A HUNTER'S CAMP-FIRES 



we had seen them. This meant another hard climb through 

 the wet brush, ending in a cautious stalk in the direction where 

 we could hear one of the bulls polishing its antlers on a stunted 

 tree at timber-line. When about one hundred yards from the 

 source of these sounds, Mac suddenly pointed to the tips of 

 the antlers of the second bull showing above the tops of the 

 willows about fifty yards distant. This moose had become 

 aware of our approach, and stood listening for our next move. 

 I judged that he was standing broadside, and fired two shots 

 in rapid succession through the willows at where the shoulders 

 of the animal should be. Evidently it had been standing 

 head-on, for at the reports both moose crashed down the moun- 

 tain-side, and although we followed the tracks for about a 

 mile we found no traces of blood. Toward dusk, from a small 

 knoll in the valley, we could see two bull moose several miles 

 farther down the caiion. As it was too late to stalk these that 

 evening, we returned to camp, Mac crossing the precarious 

 bridge of trees after dark with my rifle in one hand and a 

 freshly murdered porcupine slung over one shoulder. 



By daylight we were again travelling along above timber- 

 line in a dense fog, which drifted aw^ay about ten o'clock and 

 revealed to us the scenery about ten miles down the valley. 

 The view also included a glimpse of a large bull moose feeding 

 among the willows five hundred yards below, where we were 

 perched on a steep moss-covered slope. Unfortunately, the 

 moose lay down in a thicket for its mid-day siesta before we 

 could reach it. This obliged us to wait, three hundred yards 

 distant, for two tedious hours until the bull arose and started 

 leisurely feeding toward us. When it was only sixty yards 

 distant, but concealed by some thick willows, the light breeze 

 suddenly changed and carried a whiff of our scent to its sensi- 

 tive nostrils. I had several momentary" glimpses of the large 

 animal as it crashed through the willows two hundred yards 

 below, and twice I fired without scoring. The reports of the 



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