BAD DAYS FOR FOREST HUNTING. 149 



will readily occur to the mind of the Indian sportsman 

 as examples of these noisy debris, which render moving 

 about without noise a matter of impossibility in many 

 places. Mr. Van Dyke in like manner warns American 

 still-hunters about to take the field, of these difficul- 

 ties "First let us see (he says) whether the day will 

 do for still-hunting;" for he reminds them there "are 

 days when you might almost as well stay at home, 

 though even on such days it will pay you to go out, 

 study the movements of deer, and the 'lay of the land.' " * 

 The latter suggestion is a good one, and helps a stranger 

 to make his experience; there are however two other 

 things a hunter may do on such occasions : he may 

 post himself at advantageous points, concerning which 

 we shall have more to say presently, and wait for game ; 

 or he may go to the lakes and streams, and try for 

 birds, or taking out some fishing tackle in addition 

 to his gun, he may try for fish. In a great forest, 

 especially where dangerous animals may be met 

 with, or natives of doubtful character possibly be 

 come upon, it is a bad plan to go unarmed. Never 

 do that. 



Now as regards a man's movements when hunting 

 after game in the forest, it is necessary to determine 

 how he shall manage to range through the woods 

 without frightening the sharp-witted forest creatures, 

 who from the smallest to the greatest will all, so far 

 as our experience goes, avoid him if they can. 



He must so manage as to see them before they see 

 him. To do this, he must see that they do not get his 

 wind; and he must not make a noise while walking 



* The Still-Hunter, by Theodore S. Van Dyke, New York 1888, 

 PP- 5859. 



