A MOOSE HUNT IN NORTHERN MAINE. 



A. HEDGES. 



That section of country lying in Aroos- 

 took county, bounded on the South by the 

 Bangor & Aroostook railroad, on the East 

 and West by the Caribou and Ashland 

 branch of the same line, and on the North 

 by the Ashland and Caribou wagon road, 

 contains as many moose and deer as any 

 section of the same size in Maine. Its 

 leading advantages are : Its proximity to 

 the railroad, which makes it possible to be- 

 come comfortably settled in camp within 

 24 hours after leaving Boston ; and its many 

 waterways, making it easy to boat large 

 game out to the settlements. Good guides 

 can be hired at any of the railroad towns 

 at reasonable rates. Those not wishing to 

 rough it can obtain good board in those 

 towns, many of which are within a few 

 hours' tramp of excellent deer hunting, with 

 even the chance of running across a stray 

 moose. Grouse can be found in most lo- 

 calities throughout that section. 



Although it is a moose country, I had 

 failed to bring a moose to bag after 2 sea- 

 sons of careful hunting. I always returned 

 with my full quota of deer, but that failed 

 to satisfy me. I wanted moose and noth- 

 ing but a moose would or could fill the bill. 

 If ever a country owed a fellow a moose, 

 that one certainly did me. I had worked, 

 tramped and paddled enough to earn at 

 least a small one. When the time drew 

 near for the third attempt I anxiously 

 awaited the date set for our departure to 

 again take up the trail. The evening of 

 November 8 found Mert, my hunting 

 companion, and me abroad the Bangor Ex- 

 press from Boston, our destination beine 

 Masardis, a small town on the Ashland 

 Branch of the B. and A. The following 

 noon we were met at the station by our 

 guide, Clarence, and a drive of 5 miles 

 took us to his comfortable house. 



While getting our outfit ready for the 

 morrow's hunt, we planned to give the 

 country to the Eastward a careful scour- 

 ing, and if that failed to show us moose 

 or their fresh sign we were to go on to 

 Clarence's camp at the head of Black 

 Water brook. 



We saved Clarence the trouble of calling 

 us in the morning, and were soon ready for 

 our hunt. In crossing the field in front of 

 the house we saw 2 deer at the farther 

 side, quietly eying us. They received a 

 fusilade, with the result of breaking a 



fore leg of the doe. Leaving Mert to fol- 

 low her, the guide and I made for a strip 

 of burned land at the foot of Squaw Pan 

 lake. 



On entering the burn, we ran across 

 fresh tracks of a large bull moose. By 

 the signs we concluded he was feeding 

 slowly, and unless frightened must be near. 

 The wind being favorable we sep'arated, 

 Clarence following the track, which 

 led along the edge of the burn, and I keep- 

 ing abreast along the slope of the ridge. 

 We had not gone far when my companion 

 motioned me to join him. As I came up 

 he pointed to the tracks of 3 other moose 

 crossing the trail we were following. 

 Again separating, we cautiously advanced 

 as before, keeping a sharp lookout anead. 

 In a few minutes I heard the report of the 

 guide's rifle. I turned in time to see 3 

 large bulls running ahead. A fourth was 

 standing in a clump of ash, 40 yards away, 

 and showing by his actions that he was 

 badly wounded. Leaving Clarence to take 

 care of that one, I tried to get a shot at 

 the 3 others. Just as I singled out the 

 largest he swung to the left and made for 

 the top of the ridge. By taking that course 

 he brought a small thicket between us. I 

 sprinted through the bushes and on coming 

 out saw the moose standing broadside and 

 looking in my direction, with only 170 yards 

 of clear ground separating us. 



There was the chance of a lifetime. I 

 carefully brought the ivory bead to bear 

 just back of the shoulder ar " grasping the 

 rifle in a still firmer hand, held my breath 

 and fired. I saw the dust and hair fly as 

 the bullet struck in the right place. Has- 

 tily working a cartridge into the chamber 

 I again fired at the shoulder. That shot 

 brought him to his knees ; he faltered a 

 second, then fell over on his side, dead. 



Clarence having finished his bull now 

 made his appearance and after a silent 

 hand shake we compared notes. We 

 dressed our , rizes and returned to the 

 house, where we found Mert, who had not 

 succeeded in overtaking his wounded doe. 

 We intended to haul the moose out the fol- 

 lowing morning, but a heavy fall of snow 

 prevented our doing so until the third day. 

 Because of the deep snow and a crust which 

 made still hunting an impossibility we 

 brought nothing to bag in the remainder of 

 our 2 weeks' stay. 



Some things are not what they seam ; 

 tailors, for instance. 



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