The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-07-11


Dan hunted deer
when they were plentiful and shot
many fine buck a. he stood working /
AZ a sailed lick. But now that this
style OF sportsmanship Il no longer al
lowed by the city chaps Il Is seldom |
that the outside world hears OF Dams
successes. But last fall luck was so
phenomenal that some OF the hunters
from town got hold Of Il and circulated
the story. They also got hold Of one
Of old Dams deer and palmed Il of as
their own trophy. but the cat Is out
Of the bag and everybody nov knows
that they paid SO In gold for the three
pronged buck.
Dan Kreiger still hunts deer accord
Ing 10 old-time custom. Early last
summer. when he learned that a fine
old buck. doe. and two fawns we're
making their home IN Hell's Kitchen
a deep. dark ravlne in the Black For
est region-he Just made up his mind
that he was going 70 have a sample OF
that herd He went 10 work and Sc
lected a convenient spot on one OF the
runways Of the deer. where he bored a
dozen OF more holes along the side ~
an old hemlock log. These holeg ne
filled with coarse butchers salt
The rains came and soaking through
the salt-hlled holes the brine dripped
down and settled into the earth. Each
successive rain added more dripping
and 1t was no; long before Dan noticed
that the deer had begun 10 work on
his lick. The earth was paved up
under the log and az the summer wore
on the deer signs became more and
more frequent. Dan picked out a
nearby homlock tree as good place
from which TO watch his lick
One day during the latter part OF
August he determined TO watch the
lick just TO see how many deer we're In
the habit OF coming to his lick The
day was a drizzly. gloomy one. He
mounted his perch an hour before dusk
aud waited patiently. Just as dusk be-
gan TO settle he had the satisfaction
Il OF seeing an old doe and two half
e grown fawns coming along the side Of
. the hin N thu direction Of the lick.
!. The doe approached cautiously, every
: now and then jerking her sharp-point-
h ed nose in the air, as though scenting
n danger. Then, with sharp frisk Of
, the tail and an impatient stamp Of the
e foot. she would advance a rod or more
Once at the lick the doe paved the
2 earth under the log and licked tbs
J, soil With her tongue. The trio OF deel
!, remained at the lick nearly an hour.
Late In October Dan visited the licl
1 aEain-this time for keeps. having a
Il his companion a Winchester rife. Il
y. had rained only the day before and
y Dan calculated that the deer. n thcy
- we're yet Ia Hells Kitchen. aouli visit
I, the ireshsn6C lick that night. Dan had
= sat on his perch on the hemlock tree
n for over an hour and he was about
.e giving up hope Of having a shot at th'
<. deer that nigh, when a significant
p sound In the direction Of the runwa!
= attracted his attention. Il was &
!! sound much Hike that made by a dos
!. when smiling the air and Dan knew
a what Il meant Il was the smiling o
Is a buck as he approached the lick.
h Il was already quite dark, but Their
81 was q clear sly overhead and Dai
: could make cut to see the outline o
~ the los at the lick. lie had chosen
~ position that locked parallel with th
log. 80 that ball from his rife woull
NJ rake the entire length Of the log. n
r. was not more than eight fee; above IN
ID ground and he had taken the Trccau
ton OF arranging a marker by stick
he Ing his penknife In the limb OF a tree
IT. so that In the darkness be knew jus
!" how low to shoot.
a, The suifhng came gradually noare
~ and before a hali-hour had passed h
~ discovered the form Of buck nosln
h. In along the lick log and beginning 4
NJ paw the ground, A moment later h
was Joined by the doe and she was FOL
ls lowed quickly by two fawas. The buc
~ was restless and every few second
4, threw up his head and gave a lou
N. snort. Dan let his rifle settle down O
u. the lick against his knife and the
waited for the buck TO raise his hea
again. The buck was nearest to If,
and almost concealed the doe. Will
NJ the fawns worked at the farthest en-
On Of the lick.
!. Suddenly the buck raised his hca
for another reconnoi,er and Dan Ere,
~ There was a wild scramble at the licl
~ but Dan saw only three deer start u
BE- the side O. the hin and one Of thei
az was The big buck Chagriuoi n: an
.ct fact that he had missed the buck D1
d. hurried over 90 The log where De- ioun
to the doe stretched out Gs dead as doc
es nail. While he was engaged cuiuu
Is the deers throat one Of the iawns 81,
y, turned 10 the HEX. and before N
iS frightened thing could escape Dan ha
M. sent a bulle, into It's body
at The animals instinct had prompie
Ia. It TO return In search Of he moths
so and the same cruel fate which the lai
w ter had met awaited Il. Lighting
ny torch OF pine sphnters Dan fopnd tbs
~, the buck had let a trail OF I'd an
a following this up the ountal
n. scarcely 200 fee, he came to the dea
nv hodv nj she daer II had q,-td,,flv aI