The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-06-30
H. L. g.,
Driving Terror to the Hearts
of Alabama Deer.
How the Natives Revel in the
Gore Of the Forest Giants,
And How Our Correspondent Stays and
Eats the Antlered Game.


Eats the Antlered Game.
Two weeks ago, a company of six,
with loaded guns and still heavier load
ed knapsacks, leaped into a wagon, to
which were hitched two kind.eyed
mules and started out for two days
hunt. Determination was depicted in
their countenanccs and as they grasped
the deadly weapons and joined in the
chorus "We go to conquer or to die," no
one predicted else than that the forest
would be robbed of its inhabitants and
that an extra wagon would be required
to carry the game back to town.
The distance from town to the place
where deer "do congregate" is about
five miles. The greater part Of the time
during the trip was taken up by each
one in succession, explaining just how
he intended to shoot ii, how quick he
would stick it after it fell, and what he
intended doing with the meat. Occa-
sionally some one would dilate upon
how he shot deer once and crippled it,
and how it eluded the dogs and never
was found, but no doubt, died from the
wounds he inflicted upon it. They all
talked but myself. never had even
seen a specimen of the deer genius, ex.
cept in Forepaugh's show, and I knew
if took up their valuable time with an
account of one of my rabbit hunts they.
would call me down, or laugh at me.
Besides, they had very convincingly in
formed me that it was the custom when
a "greeny" killed his first deer to "paint
him red" as it were, with the blood !;
and I had no doubt they would do their
best to perpetuate the custom. So was
debating in my mind whether or not
had better play the role of Alexander
Hamilton, and when he came at me,
shoot in the air.
In about two hours time we arrived at
the place where we had determined to
kill few. We Immediately prepared
for the "driye." A drive is made some-
what after this order: Those who are in
the habit of hunting over these grounds
know about where the deer are to be
found, also in what direction they will
run when started. So all the men are
placed on Stands" except one, who
does the "driving." These islands" are
usually from one to two hundred yards
apart. On the particular afternoon I
speak of we were stationed along a road
at places where deer was likely to
cross, should it be started. The driver
took the dogs, five in number, and
started out through the dense under
brush, blowing his horn and hallooing
at the top Of his voice. He had been
gone scarcely a half hour when we
heard the dogs bark and the drivers
gun crack. We could tell from the bark
ing Of the hounds that the deer was
making straight for us. cooked my
deadly weapon and thought I could
smell venison in the skillet. You see l
had an idea I would shoot. I hadn't
long to wait for in about three minutes
after the dogs gave the signal saw gi-
gantic buck coming straight toward me.
Did I shoot? Not me. He was too
pretty. The boys say I got behind
pine tree. Possibly did, for he looked
to me to be as big as the "Big Ok" and
didn't seem to care whether he run
over me or not. After he had passed
over the hill out of my sight and was
descending the "western slope" heard
two shots fired at him. Then happened
to think of my gun. said to myself,
~ ought to have shot that deer" Run
ming up to the top Of the hill inno-
Gently said to the man who had fired,
"what did you shoot at ?" But it was
no good, for he had seen me hug the
tree.
We then put up for the night in the
cabin of an old darkey, whose wife
Aunt Sook-cooked us a supper of the
"raw material" we had brought along
with us, after which, the loquacity of
the crowd having received danper
through the experience of the after
noon, we lay down to sweet sleep and
pleasant dreams, three in bed.
Three o'clock next morning found us
up, still thirsting for blood. We made
our breakfast on black coffee, bacon and
biscuit, and by daylight were again in
search of meat. There was only one in
the company that morning who had
cheek enough to say that if he saw
deer it was "meat in the pot" The man
who had driven the previous day and
had fred at the deer at six PAGES, max.
ing clean miss, was particularly indis.
posed to talk. For myself, I merely
hoped.
Nearly all the morning the dogs fol-
lowed cold track, and some of the
boys becoming tired left their islands"
and sought communion one with an
other, since "misery always loves com.
pany." About eleven o'clock the dogs
struck fresh trail, and in five minutes
after were after fine large buck at full
tilt. Then the boys started back to
their positions, but before they could
reach them the game slipped past, go
ing within twenty feet of where one of
the boys had been standing. By this