Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1900-12-06
NAMES SPECTER MOOSE.
An Unmatched Giant of the Woods
That Makes It's Appearance ut
Rare Intervals.


The enormous moose that has been
the wonder of the sportsmen in north
ern Maine since 1891 has again been
SEEM and this time under rather differ
ent circumstances from ever before. A
bicyclist came close to the monster
in the road between Sherman and
Macwahoc, and was obliged to aban-
don his wheel and climb tree for
safety. So he had near view of the
animal, reports the New York Sun.
Every story that comes from the
north woods concerning this moose
makes him little bigger than before.
1t is generally believed that no moose
ever killed in Maine, or, so far as is
known, anywhere else, has approached
in stature or weight, much less in
spread of antlers, this specter moose
of Lobster lake. He is called the spec
ter moose because of the weird appear
ance he presents at night, his color be-
ing dirty gray.
It was in 1891 that this moose was
first seen in Maine. by Clarence Duffy,
VI OlUl ON d uluC VAO was VI us
ing around Lobster lake. Duffy did not
get near enough to the monster for
shot, but he could see him plainly.
Everybody laughed at his story. Not
many months after that John Ross, a
Bangor lumberman, was at Lobster
lake, and one day, while crossing be-
tween Big Lobster and Little Lobster
lakes in company with the foreman of
w. L. Maxfield's camps. he saw the big
moose. When he told his story of the
monarch 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 1895 was the monster seen again.
In that year Granville Gray, Bangor
taxidermist, got sight of the moose, at
some little distance. and since then he
has had a second view. In 1899 Gill
man Brown, of West Newbury, Mass.
got nearer to the monster than any of
the others and actually had shot a:
him. He declared that the moose stood
fully IS feet high, and had antlers from
ten to twelve feet across. He was 50
close to the animal that he could count
20 points on one side OF his ant.ers, and
he thinks there were more. This is
greater number 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:
ION 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 horse
standing in the road some distance
ahead. Wondering what horse could
be doing there, stopped and gave
him good look, when found to my
surprise that it was not horse, but
moose. and an immense one. too. I
waited bit to see what he was 60
ing to do, but hadn't long to wait, for
he lowered his head and came straight
for me with the speed of locomotive.
got to good. stout tree as quick as I
could. and climbed high, where would
be out of reach of the moose's antlers
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.
should think they would measure II
feet. all right enough. He made straight
for the bicycle, and, planting his for
ward paws either side of it. stopped to
examine the wheel, smelling of it to his
| tremendous snort and raced off into
the woods, breaking down the small
| growth of saplings as though they
were rushes. The wind was blowing
toward me. and that is probably the
reason he did not discover me. wait
ed ten minutes in the tree. and then.
finding that he had really gone. I slid
down and mounted my wheel, and the
way streaked it for home was eau
| ton
The average weight of moose shot
in Maine is from 500 to 900 pounds. with
| ant.ers spreading from to Az feet.
and rarely having more than to -
points on side. while the bell. as the
| appendage under the animals neck is
called, is generally eight to nine inches
long. All who have seen the big moose
of Lobster lake aver that he must
weigh at least $500 pounds, that his
antlers spread not less than ten feet.
while the bell is declared to be not
less than IS inches long. 1t is supposed
that this monster wandered into Maine
from British Columbia, as none APP
preaching his size has ever been seen
in Maine before. He is a great traveller,
having been reported in almost every
part of northern Maine. The hunter
who brings him down will win fame
and a big pot of money at the same
time.