Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-10
TOLD OF THE MOOSE
characteristics of the Animal
From Birth to Death.
LARGEST OF DEER
rs THE MODEST OF ALL WILD
BEASTS.
The Largest on Record Was Shot
Three Years Ago by
Painter.

Now and then, in my wanderings through
the Blue mountain forest, / come upon
gigantic blackish-brown deer, which, by
reason of the great length of its yellowish-
gray legs. stands higher than tall horse.
1t is clothed in coarse, bristly hair, longest
on the neck and shoulders, and 1t has a
rather ugly, Overhanging nose, which dis
tinguishes it at once from all other kinds of
deer. From the throat of the male hangs
long hair-covered appendage known as the
"bell,'' and in the fall and winter he has
also pair of wide-spreading antlers, very
heavy and much fattened or "plamated."
He stalks the forest through underground
and over fallen trunks, like a king of
giants, or, If alarmed, he speeds away at an
amazingly swift swinging trot, and with a
crashing which resembles the sound of fall
ing trees. Such is the moose, the largest
of all deer, living or extinct.
The moose is chiefly animal of the
northern woods, the southern limit of It's
range being the head Of Green river, Wyom-
ing. 1t is also found in northern Maine,
New Brunswick, southern Canada, Idaho
British Columbia, Alberta, Athabasca.
Yukon and Alaska. 1t is strictly dweller
of the forest, seldom venturing to treeless
plains. 1t lives for the most part by oroWs-
ing on the leaves, twigs and bark of trees,
particularly young trees. In ORDER 10 reach
the tops of tall saplings. the moose rears up
against them, straddling them with his long
legs, and literally riding them down. He Is
fondest of birch, hemlock, alder, aspen,
willow and maple. He also eats moses ana
lichens, but his legs are so long that Wheh
he wishes to eat from the ground ne Is
obliged to kneel. In summer he frequehts
the shores of quiet. tree-bordered lakes ana
streams, where he eats the lily-pads and
splashes himself with water, possibly to
keep off the flies
Will Fight for Baby.
Tn Nav the "cow,' as the female moose Is
called. gives birth to a long-legged. ungain-
ly. tawny-colored calf, to protect Whlch
| the mother will fight any woodland creature
! to the death. She has no antlers, but she
| can use her great sharp hoofs with the
skill of prize fighter and has neen kiio ,nd
| fairly trample his body into the grouha.
| The calf stays with his mother for Two OF
| three years, or until he Wanders OH 10 seer
| a mate for himself. One day last summer
come suddenly upon a COW moose. stand
| ing knee deep in shallow pond, Whlie 1roI n
! beneath her neck her grotesque-lookiiis ta,s
| peered out at me with eyes Wlde open "a
| if with establishment. hurried iIoine aiiG
| ratnrned with a camera but when 1 reached
| the spot they were gone ,r, oosa
| Iike all American deer, the bull moose
sheds and renews his antiers every 80
| Thev become full-grown, hard ana sharps
! about the LIST of October, the beginning VI
| the breeding season. At this time ol Wv .I,,
| the bulls are very savage, ana mo- ol, rs
| fight furiously among themselves put aie
n mt to attack anything or anybody VINO
| comes in their way
A Long-Drawn Bawl.
Tho call of the bull is a long-drawn
| bavl with several loud grunts at the end.
| TO there is a COW within hearing she VIII
| answer with a low cry, and the bull Will
| oo,,e forward to meet her. Hunters otteh
| take advantage of this fact and attract
| the bull by an imitation of the can Oh
| the cow executed on a cone-Shapeu NUN
made of birch bark Lying coacea l.,a o Uil
| the bank of a lake or stream, they give oue
| the call and when the bull comes Wlthiii
range they shoot him. But as TINS trlck lis Is
| usually played at night ana as the pun
| sometimes never gives any warming Oh ms
! coming until he is almost on the spot, the
| sport is apt to be dangerous The pun d,
| such a time is in no mood TO pc trileu
| with and unless the hunter Is cool,heaugu
| and a good shot the moose is not only Will
| ing but very able to kill him, and dozen
| like him, if they happen to be on the spot.
| Probably the largest moose or which there
| Is reliable record was shot by Mr. Carr
| Rungius, the animal painter, in New Bruins
| wick in 1901 This great beast stood seven
| feet high at the shoulders, and the length
of it's head and body together was nine 1eet
| seven inches. The Alaskan moose have the
| largest antlers, and one pair from an AMI
NAL shot on the Kenai peninsula has
| spread of Seventy-eight and nall lncheS,
| and has thrty-four points. With the dry
| skull to which they are attached these
| antlers weigh ninety-three and a quarter
pounds, a weight which nothing but an ami
| NAL of gigantic strength could carry at top
| speed over the toughest ground and
| through thickly wooded country.
Stay in a Yard.
| In the winter, when the snow is deep the
| moose sometimes several families together
| will gather in a certain section of wood
land and be breaking out paths for them
| selves over space Of perhaps several
| acres, from what is known as a yard
| where, If not disturbed, they may stay for
weeks together. But the moose is able to
travel well at all seasons, and even in deep
| snow his long legs enable him to move at a
pace which astonish any hunter who tries
| to run him down on snow-shoes.
\ wild, free life is the only one on which
| a moose can live and thrive In captivity
| it is much less nervous than most deer, and
| is disposed to be gentle and affectionate
| But as a rule it will live but a short time
| even though it gets the same food which it
| had in it's native woods. 1t may appear to
| relish its food, but it will grow to no great
| siZe and in a short time will probably die
! of Inflammation of the stomach
| This is one Of the noblest wild animals in
| the world, and 1t should be given adequate
| protection throughout it's range.
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES