CHAPTER TWO THE ROE DEER 



every year, were come to their full size, they always went 

 away, leaving their mother in solitary possession of her 

 wood. 



The roe almost always keep to woodland, but I have 

 known a stray roebuck take to lying out on the hill at some 

 distance from the covers. I had frequently started this buck 

 out of glens and hollows several miles from the woods. One 

 day, as I was stalking some hinds in a broken part of the 

 hill, and had got within two hundred yards of one of them, 

 a fine fat barren hind, the roebuck started out of a hollow 

 between me and the red deer, and galloping straight to- 

 wards them, gave the alarm, and they all rnade off. The 

 buck, however, got confused by the noise and galloping of 

 the larger animals, and, turning back, passed me within fifty 

 yards. So to punish him for spoiling my sport I took a de- 

 liberate aim as he went quickly but steadily on, and killed 

 him dead. I happened to be alone that day, so I shoulder- 

 ed my buck and walked home with him, a three hours'dist- 

 ance of rough ground, and I was tired enough of his weight 

 before I reached the house. In shooting roe, shot is at all 

 times far preferable to ball. The latter, though well aimed, 

 frequently passes clean through the animal, apparently 

 without injuring him, and the poor creature goes away to 

 die in some hidden corner; whereas a charge of shot gives 

 himsuch a shock that he dropsmuchmore readily to it than 

 to a rifle-ball, unless indeed the ball happens to strike the 

 heart or spine. Having killed roe constantly with both rifle 

 and gun, small shot and large, I am inclined to think that the 

 most effective charge is an Eley's cartridge with No. 2 shot 

 in it. I have, when woodcock-shooting, frequently killed 



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