266 With Rod and Gun in New England 



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there is great disparity in the sizes of adult individuals. Moose have 

 been killed and weighed which tipped the scales at 1,350 pounds, and yet 

 it is not uncommon for a great spread of antlers to be found on a moose 

 weighing little more than half of this. In color the moose varies from a 

 greyish brown to almost jet black. As a rule, the bull is blacker than the 

 cow and of larger size. The legs are of imposing length, enabling the 

 animal to wade through the deep snows of winter, as well as to reach the 

 twigs and buds upon which he loves to browse. A prime specimen of a 

 moose will measure six feet and a half at the withers, and very little less 

 in rear elevation. The commonly accepted idea that a moose is much 

 higher at the shoulder than at the buttock is erroneous, as is also the notion 

 that when cropping grass, he is obliged to assume a kneeling position. 



Until recently the widest spread of horns ever recorded in Maine, 

 Nova Scotia or New Brunswick was five feet, two inches. This fine head 

 was taken in the Canaan region many years ago by Sir Harry Burrard and 

 presented to the Prince of Wales. In the fall of 1896, Dr. G. H. Gray of 

 Lynn, Mass., killed a moose which is regarded as Maine's record head. 

 It was only fifty-nine inches in width but it had thirty-nine points. This 

 year (1897) a moose was killed on the Tobique river, New Brunswick, by 

 Stephen Decataur of Portsmouth, N. H., with the magnificent spread of 

 five feet, six inches. At least eight moose were shot in this Province the 

 present autumn with an antler spread of over sixty inches. The bull moose 

 sheds his horns every year, usually about the middle of January, though 

 sometimes, especially in the case of young bulls, as late as the month of 

 March. By the first of September they are fully restored and then the rut- 

 ting or mating season, which lasts about six weeks, begins. 



It is during the mating season that the moose is most readily taken. 

 He is then in the perfection of strength and condition and almost fearless 

 even in the presence of man. The favorite method of capture is by what 

 is known as "calling" or simulating the mating call of the cow moose. 

 If an unmated moose is within hearing of the call and the call is skilfully 

 executed, the bull will usually repond without hesitation and will sometimes 

 rush to the imaginary trysting-place with a violence that will raise the hair 

 of all but the most experienced of hunters. When the snows of winter 

 come the moose "yards up " — that is, attaches himself to a certain section 

 of feeding-ground, where he confines himself mainly to the paths which 

 he makes in the snowy waste, and browses from day to day upon the buds 

 and twigs of whitewood, maple, moosewood, birch, willow and cherry. He 

 will, however, eat the bark and buds of any kind of hardwood and most of 

 the evergreens. Spruce or cedar he will seldom touch unless hard 

 pressed by hunger. If there is a more exciting experience on earth 

 than that of shooting a moose that has been called up on a moonlit 



