LONG-RANGE SHOOTING AT GAME. 317 



and the sights set exactly to it. The target-shot has 

 every advantage, the hunter every disadvantage. 

 These scores are nearly all made, too, with globe- 

 sights. Take the best of these scores, and bear in 

 mind that it takes a five shot to hit an antelope with 

 certainty, and even that when near the edge may rep- 

 resent only a crippling shot; that a. four shot will hit 

 only about half the time, and then probably cripple 

 him; and that all the rest will be quite sure to miss 

 the animal entirely or only break a leg. 



" Shall I shoot from where I am or try to get 

 closer?" is therefore a very important question. Ex- 

 cept upon quite level plains the chances of getting 

 within two hundred yards are always greater than the 

 chances of hitting beyond that. The chances of get- 

 ting within a hundred and fifty yards are generally 

 greater than the chances of hitting beyond that. The 

 chances of getting within a hundred yards are often 

 greater than the chances of hitting beyond it. I have 

 had a pretty high degree of skill in guessing distances, 

 adjusting sights, and hitting natural marks up to four 

 hundred yards or more. But I am perfectly satisfied 

 that if I had never seen a long-range or mid-range 

 rifle, if I had hunted always with a rifle that would 

 not shoot an inch beyond a hundred and twenty-five 

 yards, I should have killed much more game than I 

 have. For that very skill has beguiled me too often 

 into opening a cannonade when I could easily have 

 gotten closer. And this even with wild antelope on 

 quite open ground. 



For the last three years my rule has been to shoot 

 at nothing beyond a hundred and fifty yards if there 

 is an even chance of getting closer to it, and not to 



