12 BIG GAME SHOOTING 
found it he would have secured for himself those first invalu- 
able seconds when the beast was still standing uncertain of 
danger and for the moment at his mercy. If only a man is 
enough of a woodsman to find his way back to camp and to find 
again the game he has killed, he will do far better to go alone 
than with the best of guides. Two pair of eyes may be better 
than one, but one pair of feet make less noise than two, and 
the man who finds his own game, and chooses his own time to 
shoot, is far more likely to kill than the man who presses the 
trigger at the dictation of an excitable redskin. That ‘Shoot, 
shoot’ has lost many a head of game. 
Don’t be in a hurry when you have sighted game. If it has 
not seen you it is not likely to move, and if it has you can’t 
catch it. Take your time. Light a pipe if the wind is right, 
and if it isn’t the deer will object to your smell quite as much as 
to the smell of tobacco. Having lighted your pipe, con the 
ground over carefully, and plan out your stalk at your leisure. 
It may be that you have come across sheep in an utterly unap- 
proachable position, lying down for their midday siesta. If so, 
lie down for yours too, keeping an eye open to watch their 
movements. ‘Towards evening first one old ram will get up and 
stretch himself (and perhaps turn round and lie down again) and 
then another ; but eventually they will feed off slowly over the 
brow, and then you can run in and make your stalk. If there is 
a good head in the band your patience will not be without its 
reward. Again, when you have made your stalk and are 
safe behind your boulder at 150 or 200 yards from your beast, 
don’t beina hurry. If your eyes are dim and you cannot see your 
foresight clearly, shut your eyes and wait. There is no more 
reason why the beasts should see you now than half an hour ago. 
Wait till your hand is steady and your eye clear ; don’t lock too 
much at the coveted horns (as my gillies always said that I did) ; 
shoot zo¢ at the whole beast, but at the vital part behind or 
through the shoulder ; and remember that you have worked 
days perhaps for the chance you will either take or miss in the 
next few seconds. Remember that a man shoots:over three times 
