Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1911-02-04

high leaps clearing the tops of brusl
five or six feet high, that he was diff
cult target to locate. But as quick as
flash he seemed to be at the end of my
gun. He had filed the sight and
had pressed the trigger. For momen
the smoke obscured all objects in from
OF me and my deer had completely van
ished. I reloaded my gun and walked
to the spot where had last seen hi
gray form in the air and there he lay
dead. The bullet had hit him in the tor
of the brain and had killed him instantly
1t was what is usually called pop shot
for it was mere chance or luck that
gave him such fatal shot--though ]
was positive had hit him some place as
soon as l had pulled the trigger, l had
but little idea where it was. 1t was q
very large buck and ths latest deer
had ever seen.
went to camp and reported my good
luck. Thomas had the donkey up and
saddled In short notice and with Johnny
Boyle we were soon on our way to bring
it in. The ravine was at least 100 feet
deep here, with its sides at an angle OF
more than 45 degrees. We soon had
the animal laid across the big saddle
and tied as securely as we could make it
with rope; but it was very difficult
pack to fasten on a saddle of this kind,
and especially by inexperienced pack
ers.
Thomas took the bride rein and led
the donkey, while Johnny and 1 walked
on either side to steady it up the steep
incline. When near the top and on the
steepest pitch, the load chucked back a
little and tipped the donkey back and
would have sent him rolling to the bot
tom of the hill, had it not been for the
pull it gave Thomas, as it jerked the
rein from his hand. This sudden jerk
on Thomas saved the donkey, for he
gained his balance by partly turning
around on his hind feet, but it upset
Thomas equilibrium and he came down
the hill like a diver, head first, and
probably would have rolled to the bot
tom had not one of his ponderous spurs
caught in bush and held him fast.
If anything happened to Thomas he
always conveniently charged it up
against the donkey if the little animal
was in sight, and of course it was plain
that the donkey was at the bottom of
all this-and he generally appeased
his wrath by kicking or jerking the lit
tie beast. But at the present time he
was badly handicapped, being literally
hung by the heel. 1t was too steep for
him to crawfish enough to loosen his
foot, but | soon got around and helped
him out of his predicament by bending
the bush enough to allow the spur to
slip of. The release was 80 sudden that
he turned two or three somersaults, and
finally brought up against another scrub
oak and regained his feet. had taken
hold of the bride rein to prevent his
jerking the little beast and called him
to help steady the load to the top of the
hill. He clambered up and entered into
the spirit of the work with vim and
the little episode of few minutes be-
fore was soon banished from his mind
in the exhilarating atmosphere and the
pleasant anticipation of a supper of our
first venison.
AS we were passing through prairie
dog town gave the rein over to Thomas
and took shot at one of the little dogs
that sat up as erect and motionless as
peg, about 100 yards distant. The mouth
of his burrow is in the center of mound,
from which conspicuous point he keeps
up an incessant bark whenever anything
unusual is going on in town. But l
could not tell whether hit him or not,
for as the gun cracked he vanished as if
by magic; not track was left. They
are about as large as musk-rat and
seem to have permanent towns and col
onies. Rattlesnakes and small owls are
usually found in these towns and are
supposed to feed upon the young dogs.
With the exception of our pack being
inclined to slip sidewise a littlet every
thing went smoothly until descending
the steep pitch back of our camp, when
of sudden the deer chucked forward
in the saddle and for a moment the
donkey stood on its front feet, with its
heels in the air.. Thomas cast one wild
look up, dropped the bride rein and as
he afterwards said, made the leap of
his life; but the donkey partly turned
around on his front feet and regained
his balance. Then we took the deer off
his back and slid it down to camp. Eph..
Wicker, butcher from Sioux City, soon
had it dressed and divided among the
different messes. I1think Whit. beat
his own record that evening, in making
ITO be Continued.]