The Savannah morning news., 1904-08-20
SUMMER DEER HUNTS
IN DISTANT CALIFORNIA.
Sport Is Exciting, But Rather Ar
duOus-CIimb Up Mountain Trail.

Sport Is Exciting. But Rather Ar
duous-CIimb Up Mountain Trail.
OF all the strenuous work that man
can undertake I know of nothing that
calls into play so much nervous, mus
cular, and. ! might almost add, men
tai energy. as does hunting deer over
the southern slope of the Sierra Ma
dres, under the blazing sun OF july
and August. says VIII r. Chapn, IL
the Los Angeles Times Why the SUI
pervisors cannot. or will not, change
the season so that it will open Nov.
Is is one of the inscrutable problems
connected with the working of the Of
fetal mind. BY Nov Is the rutting
season is practically over, and as the
law protects the does the years in
crease is assured; and by that time we
have A rain or two which enables the
hunter TO track his game. and on the
high hills there is just enough frost IN
the air to render the reverse muscular
exertion eXhilarating without pTostra-
tion.
He must be possessed Of sound lungs,
good heart and stout muscles VINO
ESSAYS a deer hunt with hounds IN the
Sierra Madres in the open season of
July or August. The still hunter can
take his time, can rest when tired,
and if he strikes a particularly for
midable climb, can select another less
difficult but, with the hounds scar
ing the game into action, he must
keep ahead of the dogs if he wants
any shooting.
Fight here 7 want to correct a pop
ular delusion in regard to hunting with
hounds. It seems to be the general
belief that hounds run deer as grey
hounds run a jackrabbit-keep it going
at full speed until 1t drops with eX-
haustion or they pull it down. Neither
of these things happens. To one who
from a high point of vantage has seen
the beautiful game played out between
two of the most enduring, crafty ana
intelligent of animals it is shown that
even a doe is not afraid of one or
two, or even three, hounds.
I have watched one go leisurely up
hill with thre hounds giving tull
tongue in plain view within nifty
yards of her. and seen her unconcern-
edly crop the brush as she passed. And
I have never yet known of well au-
thenticated case of a deer being pull
ed down by hounds The ordinary
hound. trained to deer hunting-and
nothing else. will stick to the trail
when the deer gets tired enough to
turn at bay will generally squat down
on his launches or stretch himself
out and give tongue just often or loud
Long before he gets there, however,
the deer has heard him coming, and
having gained his second W<Nd is OF
again. For a number of years | have
followed what are conceded to be the
three best deer hounds in Southern
California, and have never yet known
them to overtake the game, and it is
always an even chance that it throws
them off the scent by the various
doublings and twistings and cunning
tricks to which it resorts.
1t takes some courage to tumble out
of bed before daylight, after you have
been up until midnight the night be-
fore swapping Yarns by the campfire:
but there is no. considerat ton shown to
the loiterer. AS you take your over
alls down from the trees and thrust
your bare legs into them you feel as
though you had crawled into a cold
storage plant BY the time the coffee
is ready your teeth are chattering. You
nibble some crackers and gulp down
"a cupful of the hot fluid, I'LL your
pockets with ammunition, tie light
lunch to the back of your belt, swing
your capteen, and dropping into line,
start up the canon behind the leader,
who is to direct the hunt.
1t is a long, stiff and difficult climb
up the blind trail that leads to the
ridge. Nothing is heard but the deep,
quick breathing of men and dogs,
with occasionally a low yelp from one
of the latter as we walk or fall over
them. They have been trained to
silence also: and if they emit any
sound they cover down as though they
were ashamed and expected punish
ment.
Just about the time that you feel
that your heart will force itself out of
your mouth and your lungs burst. a
rest is ordered. and lying on your back
you drawn in mighty volumes of air
that sends life-giving oxygen through
out your whole frame. Long before you
have established a normal pulse there
is low hist" and again you strug-
gle upward inwardly swearing that il
IS the last time you ever repeat such
a climb. There is still a heavy mist
from last nights fog, and as you make
your way through the burnt brush
you soon become wet to the skin and
black as a chimney sweep. Here is
where the novice begins to weaken and
curse his foolishness for engaging in
such strenuous sport"
The atmosphere is becoming clearer,
however. and as you reach the crest
of the ridge. faint streaks of light are
thrown athwart the eastern horizon
Smuggling among the rocks on the side
of the ridge to avoid the cold morning
wind, which seems. as il strikes your
damp body, to cut the marrow, you
converse in hushed whispers and wait
II is not long before the advancing
day has dissipated the shadows. and
you can see the details of the near by
hills
BY this time the deer are afoot and
feeding. The leader gathers the party
about him, and in low tones gives his
instructions, assigns each man his sta
ton. and winds up with. hear every
thing. see everything, let nothing see
or hear you, and shoot at nothing that
you are not dead sure is a buck Fol-
lowed by the dogs in leash. he goes
on up the ridge TO look for sign"
You have selected a position where
you can command the opposite parallel
ridge and the saddle below you; and
as you wait. you watch the glorious
Transformation that takes place about