Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-17
ABEL CAREY AND THE BUCK.


They Fought and Carey Won by the
Skin OF His Teeth--A Thrilling En-
counter Between Man and Beast.
HARRISBURG, Dec. 12.-Abel Carey, a
well-known hunter of Clinton county,
has killed 10 deer this fall, and in kill
Ing his thirteenth on Wednesday he had
narrow escape from being killed him
self. This deer was an unusually large
buck, and the dogs drove 1t to the run
way where Carey was standing, and
where he had killed four deer within
week. AS the buck came bounding
along by Carey, the latter fired. The
deer stopped short in its tracks, stood
moment with its antlers high in the air,
and then turned to run in another direc-
ton. Carey's second barrel tumbled the
buck in the scrub oaks, and he lay there
without kick.
The hunter hurried forward to where
the big deer lay, and drew his knife to
cut its throat. To his surprise the deer
that he supposed was dead sprang to its
feet US he was about to bend down and
use his knife and furiously attacked
him. Carey had his empty gun in one
hand. He jumped quickly aside as the
buck raised in the air and struck at him
with its sharp forefeet, and prevented
the full force Of the blow falling upon
him. This attack of a wounded buck
is more dreaded by hunters than the
rush of furious bear. One of the
,hoofs struck Carey on the left shoulder,
turning him half way round and almost
knocking him off his feet. As the buck
gathered himself for another leap, Carey
struck IL over the head with his gun.
The blow was severe one, but il had
little effect ON the deer. The only dam
age done was to the gun, the barrels
being broken from the stock by the
force of the blow.
Now followed q most exciting and
perilous time for Carey. The deer re-
newed his attack at once, and its move
ments were too quick for the hunter,
for il planted both OF its fore-feet
squarely against Carcy's shoulders. The
contact was more than he could with
stand, and he was thrown to theground.
Carey quickly regained his feet, only to
be confronted by the Infatuated buck,
again in the air ready to hurl itself again
upon the hunter. The knife that Carey
held in his hand when the deer SO unex-
pectedly rose from the ground where 1t
was supposed to be lying dead, had been
Knocked from his hand when the buck
attacked him and threw him down, and
he knew that his only hope of escape
was to keep himself clear Of the deer's
hoofs until the wounds of the rifle balls
proved fatal, which Carey believed
would be soon, as blood was pouring in
streams from bullet hole in the deer's
breast and from one in its shoulder.
When the deer came at him the third
time, therefore, Carey ducked, and
rushing in upon the buck threw both
arms around its body, its fore legs pass
ing over and resting upon the hunters
shoulders But the bucks wounds were
either not as serious as Carey had
thought, or the deer was unusually
tenacious of life, for after more than 10
minutes constant wrestling with the
deer in the scrub oaks, during which
time the buck threw the hunter three
times, broke his hold, and trampled him
beneath its sharp pointed hoofs, cutting
and bruising him in a terrible manner,
the wounded buck seemed to be as fresh
and full of life as il was when it came
bounding down the ridge toward Garey's
runway.
On the contrary the hunter was be-
coming exhausted. There We're other
hunters in the vicinity and likewise a
luiHu6I CAMP nOt luI away, ullu Mullt
wrestling and struggling with the deer,
Carey had shouted Justify for help, hop
ing that the hunters are lumbermen
might hear him and come to his aid. No
aid had reached him, however, and the
hunter saw that he would be unable to
hold out much longer against the deer
unless he could adopt and quickly util-
izc tactics more favorable TO success
ful 1xy hut finn tha l,un tha Ia.
fensive ones which were firing him out
ceived were dangerous, they were In o
measure disabling, and his clothing
hung in tatters from his body.
While struggling for the third time
with his arm clasped about the deer's
body, Carey saw that they had wrestled
to within few feet Of his gun-bar.
rels, which lie had dropped when tho
deer had knocked him down the first
time. BY quick effort, which his
desperation made successful, he Olsen.
gagged himself from the deer, and lying
forward, got possession Of the gun
barrels. lie had only time to rise up
right before the buck was again upor
him. Carey put all his strength in the
bow,and brought the heavy gun-barreli
down on the deer's head, springinl
aside as he struck, SO that the blow fel
at the base Of the antlcrs. The dee
sank to its knees beneath the force o
the blow, and before it could rise Carey
dealt another one, and third crushed
the animals skull. The buck fell owe
on Its side,and Carey sank to the ground
falling across the deer's body. lie la,
there half an hour before he recovered
strength enough to go to the lumbe
camp, where his injuries were attended
to.
The dogs had not appeared on tn
scene at all during the fight between
Carey and the buck, or it would hay
been soon over. Carey learned tina
they had started two deer, and had fol
lowed tic trail Of the other one insteaC
Of the bucks, This buck was 81.
prong buck, which arc rare, and tn
largest killed in that region for many
year, an immense buck known us col,
Greeley which had been hunted 70
years. and was finally killed by part
of which the late Governor Geary wa
one, being the only one which coul'
compare i'll size with this one.
HENRY PATTERSON ON POLITICS
The Democratic situation Depends o