Tbe Moose 309 



they have clipped branches fully ten feet above 

 the ground. 



It is during the mating season, September and 

 October, that bull moose become most coura- 

 geous and reckless. They are ready for battle, 

 and they do battle in royal manner among them- 

 selves for the possession of the cow. 



While on the Kenai, in the fall of 1900, I 

 heard three combats in progress during my hunt 

 on the peninsula. The thumping of their antlers 

 can often be heard for a mile, and to the ear of 

 the trained hunter the sounds are unmistakable. 

 I had left camp but a couple of miles behind one 

 morning when I heard the clashing of antlers. 

 I hurried in the direction of battle as rapidly as 

 possible, but was greatly retarded in my progress 

 by fallen timber and tangled brush, and although 

 the affray must have kept up fully thirty minutes, 

 I failed to reach the scene in time for the finish. 

 I found the place where it had occurred, an open 

 spot about fifty feet across, surrounded by an 

 enormous growth of alders on all sides. It was 

 just such a secluded spot as men might select for 

 duel. The earth was fearfully dug up by the 

 hoofs of the moose and the surrounding alders 

 broken down in many places, while great locks of 

 long brownish gray hair bestrewed the ground. 

 Both animals had disappeared, and although I was 

 very near when the battle ended, I heard no cry 



