EARLY DAY STORIES. 91 



the weaker and younger ones out of the herd, and would 

 endeavor to keep them out, but this kept him very busy 

 for a month or two. When driven out of the herd the 

 smaller and younger bucks get together in twos and threes 

 and thus keep together for company. A big old fellow, 

 however, who has been the boss of the herd, but has been 

 defeated in battle, keeps by himself and is avoided by the 

 others, because of his surly, quarrelsome disposition. It is 

 good sport to hunt and kill such a one, for he is almost sure 

 to furnish a fine pair of horns, but his flesh is absolutely 

 unfit to eat. Along in November they all get together again, 

 and remain in large herds until it is time for the fawns to 

 appear in the spring. The elk are keen of sight and scent, 

 and they are very difficult to approach excepting by those 

 who thoroughly understand their habits and peculiarities. 

 When feeding, if on rolling or hilly land there are some of 

 them always on some of the highest points where a look- 

 out can be had in all directions. When they lie down to 

 rest, they always choose a place where the lay of the land 

 is such that they can either see or smell the hunter when 

 he attempts to approach them. There will also be some on 

 the high points that can see in all directions, so that it is 

 difficult to approach from any direction without being dis- 

 covered. When disturbed they will always run into the 

 wind, travel for four or five miles, then turn abruptly to 

 the right or left for a quarter of a mile or so and then 

 choose a spot similar in situation to the one they left, and 

 either go to feeding or lie down again. It is easy to find 

 them, because they are large in size, and generally go in 

 droves, but it is not easy to get near enough for a fair shot. 



They cannot run nearly as fast as either kind of deer, 

 but they show more cunning in out- witting their enemies 

 than do the deer. The black-tail deer's home is in a rough, 

 hilly country, and they are perhaps about the easiest game 

 to kill where they have been hunted but little, that is to be 



