The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-25
LAST ADIRONDACK MOOSE.

Saranac Lake, April 1.-THE discus
sion as to who killed the last moose in
the Adirondacks has been revived again
by the statement of Simeon J. Moody
of Upper Lake that his brother, Phin-
cas-. shot a. moose on the Bog river be-
low Mud Lake some time in the early
Cos There are old guides who believe
that a few moose still remain in the
Adirondacks. but none has been shot
there for many years. 1t has been said
frequently that Horatio Seymour shot
the last moose on the shores Of Albany
Lake some time in the SOS. Simeon
Moody says that in his brothers hunt
ing party were Simeon Bullard of Ma
lone and rip Leonard of Morley.
Moody padded Billiard up to a big COW
moose one night, while jack-hunting for
deer. Billiard was dazed by the size of
the animal and Moody took his gun, a
large bullet, and shot the moose through
the shoulders.
In 1858 Harvey Holt of Keene Valley
was bounding deer near the inlet of
Boreas Pond in Essex county, when
he started cow moose and her calf.
The COW broke through the crust and
was shot by one of Hollis companions
and Holt himself shot the calf. During
the early Sos occasional moose were shot
in the Adiorndacks and there were
enough wolves there to make the kill
Moody says that the moose and the
wolves disappeared together from the
Adirondacks during the first year of the
war. and he believes that they moved
north into Canada A pack of at least
100 wolves passed through the town of
Bombay in Franklin county and a party
of st. Regis Indians followed their trail
until they crossed the ST. Lawrence
river on the ice. Men who know the
woods are aware of the fact that such
migration of animals are frequent, and
it is quite possible that this is the ex-
PLANTATION of the disappearance of the
moose.
Nearly half a century ago an old In
dian hunter made his headquarters near
hunting and fishing. Occasionally he
acted as a guide. He told stories of the
days when the moose were many in the
Adirondacks and he always asserted
that they had gone north one winter
across the big river" This Indian died
in possession of knowledge which might
have made him rich had he been willing
to sell it. He visited the nearest village
at long intervals to buy powder and he
always alleged that he "dug his own
lead in the woods" He was never known
to buy bullets and he usually had a
large supply of lead. Many offers of
money were made to him to disclose the
location of his lead mine, but he refused
them.
Prospectors-and there were many in
those days-who went through the
Adirondacks in search of gold heard of
this Indians lead mine and tried by
strategy to find it. They made up hunt
ing parties and engaged the Indian
guide. When his supply of lead ran
low they watched him closely.
The Indian always succeeded, however,
in slipping away from camp and when
he returned he would be loaded down
with lead. He undoubtedly did have a
lead mine of his own, but many searches
since his death have failed to disclose it.
This Indians explanation of the disap-
r1kaea no. faf "a M 11vg
usually big moose, who acted as leader
had guided the others into Canada, and
finding the feeding grounds much better
there they had never been returned.