Big Game Shooting 



a kite, but that whenever the man approached the 

 nest, that kite got out of the way ! I tried the 

 same myself on a kestrel that annoyed the poultry- 

 yard " some," with the same result. However, on 

 taking a small number of village boys with me 

 and making them walk straight on whilst I 

 stopped, I managed to secure the arch-villain on 

 his or her return almost as soon as the other boys 

 were well away. 



On no account, when you see any animal, even 

 one that you want very badly indeed, run / You 

 are bound to do one of two things first, make 

 a noise and so give the show away ; secondly, 

 get so out of breath that you can't hold your 

 rifle at all steady. It's often, very often done 

 and is a horrid error. Think of the wind, and 

 go quite easily and steadily at him. It will save 

 you many a swear-word said in earnest. 



It is always to be remembered that if one is 

 stalking an animal and it suddenly looks up, and 

 one makes almost certain that one is seen, the 

 animal in question may often be badly bluffed by 

 one's remaining absolutely motionless, not moving 

 head, hand, or foot ; standing if necessary with 

 one foot in the air in the act of walking. The 

 chances are that after one or sometimes two 

 minutes, the beast will continue feeding, as he 

 thinks you are only a tree stump ! I recently 

 met a zebra and took him in badly by waiting 

 sitting down with all my gun-bearers for ten 



3 



