Big Game Shooting, volume 2 (of 2)

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

48816

Title

Big Game Shooting, volume 2 (of 2)

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Clive Phillipps-Wolley's volume offers authoritative guidance on hunting diverse big game across the Arctic, Caucasus, and Asia. Featuring detailed chapters on walrus, polar bears, aurochs, argali, and saiga antelopes, this text combines practical stalking advice, weapon specifications, and scientific observation with vivid illustrations by Charles Whymper.

Summary up to 500 words

Clive Phillipps-Wolley's *Big Game Shooting, Volume 2* offers a comprehensive guide to hunting in the world's most extreme environments, ranging from the icy waters of Spitzbergen to the rugged high plateaus of Central Asia. The volume emphasizes that successful big game hunting requires not only marksmanship but also specialized vessels, local expertise, and a deep respect for the animals pursued. Arnold Pike details Arctic expeditions, advising sportsmen to hire professional walrus sloops rather than relying on unfit yachts. He notes that while walrus herds have been thinned by persistent hunting, they remain abundant if approached correctly. Pike provides technical data on walrus anatomy, noting that bulls can weigh up to 3,000 lbs and possess tusks of ivory used for small articles. He stresses the difficulty of killing a walrus instantly, as a wounded animal will dive and escape unless the brain is penetrated immediately. In the Caucasus, Phillipps-Wolley recounts the pursuit of the Caucasian aurochs, a noble relative of the American bison. His narrative highlights a dramatic kill where he prioritized scientific advancement over sport, preserving the skull and skeleton for the British Museum to aid in the study of this nearly extinct species. St. George Littledale examines the Ovis argali of Mongolia, distinguishing it from the Ovis poli based on horn mass and the absence of a ruff. He describes the challenges of stalking these magnificent sheep in rocky, high-altitude terrain where sudden air currents and limited visibility make judging distance difficult. Littledale also advocates for a revised classification of Asian sheep to prevent erroneous identification. The book further explores unique species such as the Saiga antelope, characterized by its distinctive, elongated snout, and the Tibetan gazelle. Throughout the text, contributors like W. A. Baillie-Grohman and Sir Henry Pottinger cover mountain game like the chamois and Scandinavian elk. Charles Whymper's illustrations capture the rugged beauty and inherent danger of these hunts. The volume balances the thrill of the chase with practical advice on rifle ballistics, ammunition, and taxidermy, ultimately promoting a commitment to scientific advancement and ethical hunting practices that honor the animals and their habitats.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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data/epubs/pg48816.epub

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Categories

• Hunting
• Game Birds