The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1959-10-23
DOWN
TO
EARTH
BY
CARLTON
MORRIS
WILD DEER WILL NOT PASS
BY THIS WAY AGAIN
Editor, The Index
Gafesville. N. c.

extreme upper end OF Hyde County
the other Saturday, l was some
what surprised when a big buck
broke out of a hedge and crossed
the road in front of me with his
flag flying.
HE WAS a big one and l was
some disappointed that youngest
son Davey happened to be looking
in the opposite direction and didn't
see him, for he crossed the road in
couple of stiff legged jumps. And
at the rate the world is being
brought into cultivation, l estimate
that practically all the game will
by gone by the time Davey is big
enough to ramble the woods alone.
Thus 1 would especially like for
him to see and learn something
about the wildlife around him right
now so he too can grow up and
brag to his children about it.
ACTUALLY there are many deer
still scattered throughout eastern
North Carolina, but when l recall
the numbers that inhabited this
section even 20 years ago in conf
parison to the present deer popu-
lation. l get the feeling that the
whole deer generation will soon be
wiped off the earth. Vast herds
lived in the upper end of Hyde,
Washington and Tyrrell Counties
back in those days and now thou
sands of acres of this vast waste
land have been brought under culti-
walton by a powerful land COM
pany.
IT HAS amazed me to read SO
much about this giant operation
and the people who are bringing
it about, yet 1 have seen never a
word about the passing of one of
North Carolina greatest attrac-
tons, the wild deer that have
roamed the wide open reedlands
of that section since God created
the world. For years and years
these same deer have attracted
hunters from all parts of the coun-
try, but in my candid opinion they
will be extinct within this genera
ton.
A VERY FEW years ago l went
on deer hunt with two other men
and when our dogs ran off and we
couldn't seem to get them back, we
decided on a still hunt. To the I'M
initiated, this is very simple. Every
man in the party spreads out about
100 yards apart and everyone walks
in a given direction. The bucks are
very smart for they will often
sneak back and run away behind
you. / have often felt that they
were laughing at me, for they
never seem to make a sound until l
am out of range. Then they run
with the noise and abandon of a
draft horse. A doe seems to know
you can't shoot her for she will
stand very still and watch you for
minutes at the time and will often
allow you to walk up real close be-
fore running. Actually someone has
come up with the theory that a
deer never runs from a man be-
cause he sees him, but because
he smells him.
GETTING BACK to that still
hunt, we walked up eight deer in
one little island of reeds. We saw
so many deer we couldn't decide
which way to shoot and though we
tried numerous shots, we didn't
get hide nor hair.
WAS living in Hyde about 10
years ago when / took oldest son
Dale on his first and last deer hunt.
1 had a pair of hound pups / was
training and late one afternoon, l
took them out for a trial run. They
surprised me by jumping deer
right off and just beore dark, l
heard them heading straight to-
ward me and my youngest deer
hunter. He was about six at the
time. l got all set for had hunted
whole season without a single
shot and sure enough a small deer
bounded out in the open and l
brought him down.
SHOULDERED the little buck
and gave Dale my double barrel
and we reached home I cautioned
Dale not to mention to anyone that
l had killed little buck. Actually
/ was not too sure his tiny peg
horns would pass inspection, if a
game warden happened to be
around. The wife and / We're oper-
ating our famous "Old Country
Store" at the time and as we APP
preached the store through the fast
gathering darkness, I could see
dozens of cars parked all around
the place. / decided to park the
little peghorn until l found why
the Mor1ises were having such a
rush of business on a Monday after
noon.
WHEN WE got in hearing dist
ance of the store, Dale began to
yell at the top of his voice, Mother,
Mother, come here we've killed a
de-e-er." OF course everyone want
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