The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1886-11-17
A Hunters Terrible Fight.


Correspondence st. Louis Globe Democrat.
There are black tail deer and white.
tail deer, two distinct varieties OF the
same species, but until recently a
white black.tai 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 "lndian
lohn,' half-breed hunter OF this vi.
entity. The animal was extraordi-
nary in all respects. 1t was snow
white; gigantic, comparatively, and
was adorned with pair OF antlers
glossy black in hue, and OF enormous
dimensions and development, showing
total OF twenty-iour points, and
measuring two and half feet from
tip to tip.
This rare specimen was tiist seen by
the successful hunter II few weeks
since. His white buckship was roam
ing through the Owl Mountains, FOL.
lowed by dozen head of the ordinary
black deer. The hunter at
once made up his mind to Stay the
singular animal, but his eventual sue
cess was q long distance of. The
buck proved to be extremely wild and
very cunning, in these characteristics
closely resembling the Whitehall, a
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 was still uninjured, and
still &c ssed 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" lie had OBJ
served, in the course OF his week )
Ruthless pursuit, that the bunch OF
deer had 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 precipltous hui
The tree stood nearly straight with
the hillside, and from its top branches
to the shnge below was n sheer drop
of twenty feet. One morning at dawn
the hunter ensconced himself III the
knotted, but ample branches OF the
old cedar, AMI with all n hunters
patience awaited the coming OF hi!
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 hl'
harem.
AS the white buck passed almost
directly overhead the hunter fired
The slot was difficult, owing to the
cramped position, and the bullet in
nicted only flesh wound. This
served but to enrace the animal, and
as the puff OF smoke cur!ed from the
branches OF the cedar caught his eyes,
he charged straight n II Almost IN
the next instant he had leaped bodily
into the treetop, and rs 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 10
the foot OF the hill
Brought TO u halt by a huge pile oil
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. The struggle was
furious, but at length II lucky thrust
laid the white buck dead mt the hunt
er's feet and none too soon. The
stout buckskin hunting garb was torn
to shreds, and a goodly portion oithe
hide it covered was in little 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
door, turhnlant and dopvprOus Mind