Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-06
ADVICE TO YOUNG HUNTERS
Pleasure Of Deer Hunting Often
Spoiled for the Novice by
Lack of knowledge.
BY ISAAC NOTES.

AS the territory in which deer can
be found becomes smaller, and the
open season in the different states
shorter, so that the young hunter mas
fewer chances for trying his marks
manship on them, he should make sure
to improve the opportunity when 1t
does come.
There are perhaps young men and
boys living in the older states who
never saw a wild deer in the woods,
but they might have the opportunity
some time when on hunting trip to
newer western state, and the better
they understand the animal the more
likelihood OF their bringing down the
game.
1t would be pity to get only two
to three shots at deer during life
time, and fail even then to kill one
because of carelessness or inexperi-
ence
When stalking deer in the woods 1t
is important to walk slowly and eau
tiously when approaching a valley, ra-
vine or other depression in the surface
of the ground, because deer are more
apt to be grazing in a valley than on
the hills, especially when vegetation
is scant and dried up on the higher
places.
l missed one of the finest chances
to shoot deer while hunting in the
wilds of Arkansas .nrough the careless
ness of a young brother who persisted
in going ahead of me in spite of my
advice to him to stay back little.
One afternoon we assembled little
hill expecting to find the ground level
in front of US after getting to the brow
of the hill.
My brother was little ahead, and
when he reached the top of the hill he
stopped and looked around for few
seconds and then half raised his gun
and when I reached his side saw 6
gentle incline on the other side. and w
the further side, fully 400 yards away
ran half dozen fine young deer.
Had 1 known the valley was there
and had my brother not been so llasty
we would have approached cautiously
and would in all probability have got
ten good shot at the deer.
1t is also important to remember
that when you are on a stand ahead o
hounds and hear them coming you
way you should be on the closest watcl
from the time you first hear them un
til they get by you, for the deer ma,
be running 500 or 900 yards ahead o
the dogs and therefore it may pop int
view near you long before you ex
pect 1T. ~.
When you are on a stand never ge
behind tree from the direction il
which you expect the deer, as it viii
be sure to see you when you jump GU
to shoot.
1t is much better to stand with you
hop 10 q troa c;I t.
the deer is coming
If you have your hat off and stan
perfectly still against the tree, large
than your body. keeping your gun t
your shoulder in position to shoe
without having to make any sudde
movement when the deer appears,
will not notice you because your bod
will blend naturally with the trun
of the tree, and the deer may pas
within a few feet of you without see
ing you.
If you are fortunate enough to XII
deer in the woods ahead of hound
the first thing you should do after al
irving upon the scene and kicking tn
dogs off is to sever the jugular veil
and then cut the deer open and civ
the heart liver and some other in
side parts to the dogs before the hes
of the chase Is off them.
The sooner you do this, while the
blood is hot from the chase, the readit
they will be for the next drive.
1t is just as incumbent upon yo
thus to reward the hounds with SON
Of the meat as soon as possible aft,
the deer is killed, whether they al
your own or belong to a stranger
neighbor. This is one of the unwri
ten laws of the deer hunters
If you continually kill deer in frol
of the same pack Of hounds and new
give them any of the meat while the
are heated with the excitement Of IL
chase it is said that they will in tin
lose interest in the chase, become di
couraged and careless, and refuse
run deer in the woods.