176 SPORT AND TRAVEL PAPERS 



several distinct parties encamped at various points along the 

 Ottawa River. Of the fact that a deer, when hard-pressed by 

 dogs or other animals, makes for the nearest water and swims 

 across to rid himself of his pursuers, is taken full advantage, and 

 affords the only chance of filling the larder with venison, for it 

 would be easier to find a needle in a haystack than kill so 

 extremely wary and shy an animal as the white-tailed deer by 

 still hunting. The dogs generally used are large fox or blood- 

 hounds, and are taken singly or in pairs into the woods away 

 from the river or lake, and released when a promising spoor has 

 been found. At this, the rutting season, the spoor of the buck 

 is easily told from that of the doe, the points of his toes being 

 rounded off by the restless stamping and pawing of the excited 

 animal. The hound or hounds jump away at once, and giving 

 tongue all the while follow the buck or doe to the water, near 

 which the shooters are posted at various points, each one with 

 his canoe ready at hand. A deer having entered the river makes 

 straight for the opposite shore ; the canoe is paddled after him, 

 and an easy shot when the water is smooth, more difficult when 

 rough, at as close quarters as may be desired, finishes the scene. 

 Poor sport, if indeed it can be called sport at all ; not only is the 

 standing about all day long and the waiting for a deer which 

 may never come miserable work in the cold and often severe 

 weather, but the art of shooting requires no skill and brings with 

 it little or no excitement. Fawns are a great trouble and 

 annoyance to the hounds, as they usually run round and round 

 in circles instead of making straight for the water as their 

 parents do, but by these infantile manoeuvres they frequently 

 escape the slaughter which would surely await them in the river. 

 It is said that fawns as long as they are dependent upon the doe, 

 and does until fawns are independent of them, leave no scent 

 and that therefore no dog or other animal can follow them by 

 nose ; if true it is a beautiful provision of Nature for the protec- 

 tion of the young when not yet able to take care of themselves. 

 After remaining for some days at the same place we shifted 

 camp further down the river and pitched our tents again among 

 some hardwood bush close to a temporary lumber camp. The 

 men were putting up a shanty, their home that was to be during 

 the winter when employed in logging the river, and afterwards in 

 helping timber down which other parties were cutting in the 



