THE MANAGEMENT OF DEER FORESTS 87 



a forest couhd not be found anywhere. In the neigh- 

 bourhood, but not quite contiguous, a range of hills 

 with a south exposure had been cleared for deer 

 about ten years previously, and was then fairly well 

 stocked with stags as well as hinds. But the main 

 ridge was not nearly so high as on the other ground, 

 and a sheep fence ran along its whole length. Nor is 

 there a single big corrie on the whole ground. It was 

 an experiment, making a forest but as it only carried 

 some 3,000 sheep and lay very convenient to my own 

 residence, I thought it worth trying, and the result 

 has proved a success so far. But what would happen 

 if this other ground was to be cleared ? It appeared to 

 be almost certain that its large extent, its magnificent 

 corries, its greater elevation and richer pasture must 

 attract every stag, and that the older forest would be 

 denuded of everything but hinds during summer and 

 autumn. This was my own opinion, as well as that of 

 all my foresters, and of those of my friends whose 

 judgment was likely to be sound. The result proved 

 that we were all wrong. The new ground seduced 

 none of my stags. At first it looked as if the antici- 

 pated effect of the operation was going to be the 

 exact reverse of what was predicted, and that while 

 there were more stags than before on the older and 

 smaller forest, hinds were about to take possession of 



