The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-03-08

mouse, and, Judged by the imprints.
has misralcu'ated the distance and
missed his quarry TWO or three play
tul bounds mark the ascent of his trail
20 higher ground where. reaching
more open country II leads OF TO the
right, the tracks showing he has bro
ken into a hurried trot for parts IN.
known
ON the cres, of a neiGhboring hld.
wood ridge Is the trail OF a no9le
Whitehall buck Differing from thA
trail Of the doe, by the larger tracks
more rounded toes. greater length q
stride between prints and drag on tho
snow before and after each particular
footprint the tracks are sufficiently
interesting 10 follow From the trail
It may Doe gathered that the animal
has walked leisurely along up-wind.
browsing on laurel birch tw!g, and
smaller bushes He has carefully
walked q loS TO cross brook, and
stood drinking of the clear cold Wa
ter occasionally he has stopped 10
listen and look back on his trail for
the detection OF any harmful follower
lie has nothing 20 fear from the front
for his sensitive muzzle would detect
The warning faint on the breeze, long
before the enemy itself hove In sight.
In several places he has paved the
snow clear for considerable spaces.
evidently in search OF some winter
delicacy beneath the glimmering crys-
tails
Another buck track stu larger than
the first, which II joins, promises in.
teresting developments further along
For some distance II follows it's rival
at walk, then Impotence Is shown
in the recorded tracks left BY the trot-
ting animal This second buck one
would judge TO be the bigger animal
from its larger tracks. although this
need not essentially follow. AT any
/ rate he is evidently in a great hurry
TO overtake and challenge his prede.
cessor, judging from his tracks, which
show he has broken into graceful
| canter.
! Farther on the snow records the pre-
/ liminaries OF battle gone through by
| both bucks al sight OF each other
| Each has paved and stamped the
snow in a circle OF considerable area
/ Both have broken small bushes and
rubbed the bark from saplings with
| their antlers One has trotted forward
! challengingly for a short distance. Civ.
en- few buck jumps and retreated to
again vent his wrath on bush and
tree
At last they closed with rush;
/ both from the evidence recorded ap.
parently having been carried TO their
knees by the force OF the impact. Ris.
! ing, they pushed. retreated and
! charged, until the snow was entirely
| cleared from the arena. Several times
one or the other has been thrown
heavily TO earth; the imprints left by
their bodies being plainly visible. Bits
OF hide, long coarse hairs and alarm.
ing blotches OF red prove the fierce
ness OF the battle for supremacy.
As Is inevitably the case. the weak.
nj last gave way his blood-stained
trail leading of in a series OF great
bounds down the hillside For some
distance tho second trail accompanied
II. but finally branched off into n dense
bit Of forest, the victor evidently seek.
ing the shelter and solitude for recu.
peratiou from his own wounds and
bruises.
As twilight comes stealing over the
whitened landscape. obliterating dis.
lance and closing in, in a gradually
contracting circle. many other inter
esting tracks and trails are found
but the winter days are short and tho
fading light beneath the trees drives
one out in the open fields, across them
into the road-and home.
Happiness Is the natural flower OF
duty. The good man ought to be n
thoroughly bright and happy myn
| Dhllllna nrooLa