presi'
dent a good time.
Cecil D. Gideon, former game war
den, builder Of the roads through the
hill country, and now in charge Of the
State game lodge, had the honor OF
guiding President Coolidge to his first
fish. Fred Shumaker, one-time COW.
boy, q two-gun sheriff Of Custer Coun.
ty some years back, and now State
forester, is the other guide, who Is ex-
pected to accompany the presidential
party on it's wilderness ventures.
Real Men of West.
Gideon is a slender, wiry, tall West
erner, tanned by his outdoor life and
dressed in keeping with the custom Of
the region. Shumaker, as the cowboys
say, had his grub more regular"
real man of the West. He still wears
high -heeled boots-can't get along
without them--and looks the frontiers.
man. 1t was Gideon who built many
of the roads in the hills with convict
labor, living with the prisoners and
working with them without losing
man.
And Gideon knows more secrets Of
the Presidents first trout catch than
any one else. He even helped Mr..
Coolidge land the big two-pounder
and guided him to the spot on SQuaw
Creek where they were fishing.
1.-THE President is a natural fisher
man." Gideon told the writer. HE
will be able to get them wherever he
wishes to fish in the hills. Squaw
Creek, where section is reserved for
Mr.. Coolidge, is one Of the good fish.
ing spots in the nearby hills, and par.
ticularly In the two.mile stretch now
set aside. There the rancher has kept
fishermen off for several years and 1t
Is q natural ground.
Strange because the President
caught only rainbow trout? Not at
all. The rainbow are a particularly
cannibalistic fish and wherever you
find them there are few brookies. In
another part the brook trout thrive.
The larger Lockaven trout are mostly
in Rapid Creek.
Bigger Ones Caught.
"The Presidents FOUNDER was
a big one, a little too big to make
the best eating. They're best around
a. pound, more delicate. OF course,
Lockaven trout have been caught
here weighing 10 pounds, but these
are exceptional"
Gideon says the President Is de-
lighted with the fishing and so ex'
pressed himself. And the guide is
delighted with Mr.. Coolidge. Lizzie
did he think, he says. that Pres
dent of the United States would honor
him as a fishing companion out In
this country, where only a few years
ago it was pretty much Of a trackless
wilderness.
Squaw Creek runs near the high.
way between Rapid City, and Custer
and it was this highway that served
as the Deadwood stage road in the
old days. The President rides the
stage road to and from work every
day that he visits his Office.
Shumaker, also a. great fisherman
and hunter. may take the President
on an expedition back into the hills
He can acquaint Mr.. Coolidge with
the hunting possibilities, too, though
it has never been established whether
the President is much of a hand with
gun.
Plenty Of Grouse.
"Of course, the hunting season is
closed now, but a little later on the
presidential party could go out after
pheasant" Shumaker said. There
are grouse aplenty and prairie chicken
to the East. In November deer shoot
ing opens. While elk run wild, the
season is closed all of the time on
them. There are some antelope and
some bear, but mountain lions have
been almost exterminated.
Fishing Is the sport now, and
there is plenty Of it in any part of
these hills"
Mr.. Coolidge seems quite proud of
his angling feats and may keep his
guides busy throughout the Summer.
The thrill Of battling with fighting
trout is something that catches hold
Of a man. It's gamey sport that
has turned the President to some
play.
And he has two gentlemen guides
real men and real sports--to keep
him in good fishing humor.