Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-01-12
Entered according Act of Congress- the year 1860
by = Boyce in the Jerks Office of the District Court
for the District of Vermont F
OUR SPORTING PAPERs.--.NO. .,
MY FIRST DEER HUNT.
BY NED JEUNER.

lage chimneys curled gracefully and beautifully
in the cold morning air. | went down to the
village to hire man, and took an early start
in order to gain as much time as possible Tor the
hunt. felt confident that there were plenty
of deer farther into the forest than L had yet
been, over beyond the pond, and determined to
hire man to do my threshihg, while took my
gun and old dog Spot and went out for game
/ had been aching all the fall for deer hunt,
but had been followed so closely bymy farm Ia
Dor that found no time to crafty this ruling
propensity of'my nature, and so logged on till
winter, when, as said before, | made arrange
ments i6F tf1eo h lss.ss ----..
The town of S. where resided, wtss
then settled to considerable extent, and deer
were only to be found by crossing the town line,
and bearing away to the west, where large
tract of woodland still remained. had made
arrangements with another old hunter to accom-
pany me, and looked forward with a great deal
of interest to the time when we should set out.
was not an expert in deer hunting at that time,
though afterwards | took great deal of pride
in my skill, but it was all acquired after that.
My dog was young, too, and very imperfectly
trained, and that was quite as serious draw
back as my own inexperience. But what |
lacked in experience, fattored myself was more
than made up by ardor and determination.
1t was but just sunrise when installed the
hired man master Of my home affairs, and with
dog andgun, started for the residence of the hun
ter who was to be my companion. 1t was three
miles to his house, and | arrived about nine
o'clock in the forenoon, and felt a good deal
dampened to find the old man severely sick with
the ''rumatis," and taking on dreadfully that
he was to lose the sport of the hunt.
cts an ugly business, Tom,' he said after
while, "but confound it, it can't be helped, and
there amt no use of whining about It, The
worst of it all is, that it spois your sport too,
Isuppose. You won't think of going alone, Of
course, >
~ can't giVeit up SO, Ralph" said in reply.
GIVE been thinking and lotting ont for long
time, and if you can't go, | must 60 alone, 1t
won't be quite so pleasant, but it will be better
than nothing, and 1 shall get little used to the
business and the ground, so that we can do bet
ter when you get able to go with me. shan't
stop long"
''You had better not. You will find it rather
uncomfortable and little lonesome, out there
alone If these confounded rumatis II only
stop in day or two, I'll be out after you, SAID
Ralph.
81 think, then, that Il take the dogs and 60,
and if you can come, do so by all means; and
if you can't I'll do the best Gun alone" said,
going out Of the door and calling the dogs.
AS soon as could get the dogs started, l
struck off across the fields, and about noon ar
rived at the pond. 1t was small pond, about
mile long and half or three quarters Of a mile
wide, hemmed in with rocks, and frozen over
Invent directly across it, and plunged into the
forest beyond. 1t was a thick, heavy growth of
beech and maple, and the snow was about two
feet deep, with strong crust that held well.
Directly ahead was high hill, which turned
to the left, and went on some distance into the
timber. The ground was cut into ridges by lit
tie cold streams that came down from the hill,
and travelling was very tedious and tiresome.-
Indeed it was four o'clock when the dogs scented
something and went bowling off around the
mountain. They were off a little distance from
where stood, when they started, and | never
knew whether it was fox or a deer, or what it
was that they were after, for my attention was
very strongly directed to another quarter almost
;as soon as they were out of sight. As stood
listening for the dogs, turned my eyes to the
right, the better to catch the sound, and within
easy rifle shot stood one of the largest bucks
have ever seen. He appeared unmindful of my
presence, with look of quiet and unconcern
like one of our domestic animals. | trembled
with excitement in o moment, and raised my ri
fle to shoot, but lowered it again when found
that was so excited and nervous. stood for
moment contemplating the splendid sight 1t
was almost sunset and not sound was audible.
On closer inspection j was satisfied that he was
mot in reality so unconcerned as be appeared, but
was listening intentIy for the dogs. This |
judged from the manner he held his head, and
his statute like stiffness and attention.
l felt extremely anxious to drop him, and it
was this very anxiety that made my aim so un.
steady. ] worked my way along to alittle beech
-sapling, and bracing asfrmly against it as pos
.aihle to steady mHaalf. fired He nitchad his