A PECULIAR STALK 113 



moose abound, I have hunted them by stalk- 

 ing; by using the moose-horn in calling 

 both by day and night; and by sitting down 

 and watching by the side of either a run-way 

 or a lick. I remember well lying out one 

 cold night behind a big rock close to the lake 

 on my own grounds in Maine. A bull and a 

 cow moose had for several nights been using 

 a trail that led past this boulder on their way 

 to a portion of the lake where the lily pads 

 grew in plenty. 



It was in the latter part of October, and 

 the wind was right. With plenty of cover- 

 ing I fixed up a place behind the rock where 

 I could lie, and where a shot might be ef- 

 fective even before the rock was passed. The 

 night was overcast and towards nine o'clock 

 it became quite dark. Just back of the hid- 

 ing place was a good-sized spruce tree, with 

 two of its lower branches extending out over 

 the rock. 



In such a tryst the minutes as they pass 

 seem to be of extra length, while a whole 

 hour's watching and listening makes one 

 think that morning must be near. When sit- 

 ting out all night it is hard to gauge the pass- 

 ing hours. Nothing was heard of the coming 

 of the pair of moose; in fact, there were no 



