The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-09-10

tail deer, two distinct varieties of the
same species, but until recently a
white black-tail deer with black horns
was unknown in this section. Yet
this curious freak of nature has been
found in the Owl Mountains, north OF
this point, and killed by 'Indian
john" a half-breed hunter of this vi
cinity. The animal was extraordi-
nary in all respects. 1t was snow
white; gigantic, comparatively, and
was adorned with a pair OF antlers
glossy black in hue, and of enormous
dimensions and development, showing
a total of twenty-four points, and
measuring two and a half feet from
tip to tip.
This rare specimen was first seen by
the successful hunter a few weeks
since. His white buckship was roam-
ing through the Owl Mountains, fol-
lowed by a dozen head of the ordinary
black-tailed deer. The hunter at
once made up his mind to slay the
singular animal, but his eventual sue
cess was q long distance off. The
buck proved to be extremely wild and
very cunning, in these characteristics
closely resembling the whitehall, q
variety much more active and keen
on scent and hearing than the black
tails.
Over mountain gulches and through
mountain brakes the pursuit was kept
up for an entire week, during which
period the hunter could have shot
any other deer of the bunch repeated
ly, and yet the active and cunning
white buck Yves still uniniured, and
still tossed aloft his cleaning black
antlers in triumph. Something more
than mere physical exertion was called
for, and accordingly cur hunter sat
up late at nights by his camp fire,
Studying head work" He had OBJ
served, in the course of his weeks
fruitless pursuit, that the bunch of
deer had q certain beat. No matter
how far they strayed to one side or
the other for grazing purposes, the
same general course was followed, and
on this fact he laid a plan resulting In
the death of the white buck and the
placing on his own body of certain
deep and intricate tracery, scored by
the keen black antlers.
On the regular beat of the deer the
hunter had marked an ancient and
spreading cedar tree, rooted on the
side of an almost precipitous hill.
The tree stood nearly straight with
the hillside, and from its top branches
to the shingle below was q sheer drop
of twenty feet. One morning at dawn
the hunter ensconced himself in the
knotted, but ample branches Of the
old cedar, and with all q hunters
patience awaited the coming of his
game. Some three hours passed be-
fore the spreading black antlers made
their appearance, and then their white
owner, stately and proud, stepped
into full view at the head of his
harem.
AS the white buck passed almost
directly overhead the hunter fired.
The shot was difficult, owing to the
cramped position, and the bullet in
flicted only q flesh wound. This
served but-to enrage the animal, and
as the puff of smoke curled from the
branches of the cedar caught his eye,
he charged straight at it. Almost in
the next instant he had leaped bodily
into the treetop, and as the limbs of
the old cedar cracked and swayed, the
buck and hunter fell the twenty feet
to the rough and shelving shingles
below, and went tumbling together to
the foot of the hill.
Brought to q halt by a huge pile of
stones, the buck was instantly on his
feet, and attacked the hunter with
savage fury. The hunter had lost his
gun during his trip from the tree-top.
and could only oppose his hunting
knife to the assault. Thestruggle was
furious, but at length a lucky thrust
laid the white buck dead at the hunt
er's feet, and one too soon. The
stout buckskin hunting garb was torn
to shreds, and a goodly portion ofthe
hids it covered was inlittle better con-
dition. Knowing that the horns and
hide of his prize were very valuable as
curiosities, the hunter started for
this place with them, but crossing the
deep, turbulent and dangerous Wind
River his frail boat capsized, and the
magnificent black antlers were lost.
The hunter has the white hide still,
but he now refuses to part with it.
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