44 ANTELOPE SHOOTING IN ^lONGOLIA. 



bunch of four, which he bagged with three successive shots, missing 

 tJie fourth as it doubled round a spur. Indeed his fame as a hunter 

 was great amongst the neighbouring Mongols, who were themselves 

 anything but poor at the sport. 



The most accessible place for antelopes for Tientsin sportsmen 

 is anywhere north from Kalgan, when they will come across them 

 within thirty miles of the outer loop of the Great Wall. Autumn 

 and spring would be the times to hunt these animals, for the winter 

 is just a bit too severe. Still it could be managed in winter, if the 

 sportsman were to buy a couple of large camel carts, which he could 

 use instead of tents, only riding on his pony during the day and when 

 after the antelopes. He would also get some good sand-grouse and 

 hare shooting, so that a few weeks might thus be very profitably spent. 



For outfit it would be best to carry kerosene oil and a couple of 

 primus stoves, plenty of flour, beans and potatoes, some good warm 

 clothes and a fur sleeping bag. 



The following tips may be found useful in shooting antelopes. 

 As already stated the best bucks are to be found in the hills, vvhero 

 also, they may be more easily stalked than on the open plain. They 

 have very keen eyesight, so that it is hopeless to approach them 

 without cover. Their hearing and sense of smell does not seem to be 

 so good as in many animals of their kind, but one should be as silent 

 as possible, and should approach the quarry up wind as matters of 

 principle. Except when they are very close always allow for their 

 being at a greater range than estimated; though of course as one gets 

 more used to conditions one will judge the range naore accurately. 

 As the antelopes are very inquisitive they may be enticed to approach 

 nearer by lying in the grass and waving a white rag. They almost 

 invariably run round one in a big circle, as though they felt that one 

 were trjnng to cut them off from some safe refuge. Advantage may 

 be taken of this to get a couple of hundred yards nearer to the antelope 

 by riding across the circle thus executed. When it is known that an 

 antelope has been wounded it should never be chased, but allowed 

 to lie down and stiffen. It will not go far unless pursued. 



