| Hunters are human and it is reasonable to | | | | usually seen in a different setting and from |
| expect them to make an occasional mistake in | | | | a different angle with different lighting |
| identifying game in the woods. Quite a few | | | | conditions. Without this experience, any |
| moose are killed every year, and, while some | | | | animal with the camouflage of the |
| of these kills are deliberate, some of them | | | | white-tailed would be hard to identify |
| are killed as deer by men who do not know the | | | | anywhere in its natural wild setting, and |
| difference or by men who do not take the time | | | | many things other than deer are likely to |
| to identify their target. There is no excuse | | | | resemble these animals more than the real |
| in either case. Aside from the difference in | | | | thing. Fixing the picture deer in the mind is |
| size, moose and deer have different shapes, | | | | a sort of negative identification method. |
| colors and actions that should make | | | | Anything which resembles the picture is a |
| identification easy. | | | | deer; and other objects which could be, might |
| | | | be; but such objects call for better |
| Dogs and foxes have nearly fooled me several | | | | identification before shooting. |
| times and, while I never have shot at any of | | | | |
| these animals in mistake for deer, it would | | | | In my own case, I have always been right when |
| take but little imagination to change a large | | | | I was sure at the first glance that the |
| fox into a small deer if the setting were | | | | object I had sighted was a deer; but when I |
| right. These and other animals can be easily | | | | have seen an object which I thought might |
| mistaken for deer by the amateur who is so | | | | have been a deer and had to take a second |
| "keyed up" that he expects to see a deer at | | | | look for positive identification, I have been |
| all times and isn't exactly sure of what he | | | | mistaken more than half of the time, for the |
| is looking for. | | | | object was something other than a deer. Of |
| | | | course, the hunter will seldom mistake |
| It is to prevent these mistakes that I | | | | anything else for a running deer (with the |
| recommend the study of lithographic prints of | | | | possible exception of dogs and red foxes) and |
| the picture deer. I have seen living picture | | | | most of the objects which he mistakes for |
| deer on a few occasions and they are an | | | | standing deer are, more or less, the products |
| unforgettable sight. When seen at the edge of | | | | of his imagination. |
| a field in the early morning sun and with an | | | | |
| evergreen background, they are a sight to | | | | It is to prevent the mistake of shooting it |
| thrill the heart of any hunter. They are | | | | is very recommended to study of lithographic |
| seldom seen under these conditions and when | | | | prints of the picture deer. The |
| they are it seems a shame to destroy so | | | | instantaneous identification of deer in the |
| beautiful a picture. Usually the deer which | | | | woods or fields is almost impossible, until |
| the hunter sees is nothing but a ghostly | | | | one has hunted for years and seen them under |
| shadow drifting across a shaded woods road | | | | many conditions, for each deer is usually |
| or, more often, a dodging, bouncing streak of | | | | seen in a different setting and from a |
| white as the animal seeks safety in flight | | | | different angle with different lighting |
| with its white flag upraised to give the | | | | conditions. |
| hunter a target which is well above and | | | | |
| behind the one he wants to hit. | | | | Without this experience, any animal with the |
| | | | camouflage of the white-tailed would be hard |
| The instantaneous identification of deer in | | | | to identify anywhere in its natural wild |
| the woods or fields is almost impossible, | | | | setting, and many things other than deer are |
| until one has hunted for years and seen them | | | | likely to resemble these animals more than |
| under many conditions, for each deer is | | | | the real thing. |