Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-05-11
GOT THE -euck FEVER"
An Amateur Hunters First Shot ~ {
Deer-Too Slow on Trigger.

An Amateur Hunters First Shot st .
Deer-Too Slow Trigger.
Did you ever hear Frank Levan tell his ex-
perience with that deer up the country when
he was determined not to get the "buck
feverr Well, Frank went up in the noun
tains with a crowd of old and new hunters
All preparations having been made, the deer
slayers went out 90 look for fresh venison-
They succeeded in woundng a deer that at
ternoon and killing two more, the old hunters
doing the work. Darkness coming on, the
hunters concluded to wait until next morning
to search for the wounded deer. Accordingly
next morning they started on the track Of
the deer and followed it long way until
they struck small stream between two high
hills. Here the captain divided the party
into squads OF two and three and gave them
directions to how they should proceed in
order to come up with the deer
AS it happened Levan one of the men
placed on the left of the stream and was Or
dered to be extremely careful to avoid all
noise and excitement and above all not to get
the buck fever" Frank proceeded to carry
out his instructions and walked along the
stream with the pace of IA snail and the tread
of a fox. Having gone as far as he consid-
cred it his duty to go and seeing no signs Of a
deer OF other animal he stopped beside a large
fallen tree to survey the landscape DER.
Stepping on to the log he was engaged in q
careful scrutiny of the surrounding hills
when he was impelled by some inward feeling
| to turn his eyes Behind him. From that mo
| ment he was transform from All ordinary,
| discouraged hunter into hero, for he beheld,
| not thirty feet from him, live deer that stood
looking at him and Tapping it's large ears as
if it wished to discover by sight and sound
the nature of the object before it,
| Never having had such an experience be-
| I to x that ha vvaa pOipO
to have some fun and the honor of killing his
| first deer He was armed with a rifle Of
about five pounds pull, but he had never shot
| one of those guns Off. Deliberately and quiz
| city he drew the rifle to his shoulder and took
aim at the deer's head, saying frequently to
himself, YOU'RE my meat" Having aimed
several times at the deer's head he concluded
that he would not run the risk of missing it
and have the boys laugh at him, SO he low
cred the gun until the sights were aimed for
the heart of the deer, and he continued to
point the gun at the deer and remark;
You're my meat" for minute or more
being under the impression that the animal
was good to stand in that position for a day
or two. AT last having made up his mind &c
pull the trigger, Frank steadied his nerves
and mentally congratulated himself upon not
getting the buck fever
Then, he says, he pulled that trigger bacl
at least three inches, and just as he began x
fear that the trigger was made Of elastic ane
would never stop going backward the deel
gave a bound like football struck by 20
pound man and landed half way up the sid
of the mountain At the same time Levan'
| arms went up and the rife was discharged y
, the air, the bullet passing over the mountain
| into the next township, When tho othe
r hunters came to help cut the deer up Fran
told them that he hadn't hit it, as he only ha
q ! a snap shot and had no chance OF killing It,
O Williamsport Sun and Banner.