Evening star., 1931-12-27

gashes in his belly and one leg all
twisted. Bobby the buck I'd had the
battle with. had done away with him.
There had been bad blood between
them. but We never had any idea it
was that bad. OF course, don't know
what took place when those boys met
in their last battle, but it must have
been plenty. They must have battled
long time, because Bobby was pretty
much the worse for wear, too. But the
poor buck that lost that battle was
pitifully cut up Bobby had driven his
antlers clear through his belly twice
and one leg was broken off.
When I butchered the poor fellow
I found hair driven into his liver,
showing how Bobby's antlers cut like
a bayonet. Those stories you hear Of
bucks locking their antlers in a battle
and both dying of starvation are true
It's happened lots of times.
Jacques put ON big venison din
ner with the fellow who lost the battle
and we shipped Bobby to the Hagers-
town Zoo. We figured he was a little
too good
But they had trouble with him in
the park. Recently he gored Lottie,
a doe, SO badly that she had to be
killed. One of the keepers saw the
buck pick up Lottie on his antlers, toss
her to the ground and begin rolling
her toward the fence. BY the time the
keeper reached the doe she was help
for several days she was put out of
her misery.
Marital Nagging, Perhaps.
This is the first time on record
that buck attacked a doe The
keeper thought it probably resulted
from marital nagging.
Bobby will spend the remainder of
his days as bachelor. He's been
placed in a separate pen, closely
guarded
But the funny part of it is that
buck is a terrible coward in the
Summer AS soon as his horns fall
off in the late Spring he's as docile
and friendly as a house cat You
couldn't pick quarrel with him unless
cesionally he might strike at you with
his hoofs. He can cut plenty, but If
you're Sure-footed you can keep out of
his way and knock him down with a
club. And BESIDES he's easily dis
couraged.
But the minute the velvet comes off
his antlers in the Fall and he tries out
the points on the bark of trees and
so forth ne gets cocky. He seems to
know exactly when his antlers are
sharp enough to cut-and then look
out. He's dangerous"
Then out of dim memory I recalled
story my grandmother had told me
Of young and inexperienced hunter
who had gone into the woods with his
uncle. One of them shot a buck,
wounding him. The buck fled and
they set out after him. The uncle
called to be careful, but the Younger
man hurried ahead Finally the older
man broke through a thicket and saw
the body of the buck. but the other
hunter was nowhere in sight. He must
have become lost, the uncle thought.
He called, but the only answer was
groan from the direction of the fallen
buck. He walked over. There Law
the younger hunter beside the buck
his hunting knife clutched in his hand.
He was unconscious and obviously
fatally hurt In his excitement. 1t was
apparent he had rushed at the buck
as soon as he fell, intending to give
the coup de grace with his hunting
knife. But the buck had mustered
up his last strength and cut loose
with all four feet in a terrific slash
The razor-like hoofs cut through The
hunters heavy clothing and his abb
domen.
So concluded that all deer are not
dear and that some times bravery is
born Of ignorance. 40