272 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



dragged him down the nullah on the snow to our 

 camp. The next day I chanced on a small herd of 

 hinds, accompanied by one really good stag ; they 

 frequented a very abruptly sloping open corrie not 

 far from my camp. For two whole days did I pursue 

 this herd, but could never make my stalk good on 

 account of the hinds ; one or two of them would 

 always get in the way just when I thought my chance 

 had come at last. 



My camp was not much off the Gilgit main track, 

 and when I got back I found a friend of mine there 

 on his way to these hunting grounds. He was so 

 keen to get a barasingh that I told him he might go 

 and have a try for this stag before he left. He was 

 delighted, and was off the next morning with my 

 shikari before daybreak. At about 8 A.M. I heard 

 a shot, followed by two others. Just as I expected, 

 he had evidently got a chance. In a couple of hours' 

 time he turned up beaming with delight. He had 

 got the stag, the big one, and had shot at another 

 which had joined the herd, but missed him. He had 

 got the biggest one, however, which was a royal, so 

 he went on his way rejoicing. 



In the autumn the stags work their way back to 

 the wooded ranges of the Scind valley, and follow 

 the divide between the Cashmere valley and the 

 Wardivan to Kistiwar and the Pir Punjal range. 

 They begin calling about October, early or late, 

 according to climate. After a hot late summer they 

 roar early ; in a cold autumn they are later and do 

 not call so frequently. At the best they are difficult 



