BIG GAME 71 



right moment, and therein h'es the trouble ; it is so 

 fatally easy to do the wrong thing and to know after- 

 wards what the right thing was to do ; but we all do 

 this more times than not. 



A good maxim is never to stop where you are if you 

 can get closer, and should a beast be dropped and 

 struggling on the ground, walk rapidly up to it with 

 rifle at the ready, so that should it rise a fatal shot can 

 be put in. 



In every case reload at once, and walking rapidly or 

 slowly, always have the rifle at the ready, as the 

 " deadest " beasts have been known to spring up and 

 clear off as though not touched. If the beast is only 

 brought to its knees, keep where you are and give it 

 another shot at once, and above all do not let }-our 

 tracker, in the excitement of the moment, run across 

 your front and either get the shot or prevent you 

 getting in another, as has more than once happened 

 to the author. 



The author remembers the case of a sable bull, 

 which had been " spoored " for hours, and when come 

 up to broke away, offering a good flank shot as he 

 cantered across an open glade and was brought to his 

 knees. As the rifle was raised to give him another shot, 

 the tracker dashed out and across the line of sight, and 

 though yelled at he was too excited to hear, with the 

 result the beast got on its legs and away into the thick 

 cover before a shot could be got in, and though followed 

 was never seen again. 



