St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-06-01
AN INFURIATED BUCK.
he Aakss Things Lively for Q Sym.
pathetic Stranger,
Who % Unarmcd and Hence Has 60 Use
His LeEs-An Over -Zsaloas I'ian4o
Of the vscloas Beast Eads
the Contest.

81 have had q good many novel and
exciting adventures in the woods"
said William Demuth. OF Jobs Bridge.
Sullivan County. Pa. ''but the one I
had with broken-legged buck, .
couple of years ago. almost within
sight of my house. was the liveliest Of
all, and gave me the closest call.
1T happened about the middle Of
March. The snow was deep up
through the lumber regions that vim
ter, but there had been q couple OF
weeks Of warm weather and frequent
rains. and in the open country the
sleighing was nearly all gone. There
were many deep drifts left along the
roads. and cold snap OF q day or two
had frozen quite a crust on them /
was on my way home, in q low bodied
sleigh, and when within a mile OF the
bridge l saw, standing at the side OF
the road. and not more than ten feet
from it, in an open space in the woods.
one Of the biggest bucks l had ever
seen. He did not move away as aP-
preached. much to my surprise. My
horse SHE'D TO one side when he saw
the buck. and ran several rods past the
deer before could stop him.
Il turned round in my sleigh and
looked pack. The buck still stood In
the same place. l noticed. then. that
he was very poor and looked sick. /
had heard that lumber operator over
hal Sorov,1 Hovno Aoop In
o small park. and made up my mind
that this must be one of his that had
got out of tho inclOsure. He was q
five.prong buck. and If in flesh would
have been as magnificent a specimen Of
his kind as ever led chase. Feeling
that it would be a pity 10 leave him to
perish there. l tied my horse to tree
at the roadside. and walked back to see
If couldn't drive the buck along with
me, SO it could hesd and pick up with
nv cattle. among which. in severe win
tors, have often found wild deer feed.
ing.
s.As I neared the buck with this
merciful purpose he began to show
some sign that he recognized my pres
ence, and when was within ten feet Of
him his recognition became SO positive
that l ut once knew that. whether he
was a tame deer or a wild one. he did
not intend to accept my services in tho
spirit in which / had intended to offer
them, and that the chances were that
unless returned to my sleigh with
out delay my Interference would be
resented by the buck in . man
ner not at all to my advantage.
The hair on the decr's back had
bristled up as l approached him. his
ears were laid back fat along his head.
and his eyes glared fercely. From .
cauut, half-famished looking animal.
Indifferent to his surroundings or his
fate. he suddenly became fierce and
defiant, presenting front that plainly
showed pride Of race and determine
tion of purpose In adversely. took .
step backward as the preliminary
tactics In my retreat. and the buck i'm
mediatcly sprang forward to the At
tack.
..On the opposite side OF the road .
large hemlock tree had been blown
down. leaving a stump six or seven
feet high. l cleared the road In .
jump. almost. aud lodged behind the
stump Peering around 1t, saw the
buck coming. then discovered for the
first time that his right hind leg was
broken, ard that it dragged helplessly
behind him. Then the bucks dogged
ierceness was explained. There Is no
fercer or more dreaded object to Be
met In the woods than a wounded buck.
as all hunters know. No matter
whether you have inflicted tho wound
or whether some one else has. the buck
will attack the first that appears. Con-
sequentiy knew that I was in for q
lively time before got away from that
brOken-legged buck with my life.
"A deer can handle itself with three
sound legs almost as we'll as it can with
four, provided the disabled one is not
the right fore leg. A deer can get
over the course with a broken fore leg
nearly as rapidly as 1t could before,
and broken hind leg retards its
progress scarcely any. But il it
right fore leg be- broken. that moment