Be warned: This is not just a fond reminiscence about a long-ago hunt. It's a tale of success and failure. It began badly and ended badly. But, in between, oh, in between there was one unforgettable, shining moment when I steadied crosshairs on the shoulder of a splendid Stone ram and caressed the trigger.

Ahunting magazine editor once remarked to me: “Moose are boring!” This offended me a little, seeming to disrespect a game animal that had lost his life. I could hardly argue because at that time I hadn’t hunted moose, but I’d hunted other game in moose country and had found them interesting and impressive animals.