162 THE STILL-HUNTER. 



at once. Hence the same deer that in the woods will 

 start at the faintest crack of a twig two hundred yards 

 away, when he goes to the dense brush on the edge of 

 the timber, the long slough grass of the prairies, or the 

 chapparal of the open hills, may let you walk within 

 ten yards of him without moving. He may be lying 

 down and continue lying perfectly still, as a wild-cat, 

 fox, or coyote often does in cover. He may be feed- 

 ing and simply drop his head and neck out of sight 

 and stand still. Or he may be running with high 

 elastic bounds, then suddenly, on reaching the right 

 kind of brush, drop into a low sneaking trot, then 

 come to a walk, and then stand still with head down 

 and body motionless. In Southern California deer 

 that will weigh a hundred and fifty pounds can 

 almost sneak out of sight in a potato-patch. Well as 

 I know the trick and their capacity for playing it, I am 

 yet occasionally amazed by seeing them disappear in 

 brush scarcely waist-high. In following up wounded 

 ones in brush not over waist-high I have frequently 

 been unable to catch sight of them, although I could 

 hear them start and run only a few yards ahead. 

 And yet the natural gait of these deer is a bound, or 

 rather bounce, so high that a buck will often throw 

 his whole body, legs and all, clear of brush five or six 

 feet high. This is a trick that there seems no good 

 way of circumventing. Where you know a deer is 

 hiding from you, you may sometimes get on higher 

 ground and see a bit of his jacket ; or you may sit 

 down and wait for him to move. But there seems no 

 way to make him stir unless you send a dog in after 

 him. Breaking of brush, slapping of hands, bleating, 

 stone-throwing, etc. etc., will seldom avail. Some- 

 times giving them your scent will .move them; but 



