36 DEER-STALKING. 



wish to taste one of his haunches instead of sending 

 him off to give a treat to a neighbour. In stalking on 

 sheep ground, and as far as deer go, it is quite legitimate 

 to use the old Highlander's prayer, "Oh, Lard, tak' 

 everything from everybody and gie it a' to me ! " In 

 getting near deer never come over a boulder or a hillock* 

 but always creep round it. It is a sign of bad stalking 

 if the stalker is continually stopping dead and suddenly 

 bobbing down. Walking too fast is apt to produce this 

 style, for in going at a great pace with deer in front it 

 becomes almost impossible for the eye to guard three or 

 four hundred yards on either side ; the country is opened 

 up too quickly, and frequently the deer get a good look 

 at you before they themselves are seen. 



And now for the critical and exciting moment of 

 taking the shot. For two hours, perhaps for three or 

 four, or longer even, has the sportsman walked, run, 

 crawled, crept, and waited, and done all he could to 

 outwit his quarry, and the next few minutes will decide 

 whether all his exertion and his trouble has been taken 

 in vain. Small wonder that anxiety for the result 

 should take possession of him. If the stag is standing 

 still and broadside on, the best plan is to put the rifle 

 sights on the inside of his fore-leg, bring them very 

 slowly up the leg till it joins the body, and then when 

 you "see brown" press, or rather squeeze the trigger 

 gently. This was the receipt of the late Colonel 

 Campbell of Monzie, than whom there was no one in 

 all Scotland more able to give good advice on such a 

 matter. The probabilities are that in every shot the 

 bullet will strike a little higher than the exact spot 



