248 FIELD SHOOTING. 



named Wilcox, who was the greatest deer-hunter 

 in Illinois. He had a system of his own, and a 

 very successful system it certainly was, as he 

 managed it. He hunted on horseback, and his 

 weapon was a heavy double-barrelled shot-gun, 

 with strong charges of powder and buckshot. 

 Late in the fall, when the sloughs were low and 

 held but little water, he used to ride down the 

 middle of them. When a deer got up from 

 among the long grass on either side, Wilcox 

 fired from the back of the horse, and knocked the 

 buck or doe over. I soon found that was the best 

 way, and adopted it myself, but I never had as 

 much success at it as Wilcox did. The trouble 

 was that 1 could neither get a really steady horse 

 under fire nor shoot very well on horseback at 

 that time. The horse Wilcox used in his hunts 

 had been accustomed to it so long that he knew 

 just what was wanted, and when the reins were 

 dropped he stood like a rock until the gun 

 went off. 



When deer are lying down, it is much easier to 

 approach their lair, so as to get a shot on their 

 rising, on horseback than on foot. It is now obso- 

 lete in our part of Illinois, as there are no deer 

 to shoot ; but I should think it might be followed 



