176 BIG GAME OF NORTH AMERICA. 



trusted to go ahead of you after he has caught one or two 

 crippled Deer, and few tliat can be imi)licitly trusted even 

 at heel. Dogs that are perfectly obedient about Rabbits 

 and other things that generally make a fool of a common 

 dog, often become perfectly crazy about Deer. And if you 

 don't march upon the game quite as fast as they think 

 you ought to, or if you turn off the scent to go around, they 

 will often conclude they know more than you do about it, 

 and will take the job out of your hands, unless you tie them 

 to your w^aist, and then they may break you half in two 

 when you shoot. 



I have known a few old dogs, however, who could be 

 trusted to go ahead of you, and who would point a Deer 

 just as staunchly as they would a bird. Over such I have 

 had grand sport shooting Deer in the chaparral. 



This Deer feeds mainly on the leaves and tender twigs 

 of the evergreen brush that forms the chapaiTal; also 

 upon various bushes found on more open ground, such as 

 the sumac, scrub-oak brush, and even live-oak leaves. It 

 feeds but little upon grass, though it occasionally nibbles 

 green alfilleria or clover. But it is quite fond of barley 

 and wheat, when green, and of the shoots of a long grass 

 that grows on burnt ground. It also feeds on several low 

 shrubs and herbs, such as wild buckwheat, wild alfalfa, etc. 



In the fall, it becomes a great ravager of vineyards and 

 gardens. It eats almost everj^ kind of garden-stuff; but 

 melons, grapes, and other good things, it loves esx^ecially. 

 It is very fond of the white muscat grapes, of which the 

 best raisins are made, and some of the most easy and 

 pleasant hunting to be had in America is found in the low 

 hills surrounding a California vineyard. 



Where Deer are but little disturbed with hunting, they 

 go but a little way back from the vineyard to spend the 

 day, often lying down under some shady brush or rock, 

 within plain sight of it. Being well fed during the night, 

 they have little feeding to do during the day, and conse- 

 quently little roaming, hence their movements are much 

 more regular than when feeding at large in the hills upon 



