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deer n Cp DC ~ 'caribou' for sense 1; for combs. in sense 2: DC
~ fence (Nfld: 1832), ~ pass (1836); DAE ~ path (1823), ~ trap (1634).
1 The species of deer native to Newfoundland (Rangifer
tarandus); CARIBOU, NEWFOUNDLAND DEER.
[1583] 1940
Gilbert's Voyages & Enterprises ii, 407 [Hayes' narrative] Beasts of sundry
kindes, red deare... 1620 WHITBOURNE 52 There are yeerely neere unto the said Harbour of
Renouze, great store of Deere seene; and sometimes divers of them have been taken. [1698]
1975 ANDREWS [2] In the winter time the Planters both to the northward and southward of
St John's hunt for Deer, Beaver, Otter, Bear, Martin, Fox, and Seales, on which flesh
they feed for the greater part of the [winter] season. [1794] 1968 THOMAS 129 There is a
Noble Animal to be found in the Woods in this Country which far surpasses anything of its
species in Europe. This is a remarkable large Deer. They are very numerous, go in Herds,
are of a cream colour, and some of them so large as to vie with an English Ox. 1823-4
Edin Phil J x, 160 The western division being nearly destitute of wood, affords
pasture to numerous herds of deer (the Carribou). Of these animals there are here many
thousands; indeed, the country seems covered with them. They migrate eastward to the
woody districts in winter, and return westward very early in spring. 1871 HOWLEY MS
Reminiscences 15 We had hoped to see some deer or game of some kind but were
disappointed and had to retreat empty handed as we came. 1966 BEN-DOR 39 Caribou ... is
plain 'deer' to the settlers. 1977 Inuit Land Use 245 We always used to be able to
get deer south of here every winter.
2 Comb deer
bush: dwarf birch (Betula spp).
1912 CABOT 46 There was
a little scrub spruce in the pass, and dwarf birch, the 'deerbush' which caribou like so
well in summer. It is an agreeable bush to the eye, with shiny, roundish leaves, neatly
scalloped, and the size of a dime.
deer fence: barrier to
corral migrating caribou; cp SEWELL.
[1768] 1828 CARTWRIGHT ii,
309-10 The deer fences we found erected on the banks of the Exploits, are situated in
places the most proper for intercepting herds of those animals, as they cross the river
in their route to the southward, on the approach of winter, and again at the return of
mild weather when they wander back again... [These] fences and our plashed hedges are
formed on the same principle, differing only in their magnitude. They are raised to the
height of six, eight or ten feet. 1866 WILSON 316 The labor the Red Indians performed, in
order to catch deer for their subsistence, was very great, as is evident from the remains
of the deer-fences, which were standing only a few years ago. 1913 Christmas Chimes
16 But to return to my subject, the last station of the [Beothuks] was in the
Exploits River, I myself have seen some of the deer fences they erected there.
deer moss: beard-moss (Usnea barbata); DEAD MOSS.
1933 GREENE 120 Juniper and the spruce trunks bent in the direction
of the prevailing winds, with their boughs snow-laden, and fringed and bearded with the
'deer-moss' that the Caribou will eat in winter. 1977 Inuit Land Use 295 The
caribou feed mainly on Cladonia lichens, referred to locally as deer moss, and on other
lichens, grasses, sedges, leaves and bark.
deer pass: point
on the migration route of caribou.
[1829] 1915 HOWLEY 191 They
might be at that time stationed about the borders of the low tract of country before us,
at the deer-passes, or were employed somewhere else in the interior, killing deer for
winter provision. At these passes, which are particular places in the migration lines of
path, such as the extreme ends of and straits in, many of the larger lakes,—the foot
of valleys between high or rugged mountains,—fords in the large rivers, and the
like,—the Indians kill great numbers of deer with very little trouble, during their
migrations. 1953 Nfld & Lab Pilot ii, 407 Caplin bay is connected with Hawke
bay ... by Deer pass. This channel, known locally as Squasho run, separates Hawke island
from the mainland westward.
deer path: passage habitually
used by caribou; cp LEAD1.
[1771] 1792 CARTWRIGHT i,
164 At the head of the harbour a pretty brook runs in, and there are some deerpaths, in
which we tailed five slips. [1822] 1928 CORMACK 45 The way through the woods elsewhere,
except by the deer-paths, is obstructed by wind-fallen trees and brushwood. 1842 JUKES
ii, 98 A deer-path is like a sheep-walk on a common—a narrow winding track about six
inches wide .... a herd of some hundreds had been seen to pass along it the preceding
winter.
deer pound: enclosure to capture caribou; cp POUND.
[1779] 1792 CARTWRIGHT ii, 496 I set them to work to erect a pound
of my own invention for catching any number of deer alive... I am certain that the ...
deer-pound would have answered my expectation, and caught a great number of deer, had it
been properly executed.
deer skin: caribou hide.
1823-4 Edin Phil J x, 160 The canoes used on the lakes are
partly from necessity, and partly for the sake of convenience, made of basket-work,
covered over outside with deer-skins; the latter requiring to be renewed commonly once in
six weeks. 1842 JUKES i, 147 At dawn this morning we stowed our meat and baggage in the
boat, covering it with the deer skin.
deer slide: sled with
vertical posts or 'horns'; CATAMARAN, SLIDE n.
Q 74-1 A large
slide with horns for hauling wood and meat out of the interior was called a deer slide in
the Long Harbour, Fortune Bay area.
deer slip: snare,
arranged like a noose, to catch caribou; SLIP2.
[1772] 1792 CARTWRIGHT i, 253-4 I sent one of the Otter's people in my kyack to
the Coleroon, to bring some deer-slips.
deer trap:
device, sprung by a bent tree, to catch caribou.
[1776] 1792
CARTWRIGHT ii, 200 Two hands brought the deer-trap.
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