The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-02-25
TRACKING A CARIBOU.
|Snow-Shoeing and Crawling te
Get at tho Big Game.
Exciting Chase OF n Determined Hunter
After II Big Dull-Twenty-Two Miles
Over Snow and Through Brush
Old Joe's Triumph.

what Stlll-hnntlng elk and caribou
means when the animals have enjoyed
the doubtful advantage of u slight ac-
quaintance with mans murdcrous
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 CONT
nent The woodland variety is found
in Maine and certain extreme northern
portions of the United States, notably
about the hcadwatcrs of the Missis-
sippi river and in the extreme north of
Idaho The barren ground caribou
does not generally range SO far south
as the international boundary. In
Canada caribou are much moro widely
distributed. They are plentiful in
Newfoundland, scarce in Nova Scotia,
more numerous in New Brunswick,
abundant in Quebec and Labrador, and
fair numbers of them haunt the wilds
of northern Ontario Especially the
north shore of Lake Superior) and por-
lions of Manitoba. In British Column
bia they abound among the mountains,
and not infrequcntly great herds are
seen dcfiling from some canyon or NOV
ing down some mountain side in Indian
hle, and looking at q distance like
pack train,
The best misunderstanding may be
had in Newfoundland and British
Columbia, but Quebec and North On
tario yet offer rare good sport to those
who like roughing it.
During the winter of 80, says E. w.
Sandys in Outing, 1 was temporarily
located at point on the magnificent
north shore of Lake Superio my com
lpanion being 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 80" 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 to JOS lines of traps.
between Superior and the ''height of
land" is a perfect network of lakes and
streams, large and small; the country
lis very rough and rocky, varied with
great barrcns, muslcgs and beaver
meadows Vast portions are denscly
forested, and others carry only ghostly,
scattered ''rampilles," showing where
fires have swept. Our headquarters
were the log camp referred to- but we
had temporary camp at the end of q
line of traps some ten miles inland,
near the head of Il chain of small lakes,
famous in the annals of the fur trade.
From it westward extended an i'm
mense barren for mile after mile,
bounded by a grayblue 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 10 and l fell TO discussing the
chance for caribou About daylight
we turned out, and 10 stood for Il few
moments reading the sky and sweep
tng the barren with those marvellous
aboriginal eyes of his, which could
count band of animals farther than I
could see them. Presently he grunted
softly and exclaimed:
Oar um car'boo!" and pointed west
ward. I looked long and earnestly,
and at last made out q distant object
moving slowly over the snowy barren.
Getting the glass. | focused on il and
discovered that 1t was indeed Carl
bou-a lone bull cvidcntly-as no more
could be found
After hurriedly feeding, we stuffed
our pockets with bread and meat, felt
that matches. pipes apd "baccy" were
in their places, donned our sn6wshocs
and started in the direction of ourv van.
lshed game. ''Car'boo all right; feed
day on moss. Bymeby find um more
car boo" said Io,and guessed that he
slilhed the prospect.
1t was q cold fray day, q sharp
breeze blew directly across the barren,
and now and then few snownal<es
sifted down, limiting of another down
fall, though there was already moro
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
bou, but the beast itself was not in
sight.
10 decided that he would work across
the barren in case the game had
doubled on it's course, and leave me 10
follow the track. "Me go cross, look
long UNI tree. You run track, bymeby
mebbe 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 it was nearly
noon, keeping sharp lookout ahead,
before ] caught glimpse of the bull
brOyvsin1r quietly near the c1rc Of ,bo