298 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



compass in turn, especially if there are any clouds about ; 

 the rams themselves are particularly wary and keen-scented, 

 and the least suspicion of danger will set them marching 

 steadily across country for miles without stopping. In the 

 summer, like most hill animals, the old rams leave the ewes 

 and young ones and form small flocks by themselves, selecting 

 favourite valleys to which they repair year after year, and being 

 rarely found on the same ground as the ewes at that season, 

 i.e. after the middle of June. I have, however, seen a flock of 

 five rams and ten ewes together as late as June 1 1 and secured 

 a big ram out of it. Ward's remarks about hunting Ovis 

 Amman are worth quoting : 



Stalking in Ladak is very often a matter of time. Many of us 

 will march for a month to get on to Ovis Amman ground, and yet 

 will not consent to wait a few days after the game is sighted. 

 Naturally, in a country where the hills are devoid of cover, the game 

 is often seen on spots where it is useless trying to approach it ; but, 

 if watched for a few hours, it is almost certain to graze its way into 

 a more favourable position. Avoid going after game on gusty and 

 cloudy days, and exercise patience, remembering that you have 

 probably marched some hundreds of miles to obtain a few shots, 

 and one or two days' more or less work can make but little 

 difference. 



Even supposing the sportsman to have everything in his favour, 

 wind, cover, and the rest, there are pretty sure to be some 

 kyang about, and these once disturbed, good-bye to the oves. 

 The writer had once been watching two fine old rams from 

 early morning till 2 P.M. before the wind would let him attempt 

 the stalk ; he had got within a quarter of a mile of the rams with 

 absolutely nothing to do but walk straight on up to them, when 

 suddenly a brute of a kyang jumped up from behind a rock 

 where he had been lying hid, galloped straight up the valley 

 past the oves, found seven devils worse than himself, brought 

 them all back to show them the quaint manners of an infuriated 

 man with a gun, and concluded the entertainment by galloping 

 round and round him out of shot. The oves naturally took 



