Stalking-horses.--Artificial.--A stalking-horse, or cow, is made by
cutting out a piece of strong canvas into the shape of the animal, and
painting it properly. Loops are sewn in different places, through which
sticks are passed, to stretch the curves into shape: a stake, planted in
the ground serves as a buttress to support the apparatus: at a proper
height, there is a loophole to fire through. It packs up into a roll of
canvas and a bundle of five or six sticks.
[Sketch of stalking-horse as described below].
Bushes are used much in the same way. Colonel Hawker made a contrivance
upon wheels which he pushed before him. The Esquimaux shoot seals by
pushing a white screen before them over the ice, on a sledge. See figure.
- (Kane.)
Real.--Both horses and oxen can be trained to shield a sportsman: they
are said to enter into the spirit of the Thing; and to show wonderful
craft, walking round and round the object in narrowing circles, and
stopping to graze unconcernedly, on witnessing the least sign of alarm.
Oxen are taught to obey a touch on the horn: the common but cruel way of
training them is to hammer and batter the horns for hours together, and
on many days successively: they then become inflamed at the root and are
highly sensitive.
Pan-hunting (used at salt-licks).--"Pan-hunting is a method of hunting
deer at night. An iron pan attached to a long stick, serving as a handle,
is carried in the left hand over the left shoulder; near where the hand
grasps the handle, in a small projecting stick, forming a fork on which
to rest the rifle, when firing.
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