THE FINEST DEER IN THE WORLD.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2647, 29 June 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE FINEST DEER IN THE WORLD.

Mr Seton-Karr, M. P. draws a mournful picture of the wnv iu which Northwest America is being cleared of big game for the cake of their hides, but says that the British hunters still act in a sportsmanlike way. Here is an account of tho last Wapiti bull he shot before leaving America : —In the forenoon a Bolitary twelve-point bull had been encountered, and, aftor a short stalk, had duly met his fate in tho shape of an express bullet through the heart. Tho rest of tho afternoon had been spent in vainly endeavouring to get sight of what was evidently, from his hoarse note, a fine old bull, who, in the thickest of the pine timber, with a baud of cows in charge, had been sounding his deep-voiced challenge far and wide. The " whistling " or rutting season was at its height, and tho bull 1 speak of was being challenged buck ou either side by two others not muoh inferior in size, each evidently accompanied by their respective harems of faithful cows. In all my elk-hunting days I never heard a better trio. However, the short October day was drawing in, aucl after spendiug an hour or two in the vain endeavour to get a shot hy still-hunting?, different tactics were tried. The enclosing ravines wore steep and rocky, and tha ground favourable for a drive. Our first step was to show ourselves to the nearest cows, and move all three bands of elk forward. They presently joined, and the muster sta<* of the three at once seized the opportunity of driving the other two off and appropriating the united bauds of cows to himself. This interesting sight we witnessed in an open park half a mile ahead, as they moved along. Loaving my companion to keep behind the herd, and move it in the right direction, I made a rapid detour a-head on more open ground, and posted myself for the drive at the junction of the canons aforesaid, where, concealed in low cover at the top of an open hill-side, I could command a view of tho straith beneath. This was my last chance, aud it was rapidly getting dusk. The progress of the herd had been slow, owing to the thickness of the pine forest through which they were making their way, and, as it turned out, I reached the pass just in time. After a short suspense—yes, that was tha leading hind coming out of cover half a mile below. There were too diverging trails round the crest of the hill. If they came by the right they would got my wind, and I should never see the old bull of the herd, who was bringing up the rear. If to tho left, tho whole herd, would filo by me at sixty yards, and the old bull was mine. Steadily the loading hind came on, followed by a band several hundred strong, whilst far in the rear a splendid pair of antlers showed the presence of tho monarch of the glen. Which trail will they take ? The leading animal, a ragged-looking old cow-elk, camo to tho parting of the trails a quarter of a milo below, hesitated, took the loft hand, and sealed the doom of her lord and master. It was an interesting and exciting moment. Crouched i.i a bush, not stirring a muscle, I watched the whole herd trot silently by. Last of all name my old friend, who had been bellowing a melodious chorus at his rivals for the last two houra. A low whistle, and he stops, broadside on, sixty yards away, when following the crack of the rifle came the dull thud of bullet 011 living hide, " dear to the sportsman's ear as tho voice of her he loves." It was an easy chance and a cleaD kill, and after plunging a few yards headlong down the steep hill-side, over rolled the old bull Wapiti, stone dead. So concluded a /successful day's sport in the Wild West, and long after dark that night we got back to camp, tired out but content with the head and horns of our Wapiti strapped on one of our horses. Next morniug I turned my back, possibly for many a long day, on the land of the buffalo and the elk.