Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-19
INDIAN JOHNS" PRIZE.
A Hunters Pursuit of Black-Tailcd
Deer of Snowy Whiteness.
From tie Chicago Tribune.

From the Chicago Tribune.
LANDER,l wy, Aug. .l5.-ln the owl
Mountains, near where the white ibeX
was slain last winter, there has just fallen
before hunters prowess another and
still more extraordinary freak of nature
a white black-tail buck deer. with an,lers
of ebony blackness. The lucky man Sc
curing this singular animal is "lndian
john" we'll known hunter OF the
region. John first cav the white buck
some two weeks since running with and
apparently leading band OF twelve com
mon black-tails, and at once made up his
mind that animal was "his meat" To
resolve and perform in this case proved
two very difficult operations. The buck
was as active and willy as if he belonged
tn the Whitehall variety OF deer, a variety
far more cunning and quick than their
black.tail brothers. IAN entire week pass
ed. during which the hunter exhausted
alike his physical powers and his forest
cunning, and still the white buck carried
his black antlers at the head OF his harem
in triumph.
During This week Of inceSsant pursuit
John had obserVed. however, mat the
bunch of deer invariably followed GER
tain daily beat. However wide they
might stray to one side or the other for
grazing purposes the same general COURSE
was kept, and this fact even
tually led alike 10 the securing OF
the prize and the tracing OF thu
deep hieroglyphics now adjoining every
exposed portion OF Indian johns hide. on
this regular course the hunter marked an
old but sturdy cedar tree rooted on hill
side almost sheer IN its steepness. In the
branches of this tree he determined t.
conceal himself and await with hunter't
patience the coming of the
quarry. Accordingly the early
dawn OF the next morning
found him crouching amid the knotted
hut spreading branches of the old cedar.
So steep was the hillside to which the
cedar chung that the tree was almost per.
pendlculsr with it, while on the lower
side there was a straight fall of twenty
feet before the rough shingie was struck.
1t was the middle of the forenoon before
the glossy black antlers of the white buck
appeared moving along the hillside. On
he came at the bead OF his harem win
stately tread, and was soon almost direct
iy over the hunters head as he crouched
in his leafy ambush. The shot was ar
awkward and difficult one. and the bullet
failed to reach a vital part.
The effect OF the wound was to rendel
the while buck furious, and as the curl
ing white smoke from the old cedar
caught HIS eye he made a rush for H.
Straight down the mountain side be cam
with the rush OF an avalanche. The
branches OF the old cedar bent and cracked
as The aNenging bucK dashed into them,
and toe neXtinstant both buck and hunter
made the twenty-foot plunge 10 tire shely-
ing single below, rolling over and ove'
each other until their descent was barred
by huge ledge OF rocks. Here the BUGS
was instantly on his feet, and the hunter
was again sava@ely attacked. AS JOhu
bad lost his gun by toss Of the black
anClers which induced his exit from the
cedar he had nothing to oppose to the az
tack but his knife.
This was used desperately in the tn
riOus struggle which followed, and final,
ly the white buck received his death
wound The hunters tough buckskin
garb was literally torn off him, and his
scarcely less tough hide was deeply scor-
ed with painful wounds. The white buck
proved to be black-talL ofthe well known
mule-ear variety and was mammoth OF
his kind. The singular white hide cover
ed carcass weighing when dressed over
200 pounds, and the phenomenal blnck
antlers were also unusual in size, bear
ing total OF "a points and exhibiting q
distance OF two and half feet between
the tips.
We'll knowing that the white hide and
black antlers were OF great value as curl
osities, the hunter started with<bem for
this place. While crossing the rapid and
turbulent Wind river, at the foot Of the
Owl Mountain range, however. his boa
was upset by the treacherous food and
The blackantlers were lost. Indian John
has the white hide still, but now says that
he will not part with il.
The mountain records and traditions Of
this region treat of many extraordinary
things, but have nothing to equal the freak
nature perpetrated in the creation OF tht
white black.tail buck with the iet-blacE
antlers. Some twelve years ago there was
killed in the Black Hills white black.
tail, but the ebony horns marking the Owl
Mountain specimen were absent.