The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-12-30

the deer is in some particular space or
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 I
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 themselyes-al although |
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,
vet there are many places where from
the nature Of the land the sport can be
followed quite as well on horseback.
than which there is no more pleasant
kind of hunting. The best shot ever
made in my life-a shot into which.
however, | am afraid the element OF
chance entered much more largely
than the element of skill-WaS made
while hunting black-tail on horseback
We We're at that time making quite
a long trip with the wagon. and were
going up the fork of 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 a 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 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 or
} the cattle plains. but it was absolutely
bare of trees except along the bed OF
! the river. The rolling hills sloped
steeply of into long valleys and deep
ravines. They were sparsely covered
with coarse grass. and also with an
irregular growth of tail 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 one that
deer will be found in tfickets of such
chort and sparse growth that 1t seems
as if they could hide nothing; and.
what is more, that they will often
skulk round in such thickets without
being discovered. And 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
alluvial river bottom it broke off short
into steep bluffs, up which none but i
Western pony could have climbed. 1t
is really wonderful to see what places
a pony can get over. and the indiGer
ence with which it regards tumbes
In getting up from the bottom we went
into a wash-out, and then led our pc
MES along clay ledge, from which we
turned off and went straight up 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 fol
a second, came over backward. The
seconds pause while it stood bolt up
right, gave ne time to make frantic
leap out of the way with my pony
which scrambled after me, and We
both chung with hands and hoofs to thu
side of the bank, while the other horse
took two as complete somersaults as
ever saw, and landed with crash a
the bottom of the wash-out, feet upper
most. | thought it was done for, bu
not a bit After moment or two i
struggled to it's legs, shook itself. ant
looked round in rather shame-facet
way, apparently not in the least thu
worse for the fall. We now got N.
pony up to the top by vigorous pulling
and then went down for the other
which at first strongly objected t
making another trial. but. after mucl
coaxing and a good deal of abuse. tool
a start and went up without trouble.
For some time after reaching the to-
of the bluffs we rode along withou
seeing anything When it was posi-
BILE, we kept one on each side of
creek. avoiding the tops of the ridges
because while on.them a horseman cal
be seen at a very long distance, ant
going. with particular caution when
ever we went round spur or came VI
over a crest. The country stretche,
away like an endless, billowy sea o
dull-brown soil and barren sage-brush
the valleys making long parallel fur
rows, and every thing having loo
Of dreary sameness.
At length. as we came out on
rounded ridge, three black-tail buck
started up from a lot of sage-brus
| some two hundred yards away and b.
low us, and made off down hill.
was a very long shot. especially to tr
running, but, as game seemed scare
and cartridges were plenty, / leape
off the horse, and kneeling, fired. Th
bullet went low, striking In line at til
~ Ia 4 h