1 9 2 0 . ▁ ▁Big - game ▁hunting ▁While ▁still ▁in ▁her ▁te ens , ▁Ger tr ude ▁emb ark ed ▁on ▁her ▁first ▁hunting ▁trip ▁to ▁the ▁Grand ▁T et ons ▁of ▁Wy oming ▁where ▁she ▁shot ▁her ▁first ▁el k . ▁For ▁years , ▁she ▁purs ued ▁big ▁game ▁and ▁contributed ▁rare ▁spec im ens ▁to ▁natural ▁history ▁museum s , ▁covering ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁including ▁exped itions ▁to ▁Africa , ▁Iran , ▁S out heast ▁Asia , ▁Canada , ▁and ▁Al aska . ▁She ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁woman ▁on ▁the ▁exped itions ▁and ▁was ▁noted ▁for ▁her ▁energy , ▁good ▁sport sm ans hip ▁and ▁determ ination . ▁ ▁During ▁her ▁expl oration ▁of ▁A by ss in ia ▁( more ▁commonly ▁called ▁Eth iop ia ) ▁for ▁the ▁American ▁Museum ▁of ▁Natural ▁History ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁San ford - Leg endre ▁A by ss in ia ▁Ex ped ition ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 8 - 2 9 , ▁she ▁fell ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁the ▁expedition ' s ▁co - le ader ▁Sid ney ▁J . ▁Leg endre ▁of ▁New ▁Orleans . ▁ ▁Mar riage ▁and ▁family ▁ ▁Ger tr ude ▁San ford ▁married ▁the ▁expedition ' s ▁co - le ader ▁Sid ney ▁J . ▁Leg endre ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁September ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁in ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁Following ▁their ▁marriage , ▁the ▁couple ▁purchased ▁one ▁of ▁South ▁Carolina