554 BIG GAME OF NORTH AMERICA. 



purpose. The idea seems prevalent that it requires an 

 Express charge to get a bullet into his head. It is a mis- 

 take. A thirty-two-caliber bullet, driven by a fair charge 

 of powder, would, if it hit squarely, enter any 'Gator's 

 head, and, properly placed, would be as effective as a can- 

 non-ball; while a charge of No. 6 shot, at thirty yards, would 

 enter his side. Of course, I do not mean to say that a thirty- 

 two-caliber would be a desirable size, but only to make it 

 understood that a large, eight-bore Express charge is 

 wholly unnecessary. For all-around 'Gator-hunting, I 

 would prefer a thirty-eight or forty caliber repeating- 

 rifle, giving the flattest possible trajectory consistent with 

 accuracy. These sizes are large enough, and in many cases 

 a repeater will be found preferable to a single-shot; while 

 the flat trajectory will be found especially desirable in 

 making long shots over water, where the distance is diffi- 

 cult to estimate with a sufficient degree of accuracy to put 

 the ball into the small portion of the ' Gator' s head that is 

 visible above the water-line. 



As for myself, I used a thirty-eight-caliber Winchester, 

 model of '78, on which I replaced the front sight with one 

 made from a 'Gator's tooth, which reflected less light than 

 the original metallic one, and filed the rear sight flat on 

 top; then with a rough-edged case-knife I cut a fine groove 

 in the center. Of all open sights, I like this best, as 

 at a quick glance it gives the clearest idea of just how 

 coarse or fine a sight you are drawing, and' is especially 

 advantageous in shooting in twilight. With this rifle so 

 sighted, and reloading my own shells, I have killed from 

 a moving boat, at from forty to one hundred yards, eight 

 swimming 'Gators in as many consecutive shots, hitting 

 them all in the ear; but of course this was an exceptional 

 run of luck, that I could never hope to duplicate. In shoot- 

 ing any game, it is usually now or never. If the distance 

 be great, it is necessary to estimate the same as the gun 

 comes to the shoulder — and even with the most experi- 

 enced, these estimates are often far from correct; and espe- 

 cially over water is this the case. 



