Hunter was leading and I was close behind with Stereke at heel, while the native was a few steps further back.  I had noticed my dog a short time before sniffing the air, and was therefore keeping a constant watch on all sides, hoping that we might come upon game, but little expecting it, when suddenly I caught sight of a large bull moose standing in the middle of the opening.  He was about 300 yards away, and almost directly down wind.  I do not see how he could have failed to get our scent, and he must have been indifferent to us rather than alarmed.

My first thought was of Stereke.  I knew that he would break at the sight of game, and realized for the hundredth time my mistake in bringing a bear dog into the moose range.  Quickly giving him to the native to hold, I dropped my pack and was instantly working my way toward the moose.  I had got to within rather less than 200 yards when I saw the moose turn his head and look in my direction.  A nearer approach was impossible, so I gave him at once two shots, and at the second he fell.

My dog, having bitten himself free from the native, made for the moose, and savagely attacked his haunches.  Seeing that the bull was trying to regain his feet, I gave him another shot, and running up drove off the dog.

Now, for the first time, I had a good chance to see my trophy.  I knew that it was a good head, but hardly expected such large and massive antlers.  They were malformed and turned in, or the spread would have been considerably larger, but even then they went over sixty inches, with forty-four well defined points.  I am quite sure that this was the same bull that we had seen so often among the alders, and which I had twice before unsuccessfully stalked.

Our march was delayed until we skinned out the head, cleaned the scalp, and hung the meat in some near-by trees for future use.  It was therefore late that afternoon when we reached our new camp.  We now settled ourselves comfortably, for we meant to stay in these quarters for the remainder of the hunt.

The next week my friend Blake joined me, and we scoured the country around this camp most diligently, but with no further success.  Daily we came upon cows and small bulls, but it seemed as if all the large males had left the neighborhood.  Stamp holes and unmistakable signs of the rutting season were found everywhere, but with the most careful hunting I was unable to get another shot.

There were a few bull moose in the dense woods, but not a sufficient number to warrant the hope of my getting another head such as I had already shot.  At this time of the year moose are such restless animals, and are so constantly on the move that it is not difficult to distinguish their presence.