A FALL HUNTING TRIP. 95 



could see small parties of deer continually crossing the 

 marsh to the east of our camp. There were one or two 

 stags amongst them, but not very large ones. 



For some time after this the weather alternated between 

 frost and " sleepy " snow. We had one or two unpleasant 

 days of sleet, but the sun generally showed himself for a 

 longer or shorter time between morning and evening. 

 During this period our camp was set in a drogue beside the 

 small lake known as Doctor's Pond. We made our march 

 there through a storm of sleet and snow blowing in our 

 faces all the way, covering stones and bog-holes from our 

 sight and rendering walking with a heavy pack disagreeable. 



As we neared the pond we saw two sizable stags, but 

 neither good enough to shoot. After a while the weather 

 cleared and became glorious, the camp was comfortable, and 

 in fact everything went well with us with one exception 

 I was beginning to be very uneasy about securing a big 

 stag. I had at that time seen seventeen, and shot the best 

 one of them, but he was no more than a fair specimen. 

 While in this camp we hunted one day in the lower country, 

 which was full of deer travelling south, for the autumn 

 migration was by no means at an end. The courting 

 season was over, however, for we often saw three or four 

 large stags feeding in amity with does round them. 



All this time we never had a dull moment, and rarely 

 went out without seeing either does or stags. We were 

 often able to approach within one hundred yards, and many 

 hours were spent watching the deer through the telescope. 

 The average stag seemed to carry some twenty to twenty- 

 five points, but of all we had yet seen not one presented two 

 good brows, though a couple of them appeared to carry a 

 number of points. But, as far as caribou are concerned, 

 points mean very little. For instance, we picked up a cast 

 antler showing fifteen points on one brow alone, and yet this 

 was a poor and weakly-grown horn. 



