BULLET AND SHOT 



preserved upon the Neilgherries, and the higher 

 ranges of those hills now contain a goodly number. 

 I have comparatively recently stalked these animals 

 in the Travancore hills, but the "saddle-backs" were 

 not with the herds at the time, or apparently much 

 at all upon the ground which I was working, and 

 I met with no success. 



The beginner who is in search of ibex must 

 remember that the animal is possessed of extra- 

 ordinary powers of vision, that he is also endowed 

 with extremely keen olfactory nerves, and that the 

 necessity which exists for him to be ever on the 

 watch against surprise on the part of his deadly 

 and watchful foe, the panther, renders him extremely 

 wary. 



Ibex, like all other animals, seldom look up hill 

 unless their attention be attracted by some sound, 

 as, for instance, that made by a loose stone rolling 

 down the hillside ; consequently the sportsman's 

 aim must be to, if possible, get above the game. 

 Patience is highly necessary in ibex shooting ; the 

 binoculars or the telescope must be kept in constant 

 use as long as any likely ground is in sight, for, 

 though none may be visible, it is quite possible that 

 they are not very far off, concealed by bushes and 

 grass on the ledges of any of the neighbouring 

 precipices. As in deer stalking, the main object 

 is to see the game before it has discovered the 

 sportsman, and having seen it, to plan the stalk 

 with due attention to the configuration of the 

 ground, the direction of the wind, and the cover 

 available for concealment during the approach. 



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