Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1914-01-15
csatiaeaisn II Pisnser Hunting Stories.
rBy L. D. LOVE-


was disappointed in iseffort to
kill the deer, but he added one
chapter to his experience when he
saw the bear pounce upon the
hog, then he found that the sud-
den flight Of the bear was caused
by being stricken with the rattle
snake, he-had not failed to OBJ
serve that rewards are due to the
diligent, and as the deer had no
occasion to- be frightened by his
own former experience, he might
yet be able to bring down the
largest buck in the forest.
In passing through the forest
Harry would occasionally go by
the rock where he had observed
that the deer had been lying, and
he found that the deer had been
frequently browsing about the
point of the ridge and lying on
the same rock. But he had begun
to feel that he would be disap-
pointed in killing the deer that
season, as the cool weather was
fast approaching. the chestnuts
had fallen and he knew that the
deer had hardened his horns by
this time. and that he would
soon take in a wiler range in the
mountains. So, late in the fall,
there came a very warm day for
that season OF the year; there was
a gentle breeze coming from the
northwest, SO Harry decided to
try his hanl the seconl time. He
saddled his horse, took his trus-
ty fht-lock and started to seek
the object he had been so zeal
ously watching all the fall. He
rode through the mountains un-
til he approached within a few
hundred yards Of thepoint OF the
ridge; he hitched his horse and
then proceeded to the up-tumed
! tree root he occupied on the for
mer occasion and thrust his rifle
through the opening of the tree
roots, carefully observing that
there waspoWderm in the pan, and
after remaining quiet for quite a
long time, wondering whether he
would.be successful or disappoin-
ted as before, he heard the noise
of a number of animals in the dis
tance; then his heart began to
beat and thump as though twas
trying to get up in his throat,
and he could discern that t h e
sound indicated that the animals
were coming nearer and nearer,
30 instead Of seeing the large
buck alone, he observed that he
had in company with him three
others. Harry remained almost
as still as death itself until the
large buck approached the rock,
then he dropped down and began
to pant while the three Others
browsed on the tender shoots
and picked up chestnuts. Harry
pulled the trigger of the flint
lock gun, after he had taken a
deadly aim, and the large buck
turned over and died while the
others. scampered away in the
forest.
After the dear turned over Har-
~ was soon at his side with dirk
in hand and severed his jugular
veins, and being an expert in the
business, he soon removed the
hide and separated the venison
into four pieces, then by remov.
ing a portion of the skull he man.
aged to keep the large antlers to.
gether. After rolling the hide up
and tying his venison together
with hickory withes, Harry went
for his horse he had brought a.
long for the purpose of packing
his load home in the event he
should be successful. So after
placing the -yenison across his
pack-saddle and tying the hide
behind, he took the large antlers
in his hand and led his horse
home.