300 Trails to Woods and Waters 



Ben laughed. " You see, when the deep 

 snow comes the deer is in a bad fix. With 

 his small cutting hoof he isn't built for 

 traveling in the snow. So he remedies 

 the difficulty by making himself winter 

 quarters. 



" The deer always plan their yard so that 

 it shall include plenty of birch, maple and 

 willow browse, and so that they can get to a 

 spring or brook. 



" Of course, if the water fails they eat 

 snow, but they much prefer water." 



" Ben," I cried, all excitement, " let's run 

 them up into one corner of the yard where we 

 can see them." 



My companion laughed. " I guess you 

 would find that quite an undertaking. This 

 yard extends nearly around Bear Swamp, 

 and it probably contains a dozen or fifteen 

 deer. The yard is now doubtless several 

 miles in extent, but it will be much smaller as 

 the winter advances. 



" The deer will find it too hard work to 

 keep it all broken out, after the deep snows 



