INTRODUCTION. 9 



of is beyond the scope of this work. The same is the 

 case with the part upon rifles and shooting ; nearly 

 everything in print on the subject pertaining only to 

 target-rifles and target-shooting. Besides this dearth 

 of pioneers to clear the road, the habits of large game 

 generally, and of deer especially, vary so much with 

 climate, elevation, and character of country, quality, 

 distribution, and quantity of food, amount and nature 

 of the disturbance to which the game may be sub- 

 jected, and other causes, that there can be no man 

 who thoroughly understands still-hunting in every 

 part of the United States. Moreover, the deer is so 

 irregular in some of its movements, so difficult to 

 observe closely, and so quick to change many of its 

 habits after a little persecution or change in methods 

 of hunting, that it is not probable that any one per- 

 son thoroughly understands the animal even in any 

 one State. And I have heard the very best and oldest 

 hunters of my acquaintance say that they were con- 

 tinually learning something new about deer. But 

 there is still enough that is both universal and cer- 

 tain to carry the learner over far the greater part of 

 the difficulties and save him many an aching limb 

 and sinking heart. 



To impart this is, however, no easy task for any 

 one. Unfortunately those who best know in practice 

 the rules of hunting are almost necessarily deficient 

 in power to lay out and finish in the details a treatise 

 on a subject so extensive and recondite. The "old 

 hunter" to whom the learner must now resort for his 

 advice knows practically a great deal ; but between 

 what he knows and what he can or will tell there is a 

 difference as wide as it is provoking. Even if he were 

 never so well disposed to impart his knowledge, it 



