154 THE AMERICAN MOOSE 



hunting — by men who never used It for that pur- 

 pose. Much depends on the "mushroom" formed 

 when the bullet strikes, and It Is expecting too 

 much of a bullet of 70 grains, or 120 grains, no 

 matter at what velocity It Is driven, to expect It to 

 form as effective a mushroom as a bullet of three 

 times the weight. Increased weight and breadth 

 of front of a bullet, even If there Is some sacrifice 

 of velocity, will Increase the "shock" Incident ta 

 the hit, and It Is the shock that stops the animal. 



It Is a common error to claim that because a. 

 certain cartridge has killed a moose the cartridge 

 is of course adequate for this class of hunting. 

 The .30-30 and many other rifles have been 

 recommended for moose hunting, following this 

 reasoning. Ignoring the many wounded animals 

 which have been lost. And It Is idle to add the 

 common argument, "If you hit 'em right It'll 

 stop 'em" — as much as to say that the gun will 

 do Its work; the only trouble Is with the man 

 behind It. You would of course prefer to strike 

 in the fore quarter, but you will have to be content 

 with a different hit If the fore quarter Is behind a 

 heavy tree, or if the animal is running away and 

 offers only his hind quarters as a mark. "Don't 

 send a boy to do a man's work, " to quote a proverb 

 common on the New England farms. 



