238 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



one to head his group. Brown was anxious to please 

 him, but he shook his head whenever this big fellow 

 was mentioned. 



" You may get one, but I doubt it. I've been hunt- 

 ing moose for five years and have never yet seen a 

 very large one. Big bulls are mighty scarce. I 

 found the horns of one once having a spread of forty- 

 eight inches, but I think he was the last of the 

 lot." 



While Brown was inclined to be discouraging, 

 Dyche was determined to have a big moose if 

 there was one left in the swamp. The season for 

 calling moose had arrived, and while the naturalist 

 had heard much of this manner of attracting the ani- 

 mals, he had never seen it done. Brown was an old 

 moose-caller and had brought the animals up to him 

 and shot them. He had learned the art of an old 

 Nova Scotia moose-hunter who had spent a lifetime 

 at the business. Dyche took lessons until Brown 

 pronounced him proficient enough to deceive the old- 

 est moose in the woods, and then they were ready to 

 go after the big fellows. 



"The moose knows what he's about every time," 

 said Brown. "You can't fool him unless you do 

 everything just right. A moose can smell where 

 you have passed along several hours before, and 

 whenever he gets scent of a man it's good-bye, Mr. 

 Moose. You can call the moose and get the answer 

 all right enough. The old fellow may be three or 

 four miles away, but he will come promptly to the spot 

 whence the call comes. He won't come in a bee-line, 

 but he will get there. He goes in a big circle around 



