The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-09-02
FROM A CANOE.

Passing through the forest regions of
middle and northern Maine, the adven-
turous tourist will here and there chance
upon clearings of from fifty to four hun
dred acres, where hay and vegetables
are raised for the oxen employed during
the winter season in numbering opera
tions along the lakes and rivers. These
isolated situations are often thirty, forty
and fifty miles from any other human
habitation. The whole business, indoors
and out, is conducted by men. Women
rarely ventured SO far from the outside
world.
1t was while stopping temporarily at
one of these farms ON the shores of
Chamberlain Lake Che same that the
Indians call Apmoogenagamook) that I
had the good fortune, as I thought, to
meet and get into the good graces of old
Zacky Watson, parsonage better known
in those regions than in more settled
communities.
Zacky was, and still is, I believe q
moose hunter; has made hunting the
moose his business for over forty years.
On the present occasion he had called
to pass the night at the clearing on the
Chamberlain on his way up to Heron
Lake, where he was intending to begin
his September hunt. September and
March, he told me, were his favorite
hunting months
He was rather grotesquely dressed
old citizen. Everything about him ex-
cept coarse cloth frock was of a moose
skin cap, trousers, shirt, moccasins-
| with the hair out.
By skilful asking I induced him to al
low me to accompany him on his moose
hunt and we were off next morning at
oaybreak, following up the shores of the
| lake. Seeing 1oon,-a proverbially
hard bird to kill-sailing along nearly a
quarter of a mile out from the bank, I
concluded to give Zacky an opportunity
to form a good opinion of my rifle by
shooting it with 2 skipping shot. I had
been wondering why he had not taken a
hound with him, and on the strength of
this exploit made bold to ask him where
his dog was.''
'Dog?" said Zacky. go, I never
take a dog in September. No use to
chase moose on bare ground Have
to surprise 'em /; creep up to 'em or else
fool EN-"
Fool thema" I inquired. How's
that?"
go, I'll show ye," chuckled the old
man. tBut you must mind this never
bother with dog on September hunt
''Why do you prefer September and
March ?" I asked.
SO, well, in September the moose are
fat /; nice, tell you,' almost smacking;
''and In March the snow crust stops 'em;
can't run through it; cuts their legs; I
sometimes take a dog then. Dogs don't
amount to much any time, though gen.
orally do more hurt than good. Then
in January and February I contrive to
find out where their yards are, and shoot
them just at daybreak, when the wind is
from the yard"
"What are these yards % I inquired.
so, spots of an acre or two, where
they keep the snow trod down after it
gets four or five feet deep in the woods
They don't range about much the n /;
keep in these yards, from four to ten to-
gether. Pretty ticklish job to get near
'em, though. Hear ye half mile off;
smell ye too."
''Y0u kill good many every year
suppose" said I.
"Well, quite number from fifteen
to twenty I reckon"
'I suppose you make something out
of it." 1 remarked.
'Well, something. The hides fetch
me trifie, and I get quite good price
for the horns (antlers). Then I sell the
meat to the loggers.''
'Shall you sell the meat you kill now,
In September, to them ?' asked.
eyes, Stree I"
'tHow do you keep it so long7"
go, salt 1t down in some barrels I've
got In cave up near the Heron Lake. %
Toward noon we passed the north
ern end of the Chamberlain, and struck
off into the dense forest above it heavy
mixed growth of maple, birch and
spruce. It was near evening before we
came out on the next lake (Heron) which
Zacky proposed to make the scene of
his hunting operations. Wo did not go
directly out upon the shore, but halted
among the dense spruces while yet sew
eral rods from the water.
''Shall I pick up some wood for a
fire 2" said L
"Not stick p said the old fellow, sit
ting quietly down on a log. 'No fire
for us tonight. But we'll rest us what
we can till dusk, and have bite of this
cold bread