The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-30
MOOSE HUNTING IN NAIVE
1t Il Necessary Now to Go Into the Forest q
Great Ways to Secure the Game.

1t II Necessary Now to Go Into the Forest .
Great Ways to Secure the Game.
Many New York and New England sportsmen
are now In the wilds of Maine hunting moose.
Reports received from them thus far indicate
that the game 10 scarce this year. although
some OF the parties Which have gone out arc
meeting will RucceHs. II is natural that the
moose should grow fewer each year before the
onslaughts OF 80 many devotees OF the gun.
especially as firearms grow more deadly with
constant Improvement The repeating rife.
smokeless powder, soft-nosed and hollow
pointed bullets and similar devices are fast
telling the story Of extinction. Formerly moose
were so abundant In the Maine woods as to be
secured easily almost any time. even by the
novice. Nowadays it has become necessary to
penetrate the most inaccessible Businesses Of
the wilderness In order to be reasonably sure
OF success. and even then success cannot be
Few Of the sportsmen, going into the Maine
woods In these days depend upon their own
bou. The assistance OF native or Indian guides
is now indispensable. Amore. devoted set Of
men than they are can scarcely be found; and
charge into promising country. This is some
able to understand why mile after mile should
be traVersed. even DAY after day spent in tray
sIRIliRls an anFt asbrd aaa i strstsS Of i1 fope the Of T 9shy
miles in extent has already been placed between
him and the last. vestiRe of civilization. He
wants to stop right where he Is and begin
hunting at once. and IL requires n deal OF tact
and ~patience on the part Of the guide to urge
his charge on into promising country When
he has once reached the ground there follows
the c~easeless restraint and the endless round
OF precautions which. must be. placed upon the
unskilled huntsman lest he ruin HIS chances in
OF the game. fields. loud talking. unnecessary
exploding OF firearms, and so on. And when at
length the hour for the hunt has arrived, the
visitor must be placed In advantageously and
the process Of finding the quarry begun.
There are several ways OF accomplishing this
end, hut perhaps the most remarkable OF all Is
by calling. The conventional call OF the guides
ls q trumpet Of birch bark some two or three
feet long. with which n believing sound Is pro-
dueed truly weird and oyoraWing in the silence
Of the woods. This call has to, be produced
with great exectness and at precisely the right
intervals Of time, or, no response will follow.
The willy bull moose Is not easily to be tricked.
and any unnatural circumstance In connection
with the guides invitation is detected at once
and many a long mile placed, between the, I'M
fortunate huntsman and his Intended victim,
Finally. after the game has. been located. In
this or some other way, there is the uncertain
ty as to the skill and aim OF the hunter. He
may be taken with buck fever" or shoot wild
and wide Of his. mprk. or lose, his self-control
and fail to FIRE at All. The guide takes as much
charge as though II were his own, and TO come
out OF the woods empty. handed IL as much Of
a disAppotptment To him as TO- his employer,
for fe feels that his renutatlon Is at stake, and
iSsAs anxious to acquit himself creditahh as
tie practitioner Of any other craft Or trade.