The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-26
AN INDIAN DEER-HUNT.
METHODS USED eY THE APACHES IN
RUNNING DOWN THE GAME.

METHODS USED BY THE APACHES IN
RUNNING DOWN THE GAME.
No Deer Permitted to Escape After 1t Has
Been Shot at and NIissed-After the
Deer Once Drinks-The RELENTLESS In
dian Pursuer.
It is we'll to prohibit the bounding of deer
in the game regions OF this or any other
state, said Lorm Wagoner, who lett this
place twenty years ago 10 hive Ill the weSt
anu who is on his irst visit cast since then:
but if yoI had a pack of Apache Indians
living III your deer woods the prohibition cn
dogs running deer would be OF no use ualess
the Indian; were also prohibited from run
ming them \ dozen Apache Indians Will
run down more deer in one season tEan a
back OF the most persistent hounds coulI In
tive. Wien it CONES TO a matter OF human
endurance | think al \: ache hunter can
give points to any Caucasian that breathes.
10 taSe a siAty mile run through wooJss and
swamps, and over hills and rocks after an
deer is an ordinary everyday task for an
Apache hunter, ana he always gets the deer.
In every -UaJ llle SSIuiAo, uiAtoAAA0N
A1ache scolrls tc burden himself VITA any
unnecessary apparel, taking as a model IN
this respect the original Adam betore he in
dulged in that unfortunate bite of an apple;
and when the Apacne hunter sets out Tor
hunt he oispenscs with even such hight
articles of raiment as he may have been ILL.,
ouced to wear. He needs no dog to find the
deer-tra.l for him, for his eye is as quick as
To1l> ella, lIy
shadow, for he knows that it will not bo
long before he Will come in sight of the
game, either feeding OF lying down in the
bushes.
"When he sights tho deer, which he Goes
long before a white hunter would be able to
discover it, the willy savage steals upon it
with such skill and stealth that it is seldom
the animal suspects his presence. If the
Geers head is turned away from him lie
suui,.es his foot Oh the ground or breaks
twig. At the sound the deer, If he is lying
down, springs to its feet and whiris about,
facing the direction OF the noise If 1t IS
1eeding it also turns quickly with its face 10
the hunter. The Indians always desires to
kill the deer at the first shot, and that must
he bullet in the center of the forehead.
When tie deer turns the Apache aims at
the forehead with great accuracy; but If, as
sometimes happens, the deer Is quicker 10
discover the cause of its alarm than the
hunter is to shoot, and turns for fight, or If
the huntlr's gun misses fire, as 1t frequently
will, the serious business OF the hunter be-
gins, Tor the deer is OF with the speed Of the
wind
HE sCORNS TO FIRE TWICE.
can Apache hunter scorns to fire twice at
the same dear, but it is also his codo that no
deer musv te permitted 10 escape alto: 1t has
been shot at and missed II the hunter1aliS
to check his game at the first tire he must
run it down and he in at The de;ith. And i'll
this way he never fails, for when the Apache
starts on the trail Of Il nlarAcu Geer be never
leaves il, unless he sustaias an injury, on
the way that ln:apacltates him, until lie
ii, es il out and returns with its carcass to
lis wigwarl As the ueer starts away III
in its fright at the ST.; lit of the hunter or the
sound OF his gun, leal in5 thirty or forty
feet at every bounu, the Indian throws his
gun on the ground, and with piercing yel4s
starts in pursuit The deer at first leaves
the hunter lar behind, putting forth its
greatest efforts to get far beyond his reach
l.ut no matter how fast the deer may reel
oil the miles between It and its pursGer tie
trail it leaves is as plain to the hunter as if
1t were rnarXel in chalk al the way.
"a deer is the most tiuiu and suspicious
of animals and at the same time possesses
an amazing amount Of curiosity. After it
has placed distance between itself and the
inneuiato Danger from with it fed its
Stops and await its further Developments
The Apache huu.er We'll knows this charac-
tcristic OF the deer, ami he joGS along at q
Ive mile.an-hour gait, never tagging, never
stopping At a 81 ght OF sound OF the ap-
preaching hunter lilo deer bounds of again
10 run mile or two and stop again. 1t is
tleS, haltS that are the ilrSt fatal steps.
They are lot long enough to give the deer
any beneficial rest, but, Oh the contrary,
give time lor his legs 10 stitfeH. At each
new start the leaps grow shorter, and the
..eer starts away reluctantly and with de-
creasing activity. The Indian joys along
on the trail maintaining a uniform rate OF
seed. lie tan keep up without stopping
Tor six hours ii necessary. After two or
three hours running the deer begins to look
tor water to Cuench its thirst. When this
stage OF the chase is reached, the hunter
knows that the Geel's doom is sealed. After
the deer once drinks there is 10 hope for it
1t ills its parchcd stomach with water, and,
laden with the buruen, its leaps grow still
shorter and a-e made laDorlously. II be-
fore drinking the deer nude its halts at in
tervalS OF two miles, after drinking they
are made every mile.
SIGNS Of THE DEER's EXHAUSTION.
"The relentes; Indian pursuer never
drinks while on the trail His tongue may
hang white and swollen from bis mouth, lie
may lie chokel with dust, his stomach may
lie burning up with heat, but not swallow
OF wate" Goes be take. Whom deer drinks
of a str am he swims to the other side, and
the Indian plunges into the water at the
same S. OF and crosses. As he dashes across
he scoops up handful OF water and carries
it to lis mouth, where lie holds it, rinsing it
about Tor q few seconds and then rejects it.
Ii he is obliged to swim he let's the watcr
run in and out of his mouth. but carefully
prevents drop from entering his stomach
AN hour or so after the Indian mas discov-
cred that the decr has flied its stomach with
water he begins to examine the trail more
carefully as he runs, Tor he knows tnat it is
then time for him to tind signs Of the deer's
exhaustion. A drop Of blood here and
there along the trail indicates to the Indian
that the deer has fallen Oh its knees at thos.
spots, a bunch OF hair hanging to project
my elge of rock or sharp branch hanging
low across the trail proves that the deers
strength has failed, so that it can not turn
quickly out of the way OF obstacles. When
these infa!lible signs o. the deer's approaching
doom are found by the hunter, he increases
his speed for the first time He soon dis
covers the game, and with yell OF triumph
bounds forward
The cry started the fallen animal to