Evening journal., 1900-02-06

There is also a slight, but marked, diff
ference in the color of their coats and
the length OF the hair which covers
them. One buck is apt to show twice
as much white on belly and tail as an
other Similarly bucks are Of so deep
a brown as to be almost dark, while
others are Of an extremely light hue.
In general their coats are colored in ac-
cOrdance with their habitat. A prairie
bred deer, much exposed to the sun
and used to feeding in wide glades
where there are few or no trees. will
be Of a much lighter brown than one
that lives in forests where there is
little sunlight For this reason the
swamp deer of Louisville are probably
the darkest on this continent, while
those that live on the uplands of west
ern Texas are the lightest.
In this part of the country there is
no such thing known as a deerhound.
In the first place the animals are so
numerous that they may be found with
cut trailing dog by anyone who cares
to look for them. In the second place
a pack would be useless, as II would be
impossible for men horseback to follow
tens Of thousands of acres here on
which the cacti grow so thickly that a
rabbit cannot get through. Sometimes
in chasing a COW the pony and rider
run into a mass of this kind before
they are able to check themselves. The
man sits still then as best he may
while the pony throws its head down
between its knees, humps its back and
bucks out Of it. There is no other way.
I Because Of the thickness Of the mingled
mesquite, cacti, cat-claw, huisache and
/ other thorny plants. the legs and bellies
OF all animals that live in the brush
are filled with spines. When a horse
/ or a COW dies and is skinned the yell
I low cactus needles are found lying
along the bones of their legs in a mat
an eighth Of an inch thick. This is
! true, too, of the deer, which, although
extremely active and going like a bird
/ over most distractions under seven
feet in height. yet get themselves filled
with the prickers in fawnhood anC
never get rid Of them. Dogs being
barred, not only by the thickness Of
the chaparral and the consequent in.
ability to follow them, but also by the
! lack Of water for them, men who Kill
deer are forced to depend entirely upon
y themselves. This reduces the sport Il
J, the only legitimate form of deer shoot
ing. that is stalking or still-hunting
in which the trained intelligence oi
the human being is pitted against the
wonderful hearing, eyesight, scent ant
4 intelligence Of the deer. It is not a
great deal Of satisfaction to any thor
cgGh sportsman to stand with his baci
. 60 q tree armed with a dOuble-barrelle
shotgun and to shoot a harmless brlt,
as il flies past him, frightened out o.
its wits by the yelping of hounds in itl
rear. When a man has left his CAM
5 before daylight, however, with his riff
On his shoulder. q crust Of bread in hi
pocket and a small canteen of watel
slung upon his back. has walked, ma.
be, three miles before sunrise, he
struck the trail of deer and followei
= 1t with care, has met with possibl,
! a half-dozen failures and has FINAL,
! succeeded in Staying his quarry by
difficult shot through branches at
a distance Of 200 yards, he feels that h.
e has really done something worth re
7 membering and taking about whel
boastful shooters of logged deer ar
[ more boastful than usual.
e In southwestern Texas. however
T there is form of butchery more repre
d hensible than driving deer with hounds
d It is practiced only by Mexicans. tb
T Americans scorning to take advantag
, of 1t, but il is very fatal. Though
: deer can do without water for a grea
II length of time, all of a season throug
r in fact where the grazing and herbag
IS are good. it cannot do without salt
e Consequently the Mexican who want
J a lot Of hides to exchange for tobacc
It and mescal builds him q salt-lick. II
gets a large slab of rock salt, such a
d Is used on the cattle ranches. and put
u It on the ground in the chaparral nea
t mesquite tree that has especial
/ thick branches He visits his salt afte
B, 10 has lain out for fiv
% days and notes whether it has bee
is found by the deer or not. The chance
a are that It has, but IL it has not h
e simply waits and revisits it until h
n finds the tell-tale tracks. Then b
n ensconces himself in the branches {
IL the mesquite thirty yards away an
II waits. He may occupy his uncomfort
/ able rcrch for three hours before
~ gets a shot. or he may be safely hit
N den for not more than five minute
n. when a subdued crackle Of the chapai
y raj warns ni-n thai Us game is al
" preaching. The length of time put
" makes no difference 10 the Mexican. r
ar Is not at work and that is all he ask
ID He is able to lie in the tree and smob
T, cigarettes with as much enjoyment {
Il, when stretched at length on his ow
d. rawhide loEngs IN his own iacal, WIS