| It is better for a hunter to have knowledge and | | | | Another man and I were portaging from one pond to |
| experience in hunting the deer. Resting or sleeping | | | | another on a late summer day. He led with a pack |
| deer are easier to stalk. Some eyes needs to be | | | | and I followed with the canoe on my shoulders. My |
| trained to be able to spot the deer in better positions | | | | view was obscured by the canoe and my eyes were |
| which many hunters do not pay attention to. | | | | on the trail in order to insure safe footing. When I |
| Perhaps it was taking an unfair advantage, but when | | | | saw fresh deer tracks in the trail, I began to |
| I found another deer in almost the same | | | | speculate about where the deer might be going and |
| circumstances, I shot it before it was aware of its | | | | why they were traveling at that time of day. I spoke |
| danger. With the first deer, I was hunting for | | | | to my companion and told him to watch for deer at |
| knowledge and experience; and with the second, I | | | | a spring that was a short distance along the trail. |
| was out for meat. Probably some of the other deer | | | | When we came in sight of the spring, there were a |
| which I have stalked were asleep before I saw them | | | | doe and a fawn. |
| and some sound or scent had alerted them to | | | | This is an example of the type of reasoning which |
| danger but not enough to cause them to leave their | | | | should be used in order to take advantage of tracks |
| beds. I have found these sleeping and resting deer | | | | while stalking deer. I knew the location of the spring. |
| comparatively easy to stalk, but it requires a lot of | | | | I knew that the deer would not be moving at that |
| time and concentration on the job at hand as well as | | | | time without some reason. It was not feeding time |
| trained eyesight in order to be successful. Many | | | | and the deer were walking, a fact which indicated |
| hunters cannot or will not do this. | | | | that they had left their beds of their own accord. |
| A friend of mine, who is an excellent hunter and who | | | | The logical reason for such actions was to obtain a |
| has killed his share of deer, tells me that he has | | | | drink of water. I would not advise a hunter to stalk |
| never had a standing shot at a deer in the woods. | | | | the nearest spring whenever he saw a fresh deer |
| They have always been on the move. This speaks | | | | track, because each individual case presents a |
| well for his marksmanship and his eyesight must be | | | | separate problem and each case requires a different |
| good, but evidently his eyes are not trained to | | | | solution. |
| identify stationary objects. | | | | The successful stalking of, bedded deer is a task for |
| Feeding deer are considerably easier to stalk than | | | | the expert—the specialist of the hunting fraternity. |
| resting deer, mostly because their feeding motions | | | | The novice will have more success in stalking feeding |
| make them easier to see and because they are | | | | deer. This should not deter the novice, or restrict his |
| partly preoccupied with their feeding. This is no | | | | stalking activity. He should attempt all types of |
| reason for any slackening of caution while attempting | | | | hunting, for this is the only way that he can improve |
| to approach feeding deer. | | | | his ability to the point where he becomes an expert. |
| The presence of tracks around an area is often help | | | | The feeding deer may looks easier to stalk but it |
| in stalking deer, but if the hunter concentrates on | | | | doesn't mean that you have to slacken the caution |
| these tracks, he is apt to miss seeing the deer until it | | | | while attempting to approach feeding deer. And try |
| is too late for an aimed shot. The idea of using | | | | using the present track in stalking the deer because |
| tracks as an aid to stalking is not to trail a deer to its | | | | they could of good use to the hunters. |
| bed or feeding area, but to use these tracks to | | | | It is good for a hunter to stalk the nearest spring |
| obtain some idea of where the deer might be | | | | whenever he saw a fresh deer track, because each |
| located. Knowledge of habits and of the surrounding | | | | individual case presents a separate problem and each |
| country is necessary for the successful use of these | | | | case requires a different solution. The successful |
| tracks and other signs as aids in locating deer without | | | | stalking of, bedded deer is a task for the |
| the need of following the tracks to them. | | | | expert—the specialist of the hunting fraternity. |