The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-12-31
Nearly Killed by a Deer,

An Irishman named Mike Calligban
owns small and almost valueless farm ip
the mountains, few miles north of Por
ter s lake, in Pike county, Pa. The land
being too stony to produce paying crops,
Callighan is obliged to turn his hand
to anything at which he can earn q little
money. He is quite expert with the
rifle, and during the few years that he
has lived in the wilds of Pike county he
has shot large number OF deer, several
bears and few wildcats. He has be-
come so accustomed to seeing bears In
the woods that he'says he has no more
fear of meeting them than he has of
COW. He has had many hairbreadth es-
capes with bears and catamounts within
the past five years, but always came out
victorious. He had an encounter, few
mornings ago, which, had it not beer
for the timely arrival Of his daughter,
might have been his last.
Callighan arose earlier than usual, as
he desired to start early for Bushkill.
about thirteen miles distant. While
hitching his horse to tho wagon he dis
covered large, four-pronged buck dee
grazing on small clearing q few ro d
from the house. He ran to the house.
seized his rifle and crawled Oh his hand
and knees through the woods behind
stone fence, until he got within shoot
ing distance. Then, to make sure o.
hitting the deer, he placed the barrel O
his rife in the crotch of a small chest
nut, and taking deliberate aim, fred
The deer gave an upward plunge and
fell to the ground, apparently lifeless
The ball had penetrated the animars
breast, from which the blood flowed
freely. Callighan laid down his gur
and, climbing the fence, walked up to
the wounded deer with the intention OF
cutting its throat. As he was about te
draw his hunting knife from his belt
the deer gave sudden and desperate
lunge, catching the hunter with its ant.
lers and throwing him several feet in the
air. When he landed he struck upol
his head and shoulders, stunning hin
SO that he lay several seconds PARTIAL,
insensible. When he fully recovered th,
deer was still lying on the ground few
feet distant. Callighan thought the ami.
NAL had lost enough blood to warrant
him In making second attack withou
danger OF being further injured. H.
seized The dying buck by the antlers
with his left hand, and with his right
drew the blade of the knife across the
animals throat with the intention @,
severing the windpipe, but in this he
only partially succeeded.
This seemed to add to the fury of the
wounded animal, for it gave anothe.
powerful lunge, throwing the hunter
with great violence to the ground. The
deer then began paving him with it.
front feet and goring him with its horns
In the struggle the hunter lost hi,
knife, and, fearing that the deer would
kill him, he shouted to his daughter.
who hastened to her fathers rescue
She picked up the knife, seized the
deer by the antlers, and with one thrust
of the knife nearly severed the head
from body. 1t gave one or two kicks
and died. Although Callighan's injuries
are not dangerous, he will be laid up for
some time. His body was literally cov-
cred with scratches, and his clothes
we're torn into shreds. The deer was
very large one, weighing nearly 200
pounds, and was the third one the brave
young woman has helped kill during .he
Oast few years.