The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-01-11
Ghr Sportsman.
From Turf, Field and Farm.
Deer Hunting.
A CAMP HUNT IN LOUISIANA.


The camp hunt, so little known to the
sportsmen of your latitude, is here a rccog-
nized institution. 1t is a bivouae for a
given number of nights and days, or weeks
if you please, on some fayorite hunting
ground, where game is plenty, and the in
dispensible articles of wood and water are
convenient
In this climate the months of Novem-
Der and December, all things considered,
are the best to camp hunt for deer. The
bucks have then rubbed" the loosened
velvet from their branching horns Signs
of the rubbing process are not uncom-
mon to the hunters eye, indicated by scars
and bruises on the bark of saplings and
shrubs, and the wrenching and twisting of
the latter's tops Their strong -beamed and
sharp-pointed antlers, so lately soft, pulpy
and bleeding, and susceptible to acute suf-
fering from the bite of the fly and mos
quito, have become hard and solid They
are ready to stand the fierce and some
times fatal conflicts waged by their courage
Gus wearers for the undisputed mastery Of
the range, and for unchallenged supremacy
and sultanship among the shy and shrink
ing maidens that, in the season Of love,
throng the forest harem. Numerous
''scrapes" are to be met with in the woods
the leaves being displaced and the naked
ground scarifed by the paving of their
pointed hoofs, The necks of the bucks
are swollen and much enlarged, showing
that the copulating period has set in.
Among hunters this is known as the ''run-
ming time" Of the antlered tribes. Deer
of both sexes can now be seen, at all hours
both singly and in herds, frequently run
ming or moving incautiously through and
about the drive. There is no difficulty in the
drivers finding warm, fresh trail any
where, and the hounds, by constantly sep
arating in pursuit of different deer, greatly
multiply the chances of getting shots at
the game. Most generally, at this season,
the deer are in good condition from feed
ing the falling mast The Autumn winds
are stripping the leaves from the tree and
shrub, aiding the sportsman better to see
and shoot, while the cool weather preserves
the yenison and makes it, by exposure,
tender and delicious to the taste.
A small party of sporting friends, five
in number, your correspondent inclusive,
has just closed its annual hunting campaign
in one of the fine deer-driving districts on
the western side of ''the old Big Muddy"
as some of the Indians call the Mississippi
River. The theatre of operations was de-
finitely the portion of Franklin Parish,
Louisiana, which embraces the uninhabit-
ed tract lying between the Tensas River
on the east, and the Bayou Macon, on the
west, some considerable distance above
Cooter Point ferry on the former stream.
The above-specifed area is irregularly en-
circled by chain of small, but handsome
and romantic lakes, full of fish, and re-
sounding with the clamor of wild-fowl of
various kinds, particularly the wood-duck,
mallard and green-wing teal. These beau
tiful little inland sheets, cmbosomed amid
trackless wilds, are dotted about at irregular
intervals of distance, from Lake Dean and
Wiley's Lake, including the extensive
brake Of that name, round to Cow Green
and Baptiste Lakes, with others of un-
known names. These constitute the cen
tral features in the topography of our chap
| py hunting ground The next prominent
features are the large bayous, namely,
Deans, Cutters and Wild Cow, serving as
outlets and drains to the Tensas, intersect-
ing the greater portion Of the extensive
drive. The entire tract is a solitary and
dreary wilderness, only inviting to the ar
dent lovers of forest sports. Parts of it
are dense and jungly, afford;sg a good hi
ding-place for deer, and a safe and almost
impenetrable refuge for savage and prowl-
ing beasts--the panther, wolf and cata-
mount. Other portions, again, are COM
paratively open, admitting of fast riding
by the practised and skillful horscman, in
following the eager dogs, and keeping time
to the rattling chase The forest, here and
there, is coated with handsome covering
of wavy and luxuriant grass, not thick
enough, however, to offer any impediment
to the speed Of riders, dogs or deer, nor
tail enough to screen from view the elegant
and graceful forms, the spreading antlers
or the snowy flags Of the beautiful and
bounding game, as 1t flies frightened be
fore the yelling pack For several yeals
this has been cur sporting Eldcrado.
There are two very different methods o