Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-03-21
VIRGINIA DEER HUNT.
ROV 4 WASHING TONIAN ESCAPED
THE PENALTY.

HE DID NOT LOOSE HIS SHIRT
EITHER-MUsIC THAT BEATS
THE BOSTON IDEALS.
We started from Washington,
d. c., to Virginia, a party of five,
and arrived at Friend Speucer's
the next evening, all tired and
hcDgry. He and his family re-
ceived us with true Virginia hos
pltaIity, and we soon forgot the
fatigue of the journey when called
to supper. What a supper Those
"griddIe cakes! Well, l can al
most fancy | am eating them nOT'
After supper the old hunters called
to see US and tell yarns of former
hunts. Then they gave us some
instruction, and when I told them
that l had not killed ny deer, aod
in fact never saw a wild one, you
could have heard their SMILES
"AuOther greenhorn we will nave
lots Of fun with the city chap
They then told me that when they
pnt me on stand | could only
shoot at a deer, turkey, fox or
bear, aud If | shot at anything else
| would have to pay the penalty
and that if l got the dear fever
and failed to shoot, or shot and
missed | was to have my shirt tail
cut off aud treat tbe hunters. They
also said the rules Of all hunts that
were the PARTY killing the deer bad
horns, skin and first choice OF
meat the drivers came next, and
the rest was divided equality
among all in the chase. Well, |
was put on a stand in the woods
with the last caution to listen as
we'll as look, as you could often
hear deer coming before you
could see it. | waited aboat two
bOnrs, and began to think that il
this Is what you call deer huuting
it is the tAmest shooting | ever
bad, wheE heard something move
in the thick brush.
I was all attention, cooked both
barrels OF my 15.gauge shotgun,
which had nine No. 1 bucksbOt IN
each barrel, and tried to see what
was coming. | hadn't long to
wait, hen | saw something black
moving. l thought of the bear
and SAID it wouldn't do to have
any woundlng here, and was just
gOing to shoot when I saw the
head and ears and found out in
time that it was a big black hog. |
thought to myself that the old
hunter would have had the joke on
me if | had shot. | waited a halt
hour longer when [ heard tue
welcome sound OF tue hounds, IN
! full music, coming my way. Look
! ing IN the direction, | saw what
looked to be a streak Of lightning
shooting through the woods. AS
this came Dearer | saw what
thought to be a calf; thea it broke
cover aud came in a littIe Opeplrg
in the trees. abOut |, 900 yards OF
and | saw a large buck, horns aOd
all. and now for the buck fever,
thought. | had on canYas gun
ming suit the color of dead leaves,
and l dropped down in the tai
broom sage grass, fearing that the
buck would not come near enough
for me to get shot. Fortunately
for me another Of the party was
avove me on another stand, aud
had on a black suit OF clothes and
kept moving, which attracted the
deer's attention aud made HIN
change his course, bearing him
nearer my stand. Reader, have
YOU ever been there7 A large 20C
pound buck, jumping twelve tC
fifteen feet at every leap, and CON
ing right to you, and the hounds
in full CRY. The first deer too
let hin cone to within forty strides
when I jumped up.
The buck saw me and raised 1T
head, showing the white breast.
fred my right barrel; be CAV"
lump and | heard his heavy tbunl
as he bit on the ground. | brOk'
; my gnu, put iD new carUi6ge
and went over the deep gully which
divided me from where the dee
fell. Judge of my disappointment
@ when arriving where | saw th
buck on The ground to 6nd u
deer. Then did feel mean. b,
this time the other buDters cam
, ND and asked me what [ shot at.
told them a big buck. "Wbere !
it ?" they SAID. "DOn't know"
replied; ; ait was on the grouo'
there iost now, bat where iC is
present | cannot say.p "BAck n
to a stump; we are going to cut OF
your coat tall for missing the deer.
.tAU right, DardS.r / said, "Ou