Iron County register., 1891-11-05
Old Times.

Ed. Register
A few days ago [ thought it such a
good time TO hunt. and the time of the
year old buck should be on the move. |
saddled up old Stemey and took my gua
on my shoulder and started for the noun
sains. 1 rode over the mountains, back
and forward, uD and down those steep
mountains, where. in the early days,
killed so much game. l rode miles and
miles, | went to all the water holes in
the deep canyons, where all the cattle up
on the thousand hills go for water and all
kinds of game go when thirsty looked
at all the old coal -hearths, where, in
former years, charcoal had been burned.
| looked at every dry, dusty place to see
, If could see any tracks of deer or other
game. L watched all the places where l
| thought an old buck would be likely to
have scrape, but not sign of a track j,
or any marks to show that any kind of
wild ANIMALS had passed along to or from
the water-holes. 1 hunted carefully and
faithfully. passed great many places,
where, in former years, l killed any
amount of game, but hot a sign of game
of any sort did | see. [ hunted until l
came TO the conclusion it was no use to
hunt longer, for the days of hunting in
this neck of the woods was over, At last
| reached home, tired and hungry.
had heard the day before before that
my old nelghbor and friend, Leonard SUIT
ton. was in bed almost helpless. He is
one of the oldest inhabitants OF the VAL
ley-he and his wife. who is still living,
and smart as half of the women of this
latter day. When we came to the Valley,
hftY-'hree years ago, they were living at
or near heir present home, and had quite
a family Of young children. After talk
ing with him a few minutes. told him of
my hunt. | said had seen the day that
| would have seen hundred deer in the
same woods with less travel than | had
doubt it at ALL" then asked him if he
ha forgotten the day my brother III and
met him up Long Hellow, the day he
killed seven deer?
He laughed and said, "No, | have not
forg often it and never will.''
1t was this way. My brother and had
been down to the old mill to make some
repairs, ready to saw when the fail and
winter rains should set it. As we had SO
many things to carry. we did not take
~ wifi Whoy, ha1 10
the necessary repairs we came home
the mountains, it being much
nearer than to 60 along the road. When
we had crossed over the mountains and g OF
to the old Pennington road, toward the |
head of Long Hollow. about three or four |
O'Clock. we heard dog give one OF two
yelps. and then deer bawl. We looked, |
and, almost two hundred yards from us,
we saw Mr.. Sutton with his gun, run
ming. A. we looked the way he was go
ing, we saw his dog had fine deer down.
Of course we wanted to see the sight.
When we reached him, we asked him how
many deer he had killed that day. He
said, ''This makes fiye.' After hanging
it up, we came with him, for he had |
started tor home. We had reached the |
road and were walking along when we
saw deer standing by large rock, just
up on the side of the IN ountain. Mr.. S.
drew down on it, and at The crack of his |
rifle the deer made a few jumps and was
out Of sight. After loading his gun, we
went % look for the deer. The dog took |
bo nd h,,t fo,
he jumped it up, caught it. and threw it |
down. Before it could get up, Mr.. S. |
ran up to 1t and knocked it in the head |
with his tomahawk. That made six.
AS he went to load his gun again, he |
found he had but a half of bullet left. |
But he said, Il will load her with that"
AS he was about to hang up the deer,
we asked him what he would ask us for |
the deer. He said, 81 will take the hide |
Oft, and you may have deer for a peck of
apples"
''All right; we will do it,
So he cut a good pole with his toma-
hawk and fixed up for US to carry between
us.
After We had got started on the way, |
we had not gone more than a quarter of |
A mile when we saw fifteen deer standing
N the road right ahead of us. He said, |
Now we will see if can kill one of those
leer with that half bullet.'' He shot at
one of them. They all ran off, but we
saw one of them leave the rest. He said,
Il believe hit him with that piece of
oullet.' He let the dog take the track,
and he soon came to it lying down. AS
t jumped up the dog caught it. After
hanging it up we went home. When he
skinned the deer he put the skin IN his
'wamus,'' and we flied in all around
lim with apples. He looked so funny as
ne walked all swelled out around his
body!
In those days every old hunter had one
log trained especially to slow track deer.
have been with those old hunters, with
the tracker. The tracker always walked
behind his master until he would step TO
one side and motion to the dog to take
The lead. As the dog would obey the
motion of the hunter, and pass by him he
would look up to his master, as much as
10 say, 'Ali right, master. You would
zee no change in his gait, but he would
Keep his nose to the ground. Soon you
might see him smell of the tall grass or