THE MANAGEMENT OF DEER FORESTS 107 



and turning them out among the hinds in October ; or 

 by introducing hinds, carefully marking them in the 

 ear to prevent their being accidentally shot. The 

 former plan is, however, the best, and the result desired 

 is of course more rapidly attained. Where possible, 

 the stags may be confined in a large park or field, and 

 a number of wild hinds placed with them ; these may 

 be turned out just before calving, and others put in 

 to take their place : or if the park be large enough 

 and of a suitable character, they may be allowed to 

 drop their calves there for two seasons, and then 

 turned out with the calf of one year and the year-old 

 of the previous season at their foot. This will save 

 the trouble of driving wild hinds into the paddock 

 each successive year. There is a prejudice among 

 many owners of forests against introducing park or 

 foreign deer into the Highlands, but it exists only 

 with those who have not tried it. So far as I know, 

 the results obtained when a fair trial has been allowed 

 have been quite satisfactory. 



A subject connected with the management of a 

 deer forest, which has frequently been discussed 

 from different points of view, is as to the proper 

 proportion of hinds to stags which should be killed 

 in a season. There can surely be little doubt that it 

 is impossible to lay down one inflexible law where 



