The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-11-04
nlanitowoe pilot.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1880.
SEAL HUNTING.
HOW THE POLAR INHABITANTS STALK
AND KILL THE SEAL.-TEDI0US
WORK ON THE ICY HUNTING

ice, for the seals are seldom killed
except On or through the ice. In
the warm, still days of spring they
come up through their blow-holes in
the ice and enjoy a roll in the snow
or quiet nap in the sun. Then
they are killed with comparative
ease. The hunter gets as close as
possible upon the smooth ice without
alarming his prey, the distance vary
ing from four hundred to one hum
dred yards. He then lies down, or
more correctly speaking reclines,
upon a small piece Of bear skin,
which as he moves, is dragged along
and kept under him as protection
against the cold ana wet. His
weight rests chiefly ON his left hip,
the knee bent and the leg drawn up
beneath him upon the bear skin mat.
As long as the seal is looking tow
ard him the hunter keeps perfectly
still, or raising his head drops it
upon his shoulder, uttering a noise
similar to that produced by seal
blowing.
When the seal is satisfied from a
careful inspection that no danger
threatens, its head drops down upon
the ice, and it INDUCES in a few
/ winks, but suddenly arises and gazes
around if it hears the least noise, or
sees the least motion anywhere
The hunter takes advantage of the
nap to hitch himself along by means
of his right foot and left hand, pre-
serving his recumbent position all
the time, and if detected by the seal,
either stops suddenly and blows and
flops around like a seal enjoying a
sun-bath, as his experience suggests.
In this way he can usually approach
near enough to shoot his prey with
a rifle or strike it with a seal-spear
or oo-nar. Often, however, just as
he is about to shoot or spear his
game, it slips suddenly into the sea
through its hole, upon the very verge
of which it rests, seldom venturing
more than foot or two from its
safe retreat. If they could only
rest contented with a fair shot, the
Inuits would probably secure more
game than they now do, for the most
of those | have seen them lose in
this way Went down after the hun
ter had approached in easy range
say twelve or fifteen yards. They
are so anxious, however, to make a
sure thing of it, that they often try
to get too near. have frequently
timed an Inuit as he started for a
seal on the ice, and found it takes
about an hour from the time he
starts in pursuit until the shot is
fired. 1t is amusing to see the
countenance ola seal through spy
glass. They have such an intelli-
gent and human look that you can
almost imagine they are thinking
For instance, you will see one start
up suddenly and look at the hunter,
who, by that time is perfectly still,
with an intense scrutiny that seems
to say, 81 declare | was almost sure
| saw that move that time, but
must have been mistaken" Then,
with drowsy look, almost yawn,
down goes its head, and the hunter
begins to hitch himself along again
very cautiously. Suddenly up goes
the seals head SO quickly that the
hunter hasn't time to subside as be-
fore, but begins to roll about, blow
off steam and lift his feet around
like a seal tapping its tail, and at a
little distance it is really difficult to
tell which is the seal and which the
man. Then you imagine a smile on
the face Of the seal as though he
was saying to himself, II caugh:
him that time. What fool | was
to be frightened, though, | thought
it vas man, and its only an ook-
| jock.
When the hunter at last reaches
the point at which he considers it
safe to risk a shot you hear the re-
port of his gun and see him i'm ne
aiately spring to his feet and rush
for his prey. If the bullet strikes
the head or neck of the animal it
rarely gets away, though sometimes
even then it slips out of reach, so
close do they keep to their holes
If it is hit anywhere else it almost
invariably escapes the hunter, though
it may not escape death. Often the
hunter reaches the hole in time to
seize his prey by the hind hipper
just as it is passing down into the
water. | remember standing and
gazing mournfully down into a hole
one day through which seal that /
had shot had just escaped, though
his blood tinged the water and the
edges of the ice, and while / was
lamenting my i'll luck heard a
splash behind me and turned in time
TO see the seal come up through
another hole. He looked awfully
sick, and didn't see me until had
him by the ripper, sprawling on his
back, at safe distance from the
hole. This was quite good luck for
me, for such an opportunity rarely
occurs, though l have occasionally
known Toolooan to recover a lost
one in the same way.
When struck with spear, they
seldom escape, for the line is fasten-
ed TO the side of the spear head,
which detaches itself from the staff
I