Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-10-30
COMBAT WITH A MOOSE
burlington Physicians Had Strenuous
Experience, According to n. Y. Paper


Four Burlington physicians recently
went moose hunting in Canada. They
have returned but it remains for a north
ern New York State paper to relate an
experience, which if correctly told. the
hunters are not likely to soon forget.
Here Is the story:
mo l haven't shot any moose yet. but
have seen tracks. But such things as
100000 train robberes pale into insight
icance as compared to wild combat with
a bull moose over on Bellevance Lake
this afternoon. Four doctors, not of
divinity. but medics, are in camp there.
Three of them, Or. Watkins, DR.. Stone
and Dr. Eastman. are lecturers in the
Burlington Medical College. DR.. Beecher
Is of the same city. AL are novices at
moose hunting and DR.. Beecher never
before saw the animal in his native
habitat. He saw his first one this after
noon. about 800 yards, across the lake,
and he let go at 1t. His bullship began
executing strange gymnastics, standing
up on his hind legs and chasing himself
around. AS matter of fact, the bullet
went into one eye and out the other.
binding him but Earring his system very
little. These doctors knew they had a
patient on their hands demanding imme-
uidtt tIedtNneHt, anu tney started out IN
leaky punt to call on him. They had
gone part way when the animal plunged
into the water and surged around in big
circ es. Three opened fire while the fourth
rowed and wished he was a gaso inc en-
CINE. They shot valuable ammunition at
different spots on the water when the
boat began to fill and they decided to
land. About this time the bull evidently
made up his mind to Climb into the boat,
and guided by sound, smell or instinct,
laid straight course for their water
logged craft. The rover rowed as he
never imagined he could. He never hustled
after patient as he hustled for shore.
and he got plenty Of vocal encourage
ment from the voices In the stern seats.
The shooters shot as they never want to
shoot again. The minute the wading got
good three of them didn't bother to hunt
around for any hip boots. A tree incining
from the bank 'ooked good to them. Tive
of them assumed devotional attitudes and
literally crawled to salvation. DR.. Stone
WIS the proud possessor of leader that
he mad claimed would hold anything. He
wore II on his hat and 1t hold him all
right. 1t coled itself around his neck and
around bush and he stood hitched but
: with terrific ycarning that the leader,
what was left of him could get up
among the branches DR.. Beecher seized
his gun. The party had up to date fired
twenty-siX rounds of ammunition He
knew that a | the gurs were empty save
his. and that there was just one cartridge
in 1t. The tree was fifteen feet from the
boat. The moose was six feet away and
coming strong. The doctor shot 1t was
one, and the last shot out of twenty
seven. He had scored two bullseyes at
700 yards and they were coming at him
full of blood. He hit the target with the
last shot and that bull went out of COM
mission and into the water with his chin
on the back seat. Two doctors crawled
down out of the branches and united
Doctor Stone and all four are now eating
moose meat wish I was a medic student
at Burlington so I could hear the doc
tors when they instruct their students
how to treat blindness in the case of a
moose"