The times., 1901-06-09
BATTLING WITH A TAME DEER.
Its Domestic Training Added to Its
Hicicusness
lFrom Forest and Stream.) }


4 few years ago / was stationed at
| Fort Meade, in South Dakota One eN-
ceCdiugly cold day ! had occasion to go
TO the ncighbOring town. and ii was
50 unusually cold, ! concluded l would
walk. for the distance was but a few
miles. and / thought / would be more
comfortable in going that way than by
either riding or driving. ! was warmly
| dressed and wore German socks and
enormous arctIcs upon my feet / was
wei enc%sh adapted TO walking along,
| but as there was a few inches of snow
upon the ground ! was not exactly trick
ed out in tie best manner for scuff1e,
as events proved. As / was leaving the
house my wife called out TO me, asking
il / couldn't bring her few eggs, as she
was entirely out and could get none else
where in such cold weather. / told her l
guessed l might probably bring half
dozen in my oVercoat pockets. attend
ed 10 my affairs in town in due season,
purchased the eggs. putting three in each
pocket and had got about half way home
when l saw coming toward me in the
road pretty fair sized white tailed buck
Il heard that one of the men had re-
Gently got a tame deer, and l inferred
at once that this was the one, and that
he had broken out of his yard, so / walk
ed along paying no further attention TO
him. Ny setter was with me- and, as he
trOtted on ahead, of course he couldn't
resist temptation TO bark a little at the
deer The deer apparently paid no atten-
tion to the dog, but as l approached he
made quite a SeIni-ciTCle in order to pass
me on the road, holding his head down
and facing toward me all the while in
most peculiar manner. In fact, his threat
ening aspect as he passed me awakened
my suspicious, and I turned around 10
see what he was up to- It was doubtless
well for me that / did so. for ] discover
ed the rascal within a few feet Of me,
his head still lowered. and in the act of
charging me from the rear There ap-
peared but one thing for me to do and
that was TO seize him by the antleTs.
lest no time in acting upon this inspi-
ration. and as l weigh about 10 pounds
and am fairly vigorous J had no great
difficulty in holding his head 80 close TO
the ground that he was unable 10 use his
forvfeet upon me, as he was evidently at
tempting to do. We scufiied and tore
around in the SNOW, my great arctics and
German socks preventing me from getting
any fO0thOld whatever. whereby | could
get the better of him. and though he
bruised me in good shape with the points
Of his autlcTs with every rush that he
made upon me, nevertheless ] dare not
let go Of them for fear / should be at
tackled in the face with his sharp hOofs,
50 we kept up the struggle.
have said that the day was cold when
/ started out. but after few minutes
engagement with this partner ! didn't ind
il cold at an, and even yet. after two
years service IN Cuba. ! can remember
how hot il was in Dakota that February
morning. ] was also getting pretty well
out Of breat. while the derT's courage ap-
peared as good as ever and ! was begin
ming 10 wonder how J was going to cX-
cusc myself from so Objectionable part
uer.
IN the story books the hunters faithful
dog frequently Tescues him from such
pcrllOu= position 10y bTavely rushing in
and seIziug the foe by the throat, but
mine dIscTeeuy kept at distance and
though I believe he brought the whole
mischief on by barking al the deer in the
first place, Instead of coming TO my re-
lief like good story book dog, he made
matters worse by continuing TO irTitate
tn deer By his barking I had hitherto
remained quiet to preserve my strength,
but 1 recalled seeing some men cutting
ice at no great distance away on my way
to town, though the pond was screened
from my present view by a fringe OF
bushes ] saw no prospect OF getting the
better Of the deer myself, and the only
way out OF il seemed the chance of max
ing those men hear me If they were still
there. ] called as Justify as / could, and
in course Of time three men came and re-
lieyed me OF my troublesome antagonist.
Perhaps il is needless TO say that my wife
never made any cake out Of those eggs
] found upon subsequent enquiry that
this buck had been raised as ii pet upon
a large cattle ranch, and the herders had
constantly irritated him for tho purpose
Of making him show nght, until they had
got him 50 cross that ii was dangerous
20 have him around. and the ma Eager had
rid Of d iyY9 an