TRACKS AND TRACKING 



females of predatory animals as it is with a 

 bunch of deer, or of a single one for that mat- 

 ter, after bucks have shed their horns. The in- 

 itiated can tell accurately from the appearance 

 of the animals which are bucks and which are 

 does; yet if questioned how he knows it, he 

 can scarcely answer. At best he will say, " Be- 

 cause it looks like one." The reason for my 

 dwelling on this subject is by no means an idle 

 one. During the early summer the ravages of 

 " varmints " often become almost unbearable to 

 stockmen, and since females, which have to pro- 

 vide for their offspring, are the worst offenders, 

 it is well for anyone to be able to distinguish their 

 tracks from those of males, in order to follow 

 them only, as they are the only ones that will 

 always with certainty lead to the den within a 

 day's travel. 



Predatory animals are, in the writer's opinion, 

 not monogamous. While a male is often found 

 with a family, the same male may be seen the 

 next day with others of his kind miles away. I 

 have noted this while following game on horse- 

 back. On the other hand, a male track may lead 



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