The Opelousas courier., 1892-02-13
AFTER THE WARY MOOSE.
HUNTING NOBLE GAME IN THE
wILDS OF CANADA.
A Description of h Huge and I'm
calmly Animal-An Old hunter
Describes an Exciting Hunt.

A Description of the Huge ana I'm
uainIy AnimaI-An Old Hunter
Describes an Exciting Hunt
of al the wild animals which inhabit
the forests of Canada, the moose IS the
favorite of the true hunter, for the rea-
son that, being extremely shy and wary
with the most acute sense of hearing, 1t
is the most difficult to stalk.
The moose is the only animal OF the
deer family which can be called ungrace-
full in form, and which, from its proper
tons, at first strikes the hunter u%nfavor-
ably. Its large head terminates IN a
square muzzle, the nostrils protudlng
over the side of the mouth, the neck,
which is covered by a short, thick name,
is no longer than the head, which IN the
males is rendered more cumbrous anu
unwieldly by large palmated horns.
Under the throat is an excrescence ron
which hangs a tuft of long black halr'
The body is short and thick, mounted on
| long LEGS. and the shoulders being very
high give it q generally ungainly aspect,
which is not diminished by motion. The
moose moves with a sort of shambilng
trot. The flesh more resembles beef thar
v~enison, and it is greatly relished by the
Indians aud others living in the moose
country, the choicest morsel being the
square, gristly extremity of the nose.
The moose is the largest of tine deer
tribe, and the male, known among hun
tiers as the ssbulI" moose, often reaches
as much as 100 and 1900 pounds IN
weight. TIE nearest moose to Ottawa
are found some 200 miles north IN the
Quebec Province. The animal has been
protected for a term of years in the Prov
iuce of Ontario, where it was fast BE-
coming as extinct as the buffalo. The
heads, with their immense spreading
horns, have attained a fancy value, when
mounted as trophies, and many hundreds
of these most valuable animals, both LOT
food and skin, have been ruthiessly
slaughtered, the heads removed, ana ene
bodies left to feed the wolves and crows.
A good rifle, the ability 20 shoot aecu-
rately. and a strong constitution are the
necessary qualifications of q moose nun
ter. Owing to the animals intense shy
ness it has moved further and furGner
back as civilization has progressed. Inc
country that it chooses for its home Is
generally sparse bush, though when
necessary its immense weight will make
a vast clearance of tangled underground
in a yery short time. Rough, rocky, I'M
dulating country forms the chief field OF
the moose hunter in the Ottawa district,
aud here he finds the big game plentiful.
Tue best time to stalk is early IN the
morning and after a light fall of snow.
"Starting from our camp said most
successful hunter the other day, Ssshortiy
before daybreak, we soon found as we
made our way through the bust that
there was about a foot of freshly fallen
snow to plod through. Everybody knows
what sort of walking that is-how heavy
and firing. However, we braced u
selves IN to the work, took a firmer grip
; of wi rifles, shifted our cartridge oelts,
and cheered one another with all sorts Of
pictures of immense bags of game, and
on we went.
..Presently our guides signalled US to
be quiet, and as we came up with tnen
we found them bordering over freshly
made sslots,' which they declared to b'
those of bull moose. lean tell you w
felt a thrill go through us, PARTICULAR.
those who had never seen a moose 'slot,
: before. We forgot our fatigue, took
pull at our brandy TASKS and were ready
"There were two animals evidently
{ and as we followed up the tail we foun'
thew separated. Myself and n guild
i started after one, and my friend and tn
other guide took the other. The guide
e thouoht the animals had some idea OF GU
proximity, and SO, silently, afraid OF eve
Y cracking a twig under the snow, an
almost too eager to breathe, on "
went.
" ..our pathway lay through the hart
4 wood bush. with no small amount
4 climbing to be done. We were goln
up a rather dark, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
/. hill, as steep as a church steeple, WIT
h dimly. like a shadow, / saw somethlI
/. appear against the uncertain daylight
Ii the top Of the hill. l took a cool ar
steadg aim ard fired. / saw the nble'
rive a bound forward and disappear Ju
" as the startled guide turned round al
: asked me: 'What did you fire atp
: STA big moose on top OF the hill v
= nv reply, land, what is more. / hit i
asIhen you've lost it, answered q
ID .if you've only hit a bull moose he W
I 90 for a week without stopping
:. aWe rushed up to where ! had SCI
I'd the moose. Thers were his slots, and
no tinoe OF blood on the snow, but =
moose. and it looked . though 9
'er Guide was right. We set out to folio
the trail. After going about twenty-h
Sc wards we turned a corner OF rock, al
.. there. still in death, lay n of the ins
Of the antlered animals of the forest.
have the head at home, and a beauty
Sd is.
to aMy g1ide,n continued he, chad
g narrow squeak in almost that very 50
IN last season. It was the first open seas
IN Quebec; and though the moose is,
OF a raIe, a dull animal, yet when wound
he will turn and attack most vicious
u A bull moose has an ugly horn to
z wounded with, I can tell you.
q Guide was out alono with a repeati
nc rife, and had just reached the top
! this very hill, when right in front
T him. one on each side, he saw two La
bulls. They hal not seen him, but
knew by the uneasy way in which Il
rolled their great heads that they W
fully alive to the fact that there '
Ieh z1.nak6s,s !,