MOOSE HUNTING AND CALLING. 187 



to shoot sits down in the bottom of the craft in such a 

 position that the lantern when opened shines over his 

 right shoulder and thus directly upon the sights of his 

 rifle. The call is then given in the usual way, after 

 which, if a bull " comes in," the canoe approaches him 

 within twenty or thirty yards, or even nearer. The 

 shooter then opens the jack, letting out a stream of 

 light upon the darkness of the night. The moose at 

 once, and almost invariably, charges, and, be it big bull, 

 cow, or yearling, has in four cases out of five to be shot 

 in self-defence, as the animal, maddened by the glare, 

 will rush right aboard the canoe, and an upset in the 

 eighteen-inch water which flows above the bottomless 

 mud round the margins of some Canadian lakes is more 

 than liable to end tragically. 



Yet, though "jacking" is undoubtedly a poacher's 

 trick, great sport can be had in summer when on chosen 

 water. At that time of the year the moose are, as is 

 well known, almost amphibious in their habits, and in 

 the space of a couple of hours it is possible to " open " 

 upon half a dozen of the great deer. If the sportsman 

 carries no rifle he is within the law, and may safely 

 expect to have a considerable amount of excitement. 

 Lest I should be misunderstood, I may say that I have 

 never shot at a moose by lantern-light ; still, I have 

 " opened " on several, though I should not care to do 

 so without a companion at the stern of the canoe who 

 could be trusted to keep his head and do the right 

 thing instantly under sometimes trying circumstances 

 The view of a bull moose by lantern-light is remarkable 

 The horns, the gigantic Roman nose, the little infuriated 

 eyes, and the whole unwieldy, purposeful charge of 

 1,200 Ibs. of flesh and bone and horn, form together 



