DUEL WITH STAG

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 50, 29 January 1932, Page 12

DUEL WITH STAG

FARMER’S EXCITING EXPERI-

ENCE.

DOGS TOSSED INTO AIR. An experience of an unusual nature befel a resident of Five Rivers (writes a correspondent of the Southland Tunes), While riding out to his run his dogs put -up and took after an eight-pointer red deer. After an exciting chase the dogs bailed it up in a patch of bush. Having only a pocket knife with him at the time, the man attached himself to a hefty piece of timber with which he approached the beast. As he came near, the stag lowered its head and with a couple of quick twists sent two of the dogs 15ft in the air, while the third it stamped on with its fore feet. The man was able to get only one crack on tho maddened beast’s head when suddenly it turned on him and charged. After having seen what happened to the dogs the man made for the nearest tree. Then the strangest part of the affair began. The stag came round the tree after the man, and with the dogs dodging around and barking they tore round and round with the man only a few jumps ahead of the deer. This proceeding lasted some time, according to the man concerned till at last the stag stopped, and he took the opportunity, te get behind a clump of bushes. To his great astonishment the stag, after worrying all the dogs, made for this clump, and with a magnificent leap cleared bushes and man and made off with the dogs after it. , The man followed as fast as he could and came up with the beast again bailed up in a pool in a creek. The dogs woula only stand round and b&rk, but would not take hold. The man made a stab at the deer with his knife, but caught it in the flank when the beast flung its head round hitting his wrist and sending the knife spinning. He then got into the water and took hold of the antlers forcing its head into the water with the intention 'of drowning it. The beast evidently had other views and tried to drown its assailant, for with a jerk of its head it threw him into the water. Shortly afterwards the man managed to twist its head round till the antlers were against the roots of a tree on the bank. Not having 1 enough string to tie the beast down he left it. with the dogs while he went a short distance to get Borne flax. ... ,; ~, Returning to the soene of battle, he again came to grips with the stag and managed to twist its head sufficiently to get one side of the antlers tied to the roots of the tree. He then gpt the other side tied down in a similar manner and started for home to get a knife. After going a short distance he came on a pieoe of wire and returned with it to make the antlers more secure. When.-.he returned with ® knife to despatch the beast, only the Wire was holding it down, the flax having parted with the beast s struggles. This will, no doubt, be one of the few times a red. deer has been taken with bare hands.