Of the hunting of the Bucke. Chap. 44.

Although mine Aucthor were a Frenchman, & in Fraunce the hunting of the Bucke is nothing so common as the hunting of the Harte is, yet somewhat he hath written thereof, the which (together with some experience of mine owne) I haue thought good here to place next vnto the hunting of the Harte.

It is needelesse to write what difference of heare, head, and other proportions, there are betweene the Harte and the Bucke, since bothe kindes of Uenerie are common inough in this our noble Countrie. The Bucke is fawned in the end of May, and hath all properties common with an Harte, but that the Harte goeth sooner to the Rut, and is sooner in greace, for when a Hart hath bene. xiiij. dayes at Rut, then the Bucke doth but scarcely beginne: there is not so muche skill to be vsed in lodgyng of a Bucke, as in harboring of a Harte, nor needeth to vse somuch drawing after him: but onely to iudge by the view and marke what groue or couert he goeth into, for he will not wander nor royle so farre aboute as a Harte, nor change layre so often: and yet we vse here in England to lodge the Bucke as wee vse to harbor the Harte, for the Bucke is much commoner with vs than the Harte. He maketh his fewmishing in sundrie maners and formes as the Harte dothe, according to the seazon of the feede that he findeth, but most cōmonly they are round: when they are hunted they flie into •…rch strong couertes as they haue bene most accustomed vnto, and neuer flee so farre before the houndes, nor double, crosse, nor vse suche and so many subtile policies as an Harte doth. For he turneth backe vpon the houndes oftentimes, and escheweth the high wayes as muche as he may, especially in the open playnes: he is sometimes killed at Soyle as an Harte doth, and will beate a Brooke or Riuer, but not so craftely nor can so long endure therein, nor dare take suche great riuers and waters as the Harte will, he leapeth lightlier at the Rut than an Harte, and groyneth as an Harte belloweth, but with a baser boyce ratlyng in the throte: the Harte & he loue not one another, Page  142 but do one of them eschewe anothers layre: they are sweeter of Sent vnto the houndes than the Harte or the Rowdeare, and yet some thinke that the Rowe is the sweetest chase that is, but at least theyr flesh is more delicate: and therefore if a hounde haue once fedde thereon, he will loue it aboue all other chases. The venyson of a Bucke is very dayntie, good meate, & is to be dres∣sed (in manner) lyke to the venyson of an Harte: but the Hartes fleshe wilbe longer preserued: the Bucke will hearde more than the Harte, and lieth in the dryest places: but if he be at large out of a Parke, he will heard but little frō the moneth of May, vntill the end of August, or very neare, bycause the flie troubleth him: they loue the hilly places well, but they muste haue dales and bottomes to feede in: wee hunte the Bucke euen as wee hunte the Harte: sauyng that it is not needefull to lay so many relayes, nor to lay out so farre. Bycause he fleeth not so farre out, but wheeleth and keepeth the couert as is before declared. The greatest subtiltie that a huntesman hath neede to beware of in huntyng the Bucke, is to keepe his houndes from huntyng counter or chaunge, bycause we haue plentie of Fallow deare, and they come oftener directly backe vpon the houndes than a redde deare doth: the breakyng vp and rewarde are all one with the breakyng vp and reward of an Harte.