HUNTING THE MOOSE. 177 



and is the most shy and wary of all the deer species ; an I on this 

 account the art of moose-hunting is looked upon as the greatest 

 of an Indian's acquirements, particularly by the Creeks who take 

 to themselves the credit of being able to instruct the hunters of 

 every other tribe. The skill of a moose-hunter is most tried in 

 the early part of the winter ; for during the summer, the moose, 

 as well as other animals, are so much tormented by musquitoes, 

 that they become regardless of the approach of man. In the 

 winter the hunter tracks the moose by its foot-marks in the snow, 

 and it is necessary that he should keep constantly to leeward of 

 the chase, and make his advances with the utmost caution, for the 

 rustling of a withered leaf or the cracking of a rotten twig is suffi- 

 cient to alarm the watchful beast. The difficulty of approach is 

 increased by a habit which the moose-deer has of making daily a 

 sharp turn in its route, and choosing a place of repose so near 

 some part of its path that it can hear the least noise made by one 

 that attempts to track it. To avoid this, the judicious hunter, 

 instead of walking in the animal's footsteps, forms his judgment 

 from the appearance of the country, of the direction it is likely to 

 have taken, and makes a circuit to leeward until he again finds 

 the track. This manoeuvre is repeated until he discovers, by the 

 softness of the snow in the foot-marks, and other signs, that he is 

 very near the chase. He then disencumbers himself of every- 

 thing that might embarrass his motions, and makes his approach 

 in the most cautious manner. If he gets close to the animal's lair 

 without being seen, it is usual for him to break a small twig 

 which, alarming the moose, it instantly starts up ; but, not fully 

 aware of the danger, squats on its hams, and voids its urine, pre- 

 paratory to setting ofF. In this posture it presents the fairest 

 mark, and the hunter's shot seldom fails to take effect in a mortal 

 part. In the rutting season the bucks lay aside their timidity, 

 and attack every animal that comes in their way, and even con- 

 quer their fear of man himself. The hunters then bring them 

 within gun-shot by scraping on the blade-bone of a deer and by 

 whistling, which, deceiving the male, he blindly hastens to the 



spot to assail his supposed rival. If the hunter fails in giving it a 

 12 



