and the arrow was partially drawn. He whistled; the buck didnot hesitate until he had crossed the clearing. He stoppedat the edge of the clearing, and from behind a maple bush heturned and looked—frantically testing the air for scent. Thebuck was about forty yards away and presented a quarteringexposure. The hunter eased back the string to full draw,aimed well and loosed. The arrow sped true toward the markbut, when it arrived, the deer was not there; he was boundingthrough the brush.
Comment. What happened? The arrow passed the exactspot where the deer's heart had been less than a half secondbefore. It was now past mid morning and the sun shonebrightly; it shone on the hunter and his bow. The bow had abeautiful varnish finish. When he loosed the arrow, the limbsof the reacting bow reflected a flash of light. The deer sawthe flash; his reflexes were so swift that he bounded awayduring the .8 seconds required for the arrow to travel the fortyyards that separated the hunter from the buck. Under theconditions, the deer may have seen the reaction of the boweven though it had been painted in the best light absorbingmanner. The deer exercised his inherent instincts which, inthat case, outmatched the training of the hunter.
