The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1904-12-08
MOOSE sEAsoN IN MAINE.
Six Weeks During which the Great
Animal Is Hounded by
Hunters.

The moose. that monarch Of the Maine
woods, aud the greatest game animal tc
be found In the temperate xone, has been
fair game for the hunters since mid
night OF Friday. October IA, for the close
time which has protected him for ten
months ended then, and for six weeks
the bull moose of Maine have TO run the
gantlet OF the sportsmen's hsc, says the
Bangor Commercial
Moose hunting Is the greatest sport to
be had In the Maine woods, for the size
Of the game and the valuable trophy
which the head OF a good-sized bull
makes with its ornamentatloa OF grea,
antlers Is enough TO cause sportsman
TO endure almost any hardship In the
hope OF securing one OF the big fellows
There is also an element OF danger which
makes the sport the more enticing. 10,
bull moose on rampage Is a danger
ous foe, and unless the hunter fortunateN
IL disables his game at the first shot
there Is trouble In store for him. The
moose's great size enables him to crash
through the woods with the speed Of a
locomotive and with almost as much
power. and the knife-like hoofs and
great ant!ers are terrible weapons when
brought into play at close range. More
than one hunter has paid the penalty for
his carelessness and met death beneath
the feet OF one Of these maddened mon.
sters. and others have been tread and
nearly frozen to death while bull
moose kept watch, as patiently as
sphinx. beneath the limb which shell
tered them
Moose weighing more than 1000
pounds are often brought out OF the
woods. and their great heads. adorned
with wide-spreading antlers. form the
decoration OF many den" The
largest moose ever brought to Bangor
measured nine feet from his forehoofs
10 the top of his antlers, and weighed
over 200 pounds. In many cases the
antlers measure more than five feet from
tip 10 tip, aud in some cases the breadth
exceeds six feet
When the various water plants which
form the summer food OF the moose
have become edible In the spring the
moose leaves the yard or sheltered spot |
where he has passed the winter and |
seeks the waterways. Here he spends |
the summer. feeding on the tender
plants and bathing In the water TO keep
cool and to protect himself from the |
vicious flies which are terrible pest in |
some parts Of the woods when thus |
engaged the moose are often easily ap- /
preached by persons IN canoes. and more |
than one summer visitor has carried |
home a photograph OF a biz bull or a
COW and calf taking their daily bath.
The cows and calves are often seen to-
gether during the summer months. and |
in some instances are very tame and /
iinger In the vicinity Of the camps, evil
IDENTIFY pleased al the attention bestowed
upon them
Usually IN April the horns Of the bulls |
begin To sprout ard they attain a mar
yelUus growth before September. They !
wear their soft covering called velvet
until September. ard are sometimes
found late iv thai month With the GOV.
frlng still on. Dnrine August and Sep
tsmher The bull moose are in the pink a. |
eontltion ane are dangerous animals
10 meet rley tear through the woods
for weel Is time believing q chal.
ieefe 70 ~ ivIra ihiue that rosms ths
woet frree 6sbts between rival |
buils a-e common At this period and |
maHt lnaqrccs are on recori cf ucn |
asht in .eh hoih cea balantf fell |
w.f1 ttfi- eatr s,t el 81 the death |
HrHaf
Wher ihe cold n Ser eofn6 on the !
mco@o 81 hatH into fhe wutfs ard seek |
shelter % the thieaets frlm ihe cold |
wiats Of winter They are often found |
varied Cozen OF more tosether n
come poi here there Es plenty or food
10 the form ef gouae poplara maples and
sirehes
The reports which have been brought
rom the hunting regions indicate that
moose are unusually plentiful IN the
Maine woods this fall Whether the IN
creaseis due fotheprOtection theanimals
have received during the past few years.
or whether their numbers have been re-
cFuited by moose from the northern part
OF the state o. perhaps from New
Brunswick Is not known. but whatever
The reason Tor the increase the moose
are certainly more plentiful than they
have been Tor many Years