The Black-Tail Deer 143 



antlers in my possession come from bucks killed by 

 this method of hunting; and it is a most exhilarat- 

 ing form of sport, 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 insep- 

 arable 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 constant 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, anything 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 an- 

 other. Hunting through good localities, up wind, 

 quietly and perseveringly, we come upon quite a 

 number of animals ; and' we can kill a standing shot 



