Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-10-23

np the rraIT or the wounded doe rIere
however. | again committed an error.
and paid too much heed TO the trail
and too little to the country round
about: and while following 1t with my
eyes down on the ground In place
where 1t was faint, the doe got up
some distance ahead and to one side
Of me, and bounded off round corner
IF the ravlne The bed where she had
ain was not very bloody. but from
the fact of her having stopped so soon.
[ was sure she was badly wounded.
However, after she got out of the snow
the ground was as hard as flint, and
It was impossible to track her; the val
ley soon took a turn, and branched
into a tangle Of coulies and ravines. |
deemed It probable that she would not
go up hill, but would run down the
course of the main valley; but as 1t
was so uncertain, we thought 1t would
pay us best to look for a new deer.
Our luck, however, seemed-very de-
servedly-to have ended. We tramped
on. as swiftly as was compatible with
quiet. for hour after hour; beating
through the valleys against the wind.
and crossing the brushy heads OF the
ravines, sometimes close together. and
sometimes keeping about a hundred
yards apart. according to the nature OF
the ground. When we had searched
all through the country round the head
OF the creek. into which we had come
down, we walked over to the next, ana
went over It with equal care and pa
tience. The morning was now well
advanced. and we had to change our
method OF hunting II was no longer
likely that we should find the deer
feeding or in the open. and instead we
looked for places where they might be
expected to bed. following any trails
that led into thick patches Of brush or
young trees. one Of US then hunting
through the patch while the other kept
watch without. Doubtless we must
have passed close to more than one
deer and doubtless others heard us
and skulked off through the thick
cover: but. although we saw plenty OF
signs. we saw neither hoof nor hair
Of living thing.
We lunched at the foot Of great
clay butte. where there was a bed OF
snow.
After lunch we hunted until the
shadows began to lengthen out, when
we went back to our horses. The buck
was packed behind good old Manitou,
who can carry any amount OF weight
at a smart pace. and does not care at
all II strap breaks and he finds his
load dangling about his feet, an event
that reduces most horses to state OF
frantic terror. As soon as loaded we
rode down the valley into which the
doe had disappeared in the morning.
one taking each side and looking into
every possible lurking place. The
odds were all against our finding any
trace Of her: but a hunter soon learns
that he must take advantage Of every
chsnce. however slight. This time we
were rewarded for our care; for after
riding about a mile our attention was
attracted by white patch In clump
OF low briars. On getting of and look
ing IN It proved to be the white rump
Of the doe. which lay stretched out
inside. stark and stiff. The ball had
gone In too far aft and had come out
on the opposite side near her hip, max
Ing mortal wound. but one which al
lowed her to run over mile before
dying 1t was little more than an ac-
cldent that we In the end got her; and
my SO nearly missing at such short