Posted by MMMMarcia on January 18, 1999 at 20:59:25:
In Reply to: Re: New Pages To LOTM Site & Running Of Elk posted by Champ on January 18, 1999 at 19:19:19:
Champ wrote:
: thanks for the compliment & invite, I'd love to attend, unfortuantly I live in the opposite end of the country [Pacific NW] & I and the wife are expecting a baby in May, so finances are a bit tight [unless I win the lotto ;-) ]...
>>Well, I can understand that this year might not be such good timing, but maybe by next year, you can come with the whole family! ;o) Congratulations on the approaching new addition!
: but I'll check in here a little more regular than in the past...
>>Good!
: Your right, it appears that Chingachgook is "driving" the elk towards Uncas & Hawkeye. My comments were only meant to explain that running deer [in the past] has been done, but only with hounds, as both Rich & Mark are right, a man could not do this ;-)
>>Yes, your comments were very interesting about the hounds & horses. I was on a train of thought that is apparently WAY outdated, and I have been chided by my MentorPersons (Rich & Elaine) for not keeping up with the newest articles. I've been slacking, obviously, but there's just SO much to read here! I'll try to be better. I HAVE read the Trekking article, and now I'll check out Mark Baker's stuff. You've all convinced me to get caught up!
: When I was about 11 yrs old, I spent the summer with my Grandpa [out in the isolated countryside]. Early one evening I spied a buck & two does, so I slipped out of the house, made my way to the pasture & slowly crawled thru the tall grass until I was within 30 feet of the trio [the breeze was blowing with me].
: All of a sudden the breeze shifted, they caught my scent and were gone, I hopped up & gave chase but it wasnt long before they had out distanced me & were gone into the trees & brush.
: That is something I'll never forget [big grin]...
>>Great story. I've walked up close to deer in the woods around here on a few occasions when the wind was right, but once they catch scent or sight of you, they are gone in a heartbeat. Impossible to catch!
The best deer story I have is when I was canoeing on Rock Springs Run. I had taken my mother for her first canoe ride. Rock Springs is a lovely, tropical river, complete with turtles, gators, otter, and a multitude of birds. The water is very shallow & though the river can be dark & twisted in some areas, we had come out into an open area of sunny flats...all bullrushes and cattails and low hanging palms. There was a small stand of rushes in midstream, and as we neared it, we saw a doe & her fawn standing in chest deep water among the weeds. Our canoe was between them and the shore, and they froze as we approached, watching us warily. We glided silently by them, close enough that I could have touched them with my paddle, but they knew the water was too deep to try to run, so they stayed put. As we slipped by them, we were as still as they, holding our breaths for fear of scaring them more. The doe turned her head, following our progress, and I noticed that she had a deep, old scar that ran the length of her face, from jaw to ear, and through the eye, which was obviously gone. It was a straight line, and I wondered if it was an old bullet wound. She seemed a very healthy specimen, otherwise, completely recovered, and her fawn was lovely. My mother still talks about that canoe trip today. It was one of those moments you always remember.
There is nothing like being out in nature to restore your soul! Wouldn't it be something to have been able to see this beautiful country in 1757?
Marcia