14 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



In south and west wind the deer are far more easily 

 stalked, as the colder and sharper north and east keeps them 

 always moving and beating against it. When fired at, they 

 will go double the distance with an east or north wind. 



Deer will go far more readily to the high passes in the 

 morning, and to the low passes in the evening ; so this ought 

 always to be attended to. 



Never stalk between two herds, if it can be helped ; this is 

 always considered bad stalking. 



Ox-deer, or " heaviers," as the foresters call them (most 

 likely a corruption from the French hiver), are wilder than 

 either hart or hind. They often take post upon a height 

 that affords 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 by 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. Some- 

 times 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 



