THE COLUMBIA BLACK-TAILED DEER. 131 



I descended the ridge a short distance. After walking 

 parallel with the summit until I thought I was in the 

 neighborhood of my game, I cautiously, and as silently as 

 possible, crept up behind a large rock, and peered over. To 

 my surprise, no Deer were in sight, and I supposed they 

 had taken alarm and fled. I was on the point of Jumxjing to 

 my feet in disgust, when suddenly I espied my friends 

 almost one hundred yards from me. The doe was now lying 

 down, and the buck was browsing in a clump of brush. 



Resting my left elbow on my knee, I drew a bead on the 

 buck, and waited for him to show himself more fully. He 

 soon came out, and presented a fine side- shot. Taking good 

 sight on him just behind the shoulder, I pressed the trigger. 

 At the crack of the rifle, he went down like the traditional 

 log, while the doe and another buck, which I had not 

 noticed, quickly vanished over the ridge. 



Upon going up to my game, I found that the bullet had 

 broken both shoulders of a four-i^oint buck. I gave him 

 another shot in the head, which quickly put him out of his 

 misei-y. 



I am always careful in approaching a wounded buck, for 

 I once saw a companion of mine terribly injured by one of 

 these animals. There was a party of us hunting in South- 

 ern Oregon, and one of the older members of the party 

 had that very day cautioned us to be careful in approach- 

 ing a wounded Deer. Poor H was hunting on the same 



ridge that I was on. I saw him Are at a buck, and as it 

 fell, he laid down his gun, and, drawing his knife, ran up 

 to the animal to cut its throat. I thought, by the way the 

 animal went down, that it had not received a mortal wound, 

 and shouted to him to be careful, at the same time mak- 

 ing my way rapidly in his direction. My warning was too 

 late, however; for, as he approached it, the buck suddenly 

 rose to its feet, and, jumping against the hunter, hurled 

 him to the ground. The next instant »the animal bounded 

 into the air, and came down with all four feet on the pros- 

 trate man. At this instant, one of the party, who had 

 approached from another direction, fired at the animal and 



