282 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



a stalk are, first, to try and get a clear chance at about sixty 

 yards, and not creep up too close to the stag before firing ; 

 secondly, to avoid going straight downhill on to a stag. A 

 stone dislodged, a pheasant or musk deer disturbed, will be 

 sure to start him off. On the other hand, if the stalker is 

 moving down sixty or seventy yards to one side, any slight 

 contretemps does not necessarily spoil his chance of a shot. 

 Every native shikari, if conducting a stalk, will try to land his 

 master between the beast's horns if possible. As soon as he sees 

 a stag, he will begin to try to point him out, with the result 

 that before his master can get his wind and take any aim to 

 speak of, the beast is at full gallop down the hill. The second 

 point never enters into a native's calculations at all. Ward says 

 that natives can imitate the call, and draw stags, but systematic 

 calling as practised in the Tyrol is practically unknown in 

 Cashmere, and a proficient in the art would undoubtedly have 

 success. The point to aim at in calling is to pitch your note 

 a little weaker than the answering stag, so as to give him confi- 

 dence in accepting the challenge. 



The stags generally cease calling towards the'end of October 

 (Ward says 2oth), and after that there is little chance of getting 

 sport till the snow drives them down, or, failing an early fall, 

 till the spring. 



Major Ward says a well-shaped lo-point head of 40 ins. 

 should not be despised, but the majority of heads shot, according 

 to the writer's experience, do not average more than 37 ins. ; 

 40 ins. and over being exceptional heads. 



XXVIII. THE SIKKIM STAG (Cervus affinis vel Wallichi} 



Native name : ' S/iou. ' Habitat : Eastern Himalayas ; Thibet, in the 

 Choombi Valley, on the Sikkim side of Thibet (Sterndale} 



None of the heads of this variety in the British Museum 

 have more than ten points. Their colour, according to Jerdon, 

 is a fine clear grey in winter, with a moderately large disc ; pale 

 rufous in summer, quite different from the rich mouse colour 



