Tbe Caribou 269 



countered the hunter endeavors to determine the 

 route the animal has taken and then studies the 

 direction of the wind to ascertain if it is favorable 

 for the pursuit, that is, blowing from the animal 

 toward him. If not, before following his quarry, 

 the sportsman makes a detour so that no scent 

 may be carried to the deer, which may be slowly 

 walking along, or resting in some thicket. As 

 the hunter proceeds, eagerly regarding the prints 

 in the snow, the chances are that the deer, one or 

 more as the case may be, will suddenly dash out 

 from some near thicket and disappear before him 

 in a perfect cloud of snow thrown up by their 

 broad hoofs. Then the chase commences, to be 

 decided by sheer endurance or possibly a lucky 

 chance shot at a moment when the caribou may 

 stop and turn to have a look at their enemy. 



Unlike other deer, caribou have no difficulty in 

 travelling over light snow, only sinking into the 

 drifts to a moderate depth; and their first endeavor 

 is to reach the frozen surface of some lake or 

 stream, for it is useless to follow this animal upon 

 the ice, as on its slippery expanse it can easily 

 outstrip all its pursuers. Failing this refuge, it 

 plunges on through forest and swamp and barren, 

 and he who hopes to overtake and secure this 

 deer over a snow-mantled land must have muscles 

 of steel and expansive lungs. Instances are known 

 when it has taken several days of constant going 



