The Black-Tail Deer. J 53 



deer when at rest. The color of the hair is gray, almost 

 the same tint as that of the leafless branches and tree 

 trunks ; for of course the hunting season is at its height 

 only when the leaves have fallen. A deer standing motion- 

 less looks black or gray, according as the sunlight strikes 

 it ; but always looks exactly the same color as the trees 

 around it. It generally stands or lies near some tree 

 trunks ; and the eye may pass over it once or twice with- 

 out recognizing its real nature. In the brush it is still 

 more difficult, and there a deer's form is often absolutely 

 indistinguishable from the surroundings, as one peers 

 through the mass of interlacing limbs and twigs. Once 

 an old hunter and myself in walking along the ridge of a 

 scoria butte passed by without seeing them, three black- 

 tail lying among the scattered boulders of volcanic rock on 

 the hillside, not fifty yards from us. After a little practical 

 experience a would-be hunter learns not to expect deer 

 always, or even generally, to appear as they do when near 

 by or suddenly startled ; but on the contrary to keep a 

 sharp look-out on every dull-looking red or yellow patch 

 he sees in a thicket, and to closely examine any grayish- 

 looking object observed on the hillsides, for it is just such 

 small patches or obscure-looking objects which are apt, if 

 incautiously approached, to suddenly take to themselves 

 legs, and go bounding off at a rate which takes them out 

 of danger before the astonished tyro has really waked up 

 to the fact that they are deer. The first lesson to be 

 learned in still-hunting is the knowledge of how to tell 

 what objects are and what are not deer ; and to learn it is 

 by no means as easy a task as those who have never tried 

 it would think. 



