DEER HUNTING. 
249 
Fire-hunting is a style of hunting, or rather poaching Deer, 
which, I suppose, I must mention, as it is largely practised in 
many regions of country; and, being very destructive and very 
certain, has many votaries,—but I confess that I am ashamed 
to do so, and must regard it as utterly unsportsmanlike, and 
butcherly. 
This fire-hunting is performed in two manners; one, the most 
usual, is to build a fire of pine-knots on a grating in the bows 
of a canoe, with a sort of wooden screen behind it, immedi¬ 
ately in the rear of which the murderer sits with his ready rifle, 
while his comrade, seated in the stern, propels the light vessel 
along the channel of deer-haunted rivulets, or along the margin 
of forest lakes, at which they descend to drink. Astonished by 
the fire-light, the animals stand stupidly at gaze, until the red 
glare, falling upon their eyeballs, shows them to the concealed 
rifleman, who levels his deadly piece, at ten or twelve paces 
distant, between their gleaming orbs, and rarely fails to kill a 
buck at every shot. 
The principle of the other method is identical, although the 
modus operandi %s slightly different :—A scaffold is erected, 
about four or five feet in circumference, and high enough to 
admit of the hunger’s sitting under it; this is covered with sticks, 
bark, and a thick layer of earth, upon which a bright fire is 
kindled, of pine-knots, as before, while a screen of branches i3 
erected about it to conceal the persons of the crouching hunters. 
These preparations are made in the vicinity of one of the 6alt 
springs, or licks , as they are called, which are so eagerly sought 
out, and so much frequented by Deer; and the animals approach 
with the same disregard of, or, perhaps, I should rather say fas¬ 
cination by the fire, for which they are remarkable. 
The great drawback to this species of sport, apart from the 
not slight odor of pot-hunting which attaches to it, is that other 
animals than Deer often approach the treacherous blaze ; and 
instances are not uncommon of hunters shooting their own 
horses and cattle,—nay, every now and then, their own compa¬ 
nions, sisters, and sweethearts. 
