Shortly after their marriage in 1896, Russell’s wife Nancy urged him to paint subjects that would appeal to a broader audience. He began to paint western subjects that involved high excitement, such as gunfights or skirmishes with Indians, that might attract the attention of publishers, especially those who produced calendars. Besides western subjects, hunting and other outdoor scenes were very popular. This watercolor depicting a moose hunt eventually appeared as an illustration in the January 1901 issue of Western Field and Stream, the magazine that would later be simply known as Field and Stream. The magazine’s editor, William Bleasdell Cameron, had visited the Russells in Cascade, Montana, shortly after their marriage. At that time he was struck by Russell’s talent, and resolved to use his work in the magazine. The watercolor, full of transparent autumnal color, appears fresh and spontaneous. In this period Russell was experimenting with the transparent effects of reflections on water, and here he attempts to show the myriad reflections of the dense forest foliage mingled with the lighter tones of the canoe and figures. The forest backdrop, with its layers of transparent, semi-transparent, and opaque washes, is very skillfully handled, and there is a real sense of depth and complexity. It is interesting to note that Russell chose to depict a Great Lakes style canoe here, one that would be found further east than Montana. It would appear that Russell was seeking to make his work conform more closely to eastern painters of outdoor life, such as his good friend Philip Goodwin, whose work was much sought after.