DEER HUNTING, 249 



Fire-liunting is a style of hunting, or rather poaching Deer, 

 which, I sujipose, I must mention, as it is largely practised in 

 many regions of country; and, being very destructive and very 

 certain, has many votaries, — but I confess that I am ashamed 

 to do so, and must regard it as utterly unspoi'tsmanlike, and 

 butcherly. 



This fire-hunting is performed in two manners ; one, the most 

 usual, is to build a fire of pine-knots on a grating in the bows 

 of a canoe, with a sort of wooden sci'een behind it, immedi- 

 ately in the rear of which the murderer sits with his ready rifle, 

 while his comrade, seated in the stern, propels the light vessel 

 along the channel of deer-haunted rivulets, or along the margin 

 of forest lakes, at which they descend to drink. Astonished by 

 the fire-light, the animals stand stupidly at gaze, until the red 

 glare, falling upon their eyeballs, shows them to the concealed 

 rifleman, who levels his deadly piece, at ten or twelve paces 

 ilistant, between their gleaming orbs, and rarely fails to kill a 

 buck at every shot. 



The principle of the other method is identical, although the 

 modus operandi is slightly different : — A scaffold is erected, 

 about four or five feet in circumference, and high enough to 

 admit of the hunter's sitting under it; this is covered with sticks, 

 bark, and a thick layer of earth, upon which a bright fire is 

 kindled, of pine-knots, as before, while a screen of branches is 

 erected about it to conceal the persons of the crouching hunters. 

 These preparations are made in the vicinity of one of she salt 

 springs, or licks, as they are called, which are so eagerly sought 

 out, and so much frequented by Deer ; and the animals approach 

 with the same disregard of, or. perhaps, I should rather say fas- 

 cination by the fire, for which they are remarkable. 



The great drawback to this species of sport, apart from the 

 not slight odor of pot-hunting which attaches to it, is that other 

 animals than Deer often approach the treacherous blaze ; and 

 instances are not uncommon of hunters shooting their own 

 horses and cattle, — nay, every now and then, their own compa- 

 nions, sisters, and sweethearts. 



