268 HUNTING TRIPS 



keep up the closest scrutiny over the ground 

 ahead of him, and on either side of the 

 trail. 



In the early morning when there is a heavy 

 dew the footprints will be as plain as possible 

 in the grass, and can then be followed read- 

 ily ; and in any place where the ground is at 

 all damp they will usually be plain enough 

 to be made out without difficulty. When the 

 ground is hard or dry the work is very much 

 less easy, and soon becomes so difficult as not 

 to be worth while following up. Indeed, at 

 all times, even in the snow, tracks are chiefly 

 of use to show the probable locality in which 

 a deer may be found; and the still-hunter 

 instead of laboriously walking along a trail 

 will do far better to merely follow it until, 

 from its freshness and direction, he feels con- 

 fident that the deer is in some particular 

 space of ground, and then hunt through it, 

 guiding himself by his knowledge of the 

 deer's habits and by the character of the 

 land. Tracks are of most use in showing 

 whether deer are plenty or scarce, whether 



