240 



RECREATION 



the island in August, only to return 

 with unsatisfactory reports. Now, there 

 are more live stags during August than 

 later on, but the method of hunting 

 them is different, requiring in the high- 

 est degree every art known to the still 

 hunter. He should be afoot in the 

 morning at the very first break of dawn, 

 while at sunset he should select some 

 favored spot where the sign is good, 

 and there watch until darkness ob- 

 scures the sights of his rifle. Too many 



out the danger of ruining a good lo- 

 cality ; but of this more anon. Another 

 precaution to be observed during this 

 period when the animals are locally dis- 

 turbed is the necessity of a quiet camp. 

 of lighting only the smallest fires, and 

 then only for cooking purposes. Such 

 extraordinary precautions may seem 

 absurd to the reader who has hunted 

 white-tailed deer, and I do not contend 

 that they are absolutely essential to 

 success for summer caribou hunting. 



PACKING OUT FROM MIDDLE RIDGE. 



sportsmen of little experience in New- 

 foundland ramble about during the 

 day's heat, tracking up the country, 

 only to return to camp disheartened, 

 without a single glimpse of game. In 

 August such a practice is fatal, for a 

 caribou at the very first scent of a 

 man's fresh tracks will clear out for 

 parts unknown. At that time the bulls 

 are fat, lazy and sluggish in habits. 

 Rarely roaming far from their beds, 

 they are certain to stumble upon the 

 hunter, should the latter hunt in the 

 right way. Later on, when they are 

 traveling the open barrens, one may 

 walk his 15 or 20 miles each day with- 



But as an illustration of their import- 

 ance, I well recall my first trip into 

 the Southwest Gander Region. It was 

 during August. I started with two 

 young friends, quantities of provisions, 

 three tents, three guides and four 

 "packers" — a discouragingly elaborate 

 outfit. Our first camp was pitched in 

 an excellent "stag country," on the 

 shore of George's Pond, and on the 

 very first day out two good bulls were 



* I have used the terms bull and stag inter- 

 changeably, the former being the name generally 

 used by hunters in Canada, the latter in Newfound- 

 land. 



