The herald., 1898-03-06
A CHAMPION HUNTREss
MRS. COLE OF MAINE SHOOTS A
BIG DEER
Then She Spent Half a Day Dragging
the Prize She Had Captured
to Her Home

Mrs. Ada NJ Cole of Gilead Me-. claims
to be a champion huntress, her claim TO
prowess being based on the fact that she
recently went hunting alone, followed the
trail of a deer over two mountains shot
him at a distance of 800 feet and then
dragged the 2O-pound body back over the
great painless mountains to her home.
Mrs. Cole is the wife of Goodwin Cole.
an unemployed railroad man. She was
married when 12 years old and is now 2S
strong, healthy athletic and handsome. A
few days ago Mrs. Cole took her husbands S
repeating rifle and, leaving him at home to
care for the baby. started out to hunt
squirrels. There had been a light snow
the previous night. that the tracks of
all woodland creatures were clearly visible
even to a novice. Mrs. Cole observed some
deer tracks which were larger than any
she ever saw before.
For ten years she had been something of
huntress and had been unusually sue
cessful in baggng smaller game. and as
she looked upon these enormous deer
tracks an almost Irresistible longing came
to her mind to shoot this giant deer and by
so doing surpass the best records of the
most noted hunters in a region famed for
noted hunters. She followed the footprints
through one of the widest sections of
Maine. Every moment the tracks seemed
to grow fresh and to draw her on till her
excited pace became swift one.
al last dS Sflt petTeu Cdutlously ONtI tHc
top of swell on the mountain side she saw
about 800 feet distant the stately head and
widely branching antlers of what seemed
to her excited mind to be the king Of all
deer. When he looked in the direction of
Mrs. Cole the bright sun shone directly into
his eyes. partially binding him. so that
he did not see the woman quite so quickly
and clearly as she did him.
Without moments hesitation Mrs. Cole
raised her heavy rifle to arms length and
the instant the sight covered the out
stretched neck of the deer pulled the trig-
ger. The big head instantly disappeared
behind the bushes. The excited woman
bounded to the spot where he disappeared
her rifle ready for another shot But the
giant deer lay behind the bushes quite
dead; apparently he did not move after he
fell The heavy ball had entered his neck
so as to break the backbone. sever the
jugular vein and lodge in the shoulder. 1T
was one of the largest deer shot in the vi
cinty. weighing more than 200 pounds. 1t
lay near the summit of a mountain. miles
from any human habitation. with another
mountain between the huntresS and her
home. The position was one from which
even a strong man might well have hesi-
tated to try to get out a large deer without
assistance. But, as Mrs. Cole said
Il did not dare to leave my deer and go
home for my husband. If some other
hunter should find it and carry it away
while I was gone people might doubt my
story, particularly about the size Of my
prize"
Furthermore. her husband was out of
job. and the choice venison would be
most welcome addition to the family lar
der.
So she fastened her rifle across her shoul-
ders and, taking hold of the fore legs and
antlers of the deer, began to drag it down
the mountain. 1t was exciting and dam
gerous. for single misstep on the slippery