LOOKING FOR DEER THAT ARE ON FOOT. 63 



There are numerous such spots, patches, and blurs 

 in view. But under a keen scrutiny they all fade into 

 stumps, pieces of log, etc., and you are satisfied that 

 there is nothing in sight. 



Before going on, now, stop a moment and take a 

 very important lesson. You see that the ground in 

 every direction is dented with tracks. There is scarcely 

 a square foot anywhere without two or three or half 

 a dozen prints in it. You see, too, droppings in every 

 direction. Now nearly every tyro, and a great many 

 who have hunted enough to know better, will think 

 at once of not less than forty deer. They will not 

 so express it in words. And if asked directly how 

 many they thought had made all these tracks, they 

 would doubtless tone it down to eighteen or twenty. 

 But the latent idea that remains in their mind is of 

 about forty deer. 



Now all these tracks and dropping were probably 

 made by only three deer* There may have been five or 

 six; perhaps another doe and fawn or two fawns. Or 

 perhaps another old buck and a yearling or two-year- 

 old buck. But if you examine the age and size of 

 the tracks and droppings, you will see how three deer 

 visiting this ground every day could in two or three 

 weeks make all this amount of indications. You can- 

 not say positively that they alone did it. But they 

 could have done it. And the probability is that they 

 did. You cannot see the proof of this now. For that 

 you must wait until snow comes or until you can get 

 on bare ground where you can track welt and can see 

 just how a few deer can mark ground. Until then 

 take my word for it. For a proper idea of how many 

 deer there are about you will save you a large amount 

 of wondering, disappointment, and vexation, as well 



