Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1939-05-12
Rocky Mountain Ram Roped,
Captured by Carbon Trapper
By mon TANA LOU" GRILL

FRANK ChatfieId, during the early
part Of April, 1894, roped a Rocky
the Sunlight mountains about SO
miles from Red Lodge. It was an
unprecedented feat. Throughout
the entire history of the Rocky
mountain region It had never been
equaled.
"To catch and hold a full-grown
animal of this species is a feat that
accomplished" announced the Red
Lodge Picket, which gave an account
of the incident.
Chatf1eld was strong and hardy
mountaineer Most of his life had been
spent in the wild recesses of the
Rockies. For considerable number of
years he had been combining trap
ping, prospecting and stockraising In
the Sunlight valley. A rugged stream
traces its winding course through the
valley to complete its confluence with
Clark's fork river in the box CANYON,
making its final appearance over a
grand fall of rs feet in height.
Familiar with every foot Of the area,
Chatfield frequently turned from his
occupations Of trapping and prospect
ing to indulge in and enjoy the pleas
ure Of hunting. He studied the flora
of the territory and was intimately
familiar with fauna that grazed in the
lowlands or stood in ma jeStic silhouette
on some. Jagged, rugged projecting
crag against the purple hue Of the
sun-studded sky above
During this particular hunt" con-
tinues the Red Lodge Picket, Mr..
Chatfield saw a fine specimen of the
Owls Montana on the ledge of a rock
far up the hill, and with common lariat
determined to make an effort to catch
the animal"
Resort to strategy was necessary in
order to come within throwing dis
lance OF the willy ram. Cautiously and
carefully Chatfield crawled up a dry
gulch. Keeping out of sight of the
animal he reached reef of rock about
30 feet above it.
Il looked over the edge of the reef
OF rock" said Chatfield in reporting
this semiclimax in his quest, land
gazed with wonderment and awe at
IN his coat of wool, poised for action.
standing like a statue, and keenly
alert against surprise, I quickly real
lied that the ram also spied me above
him. During that fleeing few seconds
was thrilled"
Translating its instructive intelli-
gence into militant action the animal
! jumped over the ledge. With some
maneuvering and few bounds it found
refuge on another ledge of rock about
80 feet below
Baked in his effort to gain an ad-
vantage by lessening the distance be-
tween himself and the ram. Chatfield
sent his dog after the sheep and
brought it to a standstill about 200
feet away. Following as rapidly as he
was able over the rough and broken
mountain slope. Chatfield succeeded in
! getting within a few feet of his quarry
when he threw his rope.
1T landed around one of the rams
horns and hard tussle for the mastery
took place. First the sheep would have
the best of the struggle and then the
man. Being on a narrow ledge of
rock it was very dangerous position
and Mr.. Chatfield was liable at any
moment to fall over with disastrous
results" recorded the Red Lodge
Picket.
The contest continued. Gradually
Chatfield succeeded in negotiating a
comparatively safe descent. With the
assistance of his dog he was able to
get the sheep started down the noun
tain
LAS neither party could go exactly
as they wished they soon got tangled
in the rope and both sheep and man
started in a bundle rolling down to
the bottom of the hill where they
landed decidedly the worse for their
rough scramble over the rocks His
Sheepship was roped around both hind
feet and afterwards the rope was ar
ranged around both horns in which
condition he was taken to the Chat
field ranch where he is now securely
confined
The Red Lodge Picket stated that
the mountain sheep was a magnificent
specimen of the species. land will very
likely be sent to some large geological
garden"
The horns measured IT inches in
circumference and had a two-foot
spread.
Chatfield had a background of ex-
perience to support him in his success
in roping the big mountain sheep, for
the Red Lodge Picket records that
some time previous to catching the
sheep, Mr. Chatfield caught three ewes
in the same manner. but as they were
not so large and unmanagable, they
did not cause much trouble"
Two of the ewes succumbed to a
disease which resembled distemper
which afflicts dogs shortly after they
are placed in confinement The third
succeeded in making its escape.