Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-01-19

were plenty of elk on Current and
Black rivers, and buffalo in the South
west part of Missouri, next to Kansas,
and all this part of the country had
thousands and thousands of deer. My
old hunting tutor told me he had been
to the south lick Dust east of my farm)
at noon and stond and counted as many
as sixty-five old bucks at one time;
that he had started out in the morn
ing with his gun to kill deer for their
hides. He would shoot a deer and by
the time he would get the skin pulled
off his hogs would be there to eat it,.
He would gp on and kill another deer
and by the time he had that skim ed
the hogs would be there, and so all
day. After we came to this valley
know of hunters that would every fall,
after the crops were laid 10y, take a
hunt for two or three week just tor the
skins and hams of the deer and take
these to st. Louis in wagon and
bring back load of salt and groceries,
uo" III" 'i' W. NAN
/ see at one time? Well, the first win
ter we were here-I think it was in
February-I was out hunting on Shop
herd Mountain-I had never killed q
deer yet, but wanted to Kill one very
much. had walked all over the
mountain and was very tired, SO when
I had come around to where ! could
see all over rhe valley, 1 seated myself
on big ledge of rock and laid my gun
across my lap and took a good look
over the valley and gave myself up to
thought. How much those hills,
mountains and valleys reminded me of
the beautiful land spoken ofin Deuter-
onomy: land Of brooks of water, of
fountains and depth that spring out OF
the valleys and hills; land of wheat
and barley and vim 8, land wherein
thou shalt eat bread without scare mess;
thou shalt not lack anything in 1t;
land where stones are iron and out or
whose hills thou shalt dig brass, ana
how my thoughts went back over these
promises made to those people and in
nv imagination saw this valley all
cleared up, with beautiful residences,
with beautiful yards and vineyards,
and orchards and pools of water,
churches with their tall spires reaching
up toward heaven, with large bells to
call the people to worship. AND IS SAT
there, so absorbed in thought. entirely
forgetful of my surroundings, hap
pened to cast my eye down the moun-
tain side; / saw something moving at
first thought 1t was the wind blowing
the leaves; soon I saw it still mo wing
and looking more closely saw a large
flock of deer. They were coming quiet
ly toward me and I commenced eoNnt-
ing them. and, l think, counted that
flock of deer four or five times before L
was satisfied I had not made some mis-
take, for / made sixty-two deer each
time. The thought come to nae, OH, tf
I had gun! Now, if only just L ad
across nv lap and did not even think
Of it, 1 had been so absorbed in my
thousSsts, AT last moved my hand
and it touches the gun which brought
me back TO myself. I caught up the
gun and fired at the who's 4ook and
missed the whole of them Il had not
learned Ia hunt yeti"
Now you boy rsaders may think that
was not very G cd shot. No, it was
not that, but don't you think ypu
would have been taken by surprise il
you had been In my place and made as
bad shot as that. Now You boys who
were shooting at goose thnt was IT, d
to that grub and could not hit it in Q
dozen shots have nothing II say.
Many and many a time I have seen
ten, fifteen, twenty and as high as
thirty st q time, but where are the
deer now1 haye pot seen any deer
in town for sale, but eue, this winter
and hear old hunters say there age Ge
deer IN the woods.
0n ele Of the days last week took
my gun al. 4 sf sy 9a bunting pony