The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-03-23
TRACKING "A CARIBOU.
Snow-Shoeing and Crawling to
Get at the Big Game.
Exciting Chase of y Determined Hunter
After Big Bull-.Twenty Two Miles
Over Snow aud Through Brush
old Joe's Triumph.

cuCc Will ptIbtps CohNcJ All lutd VI
what still-hunting elk and caribou
means when the animals have enjoyed
the doubtful advantage of slight ac-
quaintancc with mans murderous
methods.
Now, first, as to the caribou-a keen
noscd, 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 so far south
as the international boundary. In
Canada caribou are much more 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-
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 a
pack train.
The best caribou-shooting 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 's9. says z. w.
Sandys in Outing, I was temporarily
| located at a point on the magnificent
north shore of Lake Super ior, my COM
panion being half-breed hunter who
bore resonant Indian title too long
for insertion in these pages. When he
wanted to travel light he bore the name
of "Jo," 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
is very rough and rocky, varied with
great barrens, muskegs and beaver
meadows. Vast portions are densely
forested, and others carry only ghostly,
scattered 'rampikes," showing where
fires have swept. Our headquarters
were the log camp referred to, but we
had q 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
mense barren for mile after mile,
bounded by gray-blue wall OF forest
One night, while we were at the lit
tie camp, a heavy fall Of snow re-
dressed the hsrd-featured landscape,
and 10 and fell to discussing the
chance for caribou About daylight
We turned out, 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 a band Of animals farther than
could see them. Presently he grunted
softly and exclaimed:
"Dar UNI car 'boo!" and pointed west
ward. l looked long and earnestly,
and at last made out distant object
moving slowly over the snowy barren.
Getting the glass. l focused on il and
discovered that it was indeed a carl
bou.-.a lone bull evidently-as no more
could be 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 he
liked the prospect
1t was cold, gray day, sharp
breeze blew directly across the barren
and now aud then a few snowfakes
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
Jo 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 ltS course, ana leave me JC
follow the track. me go cross, look
long um tree. You run track, bymeb by
mebbe you find um car'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 fan
enough in advance of him to forestall
all possibility of his wind reaching the
game before I got within range. had
followed the track until it was nearly
noon, keeping sharp lookout ahead,
before caught a glimpse of the bull
browsing quietly near the edge of the
woods. A long look through the glass
told me that he was a magnificent
specimen, bearing a particularly fine