216 Deer of the Pacific Coast 



such" things are at long intervals and irregular. 

 So acorns and a vineyard or orchard may con- 

 centrate them, but they have not come far, and as 

 a rule their movements are influenced little by 

 the question of food or weather. 



In the high mountains the period of seclusion 

 seems to last longer than along the coast. As 

 late as the middle of July, at four thousand feet, 

 I have hunted for ten days where I could find 

 plenty of fresh tracks at daylight around the 

 edges of small patches of brush of only a few 

 acres each, where I could easily circle and find 

 positive proof that they had not gone out, yet I 

 could be there at the first glimmer of dawn, and 

 again at the last hour or so of daylight, on a com- 

 manding position, with a good glass, yet see never 

 a sign of fur or horns. This is often bad enough 

 along the lower levels, but does not last as long 

 as in the mountains. The length of the breeding 

 season probably has something to do with it, for 

 spotted fawns may be seen in the mountains as 

 late as July, while at the coast the spots are off 

 early in June. 



Driving with hounds to runways is even less of 

 a success with the mule-deer here than with the 

 blacktail in the North. While he likes an easy 

 road when undisturbed as well as any, he cares 

 not where he goes when alarmed: plunges into 

 the thickest masses of rock or brush, or both ; up 



