184 Hunting Trips of a Ranchman 



will go on hunting, but become careless, stumble and 

 step on dried sticks, and let their eyes fall to the 

 ground. It is a good test of a man s resolution to 

 see if, at the end of a long and unsuccessful tramp 

 after deer, he moves just as carefully, and keeps just 

 as sharp a lookout as he did at the beginning. If 

 he does this, and exercises a little common-sense 

 in still-hunting, as in everything else, common-sense 

 is the most necessary of qualities, he may be sure 

 that his reward will come some day; and when it 

 does come, he feels a gratification that only his fel 

 low-sportsmen can understand. 



We lunched at the foot of a great clay butte, 

 where there was a bed of snow. Fall or winter hunt 

 ing in the Bad Lands has one great advantage: the 

 hunter is not annoyed by thirst as he is almost sure 

 to be if walking for long hours under the blazing 

 summer sun. If he gets very thirsty, a mouthful or 

 two of snow from some hollow will moisten his lips 

 and throat; and, anyhow, thirstiness is largely a 

 mere matter of habit. For lunch, the best thing a 

 hunter can carry is dried or smoked venison, with 

 not too much salt in it. It is much better than bread, 

 and not nearly so dry; and it is easier to carry, as 

 a couple of pieces can be thrust into the bosom of the 

 hunting-shirt or the pocket, or in fact anywhere; 

 and for keeping up a man s strength there is noth 

 ing that comes up to it. 



After lunch we hunted until the shadows began 

 to lengthen out, when we went back to our horses. 

 The buck was packed behind good old Manitou, who 



