The Mule-deer 55 



coulie, and finished him. This was not much 

 over a mile from the ranch-house, and after dress- 

 ing the deer, I put one behind the saddle and 

 one on it, and led the pony home. 



Such hunting, though great fun, does not imply 

 any particular skill either in horsemanship, marks- 

 manship, or plainscraft and knowledge of the ani- 

 mal's habits ; and it can of course be followed only 

 where the game is very plentiful. Ordinarily the 

 mule-deer must be killed by long tramping among 

 the hills, skilful stalking, and good shooting. 

 The successful hunter should possess good eyes, 

 good wind, and good muscles. He should know 

 how to take cover and how to use his rifle. The 

 work is sufficiently rough to test any man's endur- 

 ance, and yet there is no such severe and intense 

 toil as in following true mountain game, like the 

 bighorn or white goat. As the hunter's one aim 

 is to see the deer before it sees him, he can only 

 use the horse to take him to the hunting-ground, 

 Then he must go through the most likely ground 

 and from every point of vantage scan with minute 

 care the landscape round about, while himself un- 

 seen. If the country is wild and the deer have 

 not been much molested, he will be very apt to 

 come across a band that is feeding. Under such 

 circumstances it is easy to see them at once. But 

 if lying down, it is astonishing how the gray of 

 their winter coats fits in with the color of their 



