Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-06-21
MOOSE-HUNT STORIES

Il care lE0i iI IRE tdAe or fANIrE ANa*tAAc ~
the AdironGacks he never shot more than
once at a moose to Kill it, because he in
variably put the hu o right where il would
do the business at the first shot, yet one OF
his ~favorite stories OF his career in the woods
was about the moose he shot II times before
he killed it.
"He was hunting on the West Canada
| creek waters and started two moose, a
bull and a cow. They took to the creek,
where Alvah shot the bull and dropTea Il ~
the first are. The COW STOPPED wAe a. be
bull fell.
"Alvah did not want to XIII her as she
stood in the creek, and he tried to scare
her so she would go out on land, hut she
wouldn't move. The hunter knew that Il
be got the moose mad she would come
tearing out Of the creek right at him, and
he concluded to make her mad.
THE nose Of a moose is very tough, and
will stand a good deal of punishment, but
Dunnipg thought by sending a bullet into
this cows nose it would sting her so that
her temper would instantly rise enough to
make her seek revenge and rush out of the
! creek upon him, so Inc fred a bullet into her
nose.
"To his surprise, she merely shook her
head a little, but her temper was unruffled.
He shotsanother bullet into her nose. She
| minded 1t no more than she had the other.
| Alvah kept on firing bullets into the moses
nose until he had lodged IL between her
eyes and her n~ostrils, and still she stood
still and kept her temper.
"sWell,' said Alvah, after all these efforts
to make her mad had failed, you're either
too sweet-tempered and good-natured to
be left alone in this wilderness, or else so
set in your ways and contrary that you'll
make it unpleasant for other folks to live
here, and so | guess l had better quit vast
ing lead on you and gather you in as you
stand
$50 Alvah sent a bullet under her ear
and tumbled her into the creek.
"Alvah Dunning killed hundreds of
moose, and his story Of the killing of the
first one is an Adirondack classic. His
father was one of the greatest hunters the
north woods ever had and one day he
got after one of the biggest bull moose he
had ever seen the track of.
"'The moose got away from father as
Alvah used to tell the story, 'and the
next day | told him | would like to go and
kill it. He laughed at me, and said it took
the best kind of a man to bag a moose,
and he didn't think a l2-year-old boy stood
much of a show with one. / stuck to it,
though, for l had killed bears and deer
and wildcats, plenty of 'em, but hadn't
knocked over a moose yet and | thought it
was time | had, il | was only II years old.
"I stuck to it so tight that by and by
father told me that | might go out with him
and see him kill the moose. | grinned and
said: "All right. That1l be better than
nothing" and when father went out that
day | shouldered my gun and went along.
81 led the dog. From all / had heard
father and Others talk about moose / gath
cred that moose were mortal afraid Of a man,
and would flee and keep on fleeing as long
as they knew that one was following them,
but that they hated dogs so that they would
stop on the trail to ght one.
THAT kept moving in my head on this
moose hunt, and ! made up my mind | would
see whether it was true or not, il | got the
chance, and then, maybe, something might
happen. | trotted along with father, for
he could walk through THE woods about as
fast as a horse could trot on the road, and
made no more noise than a falling leaf. !
kept even with him, but a few rods off to
one side and always in sight Of him.
eve hadn't gone more than two miles
when | noticed the dog begin K. lift his head,
prick up his ears and snuff the air. | believed
that be had got scent of the moose, and ]
determined to conduct that hunt on my own
responsibility.
THE dog kept Juggling at his string
and wanted to push forward so muca that 1
quietly slipped his collar. Away he went,
and ] started on the trail as fast as | could
run. Father hollered after me and wanted
to know what ! had let the dog go for, and !
hallaraI Hall 4ho+ Ia Lo5 aI..-1l L. ILL.,
and | was trying to catch him.
q didn't stop to argue any farther and
was soon a good ways ahead Of father. l
hadn't gone more than half a mile when !
came upon the moose. which, hearing the
dog behind it, had waited for him to have
a bout with him. And he was having it,
good and lively.
"'The dog knew his business and kept
the moose engaged. / got up to within
safe shooting distance, aimed at the butt
of the moose's ear and fired. The big fellow
dropped all in a heap in his tracks and never
stirred.
Pretty soon along came father in a
hurry. ] had one foot on the big carcass,
and maybe was %grinning a little. Father
was surprised and no mistake.
'"Weii.p said he, you tumbled it,
didn't your"
"'"Yes," said 1, al thought ! wouldn't
wait until you came up to let me see you
kill it,"
He laughed and went to work skinning
the big moose out. As he skinned he kept
examining the hide and carcass until he
had skinned the moose clear up to the
ears.
''"There amt any bullet marks any
where said he. 'fWhere'bonts did you
shoot it?"
'"Look under the butt of the ear"
said.
"'He looked under the butt of bot ear,
and all over his head, but not a sign OF a
bullet mark was anywhere.
''"This moose" said fat err, looking
disguised, "hain't been Shot at all! You