46 With Rod and Gun in New England 



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" There never seemed to me to be much romance in caribou hunting," 

 said I, as the Doctor paused for a moment ; " the pursuit of the moose, even 

 the common deer, always carries with it a peculiar sentiment or ardor that 

 caribou hunting does not awaken, but no doubt it requires as much skill in 

 the hunter and possibly more patience and endurance." 



" Yes," replied the Doctor, " as a rule the caribou is a difficult animal 

 to follow, and if the herd is once fairly startled one may as well abandon 

 the pursuit, for many miles will often be traversed before the fleeing 

 animals will stop. At times, however, the herd will not take alarm even 

 if the rifle has dropped several of its members. I have frequently had the 

 animals pause to look at me, the report of my rifle not disturbing them, 

 but if they are approached from the windward they are off and away in an 

 instant; this, however, is the case with the other Cervidae." 



" The antlers of the caribou are very dissimilar," said the Judge ; " I 

 never saw two pairs that were alike." 



" Yes, they vary greatly ; the handsomest I ever saw came from New- 

 foundland, where this animal is probably more abundant than in any other 

 locality. The does, as well as the bucks, carry antlers and use them, too, in 

 defence of their young. The males use theirs viciously in the fights which 

 occur in the rutting season, in September, and many a fine buck has lost 

 his life in their fierce encounters." 



the hot weather ; but when travelling across country they will often pass 

 through the fields and near farm houses. This may sometimes be owing 

 to their poor vision, for this seems to be very defective. Their sense of 

 smell, however, is very keen, and their hearing is acute. When well to 

 leeward I have walked to within fifty yards of them in plain sight, and I 

 have had them approach me very closely, evidently from curiosity ; when 

 startled they can go as no other animal can. I know of nothing so fleet 

 of foot. They usually travel in herds of from three to twenty, and are 

 very seldom found alone. Their horns are smooth and gracefully curved, 

 and they use their long, sharp antlers to defend themselves in the fights 

 which frequently occur. In the months of September and October they 

 move about restlessly in search of mates, for the older bucks will drive the 

 younger males from the herd. They will sometimes be attracted by the 

 moose call, and will come to within shooting distance ; this has occurred 

 here several times within a few years. The best way to hunt caribou is to 

 still-hunt it, or to wait for it in runways, as they will follow old roads or 

 paths for miles. The does go on islands in large bogs or lakes to drop 

 their young, which usually occurs about the last of May or the first of 

 June ; the fawns, one or two in number, are defended with courage by the 

 mother from their worst enemy, the lynx, or wild cat, which follows them 

 stealthily and springs upon them when an opportunity offers ; this is usually 

 done in the night, and yearlings as well as fawns are often destroyed by 

 the marauder. When a number of caribou are herded together one of 

 them is constantly on the watch for approaching danger, and as soon as he 

 lies down another will arise and act as sentinel." 



