Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-07-07

or five years old have known to carry them as
late as March; but this is not often the case.
"The rutting season commences in Septem-
Der. The male then becomes very furious,
chasing away the younger and weaker ones.
They run believing through the forest, and
when two of equal strength meet, have dreadful
conflicts, and do not separate until one or both
are severely injured. | bought pair Of antIers
from Penobscot Indians, with one of the brow
antlers and the joining prong broken short off.
The parts were at least an inch and half in
diameter and nearly as hard as ivory. At that
season they are constantly on the move vim
ming large lakes and crossing rivers in pursuit
of the female. The female brings forth in May.
The first time she produces one fawn, but after
wards two. 1t is supposed by hunters that these
twins are always one male and the other
female. -------~--'-s---i .''r-.-e--
In summer the hair of the moose is short
and glossy in winter long and very coarse
attached to the skin by very fine pellicle, and
rendered warm by thick coat of short fine
wool. The hair on the face grows upwards from
the nose, gradually turning, and ending in a
thick bushy tuft under the jaws. The young
males have generally a long pendulous gland
growing from the centre of this tut, and covered
with long hair, sometimes a foot long. Their
flesh IS very coarse, though some people prefer
nj hnr INT TN, I.,yn orx
with persons unaccustomed TO use il. The nose,
or mout1e, as it is generally called, if properly
cooked, is very decour morse. The tongue
is also considered a delcacy. The last en.ral
(caled by hunters the bum-gut) is covered with
round Jumps of suety fat, which they strip off
and devour as it comes warm from the shanks,
is spread upon bread and eaten as butter
must confess that the disgusting luxury was
rather too rich to tempt Inc to parake of it. |
have seen some officers of the Guards enjoying
it well enough.
The seasons for hunting moose are March
and september. In March, when the sun melts
the surface, and the nights are frosty, crust is
formed which greatly mpedes the animals pro-
gress as it has to lift its feet perpendcularly out
of the snow or cut the skin from its shanks by
coming in contact with the icy surface.
1t would be useless to follow them when
the snow is soft, as their great strength enables
them to wade through it without any difficulty
IF you wish to see them previous to shooting
them from their yard, it is necessary to make
your approach to the eeward, as their sense of
smelling and hearing is very acute the crack
Of breaking twig will start them, and they are
seldom seen again until fatigue compels them to
knock up; and thus ends the chase. Their pace
is a long trot. 1t is Necessary TO have two or
three small ours. as they can run upon the snow
without breaking through the crust their prin-
cips.l use is tc annoy the moose by barking and
swapping at his heels, without taking hold. A
large dog that would take hold would be instant.
ly trampled to death. The males generally stop,
if pressed, and fight with the dogs. This ena-
bes the hunter to come up unobserved and des-
patch them. Somtimes they are killed after a
run of an hour; at other times you may run them
all day, and have 10 camp at night without a
morsel of provisions or cloak, as everything is
let 90 the moment the moose starts, and you are
too much fatigued to retrace your steps to pro-
cure them. Your only resource is to make a
huge fire, and comfort yourself upon the pros
pect of plenty Of Inoose-meat next day. AS
soon as the animnl finds he is no longer pursued
he lies down; and the next morning he will be
too stiff to travel far. Generally, male, fe
male, and two fawns, are found in yard.
"When obliged to run, the male goes first te
break the way, the others treading exactly ir
his tracks so that you would think only one
had passed Often they run through other yards
when all join together, still going in Indian file
Sometimes, when meeting with an obstacle they
cannot overcome, they are obliged to branch of
for some distance and again unite. By connec
ting the different tracks at the place of separa
ton, you may judge pretty correctly of thei
number. have seen twelve together, ant
killed seven of them'
A method of hunting this animal is as tol
lows: In September, two persons paddle by
moonlight along the shore of the lake, imitatin!
the call of the male, which, jealous Of the ap
proach of stranger, answers to the call and
rushes down to the combat. The canoe is pad
died by the man in the stern with the most death
like silence, gliding along, under the shade oil
the forest, until within short shooting distance
as it is difficult taking sure aim by moon
light. The man in the bow generally fires
when, if the animal is only wounded, he makes
Immediately for the shore, dashing the waite
about him in foam. He is tracked by his bloo
the next day to where he has lain down, an
where he is generally found unable to proceed
any father. Many are killed in this manner il
the neighborhood OF Moose River every season
Hunters sometimes find out the beaten track
of the moose, generally leading to the water
and bend downa sapng and attach it to a stron
hempen moose, hanging across the path Will
the tree is confined by another cord and sort c
trigger. Should the animals head pass throug
the dangling snare, he generally make strug
gle, which dlsengages the trigger; and the tre'
spinging upwa fds, lifts the beast of Its legs an
srangles it. The pamated horns Of the moos
are so ponderous, that sixty pounds is yer
common weight. To bear this stupendous heat
dress, nature has endowed the moose with
short and strong neck, which takes from it muc
Of that elegance an symmetry OF proportion
predominant in deer. 1t is nevertheless an er
ergetc and imposing animal. 1t is said neith
to gaIop nor leap requirement rendered unne'
essary from the dlsproportonate height Of il
legs, by which it is enabled, as it trots along,
step with the creates, ease over fallen tree,