The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-08
SPECTRE MOOSE AGAIN.
rF-rom the New York SUM-


The enormous moose that has been the
wonder of sportsmen in northern Maine
since 1881 has again been seen, and this
time under rather different circum-
stances from ever before. A bicyclist
came close to themdnster in the road be-
tween Sherman and Macwahoc, and was
obliged to abandon his wheel and climb
a tree for safety. So he had a near view
of the ANIMAL
Every story that comes from the north
woods concerning this moose makes him
a little bigger than before. 1t is gener-
ally believed that no moose ever killed
IN this state, or, so far as is known,
anywhere else, has approached in stat
ure or weight, much less in spread of
antlers, this spectre moose of Lobster
lake. He is called the spectre moose be-
cause of the weird appearance his pre-
gray.
1t was in 1891 that this moose was first
seen in Maine, by Clarence Duffy, of
Oldtown, a guide who was cruising
near enough to the monster for a shot,
but he could see him plainly. Every
body laughed at his story. Not many
months after that John Ross, a. Bangor
lumberman, was at Lobster lake, and
zone day, while crossing between Big
Lobster and Little Lobster lakes in
company with the foreman of w. L.
MaxfieId'S camps he saw the big moose.
of the woods people began to believe
that there was something up there
worth shooting at.
For some years hunters searched the
woods in vain for the big fellow. Not
until 1885 was the monster seen again.
In that year Granville Gray, a Bangor
taxidermist. got sight of the moose, at
some little distance, and since then he
has had a second view. In 1899 Gilman
Brown of West Newbury, Mass. got
nearer to the monster than any of the
others and actually had a shot at him.
He declared that the moose stood fully
Is feet high, and had antlers from 10 to
u feet across. He was so close to the
animal that he could count % points on
one side of his antlers, and he thinks
there were more This is a greater num-
Der of points than has ever been known
on any other moose. His shots did not
bring the moose down.
This year the first sight of the big
moose fell to George Kneeland of Sher-
man, who is taking charge of his broth
er's lumber camp on CULVER brook. In
telling of his experience Kneeland said;
"On my way back from Macwahoc.
coming to a long piece of rising ground,
I dismounted from my bicycle and
walked I had got to the top of the hill
and was just about to remount, when I
saw what took to be a horse standing
in the road some distance ahead Won
dering what a horse could be doing
there, I stopped and gave him a good
look, when / found to my surprise that
it was not a horse, but moose, and an
immense one, too. waited a bit to see
what he was going to do, but hadn't
long to, wait for he lowered his head
and came straight for me with the
speed of a locomotive I got into
good stout tree as quick as I could, and
climbed high, where I would be out of
reach of the moose's antle<s and be able
to see what was going on.
Meanwhile the moose came tearing
down the road, and his antlers reached
clear across the road at that place.
brushing the branches on either side I
should think they would measure eleven
feet, all right enough. He made straight
for the bicycle and, planting his forward
paws either side of it, stopped to ex-
anime the wheel, smeIled of it to his
satisfaction, then raised his head gave
a tremendous snort and raced off into
the woods, breaking down the small
rushes- The wind was blowing toward
me, and that is probably the reason he
did not discover me- / waited ten min
utes in the tree, and then, finding that
mounted my wheel, and the way I
streaked it for home was a caution"
The average weight of moose shot in
Maine is from 800 to 900 pounds, with
antlerS spreading from four to four and
a half feet, and rarely having more
than from eight to twelve points
on a side while the bell, as the apDendage
under the animals neck is called is gen
orally eight or nine inches long. All who
have seen the big moose of Lobster Lake
aver that he must weigh at least $500
than ten feet. while the bell is declared
to be not less than eighteen inches long.
It is supposed that this monster wandered
into Maine from British Columbia, as
none approaching his size has ever been
seen here before. He. is great traveller.
having been reported in almost every part
of northern Maine. The hunter who
brings him down will win fame and big
pot of money at the same time.