The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-15
sHoaN or THEIR HoaNs..


An4pcr4Qon FecesGnTy to Render VictQus
y Yq4ng Buck Deer HarmIsss.
NSe vigorous yg6ng buiek deer at the
zoo are harmless as result of operations
with lasso and meat saw by Director Smith
and his six assistants Bucks with horns,
hard horns, are dangerous to the lives OF
their mates, their keepers and themselves.
Everything about them in their quarters
shows the effect OF rough usage, even the
trees, fences and ground. All the trees In
the inclosure have to be protected by iron
railings. Otherwise their lives would be
torn out by the wicked deer.
Ordinarily bucks horns are allowed to
grow until nature sheds them. II the ami.
mails are of q particularly good disposition,
this is allowable. But in most cases they
become vicious as soon as the velvet has
dried and worn of their antlers, and they
become dangerous.
The first thing necessary In relieving
buck Of its horns Is to catch the buck. In
an inclosure lasso Is resorted to, and only
by those quick with the eye and leg. All
the keepers went TO the two fallow deei
paddocks armed with lassos Some were
as efficient as cowboys Others resorted to
the dodge act, getting behind trees as the
bucks dashed for them, full Of fight, stamp.
lnB tnelr Ieet III rlBnteous rage.
Five beautiful fallow deer occupied the
north paddock. One was so fat that the
director hesitated about catching it. But
as 1t was the worst Of the lot it had to un-
dergo the operation. So much for bad
disposition.
Keeper Snyder laid his plans for that one
first The buck, with lowered head and
distorted nostrils, charged the keeper Sny.
Il Id. o..1 L. -. Il II
and fell on the animals back. Another
dash, this time for the other keepers. All
got outsof the way. One more swing by
Snyder, and the loop fell over the bucks
: horns. IA tug-of- f-warresulted, Keepers Sny.
der, Holmes, Warren and Cook on one end
of the rope and the buck on the other.
Slowly the buck was drawn up to tree
until its antlers went around both sides.
Snyder and Warren then seized its legs, and
as the animal jumped back threw it. All
four of its legs were tied underneath, as
calf is treated on going to market In a farm
buggy. The bucks struggles were fearful,
and thin coating Of blood and froth ap-
peared at its nostrils. After being secured
Keeper Shannon produced common meat
saw, and in two minutes the noble animal
had been shorn of its adornments
1t was so weak when released that aftera
couple of terrific bounds it landed fat on
the ground and painted and heaved. While
it was recovering the others underwent the
same operation. Invariably whenever a
lasso was thrown the animals bounded in.
to the air six feet, and the moose fell short
Three thousand spectators saw the battle
and cheered the men on.
In one of the bucks charges Keeper
Holmes knee was badly bruised by blow
from the animals hoofs. If the blow had
been square, his leg might have been bro
ken. When released, the bucks bounded
away to the iron fence, their heads striking
1t 10 feet above the ground, only to fall
and recover themselves for another charge.
One got his head between the bars, and
it being a tight fit the whole fence shook
as it tugged and jerked. 1t seemed as if it
would break its neck. Instead, the iron
bars, an inch in diameter, bent aside and
allowed the head to escape. Another buck
charged with such abandon that its nose
bled.
The first one clipped was in bad way
for some time. The keepers had to carry
it into the house, where it lay fainting and
unable to RISE Mr. Smith said the fat had
accumulated to such an extent about the
animals heart that the action of that organ
was materially affected, and as i'm the case
of an overfat person great excitement was
liable to produce heart failure.-New York
World