BIG GAME OF NORTH AMERICA. 



purpose. The 'idea seems prevalent that it requires an 

 Express charge to get a bullet into his head. It is a mis- 

 take. A thirty-two-caliber bullet, driven by a fair charge 

 of powder, would, if it hit squarely, enter any 'Gator's 

 head, and, properly placed, would be as effective as a can- 

 non-ball; while a charge of Xo. 6 shot, at thirty yards, would 

 enter his side. Of course, I do not mean to say that a thirty - 

 two-caliber would be a desirable size, but only to make it 

 understood that a large, eight-bore Express charge is 

 wholly unnecessary. For all-around 'Gator-hunting, I 

 would prefer a thirty-eight or forty caliber repeating- 

 rilie, giving the flattest possible trajectory consistent with 

 accuracy. These sizes are large enough, and in many cases 

 a repeater will be found preferable to a single-shot; while 

 the flat trajectory will be found especially desirable in 

 making long shots over water, where the distance is diffi- 

 cult to estimate with a sufficient degree of accuracy to put 

 the ball into the small portion of the ' Gator' s head that is 

 visible above the water-line. 



As for myself, I used a thirty-eight-caliber Winchester, 

 model of '78, on which I replaced the front sight with one 

 made from a 'Gator's tooth, which reflected less light than 

 the original metallic one, and filed the rear sight flat on 

 top; then with a rough-edged case-knife I cut a fine groove 

 in the center. Of all open sights, I like this best, as 

 at a quick glance it gives the clearest idea of just how 

 coarse or flue a sight you are drawing, and is especially 

 advantageous in shooting in twilight. With this rifle so 

 sighted, and reloading my own shells, I have killed from 

 a moving boat, at from forty to one hundred yards, eight 

 swimming 'Gators in as many consecutive shots, hitting 

 them all in the ear; but of course this Avas an exceptional 

 run of luck, that I could never hope to duplicate. In shoot- 

 ing any game, it is usually now or never. If the distance 

 be great, it is necessary to estimate the same as the gun 

 comes to the shoulder and even with the most experi- 

 enced, these estimates are often far from correct; and espe- 

 cial! v over water is this the case. 



