The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1941-11-27
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| Although there appears to be nc
immediate danger of moose expiration
in Minnesota, continued eXtirpation OF
natural ranges leads one to the newt
able conclusion that the end for
these Giants of the Forest is but a
matter of time.
This is the belief of Jack Manweiler,
game manager and biologist at Bau-
| dette, writing in the December issue
of the Conservation Volunteer, bull
letin of the conservation department.
Their decline has been steady and
will continue to be largely the result
of fires, numbering operations. drain
age and inroads of civilization, Man
weller says.
Mans normal progress and de-
velOpment of the NOrthland means
breaking into the vast sOlitudes that
form an integral part of the moses
life history.
This same normal progress of
civilization, moving slowly and appar-
emily auspiciously, not only threatens
the moose, but practically all wildlife
of the Tall Timber country, the soil
tude of its great wilderness, and the
frontier atmosphere of the last un-
civilized forest between the Atlantic and
the Rockies.
Scoffers turn their heads away, but
men who love the land of the voy-
ageurs have been apprehensive over
this normal" and at times abnor-
mally fast, development of the North
Country by an often unknowing and
unappreciative time marching toward
certain destruction of all it's wilder
ness attractions.
Manweiler furnishes some interest
ing observations on these Kings of the
Boys.
Their huge size, 1,40O pounds for
Minnesota's moose but 1900 is not
uncommon for the largest species, re-
quires considerable forage, young
shoots and twigs of maple, ash, dog
wood. hemlock, aspen, balm of gilead
birch, willow, juneberry, pin cherry
choke cherry, and Eastwood in winter:
When SHOWS are not too deep herba-
ceous growths such as goldenrod, ferns,
and grasses are consumed. In summer
large quantities of succulent vegetation
and green bog plants are taken.
Young trees too high to be reached
are simply straddled and forced to
the ground.
The rutting season covers a two
months period in the fall. Calves are
born in May. Sexual maturity is
reached during the second year, with
one calf the rule the first year and
two thereafter. About 20 per cent are
barren.
The young range with their mother
up to the fall months, but may not
continue to during the winter, by
which time they have reached prodig
iouS size and can travel through deep
snow with ease. Maximum body de-
velopment is reached in the sixth year.
Antler formation of the bulls in a
period of a few months each year is
greater than that developed in a life
time by other even-toed hoofed man.
mails. 1t is a drain on the bulls sys-
tenn similar to that of producing young
by the opposite sex. The horny growth
becomes retrogressive after the prime
of life.
Moose are not considered dangerous,
Manweiler says, although there are
instances of persons having been
charged Reports of attacks, or feigned
attacks, are doubtless magnified by the
very size of the animal.
Ranger Jack Valentine of the La
Croix district, whose Nina Moose
country is among the best for moose
in the Superior National Forest, has
many stories to tell about encounters
with these huge animals.
In earlier days valentine has a
record of Is years in his district) huge
bulls would battle for hours for pos
session of a mate, gouging deep gashes
in the solid trunks of pine trees as
they swung their antlers about.