84 DEER-STALKING 



to convert them into deer forests. The latter course 

 was largely adopted, and has been continued, though 

 of course diminishing as the available area diminished, 

 up to the present time. It may safely be affirmed 

 that almost the whole of the land in the Highlands 

 suitable for deer (by which is meant land where sheep 

 cannot be made to pay) is now cleared, and it is a 

 subject for regret that there are signs of a disposition 

 to convert good grouse moors into bad deer forests. 

 In such cases the rules which ought to govern the 

 formation of a forest are violated either through igno- 

 rance or obstinacy, and the result must be disappoint- 

 ment, loss, and vexation. I propose to deal with the 

 social aspect of this question in a subsequent chapter. 

 Here we are considering it from a sporting as well as 

 a financial point of view. 



There are certain conditions in the creation of a 

 deer forest which are necessary and unmistakable. 

 Even if these conditions be observed, success is not 

 always to be obtained. Some unforeseen change in 

 the management of a neighbouring estate, a wrong 

 boundary to the newly formed forest, an erroneous 

 estimate of the relative attractions of the ground to stags 

 or hinds, and other local peculiarities, may interfere 

 with the success of the operation ; but failure, where 

 knowledge exists and is given effect to, and when 



