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hold the white bead of your rifle motionless and to press the trigger。 It
has to be done VERY steadily； at that distance；and you out of breath；
with your nerves keyed high in the tension of such caution。〃
〃NOW what are you talking about？〃 she broke in helplessly。
〃Oh； didn't I mention it？〃 I asked； surprised。 〃I was telling you why I
could bear to shoot deer。〃
〃Yes； but〃 she began。
〃Of course not；〃 I reassured her。 〃After all； it's very simple。 The
reason I can bear to kill deer is because； to kill deer； you must accomplish
a skillful elimination of the obvious。〃
My young lady was evidently afraid of being considered stupid； and
also convinced of her inability to understand what I was driving at。 So
she temporized in the manner of society。 〃I see；〃 she said； with an air of
complete enlightenment。
Now of course she did not see。 Nobody could see the force of that
last remark without the grace of further explanation； and yet in the
elimination of the obvious rests the whole secret of seeing deer in the
woods。
In traveling the trail you will notice two things： that a tenderfoot will
habitually contemplate the horn of his saddle or the trail a few yards ahead
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of his horse's nose； with occasionally a look about at the landscape； and
the old…timer will be constantly searching the prospect with keen
understanding eyes。 Now in the occasional glances the tenderfoot takes；
his perceptions have room for just so many impressions。 When the
number is filled out he sees nothing more。 Naturally the obvious features
of the landscape supply the basis for these impressions。 He sees the
configuration of the mountains； the nature of their covering； the course of
their ravines； first of all。 Then if he looks more closely； there catches his
eye an odd… shaped rock； a burned black stub； a flowering bush； or some
such matter。 Anything less striking in its appeal to the attention actually
has not room for its recognition。 In other words； supposing that a man
has the natural ability to receive x visual impressions； the tenderfoot fills
out his full capacity with the striking features of his surroundings。 To be
able to see anything more obscure in form or color； he must naturally put
aside from his attention some one or another of these obvious features。
He can； for example； look for a particular kind of flower on a side hill only
by refusing to see other kinds。
If this is plain； then； go one step further in the logic of that reasoning。
Put yourself in the mental attitude of a man looking for deer。 His eye
sweeps rapidly over a side hill； so rapidly that you cannot understand how
he can have gathered the main features of that hill； let alone concentrate
and refine his attention to the seeing of an animal under a bush。 As a
matter of fact he pays no attention to the main features。 He has trained
his eye； not so much to see things； as to leave things out。 The odd…
shaped rock； the charred stub； the bright flowering bush do not exist for
him。 His eye passes over them as unseeing as yours over the patch of
brown or gray that represents his quarry。 His attention stops on the
unusual； just as does yours； only in his case the unusual is not the obvious。
He has succeeded by long training in eliminating that。 Therefore he sees
deer where you do not。 As soon as you can forget the naturally obvious
and construct an artificially obvious； then you too will see deer。
These animals are strangely invisible to the untrained eye even when
they are standing 〃in plain sight。〃 You can look straight at them； and not
see them at all。 Then some old woodsman lets you sight over his finger
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exactly to the spot。 At once the figure of the deer fairly leaps into vision。
I know of no more perfect example of the instantaneous than this。 You
are filled with astonishment that you could for a moment have avoided
seeing it。 And yet next time you will in all probability repeat just this
〃puzzle picture〃 experience。
The Tenderfoot tried for six weeks before he caught sight of one。 He
wanted to very much。 Time and again one or the other of us would hiss
back； 〃See the deer！ over there by the yellow bush！〃 but before he could
bring the deliberation of his scrutiny to the point of identification； the deer
would be gone。 Once a fawn jumped fairly within ten feet of the pack…
horses and went bounding away through the bushes； and that fawn he
could not help seeing。 We tried conscientiously enough to get him a shot；
but the Tenderfoot was unable to move through the brush less majestically
than a Pullman car； so we had ended by becoming apathetic on the subject。
Finally； while descending a very abrupt mountain… side I made out a
buck lying down perhaps three hundred feet directly below us。 The buck
was not looking our way； so I had time to call the Tenderfoot。 He came。
With difficulty and by using my rifle…barrel as a pointer I managed to
show him the animal。 Immediately he began to pant as though at the
finish of a mile race； and his rifle； when he leveled it； covered a good half
acre of ground。 This would never do。
〃Hold on！〃 I interrupted sharply。
He lowered his weapon to stare at me wild…eyed。
〃What is it？〃 he gasped。
〃Stop a minute！〃 I commanded。 〃Now take three deep breaths。〃
He did so。
〃Now shoot；〃 I advised； 〃and aim at his knees。〃
The deer was now on his feet and facing us； so the Tenderfoot had the
entire length of the animal to allow for lineal variation。 He fired。 The
deer dropped。 The Tenderfoot thrust his hat over one eye； rested hand on
hip in a manner cocky to behold。
〃Simply slaughter！〃 he proffered with lofty scorn。
We descended。 The bullet had broken the deer's backabout six
inches from the tail。 The Tenderfoot had overshot by at least three feet。
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You will see many deer thus from the trail；in fact； we kept up our
meat supply from the saddle； as one might say；but to enjoy the finer
savor of seeing deer； you should start out definitely with that object in
view。 Thus you have opportunity for the display of a certain finer
woodcraft。 You must know where the objects of your search are likely to
be found； and that depends on the time of year； the time of days their age；
their sex； a hundred little things。 When the bucks carry antlers in the
velvet； they frequent the inaccessibilities of the highest rocky peaks； so
their tender horns may not be torn in the brush； but nevertheless so that the
advantage of a lofty viewpoint may compensate for the loss of cover。
Later you will find them in the open slopes of a lower altitude； fully
exposed to the sun； that there the heat may harden the antlers。 Later still；
the heads in fine condition and tough to withstand scratches； they plunge
into the dense thickets。 But in the mean time the fertile does have sought
a lower country with patches of small brush interspersed with open
passages。 There they can feed with their fawns； completely concealed；
but able； by merely raising the head； to survey the entire landscape for the
threatening of danger。 The barren does； on the other hand； you will find
through the timber and brush； for they are careless of all responsibilities
either to offspring or headgear。 These are but a few of the considerations
you will take into account； a very few of the many which lend the deer
countries strange thrills of delight over new kn