CHAPTER XXII
baby moose
OF the ruminants (cud-chewing animals), none is so majestic as the Moose. He is the largest of the deer family, and has the most common sense.
Whenever we hear his name, we feel a thrill of romance steal through us, for we have all heard of the moose's love of conquest; and the terrific fights waged by these huge animals have been topics for the hunters as they smoked and spun yarns in the glow of the campfires.
There is no cowardice in this heroic fellow's disposition. He is game to the finish.
The Alaska Moose engaged in combat is indeed a spectacle. These huge creatures often fight to the death. The only way to end these battles sensibly is for the vanquished party to take to flight. A favourite way hunters have for calling the moose is to roll a piece of birch bark about eighteen inches long into the shape of a trumpet and imitate the call of his kind. Mr. Moose, hearing the call, rushes in the direction of the sound. The poor fellow is often shot, thus lured into close proximity with his enemies.
The moose loves the water and is a fine swimmer. He enjoys wading, and spends much of the summer time in the water, swimming and browsing water plants. So baby moose spends his first summer, enjoying nature, finding out what is good to eat and what is to be left alone, growing like the proverbial weed, and getting acquainted with life.
His sense of smell develops, and affords him protection from savage beasts; he learns to be on the alert for trouble and to flee before forest fires and avalanches. The babies make their appearance in April or May. One and sometimes two babies are the usual number. They are a soft, sandy brown in colour and unspotted. Their pretty little bodies are perched on long, awkward, stilt-like legs. The face has a quizzical expression and the ears are soft and velvety. The neck is so short and legs so long, that the little fellow has to kneel to put his nose on the ground. Altogether, baby moose is a cunning little fellow, blest with a head full of sound sense.
He learns to mind his own business during the first year of his existence, and not to meddle with any one's while his sprouting horns are but knobs an inch long. If his antlers are injured at this tender age, they would never be normal and he would have to go handicapped through life.
A little moose looks like some beautiful toy. His mother takes good care of him and does not show him off to the forest folk. She knows that it is much wiser to keep him hidden as much as possible and does not tell any jealous neighbours about her treasure.
During his early infancy she hides him in a thicket, while she wanders the forest in search of food. The little fellow gets lonely waiting for her return. In his own baby way he thinks dim, formless thoughts, as the long hours roll by. Pretty soon he hears her soft hoofbeats and he jumps up and welcomes her with a little bleat. When he is older, she takes him with her when she travels. It is wonderful to walk beside her, while she picks her food. Life isn't all sunshine—there are troublesome mosquitoes and gnats; and the moose doesn't like that any better than we do. By Fall he gets sleek and round, his antlers have budded, and he is very proud.
Young moose have been taken by hunters and trappers and tamed. They make delightful pets and are as docile as a calf.
A baby moose is an inquisitive little creature. The ways of the world interest him and he is curious to find the ins and outs of life.
The universe is such a wonderful place to live in! The green woods a perfect fairy's bower, and cool water such a wonderful drink when one is hot and thirsty. The water lilies so sweet to taste and the fresh green leaves so satisfying. Then, when the twilight creeps over the bright green world, it is such fun to follow Mother Moose to a sheltered spot, cuddle close to her warm flank, and watch the stars like daisy blossoms peep out one by one, until the dark blue sky is studded like a fairy's crown. With the starshine comes a long, wonderful sleep.
From the thicket pipes the black bird, telling the wood folk to get up, for the sun is rising and will soon be in sight. "Moosie" shakes himself to get the sleep out of his eyes and follows his mother to the lake for their morning bath. In they plunge. The baby is a good swimmer for a little tot, and takes kindly to the water. Mother starts for the opposite shore, but as they round the bend the man smell is blown sharply into her nostrils. She wheels softly and guides her offspring back and away to safety. He learns at a tender age that the man and the bear smell are to be strictly avoided.
Old Bear is one of the Moose's worst enemies. He watches his chance to catch the little fellow when his mother isn't looking. She would fight to the death for her baby and he knows it. Blows from her sharp hooves are apt to be fatal. So Old Bear avoids contact with her. He'd break the little fellow's back if he got a chance. He rolls his little red-rimmed eyes and his mouth waters as he watches the pretty brown baby playing in the sunshine.
During the second year our moose is a great deal more aggressive. His horns are a foot long and he is quite an imposing young animal.
He likes to push and butt other yearlings and try his strength on various objects. His muscles are important, and he longs to use them. When he reaches his third year, he is a formidable looking animal with big shoulders and head and spreading antlers. The females have no antlers. Every year, he will lose his antlers and they will be replaced by larger and finer ones. This is the natural order of things in Mooseland, but the Moose seems as surprised as any one when this function occurs.
The Moose is a forest animal. It is found from the shores of the Arctic ocean to the Columbia River and eastward. It extends from latitude 65° southward through the provinces of New Brunswick, Quebec and Nova Scotia into Northern Maine. The voice is a deep, full bawl, ending in three or four short grunts.
A full grown male is as high as a horse. They have been known to reach seven feet at the shoulders.
His distinctive features are long ears—a long
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| Courtesy of New York Zoological Society |
| With his long ears, horselike nose and little sandy body perched atop his long stilt legs he certainly is a comical looking young moose. And can't he run! |
In winter, moose herd together, and sometimes several herds unite and tread the snow into what the hunters call "Moose yards."
They are steady and affectionate, and have more sense than other deer. They are easily handled and can be driven in harness, in captivity.
Old Moose cuts a comical figure when running. He straddles his hind legs to avoid tripping over his front feet.
They keep out of deep snow as much as possible, for they do not run well in it, and fall victims to their enemies, the wolves.
The moose is the largest cud-chewing animal on the North American continent. He is noble and beautiful and worthy of the best protection we can give him.
We want to keep him with us, and not have him exterminated by "game hogs," as were the bison. Such noble animals are a credit to creation. The now extinct Irish Elk was of the Moose family.