t^&C. 20, 1902.) 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
and assured expression of countenance and demeanor 
Dogs understand some things intuitively — whatever that 
IS to say. Shep, however, had no premonition that he 
was on the way to the most formidable adventure of his 
active life, and that he would not frisk about as gaily two 
hours later. 
While we were in the hotlSfe the rain had ceased and 
the sky was fairly blue to the west, the direction we took. 
t*br about a mile on our way we followed a ridge, known 
tu us as the "long ridge." It is timbered chiefly with 
tall pines with some black oaks. About half way up the 
ridtfe we had made our way when the rain resumed, and 
i'l came in torrents. We hugged the trunks of some pines 
during the heaviest of the showers, mainly to keep water 
from coursing down our backs, but with no hope of keep- 
ing dry. Nearly two hours elapsed before we reached .the 
thimbleberry patch, and during most of this time rain 
had fallen heavilj'. We had concluded that it would 
be impossible for the dog to track. 
Reaching upper Bowlder Creek, and crossing the tor- 
rent upon the huge granite bo\\'']ders strewn in its chan- 
nel by prehistoric avalanches, we climbed the most abrupt 
and broken of a series of ridges that are spurs from an 
unnamed peak, one of the highest and most pointed of 
ihc region. After a sharp clamber through dripping 
brush and over huge broken ledges of granite we came to 
a 5mall len-ace,' broken with a number of short steep 
ravines. Here a group of live-oak trees was pointed out 
by Jim. under one of which the buck had been standing 
when he shot. 
There Vas a Drop of Blood. 
When we reached the bench or terrace, a few paces 
from the group of trees, and paused for breath, we found 
ourselves standing by a "bed" made by a deer. It was 
fresh, that is to say, it had been made during the day. 
The rain had not washed out the animal's tracks, and 
they were those of a big buck. The bed was simply the 
leaves and . grass pawed away for a space a yard in 
diameter, and it was out in the open upon the exposed 
projection of the ridge. 
"Didn't see that before,"" said Jim; "he must have had 
his bed here last night. He was eating acorns under 
that tree over there when I saw him." 
The tree was on the steep slope and under its shelter 
the deep tracks of the buck, where he had jumped at 
the crack of the rifle, were yet plainly seen. Upon a 
loose fragment of granite, by close inspection, we found 
a single drop of blood— so nearly washed away by the 
1 ain that it could barely be distinguished to a certainty. 
1 called Shep's attention to the rock, and much to my 
surprise he promptly took the track, with his most con- 
fident air.. He has not been trained to slow-track, and 
consequenth'- he set off at a smart pace, tracing the course 
of the deer around the side of the mountain almost upon 
:i level. As Jim and I followed, quickly as we could 
over the sidling and slippery ground, we could see that 
the buck had taken short jumps for an animal of his 
size, but there seemed to be no irregularity about them, 
as would be the case with an animal much hurt. 
We followed the course Shep had taken, over two or 
three spurs of the mountain, covering a distance of about 
three hundred yards. Jim had been over this ground 
the third time in the morning, and each time had lost 
the track at this spur which was completely covered 
with fragments of rock, pitching off abruptly into a dense 
thicket that reached down over steep broken ledges to the 
stream that thundered in its chaotic gorge below. When 
this rocky spur was reached Shep, too, was bewildered. 
At first he went up the mountain for a short distance, 
hestitated and retraced his tracks a number of times, then 
came back and entered the thicket, going down into the 
gorge. 
"If he wetit down there I think he is hurt," said I, "and 
Shep will jump him." 
"Don't know," replied Jim, "I was around through 
there as fat; as I could get this morning. Could find no 
tracks or signs." 
We could see the dog now and then, as he hunted the 
thicket faithfully down to the steep precipices overhang- 
mg the torrent. Finally he worked his way back to us, 
well winded. In his old age he is inclined to corpulency, 
and his coat is thick and heavy for a hot corner. He 
came to us plainly puzzled. There was a little brushy - 
hollow the dog had apparently avoided and I clambered 
down to it and had him search it well. He again came 
back, mtiuialing clearly by his actions that it was no use. 
After searching about as best we could for an hour we 
_ could but conclude that if the deer had taken that course 
he had foiind his way into or across the gorge, and if 
so^ the ram and stream had obliterated all signs. 
"Were you far into the thicket this morning, and which 
\v.ay did 3^ou go?" I asked him. 
"Made two trips, into it and back again, from here," he 
said. 
"It is possible," I replied, "that Shep has followed your 
tracks to see what you went down there for. At first 
he weitt up the mountain. I believe the deer did not 
come dowii here, but kept around or up the hill." 
"No tise," said Jim, "I looked over the ground up there 
several tunes. If he went that way I could have found 
his tracks. Never got a deer vet bv going back for it. 
If I had had Jack " 
"I'll go up there and start Shep again," said I. 
Jumped, and a Hot Corner. 
Beth Jim and myself were somewhat weary in our 
wet clothing, from our trips in the earlier part of the 
day, and the long climb up to our present situation. We 
went up the point or spur of the mountain to the spot 
where the track had been last seen. Here I put Shep 
at work again and he had gone but a few rods, around 
and up the mountain side, when I saw that he was inter- 
ested in this new move. After sniffing in different direc- 
tions and trotting here and there, suddenly, without fur- 
ther pause, he started a fast walk, then a quick trot and 
then broke into a run, following a consistent and direct 
course diagonally up the mountain. I watched him as 
he clambered up a second spur that was almost perpen- 
dicular for a few rods. Meantime I called Jim's attention 
to the tracks of the buck where his sharp toes marked 
the ground. 
"That's his track sure," said Jim. "Strange I couldn't 
see it this morning." 
"Shep is on the track," I replied, "but, if the deer has 
gone up that way, Aye are not likely to see him this year." 
1 had scarcely spoken when we heard Shep's cry, ap- 
parently half a mile away, and up the mountain. Now it 
Slopped, was then heard faintly ^s i£ in crossing a ravine, 
then it would sound like a baffled bay. It sounded then 
as though the dog was in a ravine through which he was 
scarcely making progress. The spur of the mountain we 
had left about a hundred yards to the north of us, could 
be seen from our present position to be one of the main 
ridges, keeping its fonn and slope almost to the summit 
of the peak. As we listened the sharp cries of Shep 
seemed to come from the upper end of this spur. An in- 
stant more and they came into vicAV. Head on, the buck 
came bounding down that steep spur of the mountain 
with the dog in close pursuit. We were at the time in a 
cluster of pines, T being several rods in advance of Jim. 
Wc both turned back to get clear of the grove in order 
to get a shot at the magnificent flying target. In this 
maneuver Jim was in the advance, but could not clear 
the grove of trees in time to get a:n unobstructed view. 
1 could not begin to get into open ground in time. Jim 
fired three shots without effect. 
Meantime the intermittent view of the chase that I had 
was one of the most magnificent things I have seen in 
the mountains. The sun had broken through the clouds 
and mist sufficiently to throw a wonderful light upon a 
sublime prospect. The long ridge from the mountain 
top to the cation below stood up sharply against its back- 
ground, a golden-broAvn wedge, standing edge up against 
the blue-black forest bej'ond. Dropping from the real 
clouds that crowned the summit of the mountain the 
magnificent buck sprang with mighty bounds down the 
very edge of the narrow golden -slope. 
Apparently in full vigor and prime, one of the fleetest 
of the larger animals, with head erect, antlers thrown 
back, tail spread like a fan and showing like a white and 
black plume, he came, with increasing momentum and 
speed sheer along and down the narrow line of the steep 
decline. 
Shep had gained the ridge perhaps a hundred yards 
behind the deer. The quarry in full view, the whole 
nature of the dog was frenzied. The ground was now 
perhaps more favorable to the dog than to the deer. The 
greater weight of the latter made him necessarily more 
guarded against the tremendous momentum, that seemed 
.sufficient, at each time he sprang forward to hurl him 
into space. The black form of the dog seemed rather to 
shoot like a rocket along the crest of the ridge than to 
depend upon any visible means of motion. In the run 
doAvn the slope of perhaps a quarter of a mile the dog 
shortened the space betAveen himself and the buck from 
about one hundred yards until he seemed to reach the 
heels of the deer. 
The ridge terminated in the gorge before mentioned, 
but it became roclcy and broken some distance above 
its abrupt extremity. As the deer reached the first cliff 
of rocks, Avithout the least slackening of his speed, OA'er 
it he went, with a mighty bound and final dip of his white 
flag. Shep was, at the time of their disappearance, so 
close to the deer that they seemed both to rise and go 
OA-er the ledge at the same instant. 
The three shots fired by Jim in rapid succession made 
no change in the race, though it is possible that one shot 
or the three passed through the animal. One cut a half 
circle from the buck's ear. 
As dog and deer disappeared Ave hastened as rapidly 
as possible to" the ledge, pausing repeatedly but hearing 
no sound. When we reached the rocks we found the 
ledge to be less abrupt than I feared, and both deer and 
dog had evidently cleared it and reached a chaotic mass 
of rocks and jungle beloAV. We had gone but a few steps 
when Jim sprang to one side to see around some brush 
and fired two shots, saying, "Here he is." His shots 
were ineffective, being fired at the buck's head at fifty 
yards. The deer had meantime moved, so that I saAV 
him clearly from my position. At the third shot he went 
doAA'ii, shot through the heart, as I thought. 
We rushed down over the rocks and brush as best 
we could, and as we did so I heard the dog utter a sharp 
cry ending Avith a stifled Avhine. Believing the deer down, 
if not dead, I asked Jim, Avho was near the spot Avhere 
the buck had fallen, if Shep had him. He looked over 
the mass of brush, fallen tree tops and rocks and said, 
excitedly, "The deer has got Shep!" 
I rushed to his side as he raised his rifle to fire. We 
stood Avithin ten feet of the deer. He had regained his 
feet and now stood with head down and feet braced. 
Between a tangle of thorns and a log, Avith the deer's 
antler's bearing upon him Avith all its power, there Avas a 
silent and motionless rolled up bundle of black hair that 
Avas probably poor Shep. 
At the instant came the crack of Jim's rifle— the buck 
dropped, rolled over on his side, the bundle of black hair 
straightened out — coming head-first from the tangle. It 
was Shep, with his ,teeth fastened in the buck's nose. 
The last shot struck the deer in the ear, killing him in- 
stantly. As the deer dropped limp and motionless, Shep 
-unfastened his teeth and staggered to his feet in a dazed 
Avay, and it was some moments before he was assured 
enough to wag his tail. But Shep is game. He recovered 
his mind before he could keep his feet, and tried his best 
to rejoice. 
As far as could be seen at the time the dog had no 
serious cuts in his skin, but it appeared that some bones 
must be broken, and he was perhaps greatly injured in- 
ternally. He was broken doAvn so that his hind legs 
were partly paralyzed, and he could not keep his feet. 
We made_ him as easy as possible by raking some leaves 
together for him to lie upon, and as it Avas then after four 
o'clock we proceeded to hang up and care for the buck. 
He proved to be a five-pointer and in prime condition. 
He Aveighed approximately 200 pounds, and owing to the 
nature of the ground it Avas no easy task for us to get 
hnn fifty feet up the hill to a small pine Avhere Ave hung 
him, after removing head and horns. He Avas a coni- 
paratively short-legged animal, Avith a notably thick-set, 
hcaA^y body, his horns being of a reddish brown color, 
instead of the more ordinary light stone or gray color. 
These short-legged, heaAT-bodied deer Avith red horns 
are frequently killed in this region, and experienced hunt- 
ers readily note their distinguished differences to the com- 
moner California and Pacific deer. In my opinion they 
are a cross between the mule-tail and the latter. 
In skinning the buck we found that Jim, as he said, 
had hit him in the neck. The bullet had struck to one 
side of the vertebras and ranged into the muscles at the 
shoulder. The shot after the lapse of two or three hours 
had perhaps stiffened the animal about the neck and 
shoulders, just sufficient to enable the dog to stop him 
after the hard run had brought him to the broken Avails 
and tangle of brush in the gorge. The buck had received 
two bullets while at bay, one through his body a little 
back of the brisket and one breaking his shoulder. The 
finishing shot passed through the base of the brain. 
The rain had ceased for a time, and a sharp Avind from 
the west made it cold work dressing the animal. Being 
wet we were quite chilled before we had it done. It 
Avould have been impossible to get to the spot with a 
horse, so we decided to partially skin the animal and 
carry one-half of it. A good way to do this is to skin the 
deer from the head back to the last or short rib, leaving 
the skin on the remainder and cutting out the fore quar- 
ters. This makes it much nicer to handle and protects 
the best parts of the meat Avhile being carried to camp. 
By the time we were ready to start for home we found 
that Shep could keep his feet after a feeble fashion, and 
Avith encouragement he could follow slowly — going upon 
about tAVO legs and a half. Upon closer examination 
I found no evidence of broken bones, but he was much 
bruised in the groin and there Avas an ugly place torn 
in his side just forAvard of his flank. Jim took the half 
of the deer (75 or 80 pounds) upon his shoulders, while 
Avith the two guns, the deer's head, and the crippled dog 
to look after, I thought I had all I cared to undertake. 
Poor Shep Avas not yet out of the woods nor at the end 
of his troubles for the day. Painfully and slowly, but 
always with assuring Avags of his bushy tail, he folloAved 
as best he could until Ave reached the creek that Ave must 
cross. It was booming doAvn its gorge, SAVollen Avith the 
rains and roaring Avith energy and poAver. Where Ave 
crossed there Avas a succession of falls — Avhere the Avater 
plunged from a yard or two to twenty feet sheer OA^er 
logs and bowlders. We selected a place Avhere there wa^ 
a fallen tree reaching across the stream, but the log was 
covered with vines and briers. Jim and I crossed upon 
the log, and by a jump. of a yard or more, to the bank. 
I Avas putting my load of guns, and the antlers, down, to 
go to the dog's assistance, when I saw that he had 
avoided the log and was trying to cross upon the bowl- 
ders. He had made his way to the middle of the stream, 
and was now hesitating upon a round boAvlder upon 
which he could, in his crippled condition, scarcely keep 
a footing. From Avhere he was to the next bowlder he 
must jump at least six feet. Tlais, Avith his hind legs 
almost useless, I kneAV he could not accomplish. I hur- 
ried toAvard him, and tried to stop him, but in the roar of 
the Avater he could not hear my voice. He tried the jump, 
his legs failed him and into the boiling, ice-cold rapids 
he went. For a distance of a dozen yards he was chiefly" 
under the water and unmercifully hurled along. I ran 
for a little eddy, or rather a whirl-hole between some 
of the huge bowlders, just below which the stream 
plunged fully twenty feet over a granite Avail— sheer down 
to bowlders below. Shep struggled bravely as he swept 
into the eddy, and by the merest chance I succeeded in 
catching one of his paAvs. I pulled him upon the slippery 
boAvlder upon Avhich I sprawled. He Avas a verj^ Avet, 
cold and forlorn dog. But he Avas game yet. 
_With the ice-Avater streaming from his shaggy coat, in 
his crippled and sore condition being pOAverless to shake 
himself, Shep could still wag his tail as an assurance that 
he would make it yet. Make it home he did, and at this 
time he is almost recoA'ered, ready for another chance 
at anything on four legs. 
I think this sketch is long enough. It is the accurate 
account of the killing of a deer, with attendant incidents. 
Just Avhere the sport comes in the felloAvs Avho have not 
hunted deer can scarcely determine, perhaps, and I can- 
not explain clearly myslf. But an old hunter will spend 
many an hour in after years dreaming over just such 
adventures. This I knoAv, for I can recall many such, 
and AVith inore accuracy of detail, more pleasant reflec- 
tion, and Avhh probably an easier conscience than a man 
is wont to reflect upon things of greater moment Avith 
which he has been connected in the Avorld. 
Ransacker. 
P. S.— In the past week I haA'-e been busied at odd times 
m preserving the trophies, of the hunt. I usually preserve 
the horns with a portion of the skull attached and the 
shield of skin over the forehead. I preserve the skins 
by tanning them Avith the hair on. A large deerskin, 
taken from an animal killed in October or November, and 
properly tanned, makes a very attractive rug or floor' mat: 
The hair is coarse, and in color of a quiet effect, but it 
IS peculiarly rich and heavy, and groAvs more and more 
pleasing to the eye almost anyAvhere it may be placed. 
R. 
A "West VitgirU Pear. 
MoiiGANTowN, W. Va., Dec. g.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: For the past five years a large bear has made 
its home in the BeaA^er Dam country in Pocahontas 
county, this State, and has subsisted prii'icipally on sheep. 
'The whole population has been banded together to kill it, 
but it seemed to be proof against all traps, poison and 
bullets, and is estimated to have killed one thousand dol- 
lars' Avorlh of sheep. 
Last Tuesday night it killed a sheep for Dan Munday 
and on Wednesday a hunt Avas organized. The bear was 
jumped on Day's Run, and came by one of the party Avho 
shot It through the fore leg, crippling it badly; it Avas 
able, hoAvcA^er, to get aAvay for the night. On Thursday 
a pack of hounds and bear dogs was made up and the 
hunt continued ; the bear was found on Spruce Knob and 
the dogs put it across William's River and stopped it 
near the top of Black Mountain. Dan Munday came up 
Avith the game and put a bullet through it killing it 
It weighed, when dressed, four hundred and fifty 
pounds, and had an exceptionally fine pelt, for Avhich they 
refused thirty dollars. There is much rejoicino- at its 
being killed. Emerson Carney 
