The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-05
MOOSE HUNTING IN MAINE.
Necessary Now TO Go Into the Forest :
Great ways to Secure the Game

| :
Great ways to Secure the Game
Many New York and New England
sportsmen are now IA tho wllds OF Maine
| hunting moose. Reports received from
] them thus far indicate that the same IS
scarce this year. although some OK tho
parties which have gone out arc meeting
with success. lt is natural thlt Tho moose
| should grow fewer each year before tho
Onslausht5 OF SO many deyOtoes " the
gun especially as firearms grow more
] deadly with constant Improvement. Tho
repeating rifle, smOkcles5 powder, sOtl-
nOsed and hollow pointed bullets and slime
| liar devices are fast telling the story OF
extinction Formerly moose We're So album
dant IN the Maine woods as 90 Dee secured
easily almost amy time even by Che nov
| ice Nowadays DO has become necessary 90
penetrate Che most inacces i5ie Businesses
of the wilderness in order TO be reason-
ably sure Of success. and even then sIc-
cess cannot be counted on as a f0resone
conclusion.
Few of the sportsmen going into tho
Maine woods an these days depend upon
their own skill 20 find the whereabouts of
moose or caribou. Tho assistance of ma
tive or Indian guides ls now iudlspensa-
be 4 more devoted SET OF men than
they arc can scarcely Doe found. ANA their
skill In woodcrlft Us wonderful Their
FIRST care IS TO convey the party under
their charge into promising country. This
Is sometimes no casy undertaking.. Tho
novice Is unable 90 understand why mile
after mile should Doe iraver5ed even day
after day spent an travelling further nnd
further into the woods. while 1u uu-
broken stretch of forest of many miles
ln extent has already been placed I.-
tween him and the last vcstis' of civ'I-
cation He wants Co stop right where ha
is and begin hunting at once. and DC r.-
quires a good deal of tact ana patience
on the part of The guide 10 urge DIS
charge on into promising country when
he has once reached the ground There
follows the ccaseless restraint and tha
endless round OF precautions which must
be placed upon the unsaied huutsmlu
lest he ruin bis chances in advance hr
some improperly against the rule 0f tha
game fields. loud talking. unnecessary cH-
pl0dlng OF firearms. and 800 on. And when
at length the hour for the hunt has ar-
rived the visitor must be placed adj
vantagc0usly aud the process OF nuIlns
the quarry begun
There are several ways of accomplish
ing this end. but perhaps the most re-
markablo OF an is by calling The COM
vent0nai call Of tho guides Is trumpet
of birch bark some two or thrcc feet long.
with which a believing sound is produced
truly Welrd and overaHlus in tle suonce
OF the woods This call has to Doe pro-
ducod with great oXactncss ana az pre-
clsely the right intervals of time or no
response viii follow The WHY bull moose
ia not easily 90 De trlc1ed. and any un-
natural circumstance boz connection with
the eulle's invitation o. detected az once
and many a long miie placed between tho
unfortunate huutsman and his intended
victim
Finally. after the game has been local
cd ip this 0r some other way. there Is
the uncertainty as 10 the skill and aim
OF the hunter lie may be taken with
chuck fever" or shoot wild and wide OF
his mark. or lose his se'f-contr0l and
fail 10 fire at all. The guide takes as much
ori8o and satisfaction I'm the success Of
HE charge MS though ~ We're his own.
ANA fo come out OF tho woods empty
handed is as much OF 70 disappointment
10 him ms % his employer, for he feels
that hts reputation is an stake. and is os
anxious 20 acquit himself crcditably az
tho practitioner Of any other craft or
trade.-New York sun