The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-06-20
An Early Morning Hunt
For Black 7 dil Deer.

the banks OF snow which still lay pro-
tected by the dense shade OF the crown
OF spruccs. The streams were friDged
with the succulent marsh herbs which
deer and elk most fancy as dessert
| after filling up on vines and tender
bougbs.
IL does not pay TO hasten or 10 get
out OF breath when hunting deer, 50 /
climbed very, very slowly upward,
keeping in the shelter Of the bushy
young aspen that fringed the bigger
trees AT the edge Of one OF the ascend
ing glades. Al each step, as ! placed
my foot 10 avoid any cracking twig. 1
looked all around and listened for any
sound Of game. The stimulation Of the
color OF the early coat OF the deer TO
the dry bunches Of grass Is so close
that In the imperfect light it was well
10 study closely each outline, else some
proud stag might bear his coveted
burden Of venison out OF range AT "A
bound, before my eyes had seen the
slender legs and gracefully borne head.
There were plenty Of tracks in the
mellow earth, some almost obliterated
by two or three successive dews. and
some apparently as fresh as though
the cushioned hoof had just been lifted
from them. In spite OF all my caution,
n crack OF twigs and stamp of hOofs
off 10 the right indicated that an alarm
had reached eyes or ears or nostrils Of
some deer, hut | sat still and listened
IA hn nf M
parcntly it decided that It's suspicious
did not justify preclpitatc flight, for
thought IL went on, IL was In noise
less walk. From tree 10 tree | edged
in that direction. / found the fresh
tracks, evidently q buck OF good size
and | followed carefully on slant up
the hill. / saw something moving
ahead OF me, and was ready to shoot
but II came fearlessly down toward
me, evidently not seeing It's danger. A
doe with her two fawns was working
down TO n safe shelter in the willow
tangle along the river. | did not
want to turn them back In the direc-
tion In which the buck had gone. - l
crOuched behind q bush to let them
pass Only pot-hunter fails to re-
spcct femininlty and infancy in hunt
ing deer. The mother was pushing
along with all the ungracefulness OF
her kind, neck out, ears back. One
fawn wanted to stop for refreshments
and was pushing in front of her like a
calf at milking time. The other spotted
pet was intent on play, bounding about
IN extravagant semicircles. His erratlc
course brought him directly upon me,
and he stopped suddenly with legs
braced at wide angles. so close that
felt the breath of his startled snort
His ears were opened wide. and his
dewy Dostrlls quivered as he drew in a
scent OF whose danger he had yet To
learn. His great soft eyes looked full
into mine for moment, and l could
almost have reached out and touched
him. Then he remembered his mother,
who had passed on out of sight. gave
n mew-like expostulating bleat, bound
ed a couple Of yards TO one side, and
gamboled on in pursuit.
The shadow Of my hill had by this
time crawled down to the opposite
slope In the valley, and the sun was
shining full through the tops Of the
trees. A raven cawed and Tapped
lazily across the valley, high overhead
on tour of investigation. His keen
eye had marked the murderous weapon
carried. and he circled above the
mountain and lighted in n tall dead
IA
hunt. The buck on whose track was
following was evidently intent on
reaching shelter. He had been In no
haste, cropping the herbage as he went
along, but the determination with
which the tracks forced themselves up
the hill meant that he had mind for
the safe protection of the growing
green timber forest / must make
haste TO head him or and as IL would
be fatal to hurry directly behind him,
| crossed over into the next glade and
then pushed steadily up the mountain
toward the summit Just at the very
brow was continuous grassy blum
over which any animal seeking the up
per shelter must pass; and on this l
threw myself down. | had no breath.
and could not nave aimed my rifle
TO save my life. SO | devoted my whole
strength and attention for a few mo-
ments TO regaining some steadiness OF
respiration In the valley way below
three tiny spots of bun, the deer family
| had intercepted. were crossing
through the grass 10 a wide bed Of
willows that marked the filled-in site
OF an old beaver dam. Down at camp
everything was still. and the absence
OF smoke told that the sleeper was still
dormant. The raven cawed impa-
tiently.
became suddenly conscious that
there was n deer In the trees of 10 the
right and n little below me. How long
he had been there | do not know. but
am certain that my eye had rested
on the spot and its surroundings mo-
ment before and saw nothing. | slipped
down of the grass and into the trees
and worked very cautiously In that
direction. a shot downhill is SO de-
ceTsive that hitting is pure luck. and l
sought a place on the same level.
A stately buck he was. stopping for n
fnal lunch on the tender shoots OF n
clump Of vetch vines on the edge of
the stream. His black nostrils were
wet and shone with the high polish of
new patent leather. His form was well
rounded. his coat was smooth and
glossy. and his spreading antlers full