DEER -STALKING. 41 



upon a height that gives a look-out all round, which makes 

 them very difficult to stalk. Although not so good when 

 December is past, still they are in season all the winter ; 

 hence their French designation. Yeld-hinds are also fit 

 for the table till the end of January. The latter are easily 

 distinguished by an experienced forester from their light 

 colour. The ears of the " heaviers " are always cropped, 

 that they may at once be known from the hinds. This 

 deformity makes their hornless heads look perfectly 

 hideous. When stags grow very old, their horns go back, 

 just like a tree going to decay. Sometimes a stag, neither 

 a rig nor a heavier, is hornless, and even " takes the rut." 



The best time for a quiet stalking shot is either early in 

 the morning or late in the evening, as the deer are not so 

 much on the alert, and are busy feeding. It is at these 

 times also that they are apt to come down from the high 

 to the low ground. 



Some forests are so crowded with hinds and calves that 

 stalking between deer is often unavoidable: this is the 

 most difficult of all stalks. You have to keep a look-out 

 upon the deer on each side, as well as those in the middle, 

 which you are advancing on. Should those on either side 

 catch sight of the sportsman, or get his wind, he may still 

 have his shot, if there is any cover in front^ by running 

 forward under shelter of it. Sometimes when the deer on 

 both sides have taken the alarm, even should the ground be 

 bare, those in the middle will stand staring, trying to dis- 

 cover what had frightened the others. Under these circum- 

 stances, whenever the sportsman sees the deer on either 



