36 With Rod and Gtm in New England 



s 



apparently clumsy animals. I gazed upon the scene almost entranced, — 

 even forgetting that I had a rifle and was there to kill, — and if it had not 

 been for my guide, who touched my arm and pointed to the cow that stood 

 gazing stolidly upon the light, I have no doubt that the duel would have 

 continued until one of the bulls was conquered. The action of the guide 

 and his whispered remark, " There is always a female at the bottom of all 

 trouble," aroused me, and, aiming at one of the bulls, I fired. The dis- 

 charge of my rifle alarmed the cow and she quickly disappeared in the forest, 

 but the others paid no attention to the report and continued their battle. 



" I thought for a moment I had missed my aim and was about to send 

 another ball into my quarry, but he began to waver and stagger about, and 

 soon grew so weak that the other forced him down and began viciously to 

 gore him. 



" Disapproving of such unchivalric conduct toward a conquered foe, but 

 not wishing to kill the survivor, we emerged from our covert and advanced 

 toward the bull, expecting that on discovering us he would take flight ; but 

 in so doing we made a serious mistake, for the moose turned like a flash, 

 and charging upon us caught the guide before he could escape, and gave 

 him a toss that I thought was fatal, and then swung for me. I had no 

 time to take deliberate aim, but holding my rifle almost at arm's length I 

 fired, and he dropped as if struck by lightning, the ball having pierced the 

 thick skull at the only vulnerable point, and entered the brain. 



" The guide was badly bruised, but not seriously injured, and he was in 

 a short time able to dress the two carcasses." 



" I 've had lots of scrapes with moose," he said, " but that was nearly 

 the worst of all."* 



" During the early part of the hunting season," continued the Doctor, 

 "the moose is one of the most wary of animals, but after it has yarded and 

 the snow has come it is much more easily approached. On discovering 

 the hunter the animals separate, running from the yard in different direc- 

 tions with great speed. The sportsman then takes the track of one of the 

 bulls and follows it patiently. This must, sometimes, be kept up for several 

 days ; no moose can stand continual tramping longer than five days, the 

 first three of which he travels swiftly and easily, but the unprotected hoofs 

 wear down rapidly, and by the end of the third day the feet will begin to 

 bleed. In one or two days more the hoofs are worn out and the beast can 

 go no farther. This method of getting moose is, of course, accompanied 

 with considerable hardship, particularly if the hunter is not accustomed to 

 long tramping ; for he must move with all the celerity of which he is 

 capable, from dawn until twilight, every day until his quarry is captured." 



* Reprinted from Forest and Stream. 



