Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1908-11-13

the deer is in some particular space of
ground. and then hunt through it, guild
ing himself by his knowledge of the
deer's habits and by the character Of
the land. Tracks are of most use In
showing whether deer are plenty or
scarce. whether they have been in the
place recently or not. Generally, signs
of deer are infinitely more plentiful
than the animals Observation-Disclosures
in regions where tracking is especially
difficult deer are often jumped with
out any sign having been seen at all.
Although ~still-hunting on foot is on
the whole the best way to get deer.
yet there are many places where from
the nature of the land the sport can be
followed quite as well OF horseback,
than which there is no more pleasant
kind of hunting. The best shot l ever
made In my life-a shot into which.
however, l am afraid the element of
chance entered much more largely
than the element of skill-was made
while hunting black-tail on horseback.
We were at that time making quite
a long trip with the wagon, and were
going up the fork of a plains river in
Western Montana. AS we were out
of food, those two of our number who
usually undertook to keep the camp
supplied with game determined to
make q hunt off back of the river after
black-tail; for though there were some
Whitehall in the more densely timbered
river bottoms, we had been unable to
get any. 1t was arranged that the
wagon should go on a few mills, and
then halt for the night, as it was al
ready the middle of the afternoon
when we started out. The country
resembled in character other parts of
the cattle plains. but it was absolutely
bare of trees except along the bed of
the river. The rolling hills sloped
steeply off into long valleys and deep
ravines. They were sparsely covered
with coarse grass, and also with an
irregular growth of tall sage-brush,
which in some places gathered into
dense thickets. A beginner would
have thought the country entirely too
barren of cover to hold deer, but a
very little experience teaches n that
deer will be found In thickets of such
short and sparse growth that it seems
as if they could hide nothing; and.
what is more, that they will often
sKulK round m suchT tffcKets without
being discovered. And a black-tail is
a bold, free animal. liking to go out in
comparatively open country, where he
must trust to his own powers, and not
to any concealment, to protect him
from danger.
Where the billy country Joined the
alluyial river bottom, 1t broke off short
into steep bluffs. up which none but u
Western pony could have climbed. 1t
is really wonderful to see what places
a pony can get over, and the indiffer-
ence with which it regards tumbles.
In getting up from the bottom we went
into a w%ash-out, and then led u pc.
MES along a clay ledge, from which we
turned off and went straight up a very
steep sandy bluff. My companion was
ahead; just as he turned off the ledge.
and as | was right underneath him. his
horse. in plunging to try to get up the
sand bluff. overbalanced itself, and.
after standing erect ON its hind legs for
a second, came over backward. The
seconds pause while it stood bolt up
right. gave me time to make a frantic
leap out of the way with my pony.
which scrambled after me, and we
both chung with hands and hoofs to the
side of the bank, while the other horse
took two as complete somersaults as
eyer saw, and landed with a crash at
the bottom of the wash-out, feet upper
most. | thought it was done for, but
not a bit. After a moment or two II
struggled to its legs. shook itself, and
looked round in rather a shame-faced
way, apparently not in the least the
worse for the fall. We now got my
pony up to the top by vigorous pulling.
and Their went down for the other.
which at first strongly objected to
making another trial, but, after much
coaxing and a good deal of abuse, took
q start and went up without trouble.
For some time after reaching the top
of the bluffs we rode along without
seeing anything. When it was posi-
BILE, we kept one on each side of a
creek, avoiding the tops of the ridges.
because while on them a horseman a
be seen at a very long distance, and
going with particular caution when
ever we went round a spur or came up
over a crest. The country stretched
away like an endless, billowy sea OF
%dull-brown soil and barren sage-brush.
the valleys making long parallel fur
rows, and every thing having a look
Of dreary sameness.
At length. as we came out on Il
rounded ridge. three black-tail bucks
started up from a lot of sage-brlsi.
some two hundred yards away and be.
low us, and made off down hill. Il
was a very long shot. especially to tr!
running. but, as game seemed scarce
and cartridges were plenty, l leaped
off the horse, and. %kneeling, fred. The
I,,ifot won't low cfriEinO in limo ut fbp