THE HABITS OF THE MOOSE. 207 



In fall, when the females are rutting, the males become very 

 emaciated. 



There are various modes of hunting the Moose, detailed 

 accounts of which would be, I fear, too tedious. The first and 

 most usual way is to approach the animals on snow-shoes or on 

 foot, as only a hunter knows how, and shoot them. The old men 

 who are not able to walk much in deep snow make a kind of fence 

 of three poles tied equidistant from each other, a little taller than 

 a man, stretching perhaps for two days' march between lakes, or 

 a lake and a river, or between two mountains, or in any particular 

 place where the Moose are accustomed to pass. Spaces are left 

 vacant here and there in this fence, and in these snares are set. 

 In autumn, during the rutting season, the hunter carries with him 

 the clean, dried shoulder-blade of a Moose, and when he hears 

 the call of the male Moose, which is audible at a distance of 

 several miles, he rubs the shoulder-blade against a small, dry 

 tree and imitates the call of the male. The Moose, as soon as 

 he hears the sound, imagines no doubt that it is another Moose, 

 and runs in the direction, till met by a shot. The male is very 

 dangerous at that season, especially when wounded. 



Many years ago, before guns and ammunition found their way 

 into this country, the Indians used to build snow embankments 

 near favourite feeding places, and lie hid there for days until 

 a Moose should chance to pass near, when they would kill him 

 with arrows. 



I have been told that they run the Moose with horses in the 

 plain country along the Saskatchewan. So long as the Moose 

 keeps his trot, a horse cannot catch him, but if he can be forced 

 into a gallop he soon becomes blown, and is then easily over- 

 taken. The hunter uses every precaution, and having approached 

 as near as possible to the animal, unperceived, he mounts, and 

 putting his horse to its utmost speed generally surprises the 

 animal so as to make it break into a gallop. 



All Indians in the north have certain superstitious notions 

 regarding the Moose. I have tried hard to prevail upon the 

 Chippewyans to bring me some heads and horns, but without 

 success. The reason for this is that the Indian women during 

 their menses are not permitted to eat or even touch a Moose 

 head, for should they do so they firmly believe that the captor 

 will kill no more that winter. They say that this has been 



