Phantom Ghost of Harriet Lou, and Other Elk Stories
· Book Signings: today from 6-8 p.m. at Walden-books in Great Falls; Friday, 3 to 6 p.m. at Don's Sporting Goods in Lewistown; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at BookMark It in Great Falls and from 1 to 3 p.m. at Barnes and Noble in Great Falls. Roland Cheek probably has forgotten more about elk hunting than many of us ever will know. But what the veteran outfitter, guide and outdoor writer remembers and packs into his new book makes it worthwhile for anybody who pursues the elk. The new book is "The Phantom Ghost of Harriet Lou and other Elk Stories." The cover of the book also advises it is "driven by the wild wapiti" and is a graduate course in what makes elk tick." Cheek, whose column regularly appears in the Tribune, writes from his home in Columbia Falls where he retired after more than two decades of trips into the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Cheek lays claim to being in on the formulation of the 80/20 rule: That is 20 percent of all elk hunters take 80 percent of the elk. He also pioneered the concept that elk are a lot like white-tailed deer and an eastern deer hunter likely will be a better elk hunter than most people. Cheek's engaging style is conversational--I think you'd hear these stories around a campfire at about 7,000 feet after two fingers or so in the bottom of the cup. I particularly enjoy the several chapters that deal with youngsters--generally Cheek's grandson--learning to hunt. We ride along as the youth grows into a world populated by wise old hunters who long ago gave up the need to kill. The boy remains mystified by those who don't need to kill to have a successful hunt and yet yell at the tops of their lungs when they return to their favorite spot in the high country. This is not a nuts-and-bolts how-to guide to hunting elk. But the information is there, along with the recollections of a lifetime of guiding others into elk country. Cheek's book will help its readers learn about the kinds of places elk use each season of the year and provide insight into the habits of the elk. There also is guidance on being better prepared for traveling in elk country and some practical advice on equipment selection. Cheek also is the author of "Learning to Talk Bear." --Babcock-Great Falls Tribune Outdoor Editor"... Encompasses many aspects of elk, from 'how-to' tips for finding, watching or hunting elk to preserving their habitat. -----Tammy Meck, Glenwood Post, Glenwood Springs COI have just finished The Phantom Ghost of Harriet Lou. Wow! It was wonderful! I was transported from my stateroom aboard a destroyer to the wilderness I traveled as a teenager. Your tales were well told, enlightening and dead on the money. --Joel Stewart/USS FifeDd991