TO KOSKACODDE 223 



I was not very satisfied with the system of 

 hunting we were obliged to follow. Sitting 

 waiting on the top of a look-out on the chance 

 of something turning up did not appeal to me, 

 but Steve assured me it was much too early 

 to go up to the barrens and that our only chance 

 was in the woods, and I have no doubt he was 

 right. The stags do not move up to the high 

 ground much before September 20th, though 

 I believe the Shoe Hill country and right away 

 east holds stags permanently, but the big 

 stags who have summered in the woods do not 

 begin to move much before the 20th. The 

 season closing on October 1st, there is not much 

 time for good stags. The close time is from 

 October 1st to 20th, when shooting is again 

 allowed. I have a shrewd suspicion that men 

 who go in about October 5th, to be in time for 

 the second season, are not very particular about 

 dates. I feel I should be sadly tempted myself 

 were I to see a forty-five pointer, say October 

 16th. But when the rutting season is on, 

 between October 1st and 20th, the stags are 

 easily approachable and the sport cannot be 

 good. 



We discussed our plans at length there were 

 not many big stags about, and though the camp 

 was an ideal one I decided, on Steve's recom- 

 mendation, to move down south to Lake Kos- 



