io8 NEWFOUNDLAND CARIBOU 



The question is whether or not this is a sportsmanHke 

 method of hunting big game. That it has in it a certain 

 pleasing element of excitement there is no doubt. The hours 

 of patient watching, then the first glimpse of the grey 

 creatures, the anxiety as to the size of the stag, whether or 

 not he is large enough to shoot, whether he will come near 

 enough, and, finally, at just what moment the shot should 

 be fired. To the man who has never stalked big game this 

 seems ideal ; he can, perhaps, think of nothing better, and 

 his heart will beat wildly as the object of his trip to the 

 wilds comes nearer and nearer. To the older sportsman 

 there is excitement only if the stag is a really fine one. 

 Then he, too, may become as nervous as the greenhorn, 

 with the result that he sometimes loses his head, and the 

 Caribou's head too. Still, I rather question the sport of 

 this method of shooting from ambush ; the game is far too 

 one-sided, for the man need know nothing of the art of 

 hunting, and if he is even a reasonably good shot, the killing 

 of the animal, if it comes within fair range, is a matter 

 of absolute certainty. Unfortunately, it is indulged in to 

 such a great extent that the man who selects his position 

 frequently finds that ahead of him, on the same lead, there 

 may be several other parties, both meat hunters and sports- 

 men, who take their pick of the stags before he has a chance. 

 Mr. Selous had this experience, and in writing on the subject 

 he says, " I must say that I felt thoroughly disgusted with the 

 whole business. In the first place, to sit on one spot for 

 hours lying in wait for game, is not hunting; and, although 

 under favourable conditions it may be a deadly way of 

 killing Caribou, it is not a form of sport which would 

 appeal to me under any circumstances. But when pursued 

 in competition with, and in the midst of numerous other 

 gunners, I could see no redeeming point in it whatever." 



