OF A RANCHMAN 263 



glimpses of the night life of the different 

 kinds of wild animals. 



If it were not for the wolf poison, the 

 plains country would be peculiarly fitted for 

 hunting with hounds; and, if properly car- 

 ried on, there is no manlier form of sport. 

 It does not imply in the man who follows 

 it the skill that distinguishes the success- 

 ful still-hunter, but it has a dash and excite- 

 ment all its own, if the hunter follows the 

 hounds on horseback. But, as carried on 

 in the Adirondack's and in the Eastern and 

 Southern mountains generally, hounding 

 deer is not worthy of much regard. There 

 the hunter is stationed at a runaway over 

 which deer will probably pass, and has 

 nothing to do but sit still for a number of 

 weary hours and perhaps put a charge of 

 buckshot into a deer running by but a few 

 yards off. If a rifle instead of a shot-gun 

 is used, a certain amount of skill is neces- 

 sary, for then it is hard to hit a deer run- 



no matter how close up; but 

 with this weapon all the sportsman has to 



