136 RED DEER. 



hedges were cut in the spring. To these 

 hedges he goes and looks for the fresh ash 

 shoots which have sprung up since the 

 hedge was cut. These are sure to be eaten 

 off if a stag is about sometimes a stag will 

 go up a hedge a hundred yards, eating every 

 fresh spray of ash along it. Next he goes to 

 the gaps, or any place of entry into the covers, 

 and looks for slot. He walks round the 

 cover, examining every path and 'any moist 

 spot he can find. If there is no runnable 

 deer in one cover he goes on to the next, 

 till he discovers indications that a full-grown 

 stag is there. He then considers the condi- 

 tion of the slot, and if the ground is dry 

 "douts" it by drawing his foot over that 

 is, he obliterates it. The object is, that next 

 time he comes the slot may be new, well- 

 defined, and perfectly fresh, so as to prevent 

 the possibility of mistake as to the freshness 

 of the trail. This part of the work he 



