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CHAPTER VI. 



Deer-stalking rifles — Rifle sights and sighting — Rifle covers and safety 

 stops — Care of rifle after stalking — Telescopes, makers, etc. — 

 Deer-stalking clothes — How to diet for stalking — Absurd luxury — 

 Stalking shoes — Waist-belt — Pockets — Sight of deer — Disadvan- 

 tages of unbound telescopes — Crossing water — Stalking up wind — 

 Varieties of ground in difi'erent forests — Stalking from higher 

 ground — Stalking down wind — Use of bog-cotton — Varying 

 currents of wind — Wind sanctuaries — Movements of leading hind 

 to be observed — A horse-shoe of hinds — Inquisitive hinds — 

 Shooting of troublesome hinds — How to shoot an inquisitive hind 

 — Deer-stalking in hot weather — Sheep and goats — Moving deer 

 clear of a stalk — Position for spying — The stalk — Thirst not to be 

 indulged — Smoking — Firing up hill — Firing down hill— Spying 

 down hill — Crawling up and down hill — Sighting up and down 

 hill — Shooting galloping deer — Shooting in high wind — Long shots 

 condemned as cruel — Wounded stag fed by hinds — Sir E. Land- 

 seer's belief in above statement — Concealment of stalker after 

 wounding deer^ — Stag recovering after being apparently killed — 

 Case of above happening to a friend of the author — Smiilar case 

 occurring to a former Lord Lovat — Wounded stag to be speedily 

 despatched — March law- — Following wounded deer- — Stag travel- 

 ling six miles with a broken leg — Tracking dogs and tracking — 

 Slow walking to be adhered to — Danger of approaching wounded 

 stags^ — Deer-hounds — Oscar and Ocean — The Rev. Father Coll. 



At the present time the best rifle for red - deer- 

 shooting is the '450 express ; the average weight of 

 this rifle is a httle under 8 lb. The larger and heavier, 

 •500 bore, is more suitable for tiger-shooting and such- 

 like sport. Many makers are able to turn out both 

 these bores nearly a pound lighter than formerly. 



