176 Hunting Trips of a Ranchman 



distance from their feeding or watering-places, as 

 already explained. 



If deer are at all plenty and if scarce only a 

 master in the art can succeed at still-hunting it 

 is best not to try to follow the tracks at all, but 

 merely to hunt carefully through any ground which 

 from its looks seems likely to contain the animals. 

 Of course the hunting must be done either against 

 or across the wind, and the greatest care must be 

 taken to avoid making a noise. Moccasins should 

 be worn, and not a twig should be trodden on, 

 nor should the dress be allowed to catch in a brush. 

 Especial caution should be used in going over a 

 ridge or crest; no man should ever let his whole 

 body appear at once, but should first carefully peep 

 over, not letting his rifle barrel come into view, 

 and closely inspect every place in sight in which a 

 deer could possibly stand or lie, always remem- 

 bering that a deer is when still a most difficult 

 animal to see, and that it will be completely hid- 

 den in cover which would apparently hardly hold 

 a rabbit. The rifle should be carried habitually 

 so that the sun will not glance upon it. Advantage 

 must be taken, in walking, of all cover, so that the 

 hunter will not be a conspicuous object at any dis- 

 tance. The heads of a series of brushy ravines 

 should always be crossed ; and a narrow, winding val- 

 ley, with patches of bushes and young trees down 

 through the middle, is always a likely place. Cau- 

 tion should never for a moment be forgotten, es- 

 pecially in the morning or evening, the times when 



