638 
FOREST AND STREAM 
December, 1920 
A MOOSE HUNT IN NOVA SCOTIA 
THE RECORD OF A TRIP IN THE NORTH WOODS WHICH TELLS IN DETAIL 
WHAT A PROSPECTIVE HUNTER IN THAT REGION WOULD LIKE TO KNOW 
T HE hunt of which I am going to 
write took place in Yarmouth 
County, Nova Scotia. After a 
journey of twenty-five miles from 
Yarmouth, the principal southern port 
of the Province of Nova Scotia, I ar- 
rived in Kemptville, a small village 
which nestles cosily among rolling hills 
and meadows, and rests along the banks 
of the Tusket River. An additional 
jaunt of seven miles — partly in a horse- 
drawn vehicle and partly on foot- 
brought me to Oak Hill Camp, where 
Mr. Edward F. Walton, my host, has 
located his main camp in the midst of 
a series of forests, lakes and streams — 
stocked with the gamest trout that any 
disciple of Isaak Walton ever desired to 
lure to destruction with the aid of 
Brown Betty or Silver Doctor. Mr. 
Walton is a famous all round sports- 
man, guide and gold-miner in Southern 
Nova Scotia, and withal a genial, charm- 
ing comrade, both at home and in the 
beautiful forest lands of his native 
heath. 
After lunch, September 16th, Thurs- 
day, Robert Crowell and I packed our 
kit and took the boat for our hunting 
ground — over the ridge on the northeast 
side of Second Lake, only about two 
miles from our main camp. We made 
camp about 4 P.. M., put up our tent, 
looked over 
the ground and 
had supper 
about 6.15. The 
sky was over- 
cast and the 
weather* warm 
— the night 
pitch dark. We 
turned in 
about 6.30 and 
arose at sun- 
r i s e — and 
started at once 
for the hunt- 
ing ground. An 
opening one- 
quarter mile in 
diameter, part- 
ly covered with 
brush and ald- 
ers, surround- 
ed by a thick 
forest, lay just 
before our 
tent. Robert 
Crowell, m y 
guide, gave the 
call of the cow 
moose several 
times and after 
a few 1 moments 
we heard a 
loud rustling 
in a bunch of 
alders a few 
feet easterly of 
us. The morn- 
By G. TARLETON GOLDTHWAITE 
ing was slightly misty and warm — 
the wind was from the northwest. 
We were ready for Mr. Moose— if he 
should show his Jove-like front. We 
waited quietly, expecting him to break 
through the alders about 30 feet away, 
but he evidently became suspicious and 
backed quietly off. Perhaps he heard 
the click of the rifle as I cocked it. It 
seems to be the habit of the bull moose, 
who is very suspicious, when to your 
windward, if he hears the call of the 
cow, to locate the sound as near as pos- 
sible and then work around to leeward 
in order to get the scent. This moose 
was evidently a bull and was just a little 
east of us. If we had been standing 
a little south of the alders or even north 
of them, we probably would have gotten a 
shot at him, although in the latter case 
he probably would have gotten our scent 
and escaped. Our position was a good 
one for any moose coming from the 
north, which was the most likely direc- 
tion to look for him. As it was we ac- 
cepted the chance and he made off be- 
fore we could see him. Bob kept calling 
until about 10.30 or 11.30 A. M. The 
day was warm and clear. After lunch- 
ing at the edge of the lake we returned 
to our camp about 4.30, and about 5 
P. M. renewed the hunt. The moose, in 
the early morning and the cool of the 
evening, are moving about feeding, but 
in the heat of the day they select some 
cool spot in the depths of the forest to 
rest. Taking a half hour for supper, we 
returned to the hunting ground and 
there remained until 9.30 P. M. It was 
a fine, clear, quiet evening. The sun 
set in a profusion of color, purple, pink 
and turquoise. A crescent moon came 
out about 7 and gave its faint light to 
guide our movements. 
T HE next day we were up at six and 
hunted until ten. After breakfast- 
ing we returned to Oak Hill Cabin, 
our main camp, where we had dinner, 
and returned to our camp, arriving there 
about 3 P. M. We then took down the 
tent, packed our kit and moved over to 
a better site about one-half mile away, 
on the edge of an opening. Here the 
outlook was wider and not so enclosed 
by bushes. We heard shooting several 
miles off, from another party of sports- 
men with Mr. Walton — but evidently 
they did not get their moose, because 
they did not return to the central camp. 
For this time of the year it was hot, 
the thermometer being 80 degrees. We 
returned to our post at 4.30 P. M. and 
with the exception of 20 minutes for din- 
ner, we remained there until 9.30 P. M. 
At frequent intervals Bob would 
sound the 
weird call of 
the cow moose 
for its mate. 
It was a 
quiet moon- 
light night, 
with a few 
clouds which 
a t intervals 
would hide the 
moon in dark- 
ness. After 
giving several 
calls, we heard 
a bull moose 
answer to the 
north of us, 
but he would 
not make him- 
self visible. He 
probably was 
the same one 
whose tracks 
we saw behind 
the bushes in 
front of our 
first c a m o 
which we 
found the pre- 
vious morning. 
We waited two 
hours, but fin- 
ally, hearing 
nothing fur- 
ther, called it 
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PAGE 657) 
The critical moment after many days of preparation 
