Wapiti or Elk 49 



t-TuceT' "' "''' ''' ^'"^'^^^ ""' "«'- -h-h are 



fron. the middle below out at the top ,Sr™ Vr^lf 

 track Its size and general character, together with the plac 

 show tt to be that of a bull Elk. He was travelling towa d ' 

 because m spue of us dimness, we can see a fainf sharpness 

 a one s.de of the track and a suggestion of squareness i^^ th 

 other, showing the toe and heel marks, respectively, and also 

 because on the bank, at the bottom, H, the tracks are short- 

 ened, showmg that he was coming up. 



In case of doubt, one can sometimes determine the direc- 

 non of a doubtful track by lightly brushing away the snow. 

 The wet ground below may have a clearer impression, or a 

 ball ot hard snow may remain to tell the tale. The track 

 .s stale; but how stale .? Yesterday the wind came from the 

 pomt he IS headed for, and last night came the fresh snow- 

 therefore he IS twenty-four hours ahead, and though unalarmed 

 -witness his easy stride and trailing toes-it might take 

 several hours to come up with the maker of that track 



But the three we are following are quite fresh. A is the 

 track of a big bull, because the hoof-mark is 5 inches long 

 (4 inches would be middle-sized). His hoofs might be over- 

 grown, but the tracks are wide apart, showing the thick body 

 and he has fine antlers, because the cow went through a four-foot 

 opening, which he avoided for a wider door. Also, the snow 

 IS knocked off the lower branches where he passed, and a 

 spike-horn rarely touches a branch with his antlers. 



That he is not alarmed is shown by his short steps and 

 the lazy dragging of his toes, as well as by his hMng (K) to 

 drop, an important hunter's sign. The track is fresh, because 

 It was made since last night's snow, but it is at least an hour 

 old because the sign at K is no longer hot; is sprinkled, in- 

 deed, with hoar-frost. 



Here, at B, the bull "bedded." He was there for an hour 

 at least, because the snow under him is melted. 



