HOW I GOT MY FIRST DEER 



By Mrs. A. G. Wallihan. 



ONE morning, early in the spring, 

 Mr. Wallihan asked me if I 

 wished to go out with him and 

 a Mr. K. for a deer hunt. Mr. Walli- 

 han was teaching both myself and 

 Mr. K. to shoot game of all kinds. 

 I had shot a rifle but few times, but 

 had used our Parker shotgun a 

 good deal. Almost my first shoot- 

 ing was with this gun, mostly on 

 rabbits. I had shot a wild goose on 

 the wing, which all thought a great 

 feat for me. 



Mr. Wallihan and K. went out to 

 saddle our ponies, while I finished 

 my breakfast work, and put up a 

 lunch. A little flurry of snow came 

 on, so we waited until it was over 

 and then started. The two miles to 

 the cedars were soon covered and we 

 tied our horses to trees, and then had 

 to wait for another flurry of snow to 

 pass. Mr. W. started out in the lead 

 to the top of a ridge near by to look 

 over and see if any game could be 

 seen. He beckoned us to come to 

 him, so we. hurried up and when 

 nearly to him had to almost crawl, as 

 the hill was nearly flat on top. W T e 

 had to move cautiously, to avoid 

 prickly pears and small brush. Final- 

 ly we reached the crest of the ridge 

 and could see the deer. As K. had 

 killed two deer Mr. Wallihan asked 

 him to wait until I had fired, which 

 he agreed to do, but just as I had 

 my sight on the neck of a buck, 

 bang ! went K.'s gun and away went 

 the deer. He missed clean and felt 

 greatly ashamed. Mr. W. did not 

 say much but looked a good deal. 

 We kept still a minute when a fine 

 buck came out from behind a cedar 

 and stopped. My instructor says, 

 "be careful and aim at his neck." I 

 did as he said and fired. Down went 

 the deer with his neck broken. He 

 never knew whence his death missile 

 came. 

 The men were both pleased. We 



went and dressed the deer, and K. was 

 bound to carry him on his horse, say- 

 ing, " If I can't kill a deer I can at 

 least pack this one home for you." 

 The men soon had him loaded on 

 the horse and we rode home I, at 

 least, happy and proud of my shot 

 and my trophy, and I have thought 

 Mr. Wallihan was prouder of his 

 pupil than I of my first deer. Since 

 then I have dropped 31 deer with 

 my Remington, only wounding three 

 and losing none. 



Last fall my husband went out to 

 the deer trail to make photographs, 

 and as we were out of meat, he told 

 me he should depend on me to 

 supply it. When we arrived at the 

 trail I went about half a mile from 

 him so as not to frighten his deer if 

 I should get a shot. I waited long 

 and patiently, sometimes walking 

 around to amuse myself. Alter a 

 long time I heard a fawn bleating 

 a sure sign of a bunch of deer. 

 Nearer and nearer they came. I was 

 just over the brow of a hill across 

 which I knew they would come. I 

 got all ready, with a knee rest, which 

 I use when tired. 



Here they come! About ;o ol 

 them, and as they passed tin- point 

 of a ridge where I could pick out the 

 one I wanted I took careful aim at a 

 fat young buck and fired. I hit him 

 back of the shoulder, high up, and 

 he dropped instantly with a broken 

 back. Soon I had help to dress him, 

 as our hired man was near also look- 

 ing for game. We soon had the 

 deer ready and loaded into the 

 wagon. Then we drove to where 



Mr. W. was to join us. and a- he did 

 not keep us waiting long we win- 

 soon homeward bound. Mr. \\ . 

 had secured two photo- ol I 

 bands of deer, and as the meal was 

 fine and the pictures good, we 

 were well satisfied with our day's 

 work. 



