The sun., 1910-01-09
TACKLED A WOUNDED BUCK.
Facts About . Lively Fight Back Of
LaekaWack.

MAFAMOhA1s Fa.t jan o. " Aes~s~-
you'd 20 up back Of Lackawack and lss
EN- tell you up there about that muss
Doosett Decker had with the wounded
buck and which he wouldn't have had
me know about for forty dollars, said
Warren X. Ridgway. ex-Sherin. ex-
Treasurer. ex-Register, ex-Reoorder. ex-
Clerk OF Pike county. Pennsylvania, Tor
have 30 many things Of that kind TO
remember that may have forgotten
some Of this one, but maybe can get II
pretty near all in.
-Id been telling about the time ] had
with the mad old buck that somebody
had put bullet In out Of season, the one
, that rassled me around 30 until had TO
stop his fun by cutting his throat, and
Doosett had turned up his nose and
sniffed and said he'd bet anything that
he could lick the biggest and ugliest and
most persistent fighting buck, well or
wounded. that ever rampaged In them
woods. and do IL 80 quick that the buck
wouldn't know what had hit him.
"Of course. that being something OF a
slur on me and my ability as a wounded
deer fighter. for that buck Of mine had
come pretty near to getting the best OF
me, 1t riled me some. and told DoDsett
he talked like a blame fool. and could
hardly treat him pleasant the day he
wanted to know where l was going as
he saw me passing along with my rine
on my way toward the ridge back of
Lackawack. and l answered little
l was taking my rife out to gather chest
nuts. Doosett didn't make me feel any
| better toward him by grinning the way
he did as he said;
why, yes said he. There might De
some chestnuts hangin' SO high that you'd
need your rife TO cut their stems OF with
q bullet. You better let me 90 long
with you, though. There might come
another buck along an bite you an hook
you, an I'd be there to pull him OH o
you an make his heels break his neck.
Better let me go long with You, said he.
Il said 1 didn't know OF any law to pre-
vent him going along II he wanted to.
and didn't suppose he'd go. seeing how
cool and nippy I was toward him. but he
went, and I've never been sorry that ne
went.
we got up on the ridge about two
miles back Of .ackawack and the chest
nuts were 90 plenty that ! concluded TO
gather chestnuts after all. and Doosett
was getting ready to thrash tree when
I saw a movement In the laurels near by.
caught glimpse Of deer and hauled up
my gun and blazed away.
The deer went bounding away. big
buck, and I saw by the way he travelled
that he had my bullet in him for fair-
Doosett turned and saw the buck going
on and away he started hot foot on its trail.
was mad for a second. for he got in the
way OF my firing at the deer again, but
then the idea that some fun might come
out of his chase of the wounded buck
crossed my mind ard was pleased.
That buck is hit so bad that he'll
be bound to lie down before he goes far.
thought l. and II Doosett happens to run
against him l shouldn't wonder but what
he'll have a charce to show how easy i
10 for him TO lick buck well or wounded.
as he has been Dragging so much that
he can do
Il calculated that il the deer lasted
long enough the way he was heading
would bring him to the creek. and as there
were no dogs on his track he'd very likely
lie down in the water. so took short
cut and made for the creek.
Il got there and hid just as the buck
came plungng in, and sure enough ne
dumped himself down in the water right
at the edge Of a deep hole, where some
drift had piled mp at the upper end:
was squatting behind clump Of alders
and was peekiug through when ] heard
Doosett coming through the woods. He
10 the bank OF the creek he saw the deer
lying half under water. He stopped.
The buck made no sign that he in
tended to get up and move on. After
gazing at the buck a while Doosett said
loud enough for me to hear:
~ guess the best thing for me To do Is
to souse in the creek an iop the sick critter
over an drownd him, fust as last
And he soused in. He grabbed the
buck by one Of it's horns and put one foot
to Topping the deer over and drowning
him. The buck had some ideas Of his
own and he rose to his feet and for a
minute or more the buck churned and
doused Doosett up and down IN that deep
hole as II he were a bed quilt and the
buck we're a wsshwoman giving il an
all pervading washing and rinsing.
Every time the buck whopped Doosett
down in the creek that way the water'd
fly up three feet and more, and kept
tumbling back on Doosett as'if he were
standing under an overflow OF a mill
dam. I could see him cape and gasp and
grab for breath every time he'd come up
out Of the water. and IL was plain 10 me
that he was changing his mind with every
souse as to the matter OF the ease with
which he could lick the biggest and ug-
liest buck that rampaged in them woods.
well or wounded.
The fun OF It was that Doosett didn't
dare let go OF the bucks horns and dash
for shore. because he had good reason
to fear that II he did the buck would over
haul him with horns and hoofs and spike
and jab him full OF holes before he could
get up the bank. which was quite high
TlknJ tnere-
Besides giving Doosett that regular
churning. the buck managed to dress
him down every now and then by ripping
one of his sharp forefeet along him. until
his clothes were hanging like streamers,
and by the way Doosett wriRgled an
WINGED now and then / concluded that the
hoofs went little deeper than his clothes.
Then Doosett began TO holler for help.
The buck was getting pretty well
tuckered out could see, for he had my
bullet In him. I was on the point OF get
ting up then and saying to boosett that
the tussle was getting TO be too hard on
the poor deer wounded the way he was
and for Doosett to come in and would
finish the licking he was giving the deer
by putting a hole through it. when the
buck quit churnine him and stood still.
Then Doosett thought 1t would be a good
time to make q break for the shore, and he
let go the deers horns and turned to
make IL.
THAT reused the weakening bucks
ire again. He caught Doosett some
where below his hind suspender buttons
and hoisted him 50 amazingly that he
landed him clear on the bank Doosett
gathered himself up and looked back quick