Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-02-19
AFTER MOOSE IN
new BRUNSWICK
Staunton People in the Great Cana
dian Woods.
By Gilpin Wilson


success of his cunning trip through
the forests of Maine has been unusua
and his graphic account of the outins
will interest the public and appea
especially to the heart of every sports
man. Unlike other hunters, Mr.. Will
son has brought home with him the
trophy proofs of the chase, and ha
exhibited them at his drug store IL
this city, where they have heen seer
and admired by thousands of people
The article-an illustrated one--ln th,
January number of Field and Stream
Magazine is as follows;
| Full Of hopes and anticipations cast
business to the winds and left Staun'
ton, Va, with friend, in the early
morning of September 10, to indulge
in my first moose hunt. After but a
poor nights rest on the sleeper we ar
rived 10 New York about noon and
met the rest of our party. We were
five in all, they having preceded us a
day to make some necessary purchases
iu the way of sleeping bags and camp
requisites. Wespent twenty four hours
In New York and, like the small boy
at the circus, tried to see it all. We
took tue Pullman the next day for St.
John by way of Boston, Portland and
Bangor, arriving there at noon on the
twelfth. Here we had a six hour wait,
but on arriving at our hotel, Mr.. Rud
Allen, an Alderman, introduced him.
self to us, and most kindly introduced
US to the favorite Scotch and Canadian
Club. We had not been in st. John
an hour before we had met the Mayor
and all the aldermen, and jollier,
more open hearted, whole .souled lot of
people never lived. am V1rginian,
and hear the CRY every day of Virginia
hospitality, but let me say right here
that it was put to shame. They liter
ally turned their city and clubs over
to US. l think all the party want to
go back there and make their homes
for good all Reluctantly we left at 6
O'Clock for Bathurst. arriving there at
three a. N. Here we met our head
guide, Charley Crimens, an enthusiastic
hunter as hard worker and as unself-
ish guide as ever took a party into
the woods. After decidedly poor
breakfast We got into wood wagon
for twenty miles ride up the Nepisi-
quit river to the falls over a tote road.
II you have never Travelled over tote
road, l would by way of introduction,
say that football joIting is mild to it.
However, there was no kicking, as ev-
erything goes on hunt. at the Falls
We met our other four guides and the
cook, and they had our tents pitched
for the night and supper waiting for
us. We were up by daybreak on the
following morning, and after good
camp breakfast. were allotted our indi-
vidual guides and turned into our
canoes for sixty-tWo miles polling up
the prettiest river in New Brunswick.
The river was low, but the current
very swift, making the polling difficult.
Consequently We covered but eighteen
miles, and our guides put in a hard
days work. If you do not believe it,
just stand up in the stern of canoe
and try to push it against a strong
current from sun up to sun down. You
will find that you cannot do it for fif
teen minutes without becoming wind.
ed and thoroughly weakened.
The following day broke with a driz,
zling rain, and it being the fifteenth,
the first day of the season. we were all
on the lookout for shot, but on ac-
count of the noise made by the polling
of the canoes we saw nothing. As that
same delightful tote-road runs from
Bathurst to Nepisiguit Lake, dis.
tance of eighty-two miles, and varies
from fifty yards to mile distant from
the river, decided to try walking for
change. The weather had cleared and
/ was tired of the canoe, besides hav.
ing sympathy for the guide. Besides
thought that the chances for shot
would be better on the road, as any.
thing harboriDg between the road and
the river would be jumped by the pol
ing on the river. When l took up my
gun and left my canoe the others did
likewise. But five men walking to-
gether are as noisy as six poles hitting
the rocks In the river, so we saw moth
Ing. The following day was drizzling
and anything but pleasant, and as l
had not lost confidence In the chances
for shot on the road, threw my
poncho over my shoulders and started
to walk, the rest of the party having
taken to their boats.
had hardly covered mile before
/ jumped two moose within forty yards
|of the road, but the brush was too
thick to get even snap shot. stood
perfectly still hoping that they had
not winded me and that they would
stop, giving me a chance to cut them
off and get shot, but their noses are
too good on Camp morning. As they
kept going l had to give it up and
move on, disappointed yet encourag-
ed.
l had gone perhaps mile further
when l was startled by something
crashing through the bush In the
direction of the river. Glancing down
the side of the ridge was delighted
to see large bull caribou running al
Ifall speed away from the river and al
most in line toward me. / knew from
the direction I was taking that if b,
neither saw nor winded me. he woult
cross the road within forty yards O
where stood, so | dropped on m!
knee out of sight and waited. Nor die
I have long to wait. for in few sec