THE MANAGEMENT OF DEER FORESTS 101 



subject has been treated in this chapter rather than in 

 a subsequent one which is devoted to the practice of 

 stalking. 



Let us now turn to the strict question of managing 

 a deer forest. What is its proper treatment if the 

 owner is anxious to preserve and improve the stock 

 which it carries ? First, as regards preservation. It 

 goes without saying, and is well understood by all 

 those who have ever had anything to do with deer, or 

 indeed with any kind of game, that the ground must 

 not be overshot, that a proper number of stags, such 

 as experience has shown the place will stand, ought 

 to be killed annually, and no more. Nothing need 

 therefore here be said on this point, except that the 

 quality of the stags killed should be looked to as well 

 as the number. Personally, I think it is a mistaken 

 practice, though one which is followed by many from 

 an honest, sportsmanlike feeling, not to fire at a stag 

 unless he is a good one. Others, on less defensible 

 grounds, think a great deal too much of the weights, 

 and are afraid of spoiling the average by killing a beast 

 of thirteen or fourteen stone. When a chance of 

 getting one of this kind is deliberately and voluntarily 

 neglected by the 'gentleman,' his conduct should not 

 certainly be called in question by the owner of the 

 ground, but it is not wise to give strict orders to the 



