FIGHT WITH A STAG

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9630, 10 April 1917, Page 8

FIGHT WITH A STAG

A BOY’S ADVENTURE. A Finn named Jack Matson, who ■works at Messrs Coop Bros.’ station on the Mahia Peninsula, was attacked by a stag within 3UO yards of the homestead on Friday, says the “Poverty Bay Herald." He was driving a pack horse in front of him, he being on foot, and looking around he saw the stag walking behind him. He had never seen deer before, and called out to his mate, who was working on some cattle yards about 100 yards away, to look at the devil following him. When be stopped the stag bayed at him, and the boy tried to get behind a stump, .but the stag was too quick, and drove one of his tines in between two of his ribs, piercing his lung. The boy plnckily caught hold of the antlers and yelled out for his mate, and he came as fast as he could with an axe, and by that time the stag had Matson down and was doing his best to kill him, tearing his clothes and inflicting another- nasty wound in his thigh. When his mate got there the stag drew off about 12ft and stood, and with his mate’s assist, ance Matson was enabled to get on to a high log. Anderson then ran to the homestead for a rifle, and the manager went with him, hardly crediting what was told him. The stag in the meantime tried to get at Matson, but could not reach him. and when he heard voices, he went to meet Anderson and the manager. Five or six shots made him groggy, and he went into a small gully and the manager followed him. and ■ the next shot killed him. It is more like a tale from a Deadwood Hick, and one can hardly credit such a thing, but these are facts. Dr Keith was sent for from Wairoa, and at the present time of writing the nurse from Wairoa is hero, and if the patient gets safely over to-morrow will recover. He had a bad shock, and except for his mate being near would have been killed. The manager has the stag’s head (ten points) and skin. The stag was undoubtedly looking for trouble. for when he heard the others coming he left Matson and came to meet them, as bv that time he wanted more blood, and in one way he got it from the result of a H bullet.