THE “ RUTTING” SEASON 183

of year (and this was so even in the days when they were
far more numerous than they are now) big stags are by
no means easy to obtain, as they are scattered here and
there over an enormous extent of country, so that long
tramps have to be made to find them. Later on, when
heavy snow comes, it is far easier, as they descend from
the higher altitudes and congregate more together.

In stalking mule deer you have to contend with eyesight
that is exceptionally keen ; perhaps not the equal of that
of a sheep at long distances, but quite as quick, if not
quicker, at short range. Then their hearing is very sharp,
better than that of a sheep and nearly the equal of that
of moose and bear, They have fair powers of scenting
you, but it has never seemed to me that the question of
wind is of such importance as that of sight and hearing.
In this respect they resemble the northern sheep, to whom
you may often give your wind with impunity, but let the
top of your head appear and the stalk is over.

The *‘ rutting’’ season for mule deer begins about the
first week in November, and at that time the stags, like
most other game, are so taken up with their own affairs
that they are easier to approach ; though even then they
do not become so oblivious to danger that you can take
much in the way of liberty in approaching them.

When the ‘*‘ rut” first commences many of the older
stags never seem to stop to feed or rest either by day or
night, but walk on and on, occasionally trotting for a
time, until they change from round sleek beasts, with
bodies covered with fat, to thin scraggy wrecks. While
my experience is that they do not do much in the way of
fighting, some of them must wage savage battles occa-
sionally, and once in a while they come to an untimely
end through locking their horns.

Mule deer do not challenge like moose, wapiti, and
red deer, though they become very fierce, and in captivity
are dangerous. Even in the wild state they now and
then show an inclination to attack a person, and on two
different occasions I saw stags that were either too tired
to run away, or worked up into such a pitch of frenzy,