32 With Rod and Gun in Nezu England 



a good moose country, there being hardly any great stretch of forest in that 

 province that does not contain them. In the wilderness in the lower half of 

 the peninsula, however, they are more abundant than elsewhere, and it is 

 rarely that the hunter fails to secure one in a week's outing in that delight- 

 ful country." * 



" There are several methods of hunting the moose, I believe," said 

 the Judge, " I have heard hunters speak of ' calling and still-hunting ' but 

 there must be other ways in which the animal is pursued." 



" Yes," replied the Doctor, " in addition to those methods the moose 

 is often shot from a boat as it comes down to the shore of a lake or river 

 to drink and feed, and it is killed by being followed persistently on the 

 snow until it becomes foot-sore and exhausted. Of these methods still- 

 hunting is in the opinion of many the most sportsmanlike, but calling the 

 male in the rutting season is probably the method most in vogue. It is 

 done by imitating through a horn of birch bark the note of the cow moose. 

 I have had some experience in this sport, and on one occasion had quite 

 an exciting adventure." 



* The following extracts from a letter received from Mr. John McV. 

 Munro of Maitland, Annapolis county, Nova Scotia, a hunter and guide of 

 many years' experience, give much valuable information in relation to the 

 habits of the moose. — E. A. S. 



He says : — "It selects for its yarding-place a swamp or a thick jungle 

 which affords good cover, where it remains during severe storms and 

 inclement weather. On fine days, however, it will often be found lying in 

 the warmest side of the cover, enjoying a sun bath. When a severe snow 

 storm occurs the moose often remains the whole day lying in one spot, and 

 not getting up to feed. When hunger compels it to eat, it wallows through 

 the snow in search of its favorite browse, such as the twigs, bark, etc., of the 

 poplar, birch, white maple, withewood, and willow. When hard pressed 

 for food it will devour almost any green substance, and I have known it to 

 eat off fir boughs the size of my little finger ; this, however, was when it had 

 been followed by hunters until its legs and feet were sore and bleeding. 



" One of its peculiarities is that it invariably lies down at right angles 

 to the wind, so as to see to the leeward and scent to the windward. Some 

 hunters claim that it always feeds to the leeward, but such has not been 

 my observation, for I have found them feeding to windward as often as to 

 the leeward. When it is through feeding it walks off to leeward a short 

 distance and back again and then lies down to chew the cud. It feeds 

 usually in the morning and at the close of the day, sometimes far into the 

 evening ; this, however, is in the more open country. I have known 

 them to keep to the thick cover until evening and then to come out and 

 browse, returning to cover for the night. If it hears an unusual sound 

 it circles around until it gets the scent, and if it is from man, the moose 

 vanishes. 



" The calves usually remain with their mother through the first winter. 

 On the approach of a severe storm the cow calls her offspring to her side 



