22 CENTRAL AFRICAN GAME AND ITS SPOOR. 



and wait till they have grazed on into cover, but when followed be sure that no sentinel 

 has been left behind. 



While stalking, one should never go fast, or doubled up more than can be helped, 

 as it puts you out of breath, causing bad shooting. 



Having got to a good position it is best to wait a little to get steady. 



Animals generally, though not always, feed up wind and almost always bolt in that 

 direction when alarmed by hearing you, but, if they smell you, will bolt down wind. 

 Most animals, after smelling you, will after a bit go up wind again, but buffalo generally 

 keep on down wind until they are quite certain they have shaken you off. It is, of 

 course, useless to follow spoor down wind except only as far as the tracks are galloping 

 {i.e., you know the animals are probably far enough ahead not to get your wind). 



It can be taken as a general rule that if an animal gets your wind he will 

 bolt at once, but if he only sees you he will wait to have a look just long enough 

 to enable you to get in a shot. 



All buck are very curious, more especially the smaller ones. 



In a case like this if aware that you had been noticed it would be best to 

 stand perfectly still, as you may puzzle him, and while he is looking to see what was 

 moving you can bring up your rifle very slowly and take a shot. 



Jerking the rifle up would send him off at once. 



Of course, one will always take one's shot sitting in preference to standing, and 

 if the grass is too thick, try and get a rest against a tree. 



Animals when grazing continually lift their heads to look round, and sometimes 

 stare at any object that may arouse their suspicions for a considerable time. If they 

 continue to graze again, they have not seen you. 



In certain lights it is very hard to tell in what direction an animal is looking, 

 and sometimes he seems to be gazing at you, when in reality he is looking in the 

 opposite direction. 



With roan and sable the white vertical blaze on each side of the face shows 

 which way the animal is looking. 



In the shade it is sometimes very difficult to tell which way he is facing, as, when 

 motionless, the horns look like branches. In this case the twitching of his tail may 

 be looked for. Even when standing quite still, animals continually move their tails 

 to keep off flies. 



The white circle on a waterbuck's rump can be seen some distance. 



When looking from behind cover of any kind raise your head very slowly and 

 sink it again. 



Always shoot from the right of cover rather than over it, as less of your body will 



