moose regardless of the fact that his approach may be faultless.

"Also, my son, you must be careful not to disturb the little tell-tale
creatures of the woods or success that seems so near may vanish in a
moment; for a raven may fly overhead, and spying you, circle
about--just as the pigeons used to do--and then crying out may warn the
moose of your presence. Or you may flush a partridge; or a squirrel,
taking fright, may rush up a tree and begin chattering about you; or a
rabbit may go drumming into a thicket, and the moose, reading these
signs of alarm, will surely look about to learn the cause.

"But, my son, should you spy a moose lying down, it is rather risky to
fire at it in that position, as it is then hard to hit a vital spot.
The better way is to stand with cocked gun covering the game, and then
break a twig--not too sharply though, or you may scare away your
quarry. Watch its ears: if they flop back and forward, it has heard
nothing, but if both ears point in your direction, keep still and be
ready, for it has heard you, and now with one great spring it may
disappear into a thicket. Instead of breaking a twig, some hunters
prefer to whistle like a startled rabbit while other hunters prefer to
speak to the moose in a gentle voice, always taking care to use none
but kindly words, such as for instance: 'Oh, my lazy brother, I see you
are sleeping long this morning.'

"For we Indians never speak harshly to so good an animal, nor do we
ever use bad words, as bad words always bring bad luck to the hunter.

"In winter, my son, a moose makes much noise in walking and feeding,
for then he often breaks off the tops of little trees--though some of
the trunks may be as thick as a man's arm. The moose breaks down trees
of such a size by placing his big shoulder against it, and curving his
powerful neck round it, and then bending it over with his massive head.
Then, too, he often rides down small trees, such as birch or poplars,
just by straddling his fore legs about them and using his chest to
force them over.

"In shooting a moose, remember the best spot is just behind the
shoulder, and while the next best is in the kidneys, the head is not a
good shot for a smooth-bore gun, for bone often deflects a round ball.
A good hunter always tries to get a clear view of his quarry, for even
a twig may deflect his bullet. And remember, too, my son, that as a
rule, when coming upon a fresh track, it is wiser to back-trac