THE ELK, OR WAPITI. 277 



To hunt them successfully in the forest,! have found a 

 breech-loading shot-gun, well charged with buckshot, the 

 best weapon, but, for open shooting, I prefer a fifty-calibre 

 double Express that is accurate up to three hundred yards ; 

 and for running them down on horseback, few weapons are 

 more convenient than a heavy self-cocking revolver, that 

 carries a bone-smashing bullet and a large charge of pow- 

 der, so that one shot at close range may be able to disable 

 or kill a fugitive. A good breech-loading rifle, provided 

 one has a trained horse, is preferable to a revolver, how- 

 ever, owing to its longer range, greater accuracy, and more 

 destructive power. 



Dr. Carver, the celebrated rifleman, who has performed 

 the unparalleled feat of killing thirty -three elks in one 

 straight run, and two hundred and thirty in two weeks by 

 running and stalking, considers that any rifle less than fifty 

 calibre is rather light for hunting such heavy game, unless 

 it carries a large charge of powder and a long bullet ; and 

 he deems a revolver to be of comparatively little use for 

 general work, owing to its want of accuracy, and its dan- 

 gerous character in the hands of novices. I have seen 

 some splendid work done with it, however, by troopers, 

 officers, regular hunters, and even novices, especially when 

 they had inexperienced horses that would not follow an elk 

 without the use of the reins. 



If a man has a trained steed that will chase an elk or a 

 herd without any guidance from the hand, a rifle is by far 

 the best weapon. This should be lifted promptly to the 

 shoulder, and fired the moment it covers the object; for 

 any attempt to take deliberate aim when a horse is at full 

 speed is an impossibility, as the gun falls up and down 

 with the strides. A slight glance along the barrel is gen- 

 erally sufficient, and a person will find, after a little expe- 

 rience, that he can shoot as well that way as if he rested 

 half a minute on the sight. 



The most effective and the surest shot is made quarter- 

 ing, so that the bullet may pass through the ribs and lungs, 

 and possibly break the fore-shoulder. Another good one 



