Hunting at High Altitudes 



for deer hunting in tropical countries. What the 

 bloodhound cross loses in speed it gains in nose, 

 and it has a certain natural sagacity which teaches 

 it not to open on a cold trail something much to 

 be desired in jungle hunting. 



The shotgun is the favorite weapon used in this 

 sport. Many Cubans and Spaniards prefer the 

 i6-gauge for deer as for birds, though the rifle and 

 the 10 and 12 gauge shotgun are coming into 

 vogue as American influence increases. 



The poorer classes use single-barrel muzzleload- 

 ing shotguns, costing from three to five dollars, 

 which they load with a handful of powder and a 

 half pound of leaden slugs. 



The better classes use modern shotguns or large 

 caliber repeating rifles, according to local condi- 

 tions. I am not sure that they are not better 

 adapted to the purpose than our small caliber rifles 

 with their great velocity and penetration pos- 

 sessing as they do greater striking energy and tre- 

 mendous shocking power. The small bullet of 

 high velocity, unless it passes through a bone, 

 allows a deer to escape for the time being, yet with 

 a mortal wound, from which it dies later in the 

 jungle. The flatness of trajectory and great 

 momentum of the small caliber high power rifles 

 make them exceedingly dangerous to other hunters. 



400 



