Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-01-04
The Phantom White Deer of the To-
bioue River Is No More

A st. John, n. B. dispatch says:
The capture of the mysterious white
deer that baff1ed hunters in New
Brunswick wilderness for the last four
seasons and probably the only white
deer to be taken in the 1920 hunting
season. was accomplished by two
well-known guides, Tom Estes and
Dick Paul. They did 1t and are the
envy of all the hunters in this section
of Canada.
Time after time the white deer of
the Tobique river has been especially
sought by visiting and native hunters.
Even a Boston hunter when he heard
of the white deer abandoned his plans
for moose killing and took to the trail
of the mystery animal. From the lips
of guides and others who had but a
f1eeting glimpse of the animal, the
prize was a beauty.
It's head was brown, but its body
white with brown spots. Time and
time again rifles were aimed and fired
charmed life, and the disappointed
hunters, including the Boston man.
had to come from the woods without
the desired carcass.
There has been something uncanny
in the manner by which the white
deer of the Tobique has lodged
death. On one occasion a hunter had
a sure stalk. He took deliberate aim
and fired. The deer moved it's head
slightly and the bullet passed by
Another moment and the deer had
disappeared. Some even went so far
as to call the animal tine phantom
deer, Early in the 1920 season three
hunters came up behind the animal.
Before the quarry saw the men two
of them fired point blank. They said
it would have been impossible to
have missed. Apparently they did,
for there was the sharp thump of
hoofs on the ground and a flash OF
white as the white deer again sped to
safety. On another occasion as many as
20 shots were fired at 1.-The deer, but
the animal escaped unframed.
1t was an unlucky day for the white
deer of Tobique river when late this
season the two guides Estes and Paul
went into the woods to set their lines
of traps for the winter. They never
were looking for moose for 4 winters
supply of meat. One afternoon while
both men were working along the line
of traps they were astonished to see
the white deer of the Tobique stand
ing 200 yards away and calmly watch
ing them. They reachedf for their rifles
and two shots shattered the stiffness OF
the woods. The deer turned and fled
apparently unframed. The two aston
1shed guides followed, but the prize
animal had disappeared.
Three days later the two guides were
munchng the crisp slices of bacon at
breakfast in their tent when they
heard q noise outside. Looking through
a flap in the tent they We're startled
to see their friend of few days be-
fore nibbling at some refuse they had
thrown out among the trees. They
reached for the rifles and at a given
signal fired. Again came the whirl and
dash of the animal for the deep woods.
The guides followed the tracks, but re-
turned later empty handed. They had
concluded that stories of the phantom
deer were right.
Some days later they returned to
their tent to find everything in confu-
sion. There was not q trace of hu-
man foot. but deer tracks were every
where. Suddenly they realized that
they were those of their mysterious
friend the white deer of the Tobique.
They searched the woods nearby with
out any luck, but the next morning
when starting on a hunting expedi-
ton they were startled to see the
white deer a short distance away The
rifles flew to their shoulders and the
two reports sounded as one. The ami
NAL was no phantom, for it fell to it's
knees and then on its side. The white
deer of Tobique was no more.