The Mule-deer 33 



are themselves responsible for the fact that their 

 children and children's children find themselves 

 forever debarred from a pursuit which must under 

 such circumstances become the amusement only 

 of the very rich. If we are really alive to our 

 opportunities under our democratic, social, and 

 political system, we can keep for ourselves and 

 by " ourselves " I mean the enormous bulk of men 

 whose means range from moderate to very small 

 ample opportunity for the enjoyment of hunt- 

 ing and shooting, of vigorous and blood-stirring 

 out-of-doors sport. If we fail to take advantage 

 of our possibilities, if we fail to pass, in the 

 interest of all, wise game laws, and to see that 

 these game laws are properly enforced, we will 

 then have to thank ourselves if in the future the 

 game is only found in the game preserves of the 

 wealthy ; and under such circumstances only these 

 same wealthy people will have the chance to 

 hunt it. 



The mule-deer differs widely from the whitetail 

 in its habits, and especially in its gait, and in the 

 kind of country which it frequents. Although in 

 many parts of its range it is found side by side 

 with its whitetail cousin, the two do not actually 

 associate together, and their propinquity is due 

 simply to the fact, that the river bottoms being a 

 favorite haunt of the whitetail, long tongues of the 

 distribution area of this species are thrust into the 



