The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-03-18
ART OF MOOSE TRACKING
THE CRAFT OF THE BEAST IN
ELUDING HIS PuRsUERS.

wake me Detour TO tne WHo'
ward.
The Hull (Canada) correspondent of
the New York sun writes as follows;
The last fall of snow was a blessing
tn hunters able to take advantage OF
it in tracking moose and red deer
Two men from this locality who
were in the deer country at the time
were also taught that they had still
much to learn about stalking moose.
They found the great single tracks lett
by the creature, whose hind foot just
reaches and fits in the print of it's
forefoot, and easily followed them.
AS they noted the prodigious
length-over five feet-of the stride,
they congratulated themselves upon
being on the trail Of an immense
specimen of it's kind, and pushed on
hastily. The fact was that the long
reach showed they had somehow
frightened the timid brute, which was
using all it's trotting power to get
away from them.
After some hours hard travel they
heard a disturbance in the woods to
the left Of their path, and just got
peep at a bull moose dashing away.
Making sure that the woods were full
OF moose, they determined not to be
turned aside from the one they were
following.
About hundred yards further on
they found that the tracks wheeled
about suddenly. Tracing them along,
they were soon driven to the uncom-
Portable idea that the moose they had
seen was the one they had been fol-
lowing, and that it had doubled like
hare and raced away at their ap-
proach.
A few miles further on they again
caught sight of a swiftly retreating
moose to their left side. Then the
hunters remembered few of the tales
they had heard about the craftiness OF
moose, and also awoke to the fact that
the willy cid bull always doubled down
the wind, so that it might be informed
by both scent and hearing of the APP
proach of it's enemies
Proceeding now with the greatest
caution, and keeping to the right,
merely within sight of the tracks, but
always endeavoring to keep trunks OF
branches of trees to screen their pro-
gress upon their left flank. they were,
after a whole days work, at last re-
warded by a sight of the big body OF
their quarry reclining in the snow, the
antlered head against it's side toward
is former track, resting, but decided
ly on guard.
Both of the men were good quick
shots, and the chance was too good
to lose. At range of 40 yards rifles
instantly rang out. but without any
result upon the reclining
moose Again they fired, without
much thought in their excitement OF
what they did, when one exclaimed as
he elected the spent cartridge:
What fools we are! The first shot
much have killed him. or he would
have jumped"
Sure enough, both balls had entered
it's brain. inflicting instant death.
The habit of doubling about before
stopping, so that it may have a good
view of its former path, to ascertain If
it is being tracked, is one of the in
tricks Of the moose. How the
Indian and half breed guides acquire
the judgment which enables them to
decide where to leave the tracks of
the moose. and make sufficient detour
to get to wiudward of their hating
place, is one of the marvels of the
woods.
A green hunter, travelling along
with Joe Beaudouin on snowshoes, was
greatly surprised when the guide
stepped aside from the deep tracks
he was following and struck out rapid
ly in a direction at almost right an
giles to them. About ten minutes af-
terward he motioned his companion
to his side and pointed out a fine
moose standing at little distance in
the deep snow, intently gazing away
from them toward it's former path.
When the rife had been levelled
through the sheltering branches, and
sighted, the trigger fell upon
q bad cartridge with a click, which ap-
peared to the excited young man to be
as noisy as a thunder bolt in the in
tense stiffness of the frosty air. The
moose swung about hastily, tossed its
great head, pivoted the long asinine
ears, stamped impatiently and actually
started as though to investigate the
of the sound, giving ample
time to turn out the faulty cartridge,
to take fresh aim and fire.
Badly hurt though it was this time.
The moose persisted in its course until
he guides weapon spoke, when it fell