208 



RECREA TION. 



lead, proving that it had struck the in- 

 tervening hill in its passage, and yet had 

 not been deflected upward sufficiently to 

 prevent its striking the mark. Because 

 of its deformed point it lodged under the 

 skin of the farther side of the antelope. 



If an animal be lying down, whether 

 on a level, below or above one, I believe 

 the shoulder line should be chosen if in 

 a sidewise position, and the spine if 

 lengthwise. One should be especially 

 sure in such a case to shoot low enough, 

 for the ball which passes too high cannot 

 by any possibility do any damage to the 

 game, while the one which strikes this side 

 of the game may ricochet and kill the 

 animal. A friend assured me that with 

 a 44-77 Sharp's, he killed a buffalo at a 

 distance of nearly a mile in such a way, 

 the ball flattening and striking him in 

 the abdomen, by the merest chance, as 

 he had shot only for amusement. The 

 fact that this one did not go off with 

 the others led to an investigation, by 

 which the facts were learned. 



It is a favorite trick with some hunters 

 to kill the mountain woodchuck by shoot- 

 ing at the base of a sloping rock on which 

 the animal sits and allowing the glanc- 

 ing flattened pieces of lead to strike it. 

 These pieces make long slit-like wounds, 



rather than the round bullet holes with 

 which we are familiar. I have known 

 an antelope's neck to be cut almost as if 

 with a knife by such a piece of flattened 

 lead. 



Although it is certainly a fact that the 

 imbricated feathers of the goose's breast 

 will turn heavy shot from a shot-gun, in 

 using the rifle we should hardly have to 

 fear an such turning of the ball by any 

 game in this country at least. The matted 

 hair of the buffalo's head is said to offer 

 an insuperable obstacle to a bullet, and 

 easily might, at times, especially when 

 filled with dirt, but I have had no ex- 

 perience with this variety of game. If 

 compelled to face one of them in a 

 charge, I should prefer to shoot for the 

 sticking point or try to break his neck, 

 if the head were held low. A quarter- 

 ing shot through the shoulders would be 

 an excellent one, also. 



With the largest game in Asia and 

 Africa it is said by hunters to be best to 

 shoot for the eye or ear, hoping to enter 

 the brain. In this country we have no 

 animals which can withstand the ball 

 from the 40-90 rifle, or others of fairly 

 heavy calibre, if used as we have men- 

 tioned above, and with cartridges carry- 

 ing heavy charges of powder. 



