The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1894-05-10
TANNING MULE DEER.
They Become Gentle and Fearless in
DOmestiCatiOn,
An Interesting Animal That Traveller Often Finds Among
The Pei Creatures Of Western Farns

The mule deer is found in the Sierra
Nevadas and Siskiyou mountains of north
ern California and eastward into the Rock
les, and also in the cascades of Oregon and
Washington. They are very seldom seen
west of the summit, where the black tail
range. The latter sometimes cross the
eastern slope, but are not found far in the
interior. The fawns of the mule deer can
often be found during the latter part of
May or early in June hidden in the dense
thickets Of the wooded mountain side,
where they have been left by the doe. If
their dainty hoof marks are seen in the
soil they can be tracked, with considerable
assurance of being found
When run upon they will lie very low
and quiet, their ears thrown back so as to
lie fiat on their shoulders, and their large,
lustrous eyes watching every movement
Of the strange enemy. If one is cautious
in his approach, advancing in sidelong
direction, he may sometimes get so near
to them that by quick spring he can
catch them. 1t must not be supposed
however, that this little creature is slow
in getting up and starting off On the CON
trary they are very active and make no
ceremony in starting A sudden spring
raises and throws it forward at the same
time. And for short distance they are
very fleet, but when quite young they soon
tire and can be run down and caught.
Their cry is low, plaintive bleat, which
certainly must arouse the sympathy of
the rather hardened captor.
The young do not run with the mother,
but she goes to them number of times
during the day that they may suckle and
then leaves them again. If you should
chance upon them at this time they will
separate, the doe going up the mountain
side, while streak of flicked white and
russell disappearing in the thicket marks
the flight of the fawn.
When captured they will struggle vio-
lently for little while, and their sharp
hoofs will do some damage to ones person
or clothing. But they soon become recon-
ciled to their new surrounding and are
quite content.
They are beautifully spotted, and these
spots remain during most of the summer,
but gradually disappear as the hair falls,
and by the last of September have entirely
disappeared and given place to the uniform
blue coat.
The fawns soon learn to drink milk from
bottle having rubber nipple, or even
from an open vessel, but owing to their
habit of butting while drinking the latter
method of feeding is not always safe one,
as the dish, milk and all are liable to be
thrown into the lap of the feeder. Their
appetites are vigorous and they will drink
too much if allowed which causes indiges-
ton and weakened condition.
| They become very gentle and are fond of
going into the house in search of any kuick-
knacks that may be given them, such as
nuts, candies, fruits, etc. They know
their masters or those who feed them and
will follow them about the yard. They
begin browsing early, grow quite fast, and
the supply of milk can be gradually cut
down. The leaves of the wild rose and
sarvis bushes are favOrites with them, but
the tender twigs and buds of various kinds
are eaten, and they often Craze on the
meadows the same as sheep. They gener-
ally feed late in the evening or early in
the morning, preferring to lie in the shade
and cool dark places during the heat of the
day away from the annoyance of flies and
mosquitoes.
They feed at night, especially during
moonlight, but dark nights are more quiet
and lie resting or sleeping under a tree or
some rude cover. They will lie on the
same spot night after night, preferring
this to new bed each night. In their
wandering about, should they run across a
cabbage patch, their appetite is soon salts
fled with this dainty morsel.
The males grow small stub of an antler
the first fall. This drops off the following
winter ard the new antlers start out about
the middle Of March. These grow rapidly
and are covered with the velvet most OF
the summer, drying and peeling off, or are
torn off on the bushes ABOUT the latter
part of July, and by Sept. the antlers are
clear and fully grown. These remain un.
til the following January and then drop
off, sometimes nearly at the same time, OF
there may be several weeks between the
time of the two being shed.
The horns are often quite large the sec
ond autumn-that is, when the animal is
a year and a half old, sometimes having
four points, but there may be only a spike
Little reliance can be placed on an estima
ton of the age from the number of points
The hoofs Of the animal in domestication
grow long and are distorted, interfering
considerably with its fieetness and activity
This is owing to their not being worn of
} by the rough rocks of the mountain sides
in travel, as in the wild state.
The general appearance of the animal
when quiet and undisturbed is awkward
Its form is not symmetrical; its gait Is q
long, swinging stride. But when startled
it becomes thing of beauty; it's whole fig
ure commands admiration.
During the first year of it's life its dispo
sition is gentle and inoffensive; it is play
full and harmless, but as it grows Older
becomes more sullen and treacherous, ant
will often attack children or women, ant
if it should get them down will stamr
them with its front feet, or, jumping W
and putting all four feet together, vii
| come down, striking with all of them al
once. 1t will also attack with its horns
and as they grow to healthy proportions il
can do considerable damage in this way
. 1t is prone to use them in brisk tusse
with the clothesline or any Haunting rae
that it imagines is defying it.
AS sometimes happens, when in its moon
light rambles it comes across the previous
t days washing idly Tapping in the nigh
r breeze, 1t will strike at the garments will
its feet, and the good housewife mex
; morning finds the shirts and various othe
articles slit from end to end, and hangin!
in halves and different shapes along tn
line. But not always is the battle to tn
9 brave or the strong. If during the fierc
attack the line should break and becom
5 fastened around the antlers of the BRAY
t charger there is change of programme.
p The line and its array of ghostly form
now becomes the attacking party, AM
y follows close the retseating and thorough
: frightened monarch of the forest. floppinj
e and striking at every bound, producing
scene Of the widest confusion and mos
> laughable nature. At the finish the dee