PECULIARITIES OF DEER. 27 



chance is missed after all that waiting and all that 

 spying, the shooter will certainly feel nearly as cheerful 

 as if he had owned the second horse in the Derby 

 and been beaten a head ! 



If deer are on a steep hillside, the biggest stags are 

 usually at the bottom of the hill, arid the smaller ones 

 and hinds above them. When lying in a position like 

 this, they will usually be looking straight down-hill, 

 and if any wind to speak of is blowing, they will be on 

 the sheltered side of the valley. This, of course, im- 

 plies that the wind is coming over the top of the face on 

 which they are, and then deer are nearly unapproach- 

 able. To get in up wind and from below is almost hope- 

 less. If there are any shootable stags on the outskirts 

 of the herd on either side, it is worth while attempting 

 a stalk from the top of the hill, and quite to one side of 

 them. Sometimes, on a very steep face and a strong 

 wind blowing, it may be risked with success, and an 

 attempt made direct down wind, it favouring the stalker 

 by blowing so strongly as to carry his scent clean over 

 their heads ; but ninety-nine times out of a hundred it 

 will betray his presence. Unless suspicious, or disturbed 

 by grouse, fox, raven, &c., &c., deer rarely look up-hill, 

 and for this reason it is always better to stalk down-hill. 



When in large herds all sentinel work seems to be 

 left to the care of the hinds, and unless alarmed the 

 sight of neither stag or hind appears to be extraordinarily 

 sharp. Once scared or their curiosity aroused by sus- 

 picion they will rarely rest till satisfied, and if only just 

 the top of a cap has been detected, they will quickly 

 bring their sense of smell into play by making a detour 



