The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-12-16
DAKOTA DEER HUNTING
IN THE PIONEER DA VS.

FOR a distance and then as the crust
broke under the weight and leverage Of
running steps, ~precipitatinE us into
white walled cavities of arctic cold
ness. More difficult still was it for the
Wild deer leaping and plunGing as the
sharp .ioofs pierced the crust at every
bound, while the dogs with ability to
oyertake their quarry. dare not an-
preach within each of those knife-like
hooks which struck out with all the
NengefplneSS of rage and fear. Mile
rtter mile the pursuit was kept up. the
Young hunters tired and hungry but
determined, the deer bewild-led by the
close proximity. Of men ami dogs but
struggling onward toward some poSSi-
BILE retreat Finally the longing for
ocmpanlonship caused the iuS,i:v1 deer
to attempt y circuit to get back to the
place whore it hao been separated from
its companions, and passing near a sod
Eut. it was SURPRISED by :. little flee
OF a dog whose bark wa. out of all
proportion to its size. Stopping sud-
denly to sniff the presence of this new
and threatening danger, to fight 1t off
If necessary with its defensive hoofs,
perhaps to take note of direction where
instinct had failed through f%atiguing
and harried chase, time was given for
the closely pursuing dogs of the boy
hunters to come up with their tongues
hanging out. the steam from their la
bored breath frosting their lank bodies,
but their purpose whetted by an eight
mile treck with the wild prairie beauty
ever in sight and at times so close that
the fate of encounter seemed almost at
hand.
Dogs in at Finish.
Silently over the drifted and crusted
snow the dogs Sneaked up and, just as
the deer struck out with murderous in
tent at the mongrel from the sod hut,
the antelope" dog sprang and fas-
ened its fangs between the ham and
gambrel and was safe from the front
hoofs that We're perforating and crush
ing the snow crust. The deer was at
last captive, powerless to fight effect
lively. but formidable to struggle in the
snow pit formed by the breaking of the
frozen surface of the drift. In this pit,
mo- less than three feet deep, the hunt
ers found both deer and dog when they
reached the spot where the rifeman
could dispatch the deer with a shot
Just back of the head.
Elation took the place of fatigue and
hunger, for the chase had been such
as veteran hunters love to tell about,
and three of these hunters were boys
Who We're now experiencing the first
call of the Wild
but the excitement of the day was
only begun. While yet the long grace
full lines of the prize were being ex-
amfned with admiration, and all the
t&N@S SAAN NSAAS Sol vi y
game filled youthful breasts, five burly
sons of kandia came from the little
sod hut 20 rods away, as we presumed
TO admire the game as we'll as the
prowess Of the hunters. But what was
our surprise when they proceeded to
set up the claim that the deer belonged
TO them, since their dog had stopped 1t
and that without his interference we
would never have secured the quarry.
And it must be admitted that they had
the nhVGJPoT fnYon IN NJ Gn xyn05 %h1l~
claim regardless Of fits denerit.
Boys Stand Fast.
Fear and anger and the brutal in
stinct of murder was born In the hearts
Of three boys who were tired out and
almost starving but didn't know it. If
they had BEEN at home they would
have asked their fathers to avenge
such injustice, but they had to appeal
to their leader and he took the place
Of father and made good. He stepped
back a few PAGES from the youths and
said:
Boys, the governor of Dakota ter
ritory couldn't get that deer under
such circumstances, and lit wouldn't
pay any one else to try. We are going
to take that deer home If we have to
leave five dead men in that pitt Then,
turning to the men who Were claiming
the fruits of our exertfon, he. said:
The first man who makes a. nnove to
take the prize from these boys will be
shot dead and the next ONE who inter-
feres will follow him.
"Off came mufflerst and roP belts, for
we could afford no other. KiauM, and
down into the pit we tu1nbled. Fasten-
ing these improvised chains about the
neck of the deer we clarnbered' out and
defiantly drew him forth, a1lrl away
across the snow. while the Seandina-
vians stood sulienlY watching the dis
appearing cayalcade and lone, guards
man bringing UP the rean:. We, were too
tired to make q slight detour- to find
the deer killed; In the earlier part of
the day, but trudged hone long after
dark with our prize, pronder of the
deed through, which it Was secured
than OF that other faet THAT we had
suppliedta a. new variety of n1amt for the
little aeigfiboriloodL-
A Hard Pull.
Next morning we wenh back to the
slough and dragged home the other
deer, but III was a heavy burden. The
excitement of the. chase. had passed
of the might, leaving mo, e~mtHhusing sub
stance for waking hours. There was
no defiance in it such avs Gina racterized
the contention with the Intentional
usurpeIfss Of oun, gaIae. lt was just a
deer dragging behind us that would
furnish so much meat. There was no,
romance to make the burden light. We
had lemrned to; fight for our rights and.
do the deeds of mighty hunters and,
this dragging OF, a frozen deer over a
bleak prairie was lfke leaving a Fou9ths
of July celebration to cultivate Germ
with a walking pl0M.
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