THE FIRST SHOT AT A DEER. 109 



things about rifle-shooting on game. Even on a long 

 shot, where one would suppose the natural drop of 

 the ball from the line of sight would overbalance any 

 error of elevation, there is continual danger of it. 

 This is no optical illusion, nor is there any deflection 

 of the lines of light to cause it. It is simply from 

 catching too much of the front sight without knowing 

 it, and from holding too high upon your game be- 

 cause you are looking down upon it. The next time 

 make the front sight the most prominent object of 

 your attention, and get it very low on the animal 

 not more than one third of the way from the lower 

 edge of the body. 



At last you reach the old chopping, and after a long 

 tour among its various beauties are about to return 

 home disappointed again, when, in coming along an old 

 logging-road that leads through a little basin in one cor- 

 ner of the " slash," you are suddenly riveted to the 

 ground by an unexpected apparition. Within twenty- 

 five yards, standing full broadside toward you and look- 

 ing directly at you, is the great-grandfather of all the 

 big bucks you ever heard or read of. He stands like 

 a statue of glossy fur, with neck as thick as a water- 

 pail, wide-branching, full-tined horns all glistening 

 in the sun, bright staring eyes, and great flaring gray 

 ears turned directly at you. Where he came from or 

 how he got there you know not. You heard nothing 

 move and saw nothing move. He probably rose 

 directly out of his bed, and you may find it beneath 

 him. This is one of those occasional visitations of 

 pure good fortune which may come to the most ver- 

 dant of bunglers and delude him with the idea that 

 he is a mighty hunter. Even the oldest and wildest 

 of deer is liable once in a while to get out of bed 



