SPOTTED DEER 



I saw no buck amongst them, though the trackers said I 

 had missed. I was positive about a hit, however, so we 

 went forward to have a look, and sighted the buck almost 

 immediately lying down about 100 yards away. I went to 

 knife it, as I saw it was not dead, but the unfortunate crea- 

 ture got up and made a spurt towards the jungle, which it 

 just reached, so I put in another shot which finished it off. 



In jungle country like Ceylon you will often come upon 

 game very unexpectedly and at close quarters, so it behoves 

 you to keep your eyes and ears open, for you may now and 

 then get a buck by a quick shot, if you are ready for emer- 

 gencies, as the following incident shows. 



During one of my trips with T. Y. Wright, coming 

 back towards camp in the evening rather late, having been 

 detained cutting up a buck shot by Wright, we suddenly 

 came in sight of a nice buck standing in a small glade ex- 

 tending a few yards into the forest out of the larger " park " 

 we were then traversing. I was slightly ahead of Tom, and 

 " snapped "at it as quick as lightning, as it was not 40 

 yards away ; but at the shot away it ran in that peculiar 

 headlong frantic fashion which usually means a fatal hit, 

 and disappeared in the forest. It was far too dark to search 

 for it, so we pushed on for camp, not getting in until long 

 after dark, and both of us appreciating the wonderful local 

 knowledge of our guides unerringly making their way 

 through some miles of " park" of never-ending sameness, 

 in the growing darkness, bringing us to camp without a 

 hitch. Next morning we went back to the place, and 

 found the buck dead not more than 100 yards from where 

 it had been shot at. It had a nice head, measuring, however, 

 only 22 inches. 



Young deer will often stand whilst several shots are 

 fired at them, and I remember once Wright and I, having 



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