192 BIG GAME OF NORTH AMERICA. 



have crossed,* and follow any trails that may be found. As 

 the cold weather and drifting snow drives them from the 

 open districts, they work back into the heavy pine timber 

 and immense tamarack swamijs. Here they collect in bands, 

 and roam about, feeding on kinnikinic, hazel-brush, oaks, 

 pines, tamarack, and a species of fungus which grows in 

 the swamj)S. In the spring they return to their old haunts, 

 in an emaciated condition, to recruit and have their faw^ns." 



In the dense brush of these northern swamps a shotgun 

 will possibly secure more Deer than a rifle, but so many 

 wounded animals will get away from the shotgun-hunter, 

 only to die a lingering death in the swamps, that, after all, 

 the use of the rifle seems preferable. Its successful use 

 requires more skill, and it is the true sportsman's weapon 

 when in pursuit of big game. 



The "Swamp Deer" of Minnesota and the little "Red 

 Deer" of Florida are identical except as to size, and the 

 variation in this is simply the result of environment. 



One of my most enjoyable Deer-hunts was on the Red 

 River, in Southwestern Arkansas. Deer, Bears, and Tur- 

 keys were i)lentiful there in those days, and I ]bresume are 

 yet. We started out early in the morning — the Doctor, 

 myself, two freedmen, who were born hunters, and a mag- 

 niflcent pack of such hounds as are to be found only south 

 of Mason and Dixon's line. The horseback-ride of five 

 miles, through the rolling, low-timbered country, was 

 enough to whet tlie ardor of any hunter. We saw plenty 

 of gobblers, but they w^ere not the game we were after, and 

 as they hid themselves as speedily as possible, the tempta- 

 tion to shoot was soon removed. 



As w^e neared Creighton's Bayou, we struck a number of 

 trails that were too cold to allow the dogs to follow them. 

 Suddenly, one trail turned from the bayou toward the river. 

 The indications were that the Deer had gone early to water. 

 This we were soon assured of, for after the trail turned 



* I can not indorse this statement of Beatty"s. The bucks do paw up the ground in 

 the rutting-season, but not for the purpose of reveaUng the tracks of the does. The buck 

 trails the doe by scent, not by sight.— Editor. 



