208 EECENT HUNTING TRIPS. 



valley, where after a time we fonncl them very 

 difficult to follow, as there was no snow under 

 the trees. So we left them, but presently came 

 across them again, on an open snow-covered 

 hillside. We again followed them, but had not 

 gone far when we spied a bull moose lying 

 down amongst some scattered spruce forest 

 below us. 



I crept cautiously down towards it, and as I 

 was soon hidden by a piece of rising ground 

 and the wind was favourable, I am sure that it 

 neither saw nor smelt me, but when I again 

 came in sight of it it was standing up and 

 looking straight towards me with its ears cocked 

 forwards. I have no doubt that it had heard 

 the crust on the snow breaking from time to 

 time under my weight. I fired at it as it stood 

 nearly facing me, and, as it turned out afterwards, 

 hit it exactly right, in the chest, and I cannot 

 understand how the buUet missed its heart. 



It immediately turned and ran behind some 

 spruce trees and then stood motionless for some 

 time. As I fully expected that it was going to 

 fall dead where it stood, I made no effort to get 



