Big Game Hunting in the Rockies (Struan's Foreign Report No. 8)

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Big Game Hunting in the Rockies a.k.a. Struan's Foreign Report No. 8 Struan Little Elk. Bison. Moose. Deer. Bear. "hese are a few ofthe species lurking around Ameri- is prohibited. A bear hazard area sounded kind of cute. ca's mountains. And I came to hunt them. Let's One imagines a group of bears running amok after buyface it: the chances of encountering a moose in ing contraband whisky from an Indian trader. Unfortu- Fiordland is zero. I had seen a recent documentary al- nately, it's all just to let the wee dears get a good night's leging that they are down there, but that they are just kip. I am still unsure how they knew that I have a proshy.Iremained sceptical. So the chance of tangling with pensity to snore, but anyway, we weren't allowed to a bear down there is less than a moose's zero. These disturb the grizzlies. Nevertheless, we were compelled are not good odds to a man who won't bet on his own to watch a video on bear danger and what to do if a boot size. But in the Rockies, the likelihood of liaising grizzly chews your arm off (answer: count your blesswith something big and hairyis rather better, or at least ings, it's only one arm). that's what the brochures said. So we had survived the Instead we obtained a permit for a campsite overflight across the Pacific, a night in Salt Lake City marvel- looking a huge meadow which would be a great place ling at the Mormon Temple, and another flight to for spotting large mammals, particularly bison. This Bozeman, Montana to get to where the big game is. sounded ideal except for the fact that the track began Our adventure took an unpromising start. First, I very close to Old Faithful geyser and a bunch of bus managed to miss Yellowstone National Park. did see a tours. This led to rather an odd situation where we big, old stone arch with the words "Yellowstone Na- donned shorts and packs in a freezing wind and had to tional Park" on it, this is true. But I could not believe teeter past gaping tourists marvelling at Yellowstone's that a gravel road could be the entrance into Yellowstone boiling mud and geysers. But they weren't prepared to solfollowed the tar seal and ended upin a gravel quarry. risk the wilderness beyond the boardwalks. Rapidly, Second, it was raining. First stop was the ranger station camper caravans and other accoutrements of the outand their perfectly manicured lawn. Only there were door life were left behind and we were puffing our way these big turds littered across it. Soon, I saw why: a up through burned pine forest. When lightning strikes herd of elk has realised that the grass is greener on the here, they let the forest burn as a form of natural conother (populated) side. They are impressive beasts, but trol to prevent even bigger, uncontrollable fires. I scan Iwasn't terribly moved since you sort of feel that wild- the sky for possible thunderstorms in case I get burned life viewing shouldn't be done before you've paid your out of the Park but things are looking good. After a couentrance fee, and besides they do have thesei in Fiordland. ple ofh hours we arrive at wilderness campsite OM3 which am puzzled why our elk ended up being given the was helpfully labelled on a tree nearby, along with a American Indian word "wapiti"when "elk"is a lot easier range of other inane instructions. We actually had la I perto say. - tried yelling "Hey elk!" and "Hey wapiti!" and mit for OM2 but I felt that these sort of trivial reguladiscerned no difference in response, meaning that the tions were best broken. names are interchangeable. Wewere travelling with minimal gear, and a cool wind Iruminated on this and other Fiordland parallels while at 2,500m was a little fresh on my legs. First priority the drops splashed into the parched earth. It was the was a cupof tea using my brand new stove. It sputtered parched earth that was the difference, but the old pre- and died and various remedies including kicking it across cipitation was the same. I decided to fill in time fishing the prairie yielded no improvement. The only alternasince the fish don't seem to mind the rain. But then it tive was more traditional: a fire. Iwasn'ttoo sure of the started to snow and wet slush down my collar began to legality of this, but reassured myself that I was doing affect my cast and my concentration. So we left the Park my bit for natural forest control and preventing a big and headed for the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyo- one. Soon we were sitting in front of a howling flame ming with its fabulous collection of every type of gun sipping tea and watching for animals. A full moon lit up ever made in America. It also has a very interesting col- the meadow and still no animals. And an early shivering lection of visitors, most of who are unshaven, look quite dawn on a frosted plain yielded no sign of animate life. mad and wear fatigues. Then it hit me: this is America. No self-respecting ani- The passage oft time brought sunshine peeping through mal is going to be somewhere you have to walk to the gun racks and we elected to head into the wilder- they'll all be at the carpark with the tourists. So we crackness in search of game. This required a further visit to led our way across the frozen ground and headed for the ranger station to pick up a permit for our intended our rental car. route. This was refused on the basis that we wanted to It was a weirdwalk out through pine forest with eerie march into a bear hazard area where overnight camping plumes of steam emanating from fissures in the ground Tramping and Mountaineering 1998 ast far as you could see. And we got pretty excited spotting a few deer and then bear tracks heading down our route. But what I did not expect, wandering through the forest, was to walk smack into a bison. A large bison. Finally, I had experienced my first big game, but I was surprised to use the sense of touch before the sense of sight. You know the routine, stumbling blindly down the trail when suddenly: "Ouch! What was that? A branch? A tree? No, a fully grown bison." We maintained a polite discourse with two tonnes of beef: "Nice day for a nibble, actually l'm vegetarian too" and eased our way down Keeping an eye out for bears Struan Little the track as the bemused bison returned to rummaging through the underbrush. campsite. Some thoughtful forebear had even built a Rapidlylfound out whyt there werel bison strolling around stick wall to surround the tent. As I struggled vainly to in the woods: the track passed a geyser and the bison, coax more than a matchstick of flame out of my now being mentally gifted, had worked out that spending the dented, blackened cooker, looked up to see a gigantic winter lounging around hot pools is a better way to go face peering intently at my antics. Clearly moose had than freezing your horns off out on the prairie. Ask Harry. never seen a brand new MSR that didn't work. This Around the thermal area were a number of bison lolling seemed pretty unusual to have moose in your campsite. around in the pasty sun. As we enjoyed our uncooked dinner while evening fell, Buoyed with a new enthusiasm and the desire to buy we discovered this was not unusual. We had camped a new map, we headed down to Grand Teton National on a moose motorway. The thoughtful wall of sticks was Park, which is much more spectacular than Yellowstone. there to stop moose from standing on our tent. As we Yellowstone is where to see wildlife; Grand Teton is fa- watched, half a dozen moose strolled past our campmous for its mountain range named after the female site, muttering darkly about blocking the carriageway. anatomy by French trappers who clearly had been away Which leads me back to the Fiordland non-moose. The from civilisation for too long. Here the tramping per- idea that moose are shy and retiring is a bunch of bull mits, as well as the naming werer more liberal. You sim- (moose). If there are any left in Fiordland, just put out ply got a permit for a camping zone and found your an apple and pretty soon they'll wander in for a chat. own spot. They were also impressed by my knowledge l'm sorry, butj just like thel lost tribe, Bigfoot, and politiof bear lore and my newly-acquired rope for hanging cal integrity, the New Zealand moose is a myth. food out of bear reach, and So freed us without another Since cooking breakfast was not a happening thing video session. We decided to tramp up one canyon and (where did - I put that MSR guarantee?) we were off bedown another, crossing a 3,000m pass en route. There fore dawn up the track. The trail ascended out of the had been new snow SO we decided against Death and valley floor and worked its wayl back through patches of Avalanche canyons and opted for the friendlier Open forest and clearings up to a pass high enough to make and Granite canyons. breathing an effort. The views were stunning with jag- The route was wonderful. Graded and gradual, climb- ged peaks and fresh snow signalling that the weather ing through different bands of vegetation toward the top would soon bring the ski bunnies. The descent through of the valley. Nearing the top we heard a great crashing another canyon was equally scenic and a pleasant stroll in thes scrubr nearby. Suddenly an enormous antleredh head saw us back at our faithful rental car. We had been big emerged: our first moose. This was not exactly what I game hunting in the Rockies and had been pretty sucexpected. Moose are supposed to wallow in shallow cessful, only failing to meet with a bear. Sure it wasn't lakes, not bash around the bush like the Tararuas. And proper hunting the old-fashioned way, butl hey - this is bison are: supposed to liket the plains, not hot water spas. Wyoming and it was only a mile or SO down the road offered the beast counselling and showed him a post- until we could get a decent steak! Big game hunting card of how moose are supposed to live. He remained may have the reputation, but it's carnivorous calorie indifferent to his ignorance: and wet trudged on to a lovely consumption that I live for. Tramping and Mountaineering 1998