210 THE STILL-HUNTER. 



tolerably close by unless necessary. If you doubt me, 

 try a few shots at the heads of rabbits at only fifteen 

 paces when they are in grass or brush where you can 

 see only the tips of the ears and fancy you see the 

 dim outline of the head below them. 



Consider, too, that this deer is headed this way; 

 that it shows no sign of alarm; that there is no gully 

 between in which it may go and get out of sight; that 

 it is headed up hill too; and that there is probably 

 water in that deep ravine beyond where the trees are 

 so green. Reading these facts in the light of your 

 already acquired knowledge, do you not see a strong 

 probability that that deer is lounging away from 

 water to high ground and will come your way ? But 

 suppose he does not come your way. Suppose he 

 moves away. Can you not see where he goes, follow 

 him up, and see him again and get as good a shot as 

 you now have? For, remember, he is not alarmed; and 

 whether he goes into a gully, into a bush, or over a 

 ridge, he will go slowly and not be looking much be- 

 hind; for these deer know nothing of watching back 

 until after being started. 



The deer stands and stands and stands. And you 

 stand a few minutes and get impatient. The deer's 

 persistence in standing, instead of teaching you that 

 there is little danger of his going far in any direction 

 now, it being nearly time for deer to lie down, only 

 destroys the little patience you have. You fire, and 

 when the smoke clears there is nothing in sight. 



Let us suppose it is now the middle of the after- 

 noon. At a distance you see an enormous buck rise 

 up beside a bush, stand a few minutes, nibble a few 

 leaves and lie down again on the shady side of the 

 bush, only changing his bed to get out of the sun as 



