398 THE DEER OF AMERICA. 



observations. It is not much favored by sportsmen, but is rather 

 considered as befitting vs^hat are called pot-hunters. 



The deer is largely a nocturnal animal, especially in the 

 neighborhood of settlements, or in regions much hunted. For 

 this mode of hunting a still, dark night is selected. The place 

 chosen is where indications are abundant that the deer make 

 their nocturnal visits, and where the covert is not so thick as to 

 obstruct the artificial light too much. It may be in the farmers' 

 grain fields, around salt licks, or along the margins of rivers. 



Generally, two go together in this sort of hunt. They are 

 provided with an artificial light, usually made of pitch-pine knots, 

 or the loose outside bark of the hickory tree, which contains an 

 inflammable oil, and makes an admirable torch. This is so ar- 

 ranged, and carried in such a position, that none of the rays of 

 light fall upon the hunters, one of whom either precedes or fol- 

 lows close behind the other, who carries the torch above his head 

 or in front of him, higher than his head. A supply of material 

 to renew the torch, is taken along and used as occasion requires. 

 The hunters of course proceed with care and watchfulness and 

 without noise. 



The deer sees the light slowly approaching and is rather fas- 

 cinated than alarmed by it, and so he faces and starts at it in 

 wonderment, when his eyes act as mirrors and reflect back the 

 light, and appear to the hunters like two great stars, or as they 

 sometimes express it, like two balls of fire set in nothing but 

 darkness ; but neither of these expressions give a correct idea of 

 the appearance of the light reflected by the eye. The radiation 

 of the star is not seen, and the light is white instead of the red 

 light of fire. Nothing else of the deer is seen. The advance 

 should be made with extreme caution, for the least noise would 

 be sure to scare away the game. The shot, if low, should be 

 fatal ; yet it is, I am told, very frequently not so. It has some- 

 times happened when several deer have been thus found together 

 that those not hit have seemed to be so fascinated with the light, 

 that after a few bounds away they stopped to gaze upon it, and 

 were prevented from going further. This sort of hunting can 

 never be safely practiced in the neighborhood of settlements 

 where cattle are running at large, or the hunter may have to 

 pay for a colt or a cow. 



Nearly allied to this is the jack-hunting, or night hunting 

 upon the water, of which I cannot plead entire innocence. 

 When thick underbrush obscures the view, and not a breath of 



