The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-04-14
TRACKING A CARIBOU.
Snow-Shoeing and Crawling to
Get at the Big Game.
Exciting Chase of a Determined Hunter
Alter Big BuIl-Twenty- Two Miles
Over Snow aud Through Brush
Old Joe's Triumph.

glance over a sportsman's expert
ence will perhaps convey an idea of
what still-hunting elk and caribou
means when the animals have enjoyed
the doubtful advantage of slight ac-
quaiutance with mans murderous
methods.
Now, first. as TO the caribou-a keen
nosed, shy, fast-trotting, sturdy fellow,
and right worthy game for any mans
rifle. Two varieties of this species
the woodland and the barren ground
caribou-inhabit the American conti-
nent The woodland variety is found
in Maine and certain extreme northern
portions of the United States, notably
about the headwaters of the Missis-
sippi river and in the extreme north of
Idaho The barren ground caribou
does not generally range 50 far south
as the international boundary. In
Canada caribou are much more widely
distributed They plentiful in
Newfoundland, scarce in Nova Scotia,
more numerous in New brunswick,
abundant in Que bee and Labrador, and
fair numbers of them haunt the wilds
of northern Ontario ESPECIALLY the
north shore of Lake Superior) and por-
tions of Manitoba. In British Colum-
bia they abound among the mountains
and not infrequently great herds are
seen defiling from some canyon or NOV
ing down some mountain side in Indian
file. and looking at a distance like
pack train
The best caribou-shooting may he
had in Newfoundland and British
Columbia, but Quebec and North On
tario yet offer rare good sport to those
who like roughing il.
During the winter of SO says f. w.
Sandys in Outing, | was temporarily
located at a point on the magnificent
north shore of Lake Super ior, my com
panion being a half-breed hunter who
bore a resonant Indian title too long
for insertion in these pages. When he
wanted to travel light he bore the name
of 30" which will answer for the
present. 1t was cold up there in the
icy breath of the Great Inland sea, but
we were snug enough in an old rail-
way construction log camp and had
fairly good sport with grouse, filling up
time attending 10 JOS lines Of traps
Between Superior and the height Of
land" is perfect network of lakes and
streams, large and small; the country
Is very rough and rocky, varied with
great barrcns, muskegs and beaver
meadows. Vast portions are densely
forested, and others carry only ghostly,
scattered ''rampiloes," showing where
fires have swept. Our headquarters
were the log camp referred 70, but we
had a temporary camp at the end of a
line of traps some ten miles inland,
near the head of a chain Of small lakes,
famous in the annals of the fur trade.
from it westward extended an i'm
bounded by a gray-blue wall Of forest
One night, while we were at the lit
tie camp. a heavy fall of snow re-
dressed the hard-featured landscape,
and Jo and fell To discussing the
chance for caribou About daylight
we turned ont, and 10 stood for a few
moments reading the sky and sweep
ing the barren with those marvellous
aboriginal eyes of his, which could
count Il band of animals farther than /
could see them. Presently he grunted
softly and exclaimed:
''Dar um car boo,-' and pointed west
ward. / looked long and earnestly,
and at last made out a distant object
moving slowly over the snowy barren.
Getting the glass. ! focused on il and
discovered that II was indeed carl
bou-a lone bull evidently-as no more
could bc found
After hurriedly feeding. we stuffed
our pockets with bread and meat felt
that matches, pipes and "baccy" were
in their places, donned our snowshoes
and started in the direction of our van
ished game. ''Car'boo all right: feed
day on moss. Bymeby find um more
car boo" said Jo, and guessed that lac
liked the prospect
1t was cold, gray day, a sharp
breeze blew directly across the barren.
and now and then a few snow1lal1es
sifted down, limiting of another down
fall, though there was already more
snow than we wanted. But there was
little danger of anything serious. and
we didn't trouble about the weather.
After tramping FOR about three miles,
10 discovered the tracks of the carl
bon, but the beast itself was not in
sight.
10 decided that he would work across
the barren in case the game had
doubled on its course, and leave me 10
follow the track. ME go cross. look
long um tree. You run track byme by
mcDbe you find um boo" and he
waved his hand, indicating that he
would cross and then scout along the
woods on the farther side.
moved ahead rapidly. while 10 was
in the open, being anxious To get far
enough in advance of him TO forestall
all possibility of his wind reaching the
game before ] got within range. / had
followed the track until il was nearly
noon, keeping sharp lookout ahead,
before ] caught a glimpse of the bull
browsing quietly near the edge of the
woods long look through the glass
told me that he was magnificent
specimen, bearing a particularly fine
set OF antlers, and that he was feeding
near cover which promised "A compare
lively easy approach within certain
range. To obtain this splendid trophy
was my firm resolve. If patient, skill
fnl creeping counted for anything.
Working carefully well TO leeward the
shelter of the dense timber was at last
safely gained at point some half mile
from the game. ! had already put in a
lot of hard work and was half wcaried,
but the golden prospect sustained me.
Once safe in cover the shoes were re-
moved, and, gliding, stealing, fitting.
shadow-liHe, from troe to tree. now
crouching in the line of "a bowlder. now
crawling and wriggling painfully over
snowy open patch of moss, at last
gained the edge of the timber within
one hundred and seventy five yards of
my meat.
He was standing with his rump to
me, and his nose occasionally sought
the moss, only To be raised in a mo-
ment and thrust into the wind while
the gentleman chewed a mouthfuL
About halfway between ms was a
goodly clump Of brush. oyergrowing