UNCERTAINTY OF BUCK-SHOT. 95 



-was in this instance, for scarcely had the gobbler gone 

 when a fine large buck hove in sight. From his manner 

 he was evidently alarmed, for every now and then he 

 stopped, snorted, and continued his route. Unfortunately, 

 he was heading so as to pass further off than would afford 

 a good shot, and the ground was too clear to permit me, 

 with any prospect of success, to better my position ; so I 

 had almost made up my mind not to shoot. However, I 

 changed my resolution, for so soon as he came abreast of 

 me, he halted, and looked around. The temptation I could 

 no longer withstand ; so, pitching my gun with due eleva- 

 tion, I let drive the first barrel with no apparent result, 

 for the deer only threw up his head and trotted off. The 

 second charge I quickly determined to put in, and holding 

 well in front and high, had the satisfaction of seeing his 

 lordship make a tremendous bound and drop his tail, a 

 certain indication that some of the shot had taken effect, 

 but the distance was so great that successful results could 

 scarcely be expected. 



Nothing is so difficult as to obtain a gun that throws 

 buck-shot well. I am inclined to believe that gun-makers 

 have not paid the same amount of attention to discovering 

 the proper internal construction of barrels, so as to obtain 

 the greatest range and closeness in throwing this descrip- 

 tion of projectile. Generally, at the distance of one hun- 

 dred yards, the side of a barn would be none too large a 

 target to be certain of hitting ; and again, occasionally a 

 barrel will make an unusually good pattern at one dis- 

 charge, while at the next it will be quite the reverse, so 

 that hitting a deer at a hundred yards I consider more 



