10 THE STILL-HUNTER. 



would require at least fifty long and elaborate lec- 

 tures of several hours each for him to do so in his 

 language. Moreover, the average " old hunter" or 

 Leatherstocking is full of wrong theories, which he 

 either does not follow in the field or, if he does, he 

 succeeds in spite of them by virtue of his other quali- 

 fications. The stock of nonsensical theories held by 

 the old-time country " old hunter" with the old single 

 shot-gun is nothing to the mass of absurdities that a 

 very successful old Leatherstocking can dispense on 

 the subject of deer-hunting, rifles, and rifle-shooting. 

 So that unless constantly by his side in the field a 

 thing to which any good hunter will seriously object 

 the beginner can learn little from him. I have had 

 to work out almost every particle of my information 

 from a mine of stubborn ore. And I flatter myself 

 that I can save to those who will take the pains to 

 study not merely read this work, at least two thirds 

 of the labor, vexation, and disappointment through 

 which I was compelled to flounder; though I started 

 in with keen eyes, tireless feet, unflagging hope, and 

 years of experience in all branches of hunting with 

 the shot-gun, beginning even in childhood. 



To be exhaustive without being exhausting is one 

 of the most delicate tasks ever set a didactic writer. 

 To avoid being tedious I have intentionally omitted 



ist. All that part of the natural history and habits 

 of our game which does not bear directly upon the 

 question of how to find and shoot it ; such as its 

 birth, nurture, growth, and shedding of horns, all of 

 which may be found in other and better books such 

 as Judge Caton's. 



2d. A large mass of vague and unreliable theories 

 held about hunting and shooting even by successful 



