GAME OF THE KENAI PENINSULA, ALASKA 
449 
A LiTTlvE BUIvIv MOOSU THAT WAS 
FORCIBLY KDUCATKD 
A few days later there occurred an- 
other scene in the same locahty and with 
a somewhat amusing sequel : 
"August 2/ — Tlier., 38- j 4. 
"One of my favorite visitors was a 
little bull moose. At first he always 
came in company with a five-year-old, 
but the latter got too much scent once 
and ran off, with the smaller one trail- 
ing wonderingly behind. On this occa- 
sion he was alone. The way he kept 
eyeing the blind rather indicated that a 
visit had been made there during my 
absence. 
"Today he came from the long point, 
where the flies were scarce, and after 
filling up nearly to the bursting point, 
laid down in the middle of the lick for 
a nap. As this was to be the next to 
my last day in the blind, I concluded to 
try some more experiments. Coming 
out of the blind, he saw me at once, but 
did not get up — simply turning his ears 
my way and expressing great astonish- 
ment in his big, round eyes. 
"When I got very close he arose and 
walked to the edge of the marsh, when, 
getting the sun behind me, I took his 
picture (see pages 455-458). And later I 
tried to force him down toward the lake 
in order to get a more effective back- 
ground. This he objected to, but ran 
about playfully, showing no concern 
.whatever over the scent. 
"After taking a few more pictures, I 
concluded that I would be doing a very 
poor service to leave him in this unso- 
phisticated state of mind. It was plain 
he now no longer feared the sight or 
scent of man, and would doubtless soon 
fall a victim to a party of hunters camp- 
ing half a mile down the shore. 
"Selecting a good-sized club, I got as 
close as possible, partly accomplished by 
grunting like a bull. 
''Throwing the missile with all my 
force at his well-covered ribs, I gave a 
piercing yell at the same time. The 
marksmanship was poor, for the stick 
struck the ground just this side and one 
end flying up hit him in the pit of the 
stomach. This probably had greater ef- 
fect than a drubbing on the ribs — how- 
ever much it violated the ethics of strik- 
ing below the belt — for he jumped up 
into the air with his back arched like a 
scared cat. When he came down there 
was no doubt about his intention or 
ability to get out of that part of the 
country. Before I could pick up the 
camera he had vaulted over and beyond 
the fallen timber." 
Only once, when I blew up a huge 
grizzly bear with a flashlight machine, 
have I known an animal that got its edu- 
cation quicker, and never, as later events 
proved, to better purpose. 
The following day I came to the blind 
at an early hour, hopeful that one of 
the big bulls from the hills would come 
within photographic range. Just what 
occurred becomes a necessary part of 
the diary entry of the previous day. 
"August 28 — Ther., 72-^8. 
. . . "From the start the wind was 
variable and so light that the mosquitoes 
became annoying for the first time. 
Twice I saw a cow moose wandering 
about, but she was wary. As the hours 
passed I was satisfied that the little bull 
had made his valedictory appearance and 
was not disappointed by the thought. 
"Precisely at 2 I heard the sound of 
a heavy animal running, then a splash 
down toward the lake, where I could see 
the little bull struggling out of a mud 
hole, his feet working Hke the blades of 
a water-wheel, and then out he got, 
rushing on without a stop or a glance 
to the rear. Evidently something was 
after him — possibly a grizzly bear that 
looked now almost as big as a locomo- 
tive. 
"Getting out the field glass I covered 
what was likely his back track for a long 
distance, finally noticing the figures of 
two men coming down a hillside, and as 
each was armed with a rifle I knew they 
were not my guides. On their approach 
I arose, and after a greeting found that 
the larger and heavier of the two was 
Jim Jeffries, the ex-heavyweight cham- 
pion of the world. He explained in sub- 
stance that they were out after a supply 
of fresh and tender meat, preparatory 
to hunting big bulls for their heads : that 
