TRACKING ON BARE GROUND. 153 



know them. You must know the kind of ground to 

 which a deer is most likely to go at any particular 

 time of day, the length of time he is likely to remain 

 there, how far he is likely to travel, etc. etc., and be 

 quick to see the most advantageous way to approach 

 such places as the game may probably be in, as well 

 as the best and easiest place to regain the trail. All 

 of which will so vary with the locality and the wild- 

 ness of the deer that little advice can be given about 

 it except generally, as has been already somewhat 

 done and will be continued farther on. And even 

 where the trail is easily followed this kind of knowl- 

 edge will enable you to make many advantageous 

 flank movements, etc. 



The freshness of a track is generally less easy to 

 determine upon bare ground than upon snow, though 

 it can be done with far more certainty than one would 

 suppose. It is indeed often more difficult than it is 

 upon snow to distinguish a track five minutes old 

 from one two or three hours old. And sometimes a 

 difference of several hours cannot be noticed. But it 

 is generally very easy to tell with certainty the track 

 of to-day from that of yesterday. There are places, 

 however, where sometimes even this can hardly be 

 done, as in coarse dry sand, dry dead weeds and 

 grass where the stalk does not straighten again, but 

 the slant remains and continues to make a different 

 shade of light, etc. etc. 



Where dew, frost, or rain-drops have been brushed 

 from grass or weeds the freshness is of course unmis- 

 takable. So where wet leaves, stones, etc., have been 

 upturned, if the air is dry the freshness is also easy 

 to determine. The beginner will find little trouble 

 with anything but dry ground, rocky ground, etc. 



