The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-06-05
THE FIRST DEER.
A Severe Attack Of Buck Ague That,
Strange TO Say, Resulted Fatally.

oHAhSs " say, sS1u'sA A"'"'y'
On Monday morning last several
gentlemen sportsmen, John Il. Long,
the crack pigeon shooter. among the
number, were extending n hearty wei
come 10 Dufur ut Gillman's when Ed.
cried out:
.Dnfnr. l shall have to tell you about
the first deer Mr.. Long ever shot,
IF YOU do, I'll tell about your scar
ing u buck to dcaih!' exclaimed Long.
go ahead! Ed, go nheads urged
the others.
johnny has always been n great
fellow after the birds, but it's only .
few years ago that got him to go up
country with lot Of III after deer.
The first morning after wo got into
camp. rs we were about starting out
for hunt, Johnny asked mo where 10
hit them. and told HIM To shoot them
right back of the fore shoulder. Well,
we hadn't gone far before old Drive
struck \ track. and away hc went CIV
ing tongue in fine style.
at Is quite hilly up there, and as !
was pretty certain that tho deer would
come down through n runway that led
TO tho lake.. we stationed Johnny down
in the hollow and took positions up on
the sidehill where we could watch him.
The fact is, we thought he would have
the buck ague' 30 badly that he would
be sure 10 miss, and wc would have the
laugh on him.
'Prctty soon the buck came in sight,
running right towards Johnny. and up
went his rifle to his shoulder. He
eqninted along the barrel for little
while, and then took it down from his
shoulder and looked 1t over. Then up
Il went to his shoulder again and he
did some more squirting. Then he
took the rifle down aud looked 1t II
again. Meantime the deer had been
trotting right along towards him all
the time, and, actually. we wore laugh.
ing all over. for We thought Johnny
had the fever SO badly that he had for.
gotten how to shoot, and was 60
Ing to let the buck 20 right by him.
'sThc last time he raised the rifle the
deer was SO close to him that it saw
him, whirlod and was off like \ shot
As it did SO, Johnny fired, nnd dowr
went the deer.
"'Whcro did you hit him, Johnnya
said l.
".Right where you told mo to. El.
said he. Right back Of the shoulder.
when we got down where tho bucl
lay, you may call me sinner ii John
ny hadn't hit him within three inches
OF the tail! Ever since then tho boy
call dccr's tail johnny Longs shout
der"
Now said Long. after tho laugh
ter had subsidized. am tell you my sid,
OF tho story. 1t was in an old slasl
that had been burned over and stoo,
right BY = tall. black stub. When tn
deer hove in sight he was rs much .
eighty rods of and didn't look muc
larger than rabDit-hc only wcighe'
sixiy-four pounds.
Il had 4 new, brccch-loading rif
with set locks. When you drew u
the lcver-bar, which was also the trig
gcr-guard, it pressed in u pm and sc
the locks, but l afterwards found o.,
that it would not set the locks unlcs
pressed close down. When the dee
appeared thought might rs well b
getting ready for him, SO fixed m
sights aud brought my rifle up to III
shoulder. When the deer got With
range ! pulled on him. but the pesk
rifle did not 60 of. l dropped it uowr
saw that it worked all right, and pulle
on him again.
Meantime l had thought OF ever
buck ague' story l ever heard in M
life and my heart was humping AVA
in me like triphammer. Tho thir
time I looked the rifle over discoyere
what was tho matter, but rs raise
it 10 my face the deer was SO close tn:
he saw me, turned tail and boltc
straight away. It's wonder ! h
him. but this bullet that 4 says strue
right at the roots Of the deer's tn
went throu III him from end 10 en-
and killed him deader than 50
macAerel. "-Uetroi. Free Press.