DEER HUNTING. 241 



shoot the Deer as they come down to drink at dawn, and at 

 nightfall. 



From Pennsylvania, and the western part of New-York, they 

 are found everywhere to the westward abundantly, although 

 such cruel and promiscuous havoc is made among them at all 

 seasons, without respect for age or sex, that it cannot be dis- 

 tinctly said how soon they may cease to exist. 



Up to the winter of 1836, they were found in thousands, in 

 what are known as the Beech-woods, on the confines of New- 

 York and Pennsylvania ; but in February of that year, hordes 

 of savage rustic ruffians, profiting by the deep snows, and unex- 

 ampled crust, went into the woods on snow-shoes, and literally 

 slaughtered the helpless Deer, by droves, with clubs and knives, 

 for the worth o^ their skins, the flesh at that season being use- 

 less. Since that time they have never gathered to any large 

 head. 



Such wanton brutality is inconceivable, and I cannot but 

 believe that the hipeds capable of such butchery, would be 

 equally capable of knocking a man in the head for his purse, 

 could they do so undetected. 



The Legislature of New- York has done its duty in this matter, 

 but their efforts, I fear, are destined to effect no good, such is 

 the strange impatience of legislation, and the abhorrence of game 

 laws, quasi aristocratical, by our rural population, and such the 

 greedy selfish gluttony of our rich cockney snobs, who will sup- 

 port the illegal market, and uphold the criminal dealers and res- 

 taurants, who sell out of season. 



The hunting of Deer, everywhere north of the Potomac, is, 

 in my opinion, vastly slow work, lacking alike the animation, 

 the pomp, and spirit-stirring bustle of the chase proper, and the 

 quickly-recurring excitement, and rapid occurrence of game, 

 peculiar to the shooting field. 



It is practiced for the most part by two modes, driving and 



still-hunting, of which I consider the last, in general, by far 



the most legitimate and exciting, as it demands both skill in 



woodcraft, and endurance, on the part of the hunter ; whereas 



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