is 2 The Black-Tail Deer. 



the horse galloping rapidly over what is often very broken 

 ground, and the senses being continually on the alert for 

 any sign of game. The rush and motion of the horse, 

 and the care necessary to guide it and at the same time 

 be in constant readiness for a shot, prevent the chase having 

 any of the monotony that is at times inseparable from 

 still-hunting proper. 



Nevertheless, it is by still-hunting that most deer are 

 killed, and the highest form of hunting craft is shown in 

 the science of the skilful still-hunter. With sufficient 

 practice any man who possesses common-sense and is both 

 hardy and persevering can become, to a certain extent, a 

 still-hunter. But the really good still-hunter is born rather 

 than made ; though of course in addition to possessing the 

 gifts naturally he must also have developed them, by con- 

 stant practice, to the highest point possible. One of the 

 foremen on my ranch is a really remarkably good hunter 

 and game shot, and another does almost as well ; but the 

 rest of us are not, and never will be, any thing very much 

 out of the common. By dint of practice we have learned 

 to shoot as well at game as at a target ; and those of us 

 who are fond of the sport hunt continually and so get a 

 good deal of game at one time or another. Hunting 

 through good localities, up wind, quietly and persever- 

 ingly, we come upon quite a number of animals ; and we 

 can kill a standing shot at a fair distance and a running 

 shot close up, and by good luck every now and then kill 

 far off; but to much more than is implied in the description 

 of such modest feats we cannot pretend. 



After the disappearance of the buffalo and the thin- 



