114 THE INDIAN ANTELOPE. 



Usually the best plan is to observe the direction which they appear most likely to take, 

 and then to advance obliquely so as to cut them off from their line of retreat. In doing 

 this there should be no attempt at concealment, but the sportsman should walk quietly on, 

 keeping his face steadily in the direction he is going, but gaining ground by stepping 

 obliquely towards the Antelope. The rifle should be held on the side farthest from the 

 herd, in such a manner as to attract attention as little as possible, and the movements of 

 the animals should be carefully watched by a side glance, without turning the head, until 

 the Antelope become unmistakably uneasy, or the distance is considered short enough. 

 The hunter should then halt, if .possible, behind a bush or tuft of grass, and take his shot 

 as rapidly as he can. Success will depend a good deal upon the manner in which the 

 approach is made, and there is scope for the display of a considerable amount of skill in 

 manoeuvring. 



An able tactician will succeed in allaying the suspicions of a crafty old doe, who 

 usually makes the safety of the herd her special business ; while the tyro unacquainted with 

 the habits of the animals, will, by his very excess of caution, only succeed in alarming her 

 to such a degree that the chance of a shot at that herd is gone for the day. 



A steady shooting horse is a great luxury in Black Buck shooting ; not only saving 

 one the labor of trudging over rough and dusty fields, but rendering it easier to get within 

 shot of one's game. The horse may either be ridden up to within shot, or the hunter may 

 have it led up, and walk behind it until within range, when the syce should walk on uncon- 

 cernedly while his master sits or kneels down to fire. The latter is by far the best plan if 

 your syce has been properly trained to incline to the right and left, diminish or increase 

 his pace, and generally regulate his movements in obedience to your slightest sign and 

 without the least hesitation. A new hand at the work will inevitably go exactly wrong, 

 and frighten away the Antelope by his erratic movements and display of evident indecision. 



When Antelope are so wild that they won't allow any one to come within shot, the only 

 plan is to station yourself behind shelter which they are likely to pass, and have the herd 

 driven towards you. This again requires some little knowledge of the country and the 

 habits of the animals in order to be successful. 



My first experience with Antelope was at Agra, on my way up-country in i860. I went 

 out one afternoon and wounded a fine buck very badly. Mounting my horse, I galloped 

 as hard as I could, but at length lost the buck in high grass, to my great disappointment. 



My next essay was at Than&ar, about twenty-five miles from Umballa, when I bagged 

 two buck, one of whose portraits is here given. He afforded an example of the way in 

 which Antelope will go away after receiving a mortal wound. He was lying in company 

 with five or six does on a bare plain studded with patches of ' dluik ' jungle. They had 

 apparently not observed me, and I stalked up behind a clump of bushes which was within 

 easy shot of them. Something had alarmed them, however, for on looking through the 

 bushes I saw them galloping away. Kneeling down, I fired both barrels at the buck, at a 

 distance of about a hundred and fifty yards, but nothing showed that he was hit. The 

 herd disappeared behind another clump of bushes, and presently the does reappeared, but 



