120 CANADIAN NIGHTS 



moose ; not only bull moose, but bulls that have 

 not already provided themselves with consorts ; for 

 if a real cow begins calling, the rough imitation 

 in the shape of a man has a very poor chance of 

 success, and may as well give it up as a bad job. 

 Fourthly, you must find a spot that is convenient 

 for calling, that is to say, a piece of dry ground, 

 for no human being can lie out all night in the 

 wet, particularly in the month of October, when 

 it freezes hard towards morning. You must have 

 dry ground well sheltered with trees or shrubs of 

 some kind, and a tolerably open space around it 

 for some distance ; open enough for you to see 

 the bull coming up when he is yet at a little dis- 

 tance, but not a large extent of open ground, 

 for no moose will venture out far on an entirely 

 bare exposed plain. He is disinclined to leave 

 the friendly shelter of the trees. A perfect spot, 

 therefore, is not easily found. Such are some of 

 the difficulties which attend moose-calling, and 

 render it a most precarious pastime. Four con- 

 ditions are necessary, and all four must be com- 

 bined at one and the same time. 



Having once determined to go out, preparations 

 do not take long. You have only to roll up a 

 blanket and overcoat, take some tea, sugar, salt, 



