242 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



only animals which regularly resign, or are ousted from posses- 

 sion of, a herd when they attain their largest size and most 

 powerful horns. Old stags will keep their hinds even when 

 their horns are diminishing from age. Sanderson says solitary 

 elephants are frequently young males waiting till they can 

 appropriate a herd ; but no sooner does a bison get really at 

 his best to all appearances, than he at once gives way to a 

 younger animal. The cream of bison shooting is naturally 

 stalking them on foot. Sanderson describes hunting them on 

 an elephant, a method which, of course, enabled him to bring 

 heavy rifles into the field without fatigue, and was of enormous 

 assistance in thick cover and in carrying the trophies ; but his 

 using the elephant to make the first approach must have con- 

 siderably detracted from the sport, although he discarded his 

 mount when following up a wounded beast. 



The writer has had bison driven to him, on ground where 

 stalking was impracticable owing to the density of the forest, 

 and where the dryness of the season rendered tracking impos- 

 sible ; but there the fun only began when a wounded beast had 

 to be followed up, though it was pleasant listening to the 

 avalanche-like rush of an approaching herd, and amusing to 

 see cows come through an apparently impenetrable thicket of 

 bamboos, like harlequin through a trapdoor, only to stand 

 staring at a few yards distance with their noses poked out, an 

 expression of puzzled funk in their eyes. 



But when the first few showers of the rainy season have 

 moistened the dry crackling leaves, and softened the ground 

 so that tracks can be followed, you should start in the early 

 morning so as to catch the beast before he is down for the day 

 (that is, before the sun gets hot, about 9 A.M. according to 

 Sanderson), and getting on the fresh tracks of a solitary bull, 

 follow him up. If your trackers are good, you should soon 

 begin to find signs that you are getting near him (the droppings 

 warm, &c.) ; you can then dismount from your pony which you 

 have been riding in rear, and close on the trackers with your 

 gun-carrier till they show you the beast. But whether your 



