The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-30

TO big boulder and there he hid himself
A dozen or fifteen shots were fred at that
deer and my friend raised himself up to
look the scene over.
He saw three men near the runway
where the deer came in. The deer was
working toward him and they were shoot
Ing at 1t. One Of the men had splintered
one OF the bucks antlers. Over on the left
were two more shooters, and they were
firing broadside at the deer
My friend dropped back behind the rock
and waited for the shooting to let up Dur
Ing hull he rsked another view and mo-
tlced that the deer was swimming along
apparently uninjured. Given time the
deer would step ashore not far from his
station. and he waited a favorable shot
without danger Of hitting the others.
After few moments there was another
interval in the firing and he got up, fred
and dropped back again. It was hard
work and very dangerous. but by taking
advantage of the quiet moments he was
able to shoot three times, and at the third
dropped the deer on the shore Of the lake.
Awaiting his opportunity he moved to
the deer's side and found that It's antlers
bullet marks on its body The deer's front
leg had been shattered during some pre-
vious hunting season and the animal moved
on three legs"
Yes, boys, red is the color" continued
Abrams. Il found out in the old DAYS OF
lacking that red was satisfactory.
In them days had a red boat, and some
times the jack would reflect the color
Many time did it attract an old buck and
how he would prance around! He would
run along the shore and snort and whistle
and stamp. He would run into the woods
d short distance and come back again to
satisfy his curiosity
No, red doesn't frighten deer and it's a
color that contrasts with everything else
in the woods 30 there is not any danger Of
taking human life Let me say further
that il you get close enough to deer 80
that he will be able to distinguish the colors,
you wear. he is pretty likely to first scent
you and to hear your movements
mans safety while hunting deer in the
North Woods has come to be a mighty
important matter. Hunters are no longer
eager to brave dangers OF getting killed
or manned for life in the hope OF bringing
down fine deer. The frequency of these
accidents in the last few years. and par
ticularly upon the opening OF the present
season, have been such as practically to
cut in half the number OF shooters who visit
the public grounds.
Immedia tely following one shooting acct
dent, a guide who resided in the immediate
locality received cancellations Of engage
ments with twelve different parties Of city
sportsmen who had arranged hunts. All
other guides in the same district although
in no manner connected with the shooting,
had similar experiences This season the
hunting has been confined practically to
the men who live within the confines Of the
Adirondack Park. or within easy travelling
distance Of the deer runs
Coroners, District Attorneys aud Grand
Jurors Of several counties Of northern New
York have been called upon TO investigate
hunting accidents. In nearly every In
stance the man who does the shooting Is
never troubled by any one but the mild and
sympathetic Coroner. upon whose decision
further proceedings hinge.
One OF the first steps in determining
the causes for hunting accidents In the
North Woods is to establish either the
qualifications or the lack OF qualifications
as a hunter OF the man who did the shooting.
In this it has been found that it is not posi-
bic to frame general rule that would
exclude the novice in favor of the expert
enced hunter.
Both the Abrams boys were experienced
hunters. Judge Storrs, who shot Major
Smylie, was a woodsman. Jerry Parsons,
who killed Henry Prentiss was a hunter.
Other similar cases could be mentioned
so that as regards the matter Of issuing
a license to hunters, as has been proposed,
1t will be seen that the man Of the woods
il as liable to make mistake as the youth
from the city.
Men are killed or wounded while hunting
for deer on the broad lake as we'll as in
the deep woods in localities rarely fire.
ouented as well as those where there are
number OF hunters.
Leaving aside the sentiment against
bounding deer. there is everything TO COM
mend 1t for a locality like the Adirondacks,
according to the old hunters. They refer
to the old days when bounding was per-
mitted. and call attention to the fact that
shooting accidents were then practically
unheard Of 1t may not be sportsmanlike
to sit beside runway and await the coming
OF a deer that runs before the hounds. but
il Ia more humane, they say. when one takes
into consideration the fate Of deer that
is wounded and escapes from the still-hunter,
To die in the woods after long suffering.