THE REFERENDUM 



5&7 



MY FIRST MOOSE HUNT 

 BY CHARLIE GRAHAM 



When the holiday list was passed around 

 our office two years ago, and we were asked 

 to fill in the time we would like best for our 

 vacation, it did not take me very long to de- 

 cide on the last two weeks in September, for 

 it was 011 the 15th of that month that the 

 season for shooting moose opened in Nova 

 Scotia. 



For two years previous to this I had 

 planned on a moose-hunt, but both times just 

 at the last minute something had upset my 

 plans and I was determined that this time I 

 would carry out my intentions. The evening 

 of the 15th saw me on board of a train home- 

 bound, and on arriving there on the following 

 evening found every one well and apparently 

 glad to see the prodigal who had been away 

 for over a year. 



In the course of the evening I asked my 

 brothers if they had heard how the moose 

 were that year, and they told me there 

 seemed to be quite a few of them around, al- 

 though it was very difficult to get near them. 

 They had just got back from a week in the 

 woods, but although they had been very close 

 to them several times, had never been able to 

 get a shot, as the moose always heard them 

 before they got a chance to shoot. Hearing 

 this, I decided to waste no time, but to start 

 right away and try my luck at them, so next 

 morning I saddled the horse and rode down 

 to see Phillips, an old hunter who always ac- 

 companied the boys on their expeditions, and 

 after a while he consented to act as my 

 guide. 



We talked over the best route to take and 

 provisions required and chances of success, 

 etc., and after mapping out a kind of course 

 I left him promising to be down to his place 

 by daylight the following morning ready to 

 start. 



I was kept busy all day getting every- 

 thing together, for it is surprising what a lot 

 of grub you will go through in a week spent 

 in the woods. We packed all our stuff on the 

 wagon that night so as to leave as little as 

 possible to' do in the morning, then completed 

 my preparations by going to bed early and 

 getting a good night's sleep. Half-past four 

 the next morning found my brother Harry 

 and myself on the road to Phillip's, and when 

 we drove up in the yard found him at the 

 door with his budget beside him all ready, as 

 he had seen us coming. He seemed to be in 

 very good spirits and declared we were going 

 to get a moose this trip, sure. "Well, Phil- 

 lips," I said, "jump in then and let's get him 

 quick, for that's what I want." 



Soon we reached the woods, and after a 

 little the partridges commenced to come out^. 

 to the side of the road to sun themselves and 

 to eat the grass growing alongside, and 



Harry shot eighl of them before we reached 

 the junction where he was going to leave us. 



By and by v/e came to the wood road 

 leading into Leon Lake, and here we tied the 

 horse, and after arranging things into packs 

 convenient to carry, started off on our two- 

 mile walk to the lake. I wasn't at all sorry 

 when it came in sight, for my pack seemed 

 to weigh about a ton. When we came out on 

 the shore we unloaded and sat down by the 

 boat to have a rest and well-earned 

 smoke. 



I can't imagine anything more beautiful 

 than that lake was that day. Just as smooth 

 as glass, and the trees growing thickly along 

 the margin, casting their reflection far out in 

 the clear water. Not a sound to be heard ex- 

 cept now and again a loon would call to its 

 mate and be answered from one of the 

 numerous coves running far in the woods. 

 Phillips broke short my gazing around by 

 jumping up and saying:" "Well, Charlie, we 

 won't do much shootin' if we sit here all day, 

 and more than that, there's a lot of work to 

 do between now and night. Our tent to get 

 up and a week's wood to cut, for, mind you,'' 

 he said, "you won't feel much like cuttin' 

 wood when you get back to the camp at 

 night, aftei^ tramping around all day." 



After saying good-bye to Harry and telling 

 him to be careful not "to get lost getting back 

 to the road, we loaded up the boat and rowed 

 up along the shore of the lake. We rowed 

 for perhaps half a mile and were just round- 

 ing a point jutting out in the lake, when 

 Phillips asked me to row ashore for a minute 

 till he had a look around for otter sign. "I 

 had a trap set here last fall," he said, "and 

 caught two fine otters, and I want to see if 

 they have a run here this year." We landed 

 and while he was looking around, I took a 

 stroll through the woods. I had hardly gone 

 a gunshot when I came to a place where 

 some large animal had been lying down, and 

 after glancing at the track I saw at once that 

 it had been a moose. So I went quietly back 

 and spoke to Phillips. He came back with 

 me, and when he saw it he caught me by the 

 arm and whispered : "For heaven's sake be 

 careful, for he's a roncher and has only left 

 here a few minutes." 



"Well," I said, "let's get after him." 'And 

 he said, "Yes, we will." 



We went back to the boat, and while he 

 was loading up both barrels of his muzzle 

 loader I slipped five cartridges in my Win- 

 chester and left the rest of the box in the 

 boat. He put two extra bullets in his pocket 

 and left the rest as well. 



Then we went back and hit the trail and 

 followed it just as quietly as moccasined feet 

 would permit, looking carefully around us all 

 the time and pausing at the slightest sound. 

 We followed this way for about a quarter of 



