The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-23
old Indian Hunters
Tell Strange Tales
OF Early Day Game
sneclaIto Tho World.

-
Special TO Tho world.
TAHLEQUAH--Thc hunters OF
the olden days. when game was
plentiful and long prior 60 the time
when repeating rifles. brecch l0ad-
Ing shotguns aud automatic pistols
were thought Of. not only Killed
many deer and wild fowls, hut they
could and did relate numerous
stories concerning their experiences,
ns well as y some animals OF pc
culIar makeup aud habits. Had a
number OF these stories been col.
lcctcd and printed a volume OF pc
cullar interest would have resulted.
Some OF those who hunted were men
of education and moro than ordi-
nary intelligence, while others were
able To write their names only with
difficulty but all were mnrksmon OF
high degree and when they met II
was common ground and each lis-
tened eagerly to what the other
might have to Offer In the way OF
deer, hear or turkey staying.
The Iinlr-Ilk II Prize.
one Ct the interesting stories had
to do with the "haif-clk." supposed
TO have been cross between the
deer and tho elk. This animal was
large and imposing In appearance
but was finally brought down by a
bullet from = muZZlo loading rifle
Tho skin when stretched resembled
that OF q steer ana was pronounced
by veteran trader who bought the
skin to he the largest he had ever
socn The slayer OF the half elk
was booked upon AZ one of the most
famous hunters OF his period. though
his name IN not now remembered, so
many years have slldden past
Others who gained distinction were
those who had killed white deer.
Tho number Of these latter animals
wna small and as general thing
they wore regarded With supersti-
tion. Some hunters would never
fire nj white deer, believing that
TO do 40 would bring bad luck to
tho person killing or attempting to
XIII one OF these animals. However.
there wele some persons who paid
no attention TO the superstitious be-
liefs and lost no opportunity to seek
n white deer when one was reported
Hs being seen. Others were not con-
strained from killing the white ami
mails through fear OF bad luck hut
were convinced in. their own minds
that in order to bring down one of
the deer II silver bullet must be used.
Tho last white deer reported was
seen IN the Cooksou ncighborhood.
down In the hills along the Illinois
river, In Indian territory days, II
was seen at intervals for some
months but was finally killed.
king Deer" Quite Rare.
There was one specimen or the
deer family however which. 80 far
ms known, was never killed, Like
the white deer II was rare and was
a. "a
majority OF hunters, both white and
Indian. This was the king deer"
II was formed In all respects like the
large deer. bore autlers on its head
and fed with the large deer, but II
was very small, not much talleI
than jack ra bbit. Old-time hunter.
supposed that the small animals
were Il distinct species OF the deer
family, but Il seems probable that
bers of the species. having been
etunted In their youth from causes
unknown. At any rate they never
grew up and 80 long as they lived
ranged with the other deer In their
wandering about the hills and val
leys Many persons have been dis
posed to doubt that such small dSsr
ever existed. but old hunters OF re-
liability have stated that they saw
specimens OF inc hmall animals ana
there In no doubt that they did. Many
years have passed. however, since
n king" has been seenin this or any
other section OF what was once the
Cherokee nation, The skin or the
antlers of one OF the dlminutive
animals would now be worth many
shekels.
Several OF tho old-tlme hunters
were wont To relate thrilling stories
OF fights with wounded deer when
the least mis-step or falterlng on
part OF the hunter would have meant
his death, A wounded buck In most
dangerous antagonist and In the days
OF the muzzle loading rifle the hunt
or was exceptionally careful 10 take
most deliberate aim and draw IA
bead" which would In 800 cases out
of "A 900 result In the utter disa ble-
ment II not instant death OF the
deer There we're times, though. when
almost Immediately fatal wound was
not given and then II was that the
hunter must depend upon his wits
ana strength and hunting knife to
rescue him from his prcdlcament.
IL may be stated with certainty
that none of the hunters OF today
will ever have such experiences as
were met by the pioneer hunters In
the forests and hills of the old Cher
okec nation, because Of the fact that
the deer nave disappeared never to
IPaDDear