SUCCESSFUL HUNTING IN MOUNTAINS

Dan Fisher has been involved with black powder weapons the past three years, but he came up with a "first" during a recent hunting trip to Colorado.

"I had my first kill with a black powder weapon," said Fisher, of Cape Girardeau. "I bagged a 650-pound cow elk my first day out in the Gunnison National Forest near Paonia, Colo.

Fisher and his party of five left their hunting camp at 5:30 a.m. Sept. 10. Two hours later, Fisher bagged his elk.

"We saw other game during our 10 days in the mountains," said Fisher. "But, we had only one other kill." Cape Girardeau hunter successful

Accompanying Fisher on the hunt were R. C. Davidson Jr., of Scott City, who also used a black powder weapon, and his son, James Fisher of St. Libory, Ill., who used bow and arrow. Others on the hunt were Fisher's cousins, Roger and Barb Draper, of Paonia, Colo., who used bow and arrows.

Roger Draper was the only other successful hunter during the trip, bagging a 150-pound mule deer.

"We were high up in the mountains, about 10,000 feet," said Fisher. "We were in a wilderness area where no motorized traffic is allowed. It took us about eight hours to hike in. We used four mules and a horse as pack animals."

While in the wilds, the hunting party utilized a home-made stove, made from a barrel, and a Coleman stove to keep warm and prepare food. No open fires are permitted.

Two of the mules belonged to Fisher.

"I do a lot of coon hunting in the Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois area," said Fisher. "I used my two mules on coon hunts."

Fisher hauled two mules and one horse from Cape Girardeau to Colorado.

Permits for the annual black powder and bow and arrow season are by the luck of the draw.

"I have applied three times, and this time my name was drawn," said Fisher.

Fisher limits his hunting to mostly coon and waterfowl.

"Except the annual trip to Colorado," he said.