Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-01-12
WAYS OF THE MOOSE
CHARACTERISTICS OF The MODEST
OF ALL WILD ANIMALS.

The I.arnast Of the Dee. z. :s!sy, XIV
Ing or Extinct--The Alaskan Bull
Moose Have the Greatest AntIers.
The Cow and Her Ungainly Calf.
Now and then in wanderingS through
the mountain and forest one comes up
On a gigantic blackish brown deer
which by reason of the great length of
its yellowish gray legs stands higher
than a tall horse. 1t is clothed in
coarse, bristy hair, longest on the neck
and shoulders. and it has rather ugly
oyerhanging nose which distinguishes
1t at once from all other kinds OF deer.
From the throat of the male hangs a
long hair covered appendage known as
the ''bell," and in the fall and winter
he has also pair of widespreading
antlers, very heavy and much fiattened
or "plamated." He stalks the forest
through underground and over fallen
trunks like a king of giants, or, II
alarmed. he speeds away at an amaz-
ingly swift swinging trot and with u
crashing which resembles the sound Of
largest of all deer, living or extinct. ..
The moose is chiefly an animal Of the
northern woods, the southern limit OF
it's range being the head Of Green riy-
er, Wyoming. 1t is also found in
northern Maine, New Brunswick,
southern Canada, Idaho, British Column
bia, Alberta. Athabasca. Yukon and
Alaska. 1t is strictly dweller Of the
forest. seldom venturing to treeless
plains. 1t lives for the most part by
browsing on the leaves, twigs and bark
OF trees, particularly young trees. In
order to reach the tops of tall saplings
the>moose rears up against them strad-
ding them with his long legs and lit
orally riding them down. He is fond
est of birch, hemlock, alder, aspen, will
low and maple He also eats mosses
and lichens.
In May the "cow," as the female
moose is called, gives birth to a long
legged, ungainly, tawny colored calf,
to protect which 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
a prize fighter and has been known to
pound to death d large black bear and
fairly trample his body into the
ground. The calf stays with it's moth
er for two or three years, or until he
wanders off, to seek mate for. him
self. One day last summer. / came sud
denly upon a COW moose standing knee
deep i'll shallow pond, while from
beneath her neck her grotesque looking
calf peered out at me with eyes wide
open, as il with astonishment.; / hurr
ried home and returned with q camera.
but when reached the. spot they, We're
gone.
Like all American deer, the ...sbullN
moose sheds and renaws his antlers
every year. They become full grown.
hard and sharp about the 1stsof Octo-
eber, the beginning of the breeding sea-
son. At this time of year the bulls; are
very savage and not only fight furious
~ among themselves, but are apt to
attack anything OF anybody who comes
in their way.
The call Of the bull is a long drawn
bawl with several loud grdnts at the
end. If there is a COW within hearing
she will answer with a low cry, and
the bull will come forward to meet
her. Hunters often take advantage OF
this fact. and attract the bull by an
imitation of the call of the COW, exc
cuted on cone shaped horn made OF
birch bark. Lying concealed on the
bank of lake or stream, they give
out the call, and when the bull comes
within range they shoot him. But as
this trick is usually played at night
/ and as the bull sometimes never gives
any warning of his coming until he is
almost on the spot the sport is apt t.
be dangerous The bull at such,a time
Is in no mood to be trified with, anG
,,iIiess the nunIer is cool headed and 1
good shot the moose is notSonly willing
but very able to kill him and a dozel
like him If they happen to be on tn,
spot
Probably the largest moose OF. which
there is reliable record was shot b,
Carl Rungius, the animal painter, il
New Brunswick in 1901. This grea
beast stood seven feet high at th,
shoulders and the iangth Of its hea,
and body together was nine feet seyel
Inches. The Alaskan moose have til
largest antlers. and ore pair fre1s al
animal shot on the ISenai peniIsul;
has spread sof seventy ght and
half inches and has thirty four points
With the dry skull to which they ar
I.attached these antlers weigh ninety
three and a quarter pounds, d weigh
which nothing but an animal of gigan
tic strength could carry at top spec,
over the toughest ground and througl
thickly wooded country.
In the winter, ~ hen the snow is deef
the moose, sometimes several familie
together, will gaf her iii d certain SEE
ton Of woodland and be breaking ou
paths Tor themselves over space q
lgpesaaps several acres from what i
known as a yard. y where. If not dis
turbed, they may stay for weeks e
gether. But the moose is able 10 traye
well at al seasons, and even Ia dee
| = snow bis bong enable him ID Smoy
Il