. The Big game of North America [microform] : its habits, habitat, haunts, and charcteristics : how, when, and where to hunt it. Hunting; Hunting; Big game hunting; Big game hunting; Chasse; Chasse; Chasse au gros gibier; Chasse au gros gibier. ALLIGATOR-SnOOTIXG IN FLdKIDA, 659 'Gator usually sinks as soon as killed, if his luugs are not filled with air, and in case they are so filled, it is likely to escape as soon as the animal is dead. When not too wild, they can be approached in a boat evo^ in plain sight; but this depends upon how much they have been shot at. Like all reptiles, they lear
. The Big game of North America [microform] : its habits, habitat, haunts, and charcteristics : how, when, and where to hunt it. Hunting; Hunting; Big game hunting; Big game hunting; Chasse; Chasse; Chasse au gros gibier; Chasse au gros gibier. ALLIGATOR-SnOOTIXG IN FLdKIDA, 659 'Gator usually sinks as soon as killed, if his luugs are not filled with air, and in case they are so filled, it is likely to escape as soon as the animal is dead. When not too wild, they can be approached in a boat evo^ in plain sight; but this depends upon how much they have been shot at. Like all reptiles, they learn quickly, especially when taught in such impressive ways. On warm, sunshiny days, they are especially fond of basking on the bank; for even a 'Gator appreciates the hygienic value of a sun-bath. Taking advantage of a cer- tain morning when the wind was blowing parallel with the shore, rigging a skiff with oar-lock in the stern, wraj)- ping the oar with cloth so as to make it noiseless, and tying it to the boat so thot it could be dropped without losing, I stood, riUe in my rig^nt hand and oar in my left, only steering when the wind was in my favor., but sculling when aecessary. Thus gliding noiselessly along the edge of the saw-grass, which in places was trampled down by Alligators into beds that grew more and more frequent as I progressed, I "kep' an eye skun," as the Cracker ex- presses it, for the long game. As I rounded a small point, 1 heard a splash, and caught sight of a huge serrated tail, as the fast-traveling waves reminded me that the eyes, ears, and nose of even a'Gator are often too sensitive for us, and that their sluggish muscle is capable of rapid motion when necessary. Another and ano'Jier plunge; but it would not pay to wait for ti>em to up, for it might not be for half an hour, and thcri they might be far out in the lake. As I rounded another point, straining every nerve of sight and hearing, whack! came a mullet against the boat with such
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjecthunting, bookyear1890
