52 BIG GAME OF NORTH AMERICA. 



would carry for several miles before lying down will lay 

 an Elk out in one-third the distance. In winter, when 

 there is a good tracking snow on the ground, a wounded 

 Elk may be followed, though at a great expense of time and 

 labor, and will sometimes be found in a place where it is 

 almost impossible to secure the antlers or meat, as when 

 wounded they will endeavor to reach the most inaccessible 

 places. 



In my opinion, the best arm for hunting the Elk is the 

 Winchester, in the larger bores — 40-82, 45-90, or, best of all, 

 the new 110-300 Express. I have given this gun an exhaust- 

 ive trial on large game, and do not hesitate to i)ronounce it 

 the best rifle for big game hunting that human ingenuity 

 has yet produced. Light, strong, and rapid of manipula- 

 tion, terrific in killing power, there is no animal on this con- 

 tinent that can escape from a cool, nervy man armed with 

 one of these superb weapons. Some sportsmen object to 

 the heavy recoil of this rifle, but a recoil that is uncomfort- 

 able when shooting at a target is never felt in the excite- 

 ment of gamt!-shooting, and it is evident, from my own 

 experience, that a wound from one of these bullets leaves 

 such a trail of blood that it can be followed over bare 

 ground by the veriest novice. 



The 40-82 is a good substitute, when the Express bullet 

 is used. So is the 45-90; but while they will do the work, 

 I do not consider them as sure as the 110-300. One of my 

 hunting companions, a man who has killed more Deer and 

 Elk than any man of my acquaintance, uses a 44-caliber 

 Winchester, Model ' 73. With him that gun was the only gun 

 worth owning until he tried my Express. Since then, when 

 a difficult shot is to be made, when we are hunting together, 

 he stands back, and calls me to use the "thunderbolt." 



One disadvantage in using a common small-bore rifle is 

 that, in moments of excitement, the novice frequently for- 

 gets to elevate his sights, and so frequently undershoots 

 his quarry. With the Express, I find that it is almost point- 

 blank up to two hundred yards, so that ho changing of ele- 

 vation is necessary. 



