| Most of the time when we go to hunting we | | | | The search is necessary because the missing |
| might have come across many wounded animals, | | | | man may have met with an accident and may not |
| and even tried to do their best to help the | | | | be able to travel, but no man should go out |
| deer recover from their wounds, but some time | | | | of sight of camp, in the woods, without a |
| it used to fail. These wastages in deer are | | | | compass, and there is no real need for one |
| also due to when you shot the animal in the | | | | with a compass to become lost. |
| evening when they are hardly visible. And | | | | |
| before shooting the deer it is always good to | | | | A man doesn't need to be a navigator or a |
| check the local laws of hunting the deer. | | | | surveyor in order to be able to utilize this |
| | | | instrument. All that he needs is a steady |
| In the past twenty years, I have failed to | | | | mind and something to give him a positive |
| recover two badly wounded deer and in each | | | | general direction. Almost any cheap compass |
| case they were shot late in the day, and bad | | | | will do this, if the carrier will only |
| weather the following night made it | | | | believe it, and if he has taken the trouble |
| impossible to follow their tracks the next | | | | to notice the direction in which he started |
| day. I am quite sure that both of these deer | | | | when he left camp at the beginning of the |
| were killed though I never found any trace of | | | | hunt. Most hunting camps are on a road, |
| one of them. Fox tracks led me to the remains | | | | stream or pond that extends for some distance |
| of the other. | | | | on each side of the camp and it is only |
| | | | necessary to find this road, stream or pond |
| The hunter should be very careful while | | | | in order to find the camp. |
| shooting late in the day, for, although | | | | |
| visibility may appear to be good, the | | | | When hunting in strange territory, I usually |
| diminishing light can cause slight sighting | | | | spend a part of the first day in |
| errors which may cause a serious wound | | | | familiarizing myself with the territory in |
| instead of a clean kill. Every shot should be | | | | the immediate vicinity of the place where I |
| investigated at the time and if there is the | | | | am staying. I walk the road, if there is one, |
| slightest chance that a deer has been | | | | for at least a half-mile in each direction |
| wounded, the hunter should return the | | | | from camp, observing any outstanding features |
| following day and attempt to recover the | | | | which might serve as landmarks. I make short |
| animal. If he finds that he cannot return on | | | | circles or half-circles near the camp, |
| the following day, he should notify a game | | | | noticing any unusual formations such as |
| warden or a local guide of the fact that he | | | | trees, rocks, brooks, wood roads, chopping or |
| has wounded a deer, so that the animal may be | | | | anything which might be of help in |
| recovered if such recovery is possible. | | | | determining my exact location in relation to |
| | | | the camp in case that I should become |
| Before a hunter snoots from or near a road, | | | | confused when re- turning from a hunt. This |
| he should check the laws of the area in which | | | | procedure would not help a man that is |
| he is hunting, for in some states, shooting | | | | completely lost, because when he is in that |
| is prohibited within a specified distance of | | | | condition, even the back door of his own home |
| a road. In places where such shooting is | | | | is liable to be strange and unfamiliar enough |
| legal, the hunter should use caution and not | | | | to be unrecognizable. This does not seem |
| shoot lengthwise or across the road, even if | | | | possible, but I know from experience that a |
| this means passing up a chance to bag a deer. | | | | man who is merely turned around can look at |
| The safety of other motorists is more | | | | familiar objects without recognizing them and |
| important than killing the best deer that | | | | even after he has recognized them, cannot |
| travels the woods. | | | | believe that they are in their proper place. |
| | | | |
| Every year we read or hear about hunters and | | | | When a hunter goes for hunting and makes the |
| fishermen becoming lost in the woods and of | | | | shoot and sure that he has shot the deer, it |
| the trouble and expense that is taken to find | | | | is better if he checks the deer or warns the |
| them. The state wardens, the sheriff's | | | | warden. While going for deer hunting always |
| department, guides and other woodsmen all | | | | remember to keep your compass with you, so |
| turn out to look for the lost person. Not all | | | | that you have less chances of getting lost in |
| of this is necessary. The search is necessary | | | | the woods. And try to always familiarize |
| if a man fails to show up at his camp soon | | | | yourself with the places before hunting in |
| after he is expected, but there is no need | | | | strange or new places. |
| for the man to be lost in the first place. | | | | |