Waterbury Democrat., 1902-11-13
JOE MEALEY'S RIDE.
Unique Bareback Gallop on an En-
ragged Deer.
Hair-Raising Experiences OF q Cali
fornia MountaiReer Who Mounts
ed His Quarry q Few
Minutes Too Soon.


be imagined than that recently unoer-
gone by young California mountain
eer named Joseph Mealey.
.Some young fellows from Oakland
he saws in the Philadelphia fress'
sswere up here looking for big game,
They had the latest and best xmas
of shooting material, new style rlnes
and pistols, and the like, but there
wasn't a shotgun in the party.
ssThey were poor hunters and were
SO scared of shooting one another that
they persisted in hunting in bunch.
finally got disgusted with them and
ON. the second morning after their ar
rival set out alone to bag deer.
was up at daylight and set out over
the noun ains.
81 didn't see sign OF deer, altnough
/ trudged all over one side OF the slope.
The sun was up pretty high When
set my rifle against big boWider ana
jumped on to a rock to sit down
moment and smoke.
..While I was gazing 1azily
about me I heard the thud-thud-
thud, and knew a deer was
iu1nping down the mountain.
slid off the bowlder quick,
grabbed the rifle, and laid low. Again
/ heard the thud Of the deer's jump,
and, looking over the rock saw a big
buck trotting slowly across the small
| opening down the mountain.
ssThe deer was north of me and the
breeze came from that direction, SO
hurried straight down the mountain.
While I was sneaking along I looked
| over clump of brush, and there, out
in plain view, stood the buck. He was
a big, one tell you, and with his great
.antlers hanged if he didn't look big as
an elk to me.
81 should judge he was about 200
yards from me. He was standing there
tossing his head as though some sort
/ of a fly was bothering him, and de-
cided to give it to him through the
heart. / wasn't we'll acquainted with
4 the rifle, but I aimed careful and let
| him have it.
ssWhen reached him I took my
hunting knife out Of my belt to bleed
him. Before this stood looking down
at him for a few seconds, for he was
by far the biggest deer ever saw-a
six pronger.
Il had my foot on his hind quarters.
i Then I straddles him, holding his ant
Eers to keep his head steady, and with
my left hand started to cut his neck.
i mo sooner did the knife prick his
skin before that buck was on his feet.
] was too scared to notice how it was
3. done, but / know that his forelegs
went out first and he was up quick
as flash.
II already had grip on his antlers
with my right hand, and as dropped
my knife grabbed them with my left.
I was too paralyzed to think even, but
, I can tell you that he and were off
like the wind-with me hanging on for
J dear life.
: "Over rocks, across dry bitches, and
over the patches of buck brush that
animal went as if he had never been
hurt, and although stayed with the
widest bronchos Montana could pro
duce, I never had such trouble as that
people have asked me many times
&c trotting and leaping were the only
gaits of a deer. That particular buck
deer seemed to have 'em all. No spurs
were needed for that animal, 1 tel
you.
!, about this time the animal SLOWED
: to trot, and he gave bleat mucl
! as would calf, then staggered ant
+ fell
/ Il threw myself off his back before
he commenced to reel, but / saw
E blood gushing out of his, nose ane
: mouth as he dropped. He was game
! for he tried to get his feet again-thel
: dropped over, dead.
I s'The distance from where the dee
: started after I first dropped him t.
/, where he dropped me was close on tt
!. half mile