184 MULE DEER

that they made hostile demonstrations. One of these
stags just contented himself with stamping his feet and
shaking his horns at me, but the other was bolder and
more warlike. He actually advanced towards me, every
now and again stopping to hook the ground with his
horns or stamp his feet. He came to a final stop about
fifty yards away, and then vented his wrath on a bunch
of dead sticks, one of which, about six feet long, he tossed
high above his head. After a time, seeing he did not
succeed in making me run away, as he possibly expected,
he assaulted a small tree in a vicious manner. Finally
he turned and sauntered off, turning every once in a while
and threatening to come back and have it out. When
both of these incidents occurred my horses were in full
view not far away, and the stag may have been looking
more at them than at me, though it did not seem like it
at the time.

If there happens to be a fall of snow before the “ rutting”
season commences it is good sport following the deer by
their tracks in the snow, noting how steadily they are
feeding, the pace they are moving, the increased freshness
of their tracks, and watching for signs of them seeking a
favourable spot to lie down and rest. The course the
deer take may be varied; perhaps through scattered
timber, through dense willow and poplar thickets, up
over open rolling hills, down through rough gulches and
along rocky ridges. It is when they leave the open
ground and approach that which is more broken up by
ridges and hillocks that you must be extra cautious, as
then it is probable that they intend to bed down. They
are very cunning, and never choose a resting-place unless
it is in a position where they are either well hidden or can
get a good view for a distance around them. Also they
invariably keep a close watch on their back trail, so that
if you do not go about your work in a skilful manner
they will see you long before you are within range of
them. It therefore behoves you to leave their trail as
soon as you have satisfied yourself they intend to lie down.
You then should circle round, at a| distance, the place