The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-04
IF ANIMALS DON'T RI t>Ov
what Was That Bix Buck Doing" k>Gs
Got. Hanp stone.

III animals don't reason out tn" wAvs
and wherefores OF things and act Accord
inely," said Col. Hamp Stone of tha R,z
Thicket country. Texas, what wa rnae
big buck that didn't shoot doing trac
time down Devils Mountain way
They had put the dogs out, and va.
to get 90 a bull pine tree on the east utrS
Of the river. at place where they said
the dogs would be apt To- send a dner
into and across the stream. giving No a
fine chance for a successful shot Eafn-a
got there heard the dogs havi"E II
on the west side Of the river. which w4s
about 800 yards wide there.
i was still quite a way from the 'ras
when a doe came i'm sight ON the oyp.,it.
shore. jumped into the river. swan 81, N -,
and bounded away into the W ood> away
from me. The dogs were still y"lp'ng
OF in the woods across the river, and 40.
yet i'm sight. I made few big Strides
and Got To the tree. NJ | didnr snow
what might be ahead Of the dogs ys'.
Just AS out Of the opening where tn" dna
had leaped and taken the water bounded
q big buck.
Il dropped down behind the tree. e.
pecting tho buck to- come ON across; rhs
doe had run out on n tongue Of land that
extended into the river about twenty
feet. and from the extremity Of that hit
of land had jumped into the water sup
DOSING Of course. that the buck would
seek the same course | was ready O. irt
him have it ~ soon a. he pulled himself
out on my side OF the river. but ne had
other ideas.
The dogs hadn't broken from cover
vet could hear them coming not Ear
behind the buck Two ar thren rods
from the shore. on that side of the river
and the same distance below the TOT que
Of land, was a big rock that rose pnrhl -
eight feet above the water.
-Instead Of coming on as the do" had,
the buck took his leap from wh"r" tha
bar Joined the mainland. dropped Juicklv
down alongside th. rock. hugging n
clos. with his head up stream. There
he remained motionless. entirely hidden
from anything on the side from which
he had come
position when the dogs came dashinE
out Of the woods. They followed the does
trail 90 the tip OF the bar. plunged into
the water and swan toward the open
ing on nv side 81 the river where the doc
had landed and bounded away.
The buck lay against the side ~ N.
rock as motionless a. the rock itself
until the dogs got well out into the mid
die Of the river with their noses pointed
in the direction in which the doe had gone.
Then he backed down to the lower end
Of the rock and passed around Il n N"
other side III il. thua hidin q himself Cainst
possible chance Of being seen hv IN" dogs
when thew landed On the opposite hank.
The dog landed and went having Or
on ths does track As IN" last sound ~
the dogs died away the buck head came
slowly in sight at tho upper end If the
rock until ~ last the wary deer was
pAering across IN" river 20 SEQ II th"
coast was Clel- Sn'isfied that II wts.
the buck swan boldly back to the ha-
drew himself ont on land. threw M his
~ h., fvIn fntH.a
across the river in ~" direction the DOGS
had gone and 'h"n bounded hack into tho
woods ou' of which y" had been driven
To save himself nv that remarkable bit u
strategy and dI-a up"ar"d
Il could hav" dropped him in hiz rack 9
as he stood Their" in MA aCornful pose. hut
after witnessing that act OF almost hiina n
ingenuity ! hadn't tn. heart to do t.
Animals don't reason ont n. WINS and
wher'.forps Of things and act accordingly
What was that buck doing. them
Yes. W" got the do. One 81 our
party brought har down two mil.s ~
tn" river a. sh.. was taking the water 70
cross back again. still way ahead of Tho
dogs