96 THE TRAPPER'S FOOD. 



and condemned by the best Deer hunters, as it tends to make 

 the Deer wild, and to drive them into other regions. It may 

 be resorted to wlien necessary, but cannot be recommended. 

 It involves also the keeping of a dog which is generally of 

 little use for any other purpose, and is a constant bill of ex- 

 pense. " Still hunting" is practised by finding the fresh track 

 of the Deer, and carefully and noiselessly following up the 

 trail till the location of the animal is discovered, when, by 

 careful approach, a good shot can generally be obtained. 

 Practiced Deer hunters become wonderfully keen, accurate, 

 and successful in the still hunt. Messi's. Holland and Gunter, 

 of Hastings County, Canada West, — the former of whom is 

 one of the most accomplished deer-hunters in Canada, — give 

 the following directions for this method : — 



*• For still hunting, the hunter should provide himself with a good 

 rifle and a pair of deer-skin moccasins. When finding the trail he 

 should walk carefully, and keep a good lookout ahead, as Deer are 

 always watching back on their trail. When routed they almost al- 

 ways stop on hills. In order to get witliin gunshot it is necessary 

 to circle round and come up toward them in front or at the side — 

 always circling to the leeward side, as their sense of smell is very 

 acute. The Deer, when the early snows come, usually get up and 

 feed till about ten o'clock, A. m. ; then they lie down till about three 

 o'clock, p. M., when they start on a rambling excursion till near 

 the next morning. In these excursions they almost always return 

 to the place from whence they started, or near to it." 



In still hunting, if buck, doe and fawns are found together, 

 shoot the doe first, as in that case the buck will not leave the 

 place till you have had opportunity for another shot. Deer 

 when they lie down, turn off from their run-way, or track, 

 and take a zigzag course back a short distance. They lie in a 

 position which commands a view of the back track. 



THE BUFFALO. 



This animal is the great resource of the hunter for food 

 on the western plains. Their range is from Texas to 

 within about twenty miles of the Great Slave Lake. But 

 few, however, reach this latter limit. They are seldom found 



