120 THE DEER FAMILY 



sportsman who moves at all incautiously. Here again 

 I may remind my younger readers that it is of the ut- 

 most importance in approaching deer, antelope, or any 

 large game in fact, to see the game before it sees you. 

 Remember also that it is not likely to see you in the 

 woods when you remain absolutely still. It is motion 

 that attracts the eye. You may lose sight of your 

 companion dressed in clothes which harmonize well 

 with surrounding objects, and find it impossible to see 

 him. Let him take a step or two forward, and your 

 eye at once reports him. Grinnell has well referred to 

 this matter in his paper on the Ccrvidce : " Like other 

 wild creatures, the deer seems to recognize danger 

 only in life, and life only in motion."* 



When, therefore, the deer stops feeding or appears 

 to be alert, remain absolutely motionless, and the 

 chances are he will not see you. Move slowly when 

 you move, pause often, and make absolutely no noise. 

 If you thus approach within range and kill your deer, 

 you have earned your horns and meat, and have every 

 reason to be proud of the performance. 



When the deer have been educated to the gun there 

 is no more dil^cult task for sportsmen than stalking 

 them. On some grounds this is impossible in dry 

 weather. Within the past few years nearly all methods 

 of taking deer have been prohibited excepting still- 

 hunting, often called stalking, and waiting for the 

 game on game-trails (without its being driven in by 

 dogs). 



In most of the States "hounding," or the use of 

 dogs to run deer to the lake, or to the ambushed 



*The Century Magazine, reprinted in " Sport, with Rod and Gun." 



