A Sportsman 461 



and invite their companionship, evincing a disposition 

 to be friendly if they could, but, alas, too often com- 

 pelled to pay the penalty of death for their temerity. 



In the later season deer are doubly cautious and 

 shy, and if observed browsing in the woods appear to 

 be on the closest guard, and steal off upon hearing the 

 slightest crackling of twigs or rustling of leaves, and 

 generally before being observed by the sportsman. 

 When lying down, they will often rest until sighting 

 the intruder, sometimes allowing a close approach, 

 expecting possibly to be unobserved, and when rising 

 will immediately bound off at a rapid rate, and most 

 adroitly take advantage of shielding trees or bushes 

 to cover the retreat. Rarely they will stand a moment 

 or so before the sportsman but generally bound off in 

 the partially open forest, and occasionally, under 

 favorable conditions, they are first observed. These 

 are the opportunities sought for by the sportsman, 

 and fortunate he is if his shot is a stopping one; 

 for often, although fatally wounded, they will travel 

 for miles. 



I have almost always during my stay at the lakes in 

 October and November during the open season taken 

 in one, and sometimes two (the latter being the limit 

 allowed sportsmen in one season). Last season I had 

 a most aggravating incident, when I did not obtain a 

 single deer. I had only one fair opportunity to shoot 

 one, and that recollection is by no means satisfactory, 

 for it was so fair and open that I could not have wished 

 it better if I would. The conditions were very favor- 

 able, the ground and leaves moist, a darkish day, a 

 gentle breeze, and myself approaching from the lee- 

 ward. I was proceeding at the time down an old 



