Jungle By- Ways in India 



amount of success it is essential that the habits 

 of the game, whether it be animal, reptile, or 

 bird you wish to stalk, should be known to you. 



One often overhears men saying in the mess or 

 club — one has unconsciously often said it oneself : 

 ' Oh, So-and-so has the most wonderful luck 

 whenever he goes out. It's shooting made easy 

 with him.' 



I am not prepared to say that some men are not 

 more lucky than others. It makes for the great 

 fascination which shikar has for so many of us 

 that the element of luck does enter largely into 

 the matter. But when I hear of a man's persistent 

 luck I always like to try and ascertain as much as 

 he will divulge about his methods, because I have 

 invariably found that he with the so-called 

 ' persistent luck ' is a man whose knowledge of 

 the ways of the beasts he pursues is generally 

 very considerable. 



It is not always, however, even when armed with 

 a good knowledge of the habits of one's quarry 

 that success will be attained. You will often find 

 that in addition to knowing the habits of the game 

 you are after, you must know those of a variety of 

 the smaller mammals and birds who do not come 

 within the Scope of what we call ' game ' nor afford 

 trophies. 



I was carefully stalking a black buck one hot- 

 weather morning, and had every hopes of a 

 successful and comparatively easy stalk ; for as 



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