THE SCOTCH DEERHOUND. 181 



For coursing the deer, antelope, wolf, and coyote, the 

 Deerhound is much used throughout the Far West. For 

 this purpose they are generally used in packs of from three 

 to ten. A good courser will begin the preparation of his 

 dogs by the 1st of August, so that when the weather gets 

 cool enough for them to bear hard and fast running, say in 

 October, they will be in prime condition hard in muscle, 

 in strong good health, and eager for the sport. 



It is not necessary to train a Deerhound for coursing. 

 All that is needed here is to show him the game and turn 

 him loose. It is always best to take a puppy out with 

 one or more older dogs, who will take hold oi any kind of 

 .game, and thus educate the puppy to seize and kill the game 

 he is running. The only proper way to course deer, ante- 

 lopes, wolves, or coyotes is to have a cage on a light vehicle, 

 for the purpose of confining the dogs and keeping them at 

 rest until you sight your game. Then drive as close to it 

 as possible, so that your dogs will be fresh when the game 

 starts. If this is not done, you will soon find that a jaded, 

 tired dog can not catch a fresh deer, antelope, wolf, or 

 coyote. 



I have frequently coursed deer and antelopes on the 

 Western plains by taking out six good dogs in a cage, on 

 a light wagon, and several friends following on good run- 

 ning-horses. The cage was so arranged that the driver 

 could pull a spring, open the door, and let out the three 

 loose dogs for a run, while the three to be retained in the 

 cage were chained to the lioor or sides. By driving in such 

 a direction that it would appear to the game as though the 

 wagon would pass by about two hundred yards away, and 

 then angling toward the game, I could often approach 

 within one hundred and fifty yards before they would start; 

 and the moment the game would throw up their heads, the 

 driver would pull the spring-door, out would come the 

 loose dogs, and away would go game, dogs, and horsemen, 

 the wagon coming along to pick up the game and tired 

 dogs. The latter would then be given water, put back in 

 the cage and chained, and the three fresh dogs would next 



