1 88 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



fleetest antelopes in the world, is, however, a des- 

 perately evasive target. 



Springbuck stalking is, on the whole, the finest 

 and most interesting sport. Sometimes the gunner 

 can approach by the dry bed of a periodical water- 

 course, or from behind some break or inequality 

 of the veldt. At others he may use a well-trained 

 South African shooting pony as a stalking horse, 

 and make his approach in that way. A knot of 

 grazing oxen is occasionally employed. On the 

 whole I prefer the stalking pony, by the aid of 

 which one can obtain a steady shot, lying down 

 or sitting, at 300 yards. In South Africa of the 

 present day the sportsman seldom obtains his shot 

 much under this distance ; but, in Benguela, my 

 friend Mr. Penrice tells me he has killed most 

 of his buck within 100 paces. At very early 

 morning I have had delightful shooting at spring- 

 buck on the great saltpans of Ngamiland, especially 

 about the lower reaches of the Botletli river. In 

 the winter season springbuck in this region betake 

 themselves, for the night, to the bush fringing the 

 plains, and if the stalker rides out before daylight, 

 and creeps quietly about on foot, he may obtain, 

 as the light breaks, either in the bush glades or on 

 the gleaming saltpans, some fairly close shots say 

 from 80 to 150 paces. These are rare exceptions, 

 however, and the stalker must usually rely upon 

 an accurately sighted rifle and his own steady 

 shooting to bring down his game at about 300 

 yards distance. 



