THE FIRST SHOT AT A DEER. Ill 



if any one of fine sensibilities, and who hunts only 

 for the love of hunting, can ever acquire the butcher's 

 coolness when in the imposing presence of noble game. 

 The only remedy for this when excessive is to stop 

 and rest a while whenever you can. But if the game 

 is on foot and alarmed, you have little time for this. 

 You must then shoot with a trembling gun, and your 

 only safety will be to shoot at least six inches lower 

 than you otherwise would. Because you are in such 

 case certain to see twice as much of the front sight as 

 you should see. This will not do, however, on a long 

 shot. There you must wait for your hand- to get 

 steady, unless you can get a rest without moving too 

 much in sight of the deer. 



But do not give up to despair just yet. Remember 

 the advice about following a deer you have shot at. 

 Did you not notice a convulsive jerk about that buck's 

 manner of getting under way ? Did you not notice 

 that instead of the white waving tail you have before 

 seen adorning a glossy rump, it was carried down and 

 close to the body ? Did you not notice a plunging 

 heaviness in his gait very different from the airy elas- 

 ticity you have seen in the gait of others ? Did you 

 not see that he tore through brush when there was 

 enough open ground for him to chose, and that he 

 made as much smashing of brush as a wild bull could 

 have made ? It will certainly repay you to follow 

 those tracks. 



The ground where he stood reveals neither blood 

 nor hair. But never mind; your rifle is small. His 

 shoulders are thick ; the ball may not have passed 

 through. Let us take the track, which will be easily 

 followed as long as he keeps on running. 



Here is the first jump beyond the bush where he 



