The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-08
a DEER HUNT.
why Two Hunters Spared Tncsr Quafry
When They Caught Up win II

UrrcA. Dec. THE hunter had long
been following the trail Of a deer from
certain signs which his practised eye noted
along the way he kne that his long tramp
through the snow In the forest was coming
to an end
He had followed the single trail for nearly
four hours, starting with a glimpse OF the
deer as she sprang unexpectedly from a
covert at the side OF the old log road. Inc
great leaps Of the doe were easily detected
and the hunter set out in pursuit fully be-
lieyine that i'm time he could tire the animal
out and shoot her.
The chase was a hot one, first along the
margin of a little stream over which the
snowladen branches were n until they
swept the water. then through a marsh
and on up the side Of a mountain.
As the man followed. first at a slow trot
and then walking and struggling with the
brush and s,umps. his hopes rose higher
and higher, for he noted that the leaps
of the deer were growing shorter ana
shorter, and finally that the doe was WALK
ing, either tired out or CONFIDENT mat she
had distanced the danger she had scented
when she had stopped TO nibble the tender
bark of a bush. ,
The toes OF the deer were no longer spread
as they are when the animal Il running
Up and over the mountain the hunter con-
tinued with increasing ,
The ground was strange 10 hlm' ne thau
never hunted in that region before, and he
watched with particular care the direcuon
in which he was travelling from the sun
and he studied the lay of the ground ana
noted the time II required 10 cover u irohi
the starting point. The mountain seemed
10 run al right angles with the trail Of the
deer, and tine particular features oil the 10
cality were fixed in his memory as "a pre-
caution against getting lost.
The doe worked along the side OF TINS
new watershed and entered "a po"l IN the
slope OF the mountains. When the hunter
game up the deer war there In iull Nle"
and he RAISED his gun To shoot.
Suddenly be heard a plaintive cry; there
was an answer, and a movement at the deer =
side arrested his attention. He saw a young
deer, aprarentt' a fawn OF the spring De
fore, bound into the opening. :,
The doe turned 10 caress IL and then SAN
20 the ground, for she was plainly ~exhausttu
The young deer did not appear To notice
the does fatigue and played about her
with every evidence of delight.
The hunter did not shoot. The gun was
quietly lowered and sci upon the ground.
and the mar watched with increasing inter-
est the playful antics of the little one.
For some time the hunter waited, hoping
10 see a buck. aud then he started 10 go
away He looked all abou 20 discover the
trail over which he had approached the glen
and by which he proposed to return.
Across the ridge he saw through the
~lcafess trees the form Of another hunter.
and he hesitated a. he s~peculated over the
appearance of the other. Then he whistled
low and softly. ,
Did you see?" he asked after he had
attracted the others attention, and he
pointed in the direction Of the two deer ,
Yes was the response. i discovered
the doe and was about To shoot when ] saw
the little one. Then ! watched II play for
an hour or more
The first hunter found the end ~ his long
trail through the forest and began 10 retrace
his steps. and the other walked away among
the trees.
This is a true story. Hunters are not
always inhuman.