| Hardback book with Dust Jacket by George Mattis Popular Science Publishing Company, Inc. Copyright © 1969 by George Mattis " This book blends a practical knowledge of deer hunting with a deep feeling for the mystery, romance, and challenge of the chase.
Mr. Mattis has spent his life studying the whitetail, and here he records the wisdom gained in pursuit of an esteemed quarry.
To read this book is not only to get an education in hunting lore but an insight into the private world of the deer - the inner secrets of his habits, hiding grounds, feeding areas, his natural reactions to man's actions, to weather and to different terrain. " " Like many veteran hunters, the author favors the solitude and freedom offered in still-hunting, for it is in still-hunting that the man parries on equal footing with the three senses of the whitetail.
Comparing these senses to man's, Mr. Mattis describes the stratagems a hunter can use to gain the better odds: how to use his eyes to compensate for his weaker senses; how to stalk, and wait, and stalk again; how to use the high ground to survey basins; how to read weather as a guide to deer behavior. " " The art of hunting in every kind of terrain is set forth in firm detail, whether it be jackpine country, heavy brush, marshland, or snow.
And snow usually means tracking.
There is a best time to pick up a track, and there are ways to determine the age and sex of the deer that made it. " " Trail watching can be a productive technique, as well as a rich experience in nature study.
The chapter on this subject gives advice for choosing a runway (how to tell the difference between summer and fall runways) and how to observe while on the stand. " " For those who enjoy company on their hunts - the author doesn't shun companionship - the chapters on small hunting groups and large drives contain valuable facts: probing and standing on a two-man hunt; driving with three men in heavy slashings; driving in large groups, with or without standers; and judging the behavior of the modern whitetail caught in the drive. " " While warning about the dangers of running shots on deer, Mr. Mattis does not balk at going into specifics on this subject.
He discusses all the factors that affect aim on a running shot - nerve reaction to the sight picture, reflex action in trigger squeeze, proper swinging with the target and the footwork this entails. " " If the hunter wounds his deer with a running shot - or with a standing shot, as often occurs - he is obliged to track it down.
The author describes the reactions of a shot deer and explains how clues on the trail - blood, hair, tracks - can inform the hunter of the deer's condition and lead him to the animal. " " Once confronted with his kill, the hunter is obliged to treat it properly and haul it back to camp or car.
Mr. Mattis explains how to approach a deer, how to determine whether it's dead, how to field dress the animal to preserve the meat, and how to get it out of the woods - whether alone or with another hunter.
Finally, he discusses the advantages of taking the deer to a professional meat handler for butchering. " " The cause of many missed and wounded deer is the strange malady called buck fever.
Contrary to popular belief, trembling is not always the main symptom of the disease.
In his explanation of the various ways in which buck fever affects a hunter, and how to prevent or overcome an attack, the author dispels a few misconceptions and renders a valuable service. " " The concluding chapters of WHITETAIL are concerned solely with the deer themselves - the buck, the doe, their mating habits, and how they adapt to the seasons.
A conservationist as well as a hunter, Mr. Mattis wants to preserve our favorite big-game animal, and if his knowledge and viewpoint are shared by enough, the whitetail will be with us for a long time. " " WHITETAIL is illustrated with evocative and realistic drawings of hunting situations by renowned wildlife artist William Reusswig. " Contents include: " Preface
1. The Still-Hunter
2. The Small Hunting Group
3. Gang Hunting
4. Trail Watching
5. Running Down Your Deer
6. Snow Tracking
7. Some Unusual Hunting Methods
8. Lucky Breaks
9. Hitting Them on the Run
10. Hunting in Milder Climates
11. The Whitetail in the Arid States
12. Wounded Deer
13. After Your Deer is Down
14. Buck Fever
15. The Buck
16. The Rut
17. Wintering Whitetails
18. Spring and Summer Whitetails
19. Deer Guns and Sights
20. Clothing and Personal Equipment
21. The Trend
22. The Future
Index " The book is in very nice condition but the dust jacket is very worn and torn.
No torn or ripped pages.
The side edges of the pages appear slightly dirty.
No other markings or writing. | 
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