BIG GAME. 145 



.five couple of cock in Nova Scotia over a brace of dogs of 

 my own training, than to kill my share of a thousand head 

 of game in my lord's covers. But cliacun a son gout. 



The big game of Nova Scotia are moose and cariboo. 

 There are plenty of bears ; but hunting these animals 

 in the woods is like hunting for a needle in a bundle 

 of straw, although when moose hunting the sportsman 

 sometimes gets a chance at a bear. The best seasons 

 for cariboo hunting are in the first snow and in the 

 latter part of winter (when snow-shoeing is good). There 

 are a few of these deer here and there all over the pro- 

 \dnce, but Cumberland is considered the best hunting 

 ground. 



About twenty years ago Nova Scotia was the best 

 ground for moose hunting in British America, and 

 although greatly diminished in numbers there are still 

 a good many left. The local legislature in view of their 

 rapidly decreasing numbers enacted a law making it 

 illegal to kill moose in any way for a certain time 

 (three years, I think), and this close period has not yet 

 expired. If this law could be enforced we might expect 

 to find the moose as plentiful as ever in a short time, but 

 unfortunately it is only enforced against sportsmen, who, 

 as a rale, are a law-abiding class ; it is little check upon 

 those persons who butcher moose in the deep snow for 

 the sake of their hides. I have heard of one instance of 

 a man's having fifty moose hides in his possession last 

 winter. If this traffic in hides were prohibited in toto, 

 and the moose efficiently protected in that season of the 

 year when they are unable to protect themselves, viz. 

 from 1st of February to 1st of May, when the snow is 



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