The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-03-14
DAILY ESCENT
Deer and Deer-Hunting in Louisiana.

iect from De Bows Review:
Having now thrown out a few hints in regard to
the natural characteristics Of deer we proceed to
enumerate the different methods of hunting them
there are three: sill-hunting, driving and fire.
hunting.
Still-hunting is, by far the most common method
of hunting deer; it is very appropriately styled
sfH-lmnting. in consequence of the absolute neces-
sty Of being exceedingly careful not to make the
least noise as the sense of hearing is remarkably
acute in the deer
The Indians excel in this kind of hunting; for,
although, their rifles or shotguns are OF The most
inferior order, they are quite successful III still
hunting. in consequence of their hunting with
much more caution and patience than white men,
w hen they get on tavorlte hunting grounds, they
walk very slowly and stop and look around them
very often, and approach the deer very closely If
they happen to be to the windward of them; the
color of their dress, also, avors them very much,
as ii resembles the color of the trunks of the trees.
As the sight OF the deer Is very quick, the expert
enced hunter is particularly careful about the color
of his Dress for any bright color, scarlet white
or,briiliant yellow would Immediately attract their
attention: hence he is careful to have his dress Of
brown or other dark color, or Off pepper and salt
or mixed cocr. resembling as much as possible the
color of trees and old logs it is also quite important
if the hunter rides, which is quite usual, that his
morse should be of a dark color. The description
of gun preferred for stillhunng is of course, the
rife. and a lavorte sized calbre is such will
receive ball. with thin patch, thirty or forty OF
which will weigh pound.
Sometimes although not generally, the still
hunter is accompanied by an active dog, trained to
walk behind his master and to remain quiet until
he shoots but as it requires good training to have a
dog so well disciplined he is generally dispensed
with although such dog would be OF unquestIon-
able advantage in many cases. For instance, some
times deer is shot through the muscles OF the
thigh and paralized for while. so that fast-run-
ming dog might catch him before he could recover
We have known a deer shot through the lungs with
large ball and fall the ground, but after little
while recover and make his escape.
In the fall season. when autumn S yellow ustre
eilds the world,'' very favorite time for still
hunting is during white frosty morning;
soon as the morning trembles Ger the sky.
And unperceved uniolds the spreading day,
until the frost has melted and dried. During this
time deer invariably move about, and the leaves
are so moistened by the frost that they will not
cracke under the feet of the hunter and alarm the
deer Experienced hunters will not stl-hunt unless
they are satisfied the deer are feeding and the
ground moist; and it is almost accidental if deer
is killed when it is lying down and the leaves are
very dry.
get I'D and 90 to drink about the middle of the
dav. but are I'D but very short time. This is
a chance which is occasionally taken advantage OF
by still-hunters although it is not favorite time
Another favorite time is Immediately after ram
more particularly if the weather should remain
drizzly misty and warm, but if it should turn OIL
cold with north wind, the deer resort to the thick
cts TO screen themselves from the cold At this
time. if the hunter is billy ground, he will find
them in the closest thickets the south side OF the
hills.
towards sunset and may often be seen feeding with
the cattle if they not too much hunted, and on
such feeding grounds as are ad accent to thlckes.
When deer has been approached by still
hunter. and has scented him. or, in hunters phrase
ologv. got the wind of him., or when he has had
but an imperfect view of the hunter he will usually
| make few bounds into an open space and stop, in
order to satisfy his curiosity and ascertain the cause
| of his alarm The hunter should always shoot al
this time if he can see the deer, any part OF him
as it will be his last chance TO get a shot at thai
| deer When place has been discovered where
| deer abound it is not bad method of hunting to
sit orietly on log at some point where their paths
cross each other, more particularly during the run
| ming season.
DririnG-In order to drive successfully, it is very
necessary that the hunter should be well acquainted
with the ground over which it is proposed to drive
and that he be well acquainted with the stand:
where the deer usually pass An experienced
| hunter after having examined the ground will very
generally form correct opinion III regard to thest
matters.
The gun usually preferred for this description o
|
of sufficient weight of metal. The calibre OF the
| gun should chamber three four of the larges
sized buckshot On this point there Is a difference
of opinion among hunters; indeed, some prefer the
smallest sized buckshot But leaving this matter
to each ones fancy it is certain that In regard le
the load of shot no more shot siioud DC pun III a'
load than a reasonable quantity of powder vii
| carry upwards of sixty yards, without allowing
| the shot TO strike the earth We have generally
preferred nine large bucksho for medium gun, te
eighteen and perfectly satisfied that 1t Is yer!
| common practice to put too many shot In load. 81
that in shooting at all object sixty seventy yard
| distant one third of them will strike the earth
! Now, it is very evident that if those shot tina
strike the earth not put in the gun. the force
| of powder expended in forcing them the distance
they are carried would have propelled the other
with much more velocity, and would have carried
them on a level to much greater distance Hence
the folly of Overlooking with shot The load o
shot and powder can be settled.more accurately b!
practice, and by adaptation to the calibre OF tn
gun, than by any fixed rule that can be land down
| We have a few acquaintance who prefer the rlhe
carving a ball of about thirty or forty to the pount
| to a shotgun These gentlemen are, however
.'areat shots and will shoot deer through with
sinole ball ofener than they will miss him. although
he may be at the top of his speed. There are tw
advantages that the rife has over the shotgun il
driving the first is, that if you strike deer wit
a large rifle ball, you do much more execution thai
if YOU strike it with a buck-shot Again, if tn
deer makes a stop within the range of the driver
he can kill at a much greater distance with a riff
than with a shotgun. Those who are very expeI
in using rifle, often prefer them at a stand wher
there is not much underground. Under other Gil
cumstances the shotgun is preferred
The description of dogs that are preferred for DIR
wing are, as a matter of course, hounds. Some
times the tall, active, and sprlghtly hound
preferred and under other circumstances, beagles
or low, muscular, slow running dogs are preferable
Where deer are very numerous, and the drives ar
short slow running dogs are best. If the dogs ar
slow, the deer will prance about at their leisure an
will very often stop and look back at the dogs, an
squat in the bushes until the dogs approach With
sixty or seventy yards, and if the dogs happen
start another deer, they will remain until the dog
have passed. 1t must be very evident under thes
circumstances, that the driver and ISLANDERS bot
have better chance to get shoot than if the dee
Were pressed hard by fast 8 team of dogs
There are, however, circumstances under whc
very speedy hounds would be preferable, Tor II
stance, where deer are very scarce, and the driVt
very large. Under these circumstances, 1t IS Que
necessary to press the deer hard to force them
1 L., hot trail 1