218 RIFLE AND ROMANCE 



Another condition is the use of a light and handy small- 

 bore rifle, and the smaller it can be, with due regard to 

 effectiveness, the better. Delicate the sport, delicate also 

 the means thereto. This will make as much difference 

 between buck-shooting and btick-rffc&fftg' as that which 

 separates the rude taking of a fish from his element with 

 the snatch-hook and the subtle beguiling of some wary 

 chalk-stream trout by means of delicate tackle and the 

 most cunning presentation of the dry-fly. Besides this, the 

 pursuit of antelope, conducted on such lines, will afford 

 ample scope to all the powers of the greatest glutton for 

 difficult stalking and hard work. 



Although antelope show no distrust of the human taint 

 when the owner thereof is in full view, they will be found 

 to behave very differently should he be concealed in any 

 way ; and by the man who takes to stalking pure and 

 simple, after having been in the habit of employing other 

 methods, will be found to display astonishingly keen per- 

 ception of scent. Indeed, I have known men who have 

 shot plenty of antelope aver that these animals have no 

 apparent scenting power the reason of this misconception 

 being that buck rely much more on their keen vision to 

 preserve them from the dangerous proximity of human 

 enemies. They will nearly always be found extremely 

 difficult almost impossible to " drive," and, by reason of 

 their experiences with native professional netters and 

 snarers, exasperatingly shy of all efforts to guide them 

 towards any given spot, even up-wind, which is the usual 

 course they take in changing ground. 



One hears a great deal about the " fatal curiosity " of all 

 deer. Is it not rather a desire to probe the quality of the 

 suspected danger and avoid imaginary alarms that prompts 

 this so-called inquisitiveness, especially when the object of 

 distrust resembles any of their possible animal foes ? 



Buck-stalking may not sound particularly interesting to 

 some seasoned shikaris, but, after a long and difficult 



