The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-02-26
SUMMERVILLE.
IT'S ATTRACTIONS FOB sPoRTsMEM
Deer-Hunting-Bird- Fishins
| -Fox.HunttnQ.

can be heard to as great perfectlon ID 'hio
little village 10 the woods as In lar more re-
nowned localities. 1t may not awaken as
mauy echoes as on the Alpine heights, nor
startle as amid the dreary stiffness OF Tue
Western prairies; but when at break OF day.
or on moonlight nights, hunter unto hunler
answer makes, the music oftheir horns Is pro-
longed amid the colonDades OF lofty pines
In notes of unrivalled sweetness. Inc
huntsuen having been familiar Win tne
horn from their boyhood up, have acquired
great skill 10 Its use. and the sound OF eacn
mans horn is as distinct and as well known
to those with whom he is accustomed 10 NUM-
"a his own voice. To have been raised ID
sumneryille before the war and not 10 nave
become sportsman seems 10 nave oeeu an
impossibility The surrounding loree's
abound In deer and foxes; woodcecks, par
tridges and other birds are common, ana the
lakes furnish excellent fish. And IN tnose
-, .or,o,to horses mt lime we're
plenty, at least to summervllIians. The tastes
then acquired have not been lost. and sport
ing. particularly deer bunting, Is followed.
with as much zest as ever 1t was.
THE HUNTING SEASON.
Refore the war and since, until the enact
meut of the present game law, hunting was
followed the whole year through. The la" "a
II now stands limits the time of hunting from
september 10 January l. This Is, however, re-
garded by the eportsmen of the country asVery
absurd, and the Carolina Sporting Club have
prepared code and submitted it to the con.
slderation OF the Legislature, which II adopted
as 1t is hoped 1t will be, will extend the time
to March l. Before the wal. Wednesdays and
SATURDAYS were the regular hunting days,
when the gentlemen collected In large parties
for the enjoyment OF their fayorite sport. Since
the war times have been harder and time has
been scarcer, and go they have but one hunting
day in The week, and that is Saturday.
During the hunting season, however, that one
day is still we'll observed, and many Is the
merry party that sallies forth from Summer
Vile bent on the pleasures Of the chase. 1t Is
generally safe sport, The principal risks being
a fall from your horse, or Injury from your
own or compauion's gun. Occasionally,
however, the zest of danger is addei to The
snort. The bucks run together during the
sbrlng and summer, but In August they rno
their horns, and after that are very fierce, ano
have been often known 10 turn on PACK OF
doys aad kill several OF them; and 1t Is dam
osrous for hunter who hos shot QUE 10 ap.
proach It and cut Its throat unless he Knows
It Ia dead. They also have desperate battles
with each other, and sometimes get their
horns locked together. Two have been
killed at one shot while In that po-
sltlon, and they have also been iound
starved to death, having locked their
horns, and being unable 10 get loose. Tne
most exclliug part of hunt is CHASING
blooded deer. AS soon as o hnntsman has
shot at O deer and thinks he has nit II, the
dogs are called In, and the whole party turn
ln to hunt for blood and follow the trail until
signs are found, and then the dogs are put on
II the sportsman who says he has wounded a
deer "a an experienced and sklful hunter the
formallty of hunting for blood is dispensed
with, and the deg, are put on at once. Tneh
the race begins and the excitement WAKES
high. The old gentlemen generally SLICK 10
the roads, but the young men, especially tne
one who has wounded the deer, feel In honor
bound to keep up with the leading dogs through
thick and thin. Through forest and swamp,
I'D hill and down dale, across ditchee,
creeks and fences hea1long they go, the men
reckless, the horses quverlng with excitement,
and tho dogs making the woodland ring with
the music Of their bark. The race Is between
the men and the dogs, for IT the latter reach
the deer first they tear 1t and mangle 1t 10 the
most horrible manner, wnica is q disgrace 10
the whole hunllng party. The dogs never
lose the track OF wounded deer, and his only
chance Of escape is taking TO deep water, un-
less, indeed, he Is only Very slightly wound
ed, and then he sometimes .arles out hls
pursuers. A very exciting chase of lhis kind
came of "a few days ago, In which the deer
escaped By taking TO the river, and one of the
best riders OF Summerville was thrown heels
over head from hia horse, out fortunately did
not receive even scratch In the fall.
TIE HUNTING GROUNDS.
There are three principal hunting grounds.
One Is known as the Goosecreek Hunting
Ground, being along the course Of that
creek, between the State Road and Fosters
Creek. This Is the best hunting ground, but
has the disadvantage of being the most dis
tant from summervie, the hunters having
to ride about ten miles before they reach q
drive. The next hunting ground is belt OF
country about four miles wide, and about
seven miles from Summerville, extending
from the Ashley River to the South Carolina
Railroad. The western bank of the Ashley
lust across Browns Bridge Is also favorte
hunting ground, and one where deer can be
found at almost any time. There Is no par
ticular place, however, where there is any ab-
solute certainty OF finding deer at any given
time. Even forty years ago, when they were
much more plentiful than they are now, old
hunters say that occaslonally the very best
drives would be entirely deserted.
HUNT.
To describe hunt as 1t ought 10 be de-
scrIbed, to tell of the fairness or the murkl-
ness of the weather. to descrl5e.the joyo
gathering OF the huntsmen, the ncighing and
the prancIng OF the steeds, the baying Of the
hounds, the ride across country, the music of
q pack In full cry, the desperate races down
roads and through woods, the leap, over
tences and dItcbes. The swimming of creeks,