HOW TO TRACK VERY WILD DEER. 137 



ground in nearly all woods, and it is a favorite 

 place for deer to while away an hour or two at this 

 time of day. 



Such ground, too, is apt to have a ridge on the 

 farther side of it. There was a ridge on the side of 

 the creek-bottom where you started the doe and 

 fawns yesterday, but you never thought of getting 

 behind it. Now the chances are four to one that 

 these deer are going to that creek-bottom, and once 

 there the chances are four to one that they will re- 

 main there a while, and in leaving it will go either up 

 or down it for some distance. 



Suppose now you let this track entirely alone, strike 

 the creek-bottom some three hundred yards below 

 where this trail will probably cross it, go across the 

 bottom and over the ridge beyond. If the deer have 

 gone down the bottom you will cross their track ; and 

 if you do not cross any you will have their location 

 partly determined. 



Now travel along behind the ridge, and out of sight, 

 for some hundred yards or so. Then look carefully 

 over and examine all the ground in sight. Back off 

 and go along behind the crest of the ridge another 

 hundred yards or so and then take another look. 

 You see at once the advantage of this an advantage 

 so great that even the advantage of wind had better 

 be subordinated to it, especially as scent blowing over 

 a ridge is not so apt to reach anything in a valley; at 

 all events, not until you first have a good chance to 

 see the game. 



But how do you keep the track all this time ? Per- 

 haps they have recrossed the creek. 



And suppose they have; is it not probable that they 

 will still continue up the creek-bottom as before ? And 



