Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-12-02
HINTS TO HUNTERS
By Bill Bunker

I repent of my sins and selfishness
and to make amends am giving away
some secrets for the benefit of anna
teur hunters. / am almost ashamed
to admit that have kept these sec
Tets for years. but not wholly for
selfish reasons but for the preserva-
ton of deer, for IL these secrets had
become public property twenty
years ago deer would now be as
scarce as wild pigeons.
To help the beginner I will first
answer few of his questions. The
first question usually asked is,
Where is there a good sporting
camp? All camps are good that
have q tight roof, plenty of fire
wood ready for the stove and a card
table. ANY location is all right. but
l prefer one near the Canadian bor-
der as they have exceptional ad-
vantages. The next question is out
fit. I advise not more than three
steamer trunks with the necessary
hand luggage as this is all one would
care to lug over a mile trail which
is always up hill both ways. Be sure
and have a bright red hat and suit
included in this outfit. l am not ad-
vising this for your own protection
but for the protection. of the deer.
II we had State law compelling
hunters to wear bright red suits in
the woods, we could do away with
the game laws entirely as far as
deer are concerned. Red means dam
ger. Deer know it.
Next Is rifie-any good rifle is all
right that don't shoot within ten feet
of where it Is aimed. Ii you get one
that shoots where YOU point 1t YOU
would never hit deer.
What about hunting knife? Any
strong knife with a blade not less
thar q foot long will answer. Don't
get one too long as 1t makes YOU
look cruel and barbarous. Be hum
ane in your slaughter by all means.
Next is conpaas-compasses are
unreliable anyway. They always
point north and seldom towards the
camp. Some recommend a double
purchase tackle and an axe. These
add to your appearance, but are NOT
necessary.
Don't depend on your skill or low
cunning to get your deer. Use
horseshoes instead. Rabbits ieeI
IRE good, but if yCu have only Two
weeks for your vacation, II seems
FOO bad to waste them hunting RAD
triu T would recommend twenty. Ii
Won have luck and kill your deer,
leave off five, but If you do not. ada
five and keep adding five shoes eacn
trim till YOU finally land MN. l
know of one hunter that added SHOES
for thirteen years; he would prop
ally have been adding yet put
vas mistaken for deer. IL was ni'
own fault as the poor fellow only
aded four shoes on this fatal IMP
These horsesnoes must DC "oIh On
The person at Ill times when huht-
ing to insure luck.
When YOU are located in camp ana
ready to hunt select goou p,oau
road leading from camp then loIio"
Il until YOU feel oppressed ana lo"s :.
some. Now return to camp anu !,
vo,, make 1t without getting turnIu
around. try it again. going hs.,u
r,rthnr each time; you will. in rev
days he a mile or so away from
oa,,,n Now is the time to pegi"
,,,,ntinr-we will begin with the
Sound Method. so-called because W"
are hunting by hearing. In the mn
d,a OF the day deer will stahu OIL ~
around and chew their cuds' as me
is their only pleasure, they mar ~
~ noise TO the experienced hui, ~
This is easy to detect. put " ~.
amateur il would be hard. put oiH
vo,, have heard it, it VIII oe sl.np, ,,
II sounds a great zeal nhe .;,,g
with ill-fitting false tee,h :. ;s
spaghetti. When you locate ~.
easS TO stalk your deer. Nhotne.
. 80, a. locate YOUR deer is by the
S,a,t Method. which I will also eN'
,,ie;r Before a storm. deer have 10
III themselves Just the same AS
! S mr. an other fowl: they usuaiiH
sta,d on log or some high knolI
go ,,,h every part of their hodles
With their heads, distributing on
evenly. This Is done TO sheo lue
rain. There is more or less iooss
,'a;r ami dandruff that escapes anu
ao.ts awav on the breeze. LUIS
that YOU are looking for. ana Is eas.
20 detect. Follow this line OF nus
M the wind. using the same care anu
ua,,tion that YOU would use coming
80" t,,a house after midnight. GU II
ano, have your deer expose1 10 view.
when he is fully exposed you mus
y. ,arv careful because exposure 10
hat brings on buck fever, ana mus
a,,,ateurs are very susceptible TO ,nis
,naIady. At this point you mus U.s.
x.our wits, II you have an! ie...
80 number Of things to think Oh.
Tsrst that there is much more space
na,,rd the deer than the space ne
saonn;es therefore. it is much easier
- shoot into this larger space. Ihese
sIot. don't count and the deer m
stead of biting the dust, oites Wv
Inns 70 keep from Laughing. lou
,,nst also remember that there are
two sights on your gun that must oe
;,..,, careful consideration. III Is
easv m get the, muzzle sight TO peaI
va ths object but so easy to forget
az. rear sight and leave 1t down an
;ner or two. with the rear signe
down two inches ami the oeer a. go
Yards your bullet would go o. III.
IVA TWO inches over the deers pach'
: think II YOU would fire at some %.
;.ct ON the ground in line win tne
ss.,. and about twenty feet away you
,,,;.ht break his neck. But nre
Tow shots anyway and depend on tns
,,ar.sshoes. These two methods are
the only known methods tnat can %
,ag,iIv used to take advantage OF
deer. and II you practice them care
S,,,,v and faithfully you Will IN tinie
hacome as successful hunter as an!
- ne hut the surest way to get your
deer is to cut your trip short lou, or
ave DAYS taking the money mus
saved and buy him. This costs no
more and you might just as Wen 90
II as none Of your friends VIII De-