Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-12-22
HUNTING THE RED DEER.
An Experience in Mich igan.


of Us had an opportunity for any hunting; the
whole time, and far into the night. was taken
up in clearing away the underbruSh. pitching
our tents, hauling trewoOd and arranging the
camp. The next morning. however, we were
all mp and of into the forest before il was fair
~ light. started out alone. and after follow
ing the ''Old tole road a half mile or so west
OF the camp plunged into the dense woods Ia
the south. Deer sign wherever the soil could
be seen was abundant, and foundefed ON IS
quietly as possible hoping soon To strike one
q The maple ridges that interSected the coun-
Try. About 9 % clock the clouds began TO break,
and the sun peeped into she bushes and strug-
gletl In force its way into the forest. Although
l. made tall standing birch glow in its mel
low warmth. il but edged the encompa>Sing
eNergreens, and soon the clouds ObScured all
again. was growing desperately impatient,
when suddenly emerged from the mO>Shung
and dripping la@Oon on 10 an open ridge. where
the yellow and scarlet maple leaves >trew
the ground like a velvet carpet Deer run
ways opened into the underground i'm every
direction. and going down upon my knees in
one, of these | seraped away the autumnal
haldrick and was overi0yed in finding no: a
single fresh track. but some dozen OF them:
some going this way. some that. and with
faster heating heart arose; Wondering whether
any Of the boys had struck such a iead and
certain of killing deer within an hour.
Speedily selecting an old log that in falling
cedarS. | climbed upon it, some ten feet high,
and cooking my rifle. waited. Hardly fifteen
minutes had elapsed. when a sharp lunSe in
tie hopp!e bushes. Swapping OF the dead
tricity through and through my frame. and
the next instant beheld two deer. a sturdy
young buck and beautiful doe, some larger.
emerged into the open woods on the ridge.
They had not been frightened. for Mapping
his ears once or twice. and casting a single
short glance back into the bushes whence they
came. the buck lowered his pronged head, and
began Ia Craze very complacently upon the
tender shoots and grasses ~ his feet. while the
doe; close astern, her sleek. beautiful head
well up, followed leisurely. ONer-eagerneSs
and mild touch of the " fever made me act
with less judgment than one of my experience
should have acted, and although the deer were
coming straight To me. drew up my rife and
taking deliberate aim at the buck. between
the shoulder blade and the thick Of the neck. |
fired, al good seventy PAGES. With swish"
and a snort the doe Wheeled i'll her tracks and
made a gray streak athwart the brown back
ground wood. But the buck. 10 my wild de-
light, braced himself madIy moment in the
soft soil. then went over backward. with 4 pit
eous beat. apparently in the thrOe> of death.
Very coolly / retained my position, and reload
ed my rifle, then waiting few seconds that
seemed ages, leaped down and ran toward
my meat in a terrible excitement. l reached
back for my knife as ran, but instead drew
forth my Ratchet, and was almost upon the
fallen animal. when he leaped II his feet with
defiant snort and faced me. | saw his dis
tended eyes flashing fire, and the blood and
froth dripping, from his nostrils before /
Whlsked behind a convenient oak.
When looked forth. To my alarm the buck
had turned tail and was making of into the
woods AT staggering hope. but soon getting
pie bushes. Away dashed. fOoliShly enough.
after him: had allowed hin half an hour Ia
himself he would have lain down and bled 10
death. But this fact never occurred 10 me.
and threShed away upon his bloody trail at
the top of my speed The leaves and bushes
and even the trunks OF the trees where the
deer had passed We're en>anguined with the
crimson liquid that was letting his lie ont
Away flew over logs and moSSy hOloW> when
with startling abruptneSs ! was upon him,
almost over him, as he lay bleeding to death in
the low whorteberry bushes. Up again he
staggered. and with an angry swish WAS
gone before | even thought of my rifle. BY
This time began to realize the conSummate
fool was playing. and with an inward repri-
mand moved on again upon the bloody trail AT
a cautious pace, and had traversed but few
hundred yards when Jumped him again.
and this time as he lumberingly vaulted
an old PROSTATE hemlOck. gave it To him.
breaking his hind leg just below the knee
joint. Eut he was still i'm a naygable cOnd-
ton, and third time he left me. With fever
lSh determination i held his trail, and after
travelling percbance a half mile espied him
lying half concealed under clump of yellow
and half ounce of lead went crashing through
his head at the butt of the ear, and at last he
was mine. L felt like giving regular war
whOOp as ran up to him, but the darkness
and unfamiliarty Of the woods repressed all
bOisterOuSness, and lost as was SET to work
disembOweling him. Ii took me good hour
to accomplish this, and hang him up out Of the
reach Of wolves; but this once effected took
out my compass, shaped my course as well as
possible, and then began blazing my way back
to camp. As luck would have il had gone
but a mile or when ran across "HOff." one
Of our guides, and he and returning, tOted in
the first DEER Cor. Cincinnati Commercial.