240 
FRANK FORESTER'S FIELD SPORTS. 
The venison of the American Deer is a very favorite meat, 
Mid is particularly famous for its tenderness, and easiness of 
digestion; I must, however, record my own opinion, that it is 
very much over-rated, as it appears to me deficient in flavor and 
fatness, and in no wise comparable to good four or five year 
old mutton, which has hung long enough to become tender. 
This beautiful animal abounded formerly in every part of 
this Continent, from the extreme North-east to Mexico, or even 
farther South ; and it is even now found in considerable num¬ 
bers, wherever the destruction of the forests, and the wanton 
rapacity of man, have not caused its extinction. 
But a few years ago it abounded in the State of New-York, 
as far south as Orange, Rockland, and Putnam counties, but its 
range is rapidly becoming circumscribed; and, though a few 
scattered herds may be found still north of the Shawangunks, 
the sportsman must go to Greene or Ulster counties, Hamilton 
county, or the valley of the Chemung, and the head waters of 
the Alleghany, before he can be secure of sport. In New 
Jersey, a few are found yet on the highlands of Navesink, and 
perhaps a few on the mountains toward the Delaware river, but 
their number is small, and daily decreasing. To the eastward, 
they are still tolerably plentiful in the northern parts of Ver¬ 
mont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire; and in Maine they 
abound in the great evergreen forests, their worst enemy there 
being the Wolf, as there is, perhaps, less of the sporting ardor 
to be found in the hardy and laborious natives of that fine State, 
than in any other part of the Union. The loggers and lumber¬ 
men may occasionally filch time from graver occupation to still- 
hunt, or fire-hunt a Deer or two, and in their leisure time may 
get up a hunt or two in parties, for a frolic or a bet—a hunt in 
which, by the way, every thing that flies or runs, from an Owl 
to a Skunk, is brought to bag promiscuously, and counted as 
game,—but hunting proper and scientific, I may say there is 
none. 
What game comes into market is mostly brought by Indians, 
who watch patiently at the run-ways by the lake margins, and 
