President's Report

Inside this issue: President’s Report

Times are a changing with a new From the Executive Director 2 government headed by Premier Ed Stelmach. The cabinet portfolios 2007 Convention Information 3 have all shifted and it will be different than the Klein government— Willmore Wanderings 4 hopefully it will be friendly to hunt- President’s Report Continued 3 ers and trappers. Long Horn by Jim Babala 6 During the government transi- tion, it came as a disappointment People & Peaks that a new Provincial Park was cre- of Willmore WIlderness Park 8 ated in the Rock Lake/Solomon Photo courtesy of Creek area without ANY consulta- Susan Feddema-Leonard Join Our Membership 9 tion from the people of Alberta. Orders in Council were pushed officially created in 1997 by conserva- Rare Books through while the leadership was tionists and scientists who saw a need witten by Willmore Outitters 12 changing hands. This has significance for an organization to operate as a guide in that there will be NO hunting in and a connector” The Y2Y Conserva- this new Provincial Park. tion Initiative envisions an unbroken See the Convention News string of parks from the Yellowstone Secondly, the Willmore Wil- to the Yukon with no hunting, trap- derness Executive has some grave ping or much of anything else. concerns about a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that has been If anyone wants a copy of the signed by British Columbia (B.C.) and MOU regarding the new Interprov- Alberta which created an Interprov- incial Park agreement please contact incial Park. This MOU includes the our office at info@willmorewilder- B.C. Kakwa Provincial Park, Greater ness.com. We encourage you to Kakwa Wildland Park and Willmore contact your MLA and let them Wilderness Park. The MOU was know that the Willmore Wilder- signed without any consultation with ness Act is important to Albertans. the Alberta stakeholders. This MOU The right to hunt, trap, fish and ride seems to be a part of the agenda for horses—is a historic right, which we the Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y) in- want to keep intact for future gen- itiative. The Y2Y website states, “We erations of Albertans. Featuring ‘Long Horn’ seek to ensure that the world-renowned wilderness, wildlife, native plants, and We have scheduled a meeting ... a true story natural processes of the Yellowstone to with Kyle Clifford of Commun- Yukon region continue to function as an ity Development on January 15 by Jim Babala interconnected web of life, capable of between his Department and the see Page 6 supporting all of its natural and human Willmore Wilderness Executive. We communities, for current and future gen- expect to discuss the lack of input erations. To realize this vision, Y2Y was into the Alberta/B.C. MOU and the ...... continued on page 3 WillmoreWilderness Newsletter Page 2 Views from Sheep Creek Brian Bildson - Executive Director Greetings, from Sheep Creek the impression that often the com- Back Country Lodge. Once again my munication is one way only. family and I have ushered in the New Year surrounded by the majesty of the In 2006, the government removed Rocky Mountains. Like most folks, this S.R.D staff from any management role is the time of year that I reflect back in the park, which means that Fish & on 2006 and wonder what 2007 holds Wildlife officers no longer have any for us. jurisdiction in the Willmore. As well, an integrated management plan for 2006 was a year of challenge for B.C. Kakwa Park, Kakwa Wildland the Willmore Wilderness Founda- Park, and Willmore Wilderness Park tion on several fronts. Mother Nature was struck without any prior consulta- decided to show her power, and wild tion. There is also a draft plan called fires swept much of the park. In the “Trapping in the 21st. century” which big picture, the fires will be a positive may impact trapping rights in the park. influence on the eco-system but they Our concern is that significant changes did cause some minor setbacks for the are taking place without a chance for Foundation. We were forced to cancel public input. our scheduled pack trips due to clos- ure of the park, which was disappoint- Looking ahead to 2007, the Foun- ing. We also saw several areas burnt in dation has identified a need to be which previous years’ trail clearing had more pro-active in lobbying for the Brian Bildson taken place. Willmore Park, and ensuring that we Executive Director are in the communication loop. It is Willmore Wilderness Foundation The Pine Beetle situation in the evident that we cannot depend on Photograph courtesy of Park is also at an epidemic stage. government agencies to forward on Susan Feddema-Leonard It appears that the infestation is relevant information. However, there January 2005 much more advanced then originally have also been successes in our deal- thought. While the government is ex- ings with the government, and we are pending huge resources in their fight optimistic that we can forge better against the beetle, the reality is that relationships with Community De- nature will run its course, one way or velopment. the other. Let’s hope for a cold snap this spring, as this would accomplish In closing I hope to see you out much more than man can do. at one of our fund-raising banquets this year. A reminder that our work The political situation in 2006 is fueled by volunteer labor and also raised some concerns with the all money raised goes into making Foundation. As an advocacy group for Willmore Wilderness Park a better Willmore Wilderness Park, the Foun- place. dation attempts to keep abreast of any proposed changes in the management Brian Bildson of the Park. We have tried to keep the Executive Director lines of communication open with the government managers, namely Com- munity Development, but are left with Page 3 – Winter Edition 2007 –

2007 Convention News

3rd Willmore Wilderness Benefit: Convention Dates Grande Prairie Quality Inn - March 3, 2007. Tickets $50.00 per person mark you calendars Co-Chairpersons are Brian & Deana Bildson - 780-831-1087 Honouring Jerry Stojan, a Willmore outfitter Grande Prairie - Mar 3/07 4th Willmore Wilderness Annual Fundraiser Edmonton - April 28/07 Coast Terrace Inn Ballroom in Edmonton on April 28, 2007.

Tickets are $60.00 per person. Grande Cache - TBA

Honouring Ishbel (Hargreaves) Cochrane, daughter of Roy Hargreaves Visa - MasterCard - Amex - Debit 2nd Grande Cache Gala Dates and place to be announced:

All events feature a banquet, live & silent auctions, displays, a Willmore Wil- derness PowerPoint presentation and more. Cocktails at 5 pm and dinner at 6 pm. The Foundation has made a commitment to highlight mountain art, vacation packages and products at all future conventions.

For tickets please call toll free at 1-866-WILMORE

President’s Report - continued from page 1

complete lack of consultation into Development who did a great job the new Rock Lake/Solomon Creek in managing the fires in Willmore. “Due to the Provincial Park. There is lots of snow on the mountains this year, and we expect the charred timber On a different note, the rivers and lakes will rise as a result. and blow down, weather was certainly hot and dry this summer. We had two major We have a lot in the hopper there are a lot fires in Willmore Wilderness Park. this year. We hope to see you all more trails that need They were in the Sheep Creek and at the upcoming conventions which Jackpine River Valleys. The good are listed in this Newsletter. We to be cleared.” news is that where the fire burnt, certainly count on your support as Bazil Leonard, President the pine beetles are under control. EVERY BIT COUNTS. Our organ- The bad news is that there is still a ization is self-supporting and we rely severe infestation where the fire did on the generosity of our volunteers not burn. Due to the charred tim- and members. ber and blow down, there are a lot more trails that need to be cleared. Last but not least, our book the We hope to get some crews clear- People & Peaks of Willmore Wil- ing in the summer of 2007. derness Park is scheduled to go to press in the first quarter of 2007. We also wish to thank the staff at Forestry and Community Happy Trails Bazil WillmoreWilderness Newsletter Page 4 Willmore Wanderings By Mark Engstrom

It started out as a great day. It time at Big Graves. My old gelding has was the end of August, the weather probably been there multiple times was good. My brother Toe (Terry; but per year for the last twenty years, and everyone calls him Toe) and I had left the rest have also been there many, Grande Cache two days before. We many times. If they don’t return to the had made a leisurely two-day ride, with cabin in the morning for some oats an overnighter at Walton Creek just or cubes, they like to head to the far over the top of Hayden’s Ridge. The south end of the meadow past Pierre second day, the two of us, with our Delorme’s gravesite. If left until late two riding horses and two packhorses, morning, they will either stand in arrived at the cabin at Big Graves. the trees at the edge of the river for shade, or end up in the willows on the There were horses at the cabin as gravel bars of the Sulphur—especially we rode up. Approaching, three famil- this time of year—to get into the cool iar faces appeared from in and around wind that blows along the river, taking the cabin. There were friends, who with it the horseflies that come with Mark Engstrom had left a couple of days before us for the warmth of the sun. Board of Directors the same reason we were there— Willmore Wilderness Foundation sheep hunting. They had already com- The horses were not where they April 2006 pleted a successful hunt, taking two usually were. No big deal, I assured Photograph courtesy of fine rams. We had originally planned myself, they can’t be far. We searched Susan Feddema-Leonard to travel farther up the Sulphur River for a couple of hours around where that afternoon, but decided to stay at they were usually found, with no sign the Flats to visit and be entertained other than shoe prints near the river. with stories of their hunt. So we Since this seemed to be the only lead, unpacked, set up camp, hobbled the across the river we headed. There I recovered the horses and let them go, and settled in were horse track across the river, my for a great night. horses, I knew from the shoe marks. two lost horses; They disappeared soon after, as the the outfitter in the The next morning, like I said, horses did not stick to the dirt trail started out as a great day. To begin— but got off into the grass. We spent area had “found” them sheep tenderloin, rewards of a hard the rest of the day traversing both and left them hunt, for breakfast. I love sheep meat, sides of the river, soaked to the waist, and ate a couple of large portions of ending up in an outfitters’ camp near near my camp. finely cooked filet mignon that mor- where Kvass Creek flows into the Sul- ning. The successful hunters were phur. A wrangler was in camp, and had headed home that day, so we decided not seen any stray horses. to see them off, helping with horses, saddles and pack boxes. We said good- Dejected, we headed back to bye just before noon. We were on our camp. Along the way, we called for own again, and rarin’ to go hunting. It the horses hoping they heard and was a beautiful day, warm and sunny. would follow to get the treats they We grabbed a couple of halters and set get when they come when called. Just out to collect our horses. as we were getting back to camp Toe stopped and said he could hear bells. My horses have spent a lot of At first, I heard nothing, but sure Page 5 – Winter Edition 2007 –

enough, a few minutes later, I also So we headed up a valley to where After a night of Toe breathing heard them. We turned and headed we’ve seen rams before. As expected, out the side of his head we decide to for the sweet sound of bells, and sure the rain came, hard. We were well take the two horses we had and get enough, heading for our camp, were prepared for it, but being soaked all him back to town to get checked out. two of the four lost nags. They fol- day does take its toll. During the day, This meant leaving camp there, but lowed us back to camp. It was now we spotted about a dozen bighorn hey, that’s what happens sometimes. dark, but I decided to saddle up and ewes, two billy goats, and two four- We made it back in good time, and ar- go find the other two. I searched again or-five-year-old grizzlies (we had seen rived to the usual pizza and beer my for an hour or so with no luck. The the same two together a year ago, a wife provides whenever I come back in two horses we now had stayed tied up mile away). Along the way, we had also from the bush (cell phones these days that night. The old saying I had heard seen fresh tracks of a sow grizzly with are great). A late night visit to the doc- was now repeating itself in my head two very small cubs. Being in the same tor at emergency was in order for Toe, “it’s better to have a skinny horse valley, I am sure the two juveniles were and although they cannot do anything, tied to a tree than a fat horses’ tracks the sow’s last pair of twins. While they figure it will heal and his ear will headed to town”. we were checking out the two bears be OK. He decides to head home to and spotting the higher elevations for southern Alberta, and the trip is offi- The next day we saddled up and sheep, Toe moved over in the willows cially classified as a small disaster. went horse hunting. Although we to get a better position to glass from, covered lots of territory, we couldn’t and a dry willow branch went into I went back out four days later even find any fresh sign of the two lost his ear and poked out his eardrum! (after coming down with strep throat) boys. We rode back into camp that Blood was running out of his ear, and and recovered the two lost horses; night baffled and upset. Soon as we hit if he held his nose while breathing, air the outfitter in the area had “found” camp, we saw a group of hunters had would bubble out of it. So we packed them and left them near my camp. moved into the cabin, no problem as it full of toilet paper and headed for we were staying in a tent set up beside camp. The two lost horses were not Mark Engstrom it. The hunting party turned out to be there, and I was beginning to think that Willmore Foundation Director some fine fellows, as are most people I had somehow angered the gods… I run into out there. One had taken a nice ram. Turns out he was a regular contributor to an internet hunting forum that I like to read and occasion- ally post in. Small world, indeed. Once again we spent an evening with good company.

The next day started out wet. It had rained during the night and was threatening to pour again judging by the dark clouds in the west. We saw our new friends off, as they were Websites headed back to civilization. Having searched for our lost packstring in www.Willmore Wilderness.com every place I could think of, we decid- www.WillmoreWildernessPark.com ed to spend the day looking for sheep instead of horses, hoping they would www.WillmorePark.com show up at camp and stay there. WillmoreWilderness Newsletter Page 6 Long Horn – By Jim Babala

The first real information I got to within four hundred yards of the on this particular ram was from Red rams when he spotted ‘Long Horn.’ Creighton. He had told me on differ- He looked and couldn’t believe what ent occasions about missing a very he was seeing. He pointed out ‘Long large unbroomed ram during the 1939 Horn’ to the hunter. When he finally season. The picture of this ram was spotted the ram, he became speech- taken by Red at Kvass Creek Pass less and very excited. between the Sulphur and Big Smoky Rivers of Alberta. Red said that he, himself, even got a feeling of excitement looking The ram became a legend in his at the bighorn and they both agreed time and was talked about by many they were looking at a replica of the people interested in sheep and trophy Chadwick ram. They stalked within hunting. This ram got to be known as two hundred yards and none of the ‘Long Horn’ and later on ‘The Phan- rams were aware of them. There were tom Ram.’ When one looks at the pic- seven bighorns in the bunch and two ture, ‘Long Horn’ is certainly the best others were fine trophy rams. One in way to describe him. particular was a fine, lightly broomed Author Jim Babala head in the 38-inch class. Red put this ram in the same class as the famous Chadwick Stone ram As Red put it, “Hell Jim, I couldn’t Jim started professionally taken in 1936. He said he didn’t believe keep my eyes off ‘Long Horn’, as the guiding and outfitting hunt- it was as big but, at the time, ‘Long rest didn’t count much. The hunter ing parties in 1946 in the Horn’ was not an old ram. Red be- was nervous as hell. We rested for a Cadomin-Luscar area, with lieved that in time he could have been while and just watched. Conditions brother, Bill. In 1949 he ven- as big as the Chadwick Ram. couldn’t have been better—a slight tured out in his own business breeze was blowing in our faces.” and outfitted a party to the Red said that he was told of a fine, unbroomed ram missed by a Red continued his story, telling me Hay and Sulphur Rivers—on hunter in 1938 in the vicinity of the that the hunter laid down for a shot his first trip into what is now Little Graves–Sulphur River area. Red from a rest. The rams were feeding Willmore Wilderness Park. figured this was the same ram he had at the edge of a stand of thick stunted He guided hunting parties in missed in 1939. At that time, the ram spruce and balsam. ‘Long Horn’ turned this area until 1972 when he was a year older, a little bigger and still broadside and the hunter shot. Red took his outfit north unbroomed. said he never saw where the shot hit. to the Yukon. Jim still lives ‘Long Horn’ gave one hell of a jump with his wife in When Red first spotted Long into the spruce—nothing showed for horn, he and a hunter were hunting minutes. Whitehorse Yukon. the headwaters of Kvass Pass on the Big Smoky side of the range of moun- Red was now thinking perhaps Stories about Jim Babala will be tains. This was a series of deep can- they had gotten the ram, when out featured in the People & Peaks of yons and draws covered with stunted came ‘Long Horn’ on the run, now at Willmore Wilderness Park. spruce and brush. Red said he spotted the far end of the spruce thicket, at a number of rams feeding along the least three hundred yards away. None bottom of a deep, timbered draw. He and the hunter stalked closer and got ....continued on page 7 Page 7 – Winter Edition 2007 –

This ram got to be known as ‘Long Horn’ and later on ‘The Phantom Ram.’ When one looks at the picture, ‘Long Horn’ is certainly the best way to describe him.

of the other rams showed. The hunter respectable head. the hunters and another guide took started shooting, his shots hitting as after the rams. far as six feet to the left and right of The hunter told Red, “No more ‘Long Horn.’ The six other rams ap- shooting for this hunter today. I’m go- They covered the whole area peared and started climbing straight ing to spend the rest of my time look- where they spotted ‘Long Horn’ and up the side of the low ridge. ‘Long ing for that long-horned ram.” his companions the day before, without Horn’ ran, angling away from the rest. seeing them or any other rams. They Red told the hunter to start shooting, Red said they spent the rest of saw only a few ewes. They spent most as ‘Long Horn’ was nearing the top of their hunt looking for ‘Long Horn’ of the next day, as well, looking for the the ridge. The hunter managed to get but never saw hide nor hair of him. rams but had to give up because of a two more shells into his rifle and blew Red spent the month of September snowstorm. ‘Long Horn’ was seen no these two shots as well. 1940 in the Kvass-Smoky area without more during the 1940 season. seeing a trace of the ram, but found Red said when ‘Long Horn’ made other rams which they took. He spot- Red continued to hunt Kvass, as it to the crest of the ridge, he stopped ted ‘Long Horn’ again in mid-October this was known as ‘Red Creighton’s and sky-lined for a moment. They just 1940. He was with three other rams. ‘stomping grounds,’ but he didn’t see sat watching. What a sight! When anything of the ‘Long Horn’ during the ‘Long Horn’ disappeared over the top, He spotted them late one after- 1941 season. However, other guides the other six rams were just making noon but it would have been dark reported seeing ‘Long Horn.’ Stories it to the top of the ridge. Red told before they got to the rams. They de- about the ram grew. the hunter to take a crack at the big, cided they would go all-out after ‘Long broomed ram that they figured was Horn’ early the next day. Two hunters the best, adding that he was a good in the party still needed rams, so Red, ....continuted on page 10 WillmoreWilderness Newsletter Page 8

We’re Going to Press with ..... People & Peaks of Willmore Wilderness Park

The first edition ofPeople & Book One Table of Contents: Peaks of Willmore Wilderness Park is in the final stages of layout and will Book one features outfitters from 1900 be sent to press shortly. Old time out- to 1950 with an overview of all outfit- fitters share the secrets of the moun- ters from 1900-1980 in Chapter Two. tains. They talk about the trails, hunting areas and downright funny stories. • The Beginnings of Outfitting • The Guides & Outfitters from 1900 to 1980 We are presently in the layout • The Hargreaves Bros. mode of the first edition. The entire Ishbel (Hargreaves) Cochrane manuscript has gone to Roger Brunt Jack Hargreaves of Salt Spring Island, and the “new • Art Allen • Nick Nickerson People & Peaks eyes” of Brian and Deana Bildson for • Mark Truxler a final review. These ‘new eyes’ are • Jack Brewster of Willmore Wilderness Park bound to catch a few small things that • Tom Groat, Joe Groat, Judd Groat we need to change. We await their • Carl Luger • Rose & Diome Findlay perusal of the manuscript and work on .... at $60.00 per copy • Tom Vinson Sr. the layout in the meantime. • Tom McCready .... plus $10.00 shipping & • Larry Nelles on the Jasper handling (in Canada) for those Our financing is in place and we Willmore Connection & more. are very excited about going to press. • Leonard Jeck, books that were not pre-sold. • Mac Elder on John Unland & more, We fully anticipate that a copy of • Jim Baballa, this book to be in the readers hands • Stan Kitchen & sometime during the first quarter of The Bing Crosby 1947 hunt 2007. Thank you for your patience. authored by Bing himself

We have provided Sponsorship Book Two Table of Contents: Credit to all those who prepaid for their copies of the book. We have also The text of book two is more than half credited our major sponsors. Thanks completed and will feature Willmore Wil- to those of you who beleived enough derness guides, cooks and outfitters who in this project to support it financially started in the business from 1950-1980. upfront. We will be mailing the pre- • Glen Kilgour paid copies of this book free of charge. • Tom Wanandie • Dan Hallock Sr. For more info call 1-866- WILMORE. • Dave Simpson • Bazil Leonard Willmore Wilderness Foundation • Charlie Stricker • George Kelley a registered charitable organization #89655 0308 RR001 • Jerry Stojan Box 93 Grande Cache, Alberta • Pete McMahon T0E 0Y0 Canada • Tom Vinson Jr. 1.866.WILMORE ... & more Page 9 – Winter Edition 2007 –

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A person may become a member by a favourable vote passed by a majority of members at a regular meeting of the Foundation, and upon payment of the fee. Written notification will be sent to accepted members with a membership card. Membership renewals will be sent out 14-days prior to this meeting, along with a formal notice. The membership year runs from June to June.

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Long Horn – By Jim Babala continued

... continued from Page 7 era. The wind was in Red’s favor so Yes, but after I got so close to him and he just lay there admiring ‘Long Horn,’ took pictures and watched him for Now, he was known as the ‘Phan- for a good thirty minutes. half an hour or so, No, I don’t believe I tom Ram’ as well. During the last could have.” week of August 1942, Red again saw The ram then got up and stood ‘Long Horn.’ He and another guide looking about—truly a monarch of the “Looking at this photo, Red, you had packed a grub cache out to Kvass Rocky Mountains. As Red continued took the greatest shot ever when you in advance, as they had a large party of to study the ram, a strange feeling snapped this picture.” Red gave me the hunters coming. came over him, as if he had lost some- original picture of this ram and it’s a thing, or something wasn’t right. He treasure to me. They stored all the grub in the thought about it, then he knew it was cache and then Red told the other that it was the short, broken horn The conclusion Red came to was guide he was going to climb up to a that bothered him. that ‘Long Horn’ must have knocked off favourite spot and do some glassing. the tip of his right horn as well and kept The guide took off to glass another Red estimated the longest horn on brooming his horns. This way, he part of the area. Red said that as he would have measured 46 inches or became just an average ram with a 15½- climbed on foot, his thoughts were of better and, at this close range, was inch base or thereabout, and got lost ‘Long Horn.’ certain the broken horn would still in the shuffle of the good rams in the make 40 inches. The ram had lost six Kvass area during the early 1940s, add- He sat on his speical glassing spot to seven inches from his left horn. ing that several good, heavy-broomed and in minutes he spied up a lone ram rams were taken during those years. on a distant, long rocky ridge. As he ‘Long Horn’ then turned, slowly One of those rams could easily have looked at the ram, he could make out and dropped over the crest of the been ‘Long Horn.’ only one long horn. He stalked closer ridge. Red said a sort of uneasy feeling to the ram—then had no problem came over him as he hurriedly climbed As I mentioned earlier, ‘Long making out it was ‘Long Horn,’ but he to where the ram had disappeared. Horn’ got to be a legend. When Ed had knocked off the left side of his long When he got up to where ‘Long Moberly guided for me he mentioned horn. Red said he then crossed over Horn’ had dropped over the ridge, he ‘Long Horn’, as Ed had guided for Red to the long ridge that ‘Long Horn’ was watched the ram slowly descend into on many occasions. Ed told me more on. He had no rifle with him—only his a deep timbered draw, alone. about the ram when I interviewed camera and field glasses. As he made him at his home. Ed’s story was very the stalk, slowly coming downhill on The sight of ‘Long Horn’ was much similar to Red’s. The legend of ‘Long ‘Long Horn,’ he could see the ram’s different than the first time he saw the Horn’ continued as I retired from out- left horn still cleared the nose. It was ram. The broken horn took a lot away fitting in 1980. not a fresh break. The horn must have from him, but as Red told me, he was been broken during the past rutting still one hell of a ram. He was 46 by 40 It was suggested by many of my season. The short horn, Red thought, inches with a 15-inch-plus base. hunter friends that I write up my ex- would still make 40 inches. periences, memories of my hunting Red hunted the rest of the 1942 days, and knowledge of bighorn sheep Red said he felt sort of sad when season without seeing ‘Long Horn’ and mountain life. I took to writing he looked at the broken horn, and he again and this was the last time he and interviewing guides and outfitters continued stalking closer. He got so ever saw him. I asked Red if he had I knew and Red Creighton was one of close he could see ‘Long Horn’s’ nos- had a rifle with him, would he have those people. trils taking in air and his eyes blinking, shot the ram. without the use of his field glasses. He snapped a few pictures hoping they Red replied, “Jim, when I first saw would turn out as it was a cheap cam- him and got within shooting distance, ....continued on page 11 Page 11 – Winter Edition 2007 –

... continued from Page striking several feet in front of the ram. This spun the ram around and he Red got looking through some of ran directly toward the hunters. As the photos he had from the past and the kid put more shells in his rifle, the come across the original picture he ram stopped right in front of them, had taken of ‘Long Horn.’ This is when confused. The kid shot again missing he told me the story as I have written the ram completely. The ram, still here. Our talk took place a year be- confused, ran about and the kid emp- fore Red died. tied his rifle. By the time he reloaded again the ‘Phantom Ram’ had gotten The next authentic facts I got mixed in with the other rams. Then regarding ‘Long Horn’ were quite ac- having gotten his bearing, he took off cidental. I was interviewing Art Allen, with the rest of the band. a real old-time mountain guide. After Red Creighton - 1948 talking to Art and going through his Art said, “Hell, I could have shot Photo taken by Harry Harper pictures, I showed him my collection. that ram with a .22 rifle. He stood less Courtesy of Jim Babala As soon as Art saw the picture of ‘Long than a hundred yards from us—long Horn,’ he said, “Where did you get that enough for a couple of shots” picture, Jim? That’s the ‘Phantom Ram!’” Art had other hunters miss I told him I had gotten the picture from the ‘Phantom Ram’ as well and two Red Creighton and then he told me his were very well known hunters of the story about the ‘Long Horn.’ times. These were General Woods and Colonel Humphrey. Art said he Art’s experiences with the ram told his stories about this ram to Jack began during the latter part of the Brewster whom Art was working for The sight of 1930s until the early 1940s. During at the time. Jack just shook his head. the latter part of the 1930s, he was ‘Long Horn’ was much Art came to the same conclusion as guiding a father and son from New Red Creighton about the magnificent different than the first York. He said he found forty rams in a ram—that he broomed off his horns basin at Mile 60 on the Sulphur River. time he saw the ram. The and got lost in the shuffle with the The ‘Phantom Ram’ was among this other rams. He said old, broomed broken horn took a lot band. Art said after much waiting and rams were plentiful during those times. away from him, but as Red maneuvering, they made a stalk on the rams. They managed to get within two Art told me as well about an told me, he was still one hundred yards of the ‘Phantom Ram.’ old heavy-broomed and battered-up The father had his ram, so the son was hell of a ram. He was 46 ram killed in the mid-1940s that was to shoot. Art said the kid had an easy thought to be the old ‘Phantom’ but by 40 inches with a standing shot but his shot hit directly no one could say for sure. 15-inch-plus base. below the ram’s front feet. Art, Red and Ed were very reput- The ram took off as if fired from able guides of the time and I’m certain a canon, and then all hell broke loose. the above information regarding ‘Long The rams scattered in every direction Horn’ is true. To me, Art Allen is and Art told the kid to keep after the one of the most outstanding guides ram. The kid kept firing but he let the and men I know. Art has done it all. ram get too far—as the bullets were He guided for all the old time outfitters, trapped from the Coal Branch ....continued on page 12 WillmoreWilderness Newsletter Page 12

Willmore Wilderness Long Horn – By Jim Babala continued

Foundation ... continued from Page 11 ventured deeper to Delorme Creek a registered charitable organization and the headwaters of Kvass Creek. #89655 0308 RR001 to Sheep Creek, across the Smoky Box 93 Grande Cache, Alberta River and was a professional axe man. This area was also a favourite haunt T0E 0Y0 Canada of Jack Hargreaves. Stories about Red He built most of the cabins for the Phone: 1-780-827-2696 Jasper Park Warden Services and led Creighton, Ed Moberly, Art Allen and Toll Free: 1-866-WILMORE a very interesting and colourful life. I Jack Hargreaves will be featured in the Email: [email protected] would say he knew the Smoky River People & Peaks of Willmore Wil- Web Pages: mountain country as well as anyone. I derness Park. WillmoreWilderness.com WillmoreWildernessPark.com interviewed Art in the fall of 1985 and WillmorePark.com you will be hearing more of him later Also you can purchase an in- MountainSolstice.com regarding his mountain life. teresting book by Jim Babala from the Willmore Wilderness Founda- Susan Feddema-Leonard of Editors Note: tion, called The Arizona Desert Whitefox Circle Inc., Publisher King and I. The cost of the book Estella Cheverie, Editor is $40.00 plus $10.00 shipping and Brian Bildson, Regular Columnist Red Creighton was known to handling. Limited quantities available. Mark Engstrom, Regular Columnist hunt the Sulphur River, Kvass Creek, We also offer Leonard Jeck’s book, Winifred Lake and Kvass Pass areas of A person may become a member Female Grizzly Rights, at $15.00 by a favorable vote passed by a majority Willmore. He traveled from his base in of members at a regular meeting and $5.00 shipping and handling. of the Foundation, and upon payment of the fee. Jasper to Devona, up the Snake Indian Written notification will be sent to accepted River and over to Big Grave Flats. He members with a membership card.

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