76 Deer and Antelope of North America 



moose does, cause its pursuer a chase which may 

 last days. No self-respecting man would follow 

 this method of hunting save from the necessity of 

 having meaO 



In very wild localities deer sometimes yard on 

 the ice along the edges of lakes, eating off all the 

 twigs and branches, whether of hardwood trees or 

 of conifers, which they can reach. 



At the beginning of the rut the does flee from 

 the bucks, which follow them by scent at full 

 speed. The whitetail buck rarely tries to form a 

 herd of does, though he will sometimes gather 

 two or three. The mere fact that his tactics 

 necessitate a long and arduous chase after each 

 individual doe prevents his organizing herds as 

 the wapiti bull does. Sometimes two or three 

 bucks will be found strung out one behind the 

 other, following the same doe. The bucks wage 

 desperate battle among themselves during this 

 season, coming together with a clash, and then 

 pushing and straining for an hour or two at a 

 time, with their mouths open, until the weakest 

 gives way. As soon as one abandons the fight 

 he flees with all possible speed, and usually 

 escapes unscathed. While head to head there 

 is no opportunity for a disabling thrust, but if, 

 in the effort to retreat, the beaten buck gets 

 caught, he may be killed. Owing to the char- 

 acter of the antlers whitetail bucks are peculiarly 



