82 



THE AMERICAN MOOSE 



bull sets out to find a mate, manifesting a variety 

 of emotions and qualities in his encounters with 

 moose and men which are doubtless as little 

 understood by himself as by any hunter who may 

 chance to observe him. 



Those who have written of the moose differ 

 widely on the question whether moose are monoga- 

 mous. If they were monogamous they would 

 be alone in the deer family in this respect. An 

 argument against the theory that moose are 

 monogamous is the fact that in territory where 

 the cows are protected, and the bulls freely killed, 

 there is no undue proportion of barren cows. 



Successful hunting in the calling season pre- 

 supposes close study of the moose's habits, and 

 especially his habits as affected by the mating 

 instinct. Those who have observed the moose 

 most minutely at this season generally agree that 

 the male and female remain together, if undis- 

 turbed, a week or ten days. The female then no 

 longer desires a mate, and the male seeks other 

 companionship. The male thus may have several 

 mates in the short season of the rut. If the bull is 

 driven out by a hunter, or is a loser in a contest 

 with another bull, he will leave the cow of his 

 choice, and then will readily respond to the call 

 ©f any unmated cow whose voice he may chance 



