The record-union., 1899-06-19
ON A BUCKS ANTLEns.
Bfil Davis Takes = Merry Whirl
with the Spottsd Deer.

For many years Ben Davis, the veter-
an guide. has trampled over the Adiron-
dacks, but it was not until last Nom
day that his life ever was in danger.
|. Just as soon as the Ice breaks UP and
the snow melts from sight Davis takes
his gun and dog and goes out, The ia
nous Adirondack spotted buck has fire.
quently been seen this time Of year.
Hunters have looked upon this animal
as the most remarkable derizen Of the
vast wilderness, and more than one has
longed to bring down this naughty hero
Of the forest. Davis was no exception
to the rest. In the many years he had
rpamed about the mountains he had
neveN even caught q glimpse of the ami
NAL
DAVIS knew that even II he did see the
deer when he went up the mountain ON
Monday he would not dare to shoot it
because of the game laws. Neither could
he hound the animal, for the law says
this must not be done prior to June,
1902. Ben looked at his pocket edition
of game laws and saw that it is forbid
den to allow dogs to run at large in for
ests inhabited by deer.
IT guess I'll have to tackle the job
back homeward and turned or to the
left, following the narrow mountain
trail through dense bit OF trees A
mile further he sat down to rest. Sud-
denly, to his aInazemenE and joy, a
bulky animal shot across the pathway.
Davis saw it was the spotted deer. He
was on his feet In a flash He knew
that about mile down the mountain
side there was one of those. little lakes
so numerous in that region. He guessed
that the animal was fastening to this
spot to slake its thirst, and he was not
mistaken: for when he reached the little
body Of water, after a desperately hard
and hurried tramp, he saw the beautiful
animal drinking.
Davis stepped out into the open. The
huge deer saw hima and powerless to go
ahead, turned and dashed at the hunter
Davis sprang to one side. but the path
way was SO narrow that he was caught
up by one of the antlers of the lowered
head of the buck and carried away in
spite of his frantic struggle to free him
self. The buck, in it's efforts to rid it
self Of Davis, threw its head high in the
air, and this only made it worse for the
guide, who rolled onto the crest of the
deer's head and there became entangled
more hopelessly in the antlers, which
held him like giant hooks.
Davis had dropped his gun, and his
long hunting knife was so caught in his
belt that he could not work it loose. The
buck continued to plunge madly in Its
efforts to shake Davis loose and gore
him. Davis hung on. grasping the
prongs with both hands and bracins
himself with his feet.
After keeping UP these tactics for sew
eral minutes the deer started rapidly
down the trail. brushing against the
trees in its endeavor to rid itself of its
human burden.
Suddenly the opportunity offered. and
with a mighty effort. Davis threw hinr-
Self upward and caught a limb of a tree.
Before the buck could attempt to attack
him Davis drew himself up out OF
harms way. Freed from its burden. the
animal ran down the trail and was soon
lost to sight in the dense brushwood.
Davis remained in the tree for an hour
or more before he thought it safe to de-
scend Then he made his way back to
the pond, recovered his gun and re-
turned to the village. where at first his
story was received incredulousay until
the Villagers saw his torn clothes and