Manic about moose Safaris seeking creatures popular in Greenville

A canoe, followed by a kayak, quietly slices into the cold, greenish water of a small pond in a remote township about 20 miles from Greenville.

A chorus of bird calls, the peeping of frogs and the muffled, intermittent chatter of three fishermen on the water filled the silence on a recent Monday.

Surrounded for miles by a lush and variegated green canopy, the pond in northern Piscataquis County, like hundreds of others that dot the landscape in this region, is a haven for wildlife, especially moose.

Even before a paddle is dipped into the pollen-covered water, we spot the prey we’re after. It appears like a black rock on the opposite shore, but the form moves, and our guide assures us it is a moose.

We paddle toward the creature,taking a leisurely pace over the water which has become ruffled by a wind. In the distance, a pair of osprey dance in the air as they chase one another. The sunshine reflects against their small bodies making them appear like sequins floating through the air.

The moose is oblivious to the human stalkers watching from their nearby watercrafts and the bloodthirsty black flies that are attacking its body. Standing belly deep in the pond, the scruffy-looking moose bobs its head up and down into the water, where it hungrily yanks up tender plants from the muddy, leech-covered bottom.

“We’re real lucky to see this one here,” said Maine Guide Mark Almon of Northwoods Outfitters in Greenville. It is unusual to find moose in the water in mid-May and especially in the early afternoon, he noted. Moose are not typically in the water eating aquatic plants until mid-June and are most often seen in that habitat in early morning or late evening, he said.

Aside from the natural beauty of the area, the hulking four-legged animal has always been a draw to this region. Mike Boutin, owner of Northwoods Outfitters, spends considerable time daily answering questions about the wildlife and the region from tourists who browse in his shop. About 80 percent of the visitors who walk into his store want to see moose and want information about where they can be spotted, he said.

“Moose are such a big part of our industry up here,” Boutin said, adding, “It’s important to every business up here to protect that resource.”

The immense interest in the wildlife, especially moose, sparked Boutin about five years ago into branching his business into moose-viewing safaris. He has been joined by many other businesses in the region that offer similar safaris, especially during Moosemainea, a monthlong celebration of moose from May 16 to June 16. The safaris are conducted in motor vehicles, float tubes, canoes, kayaks and airplanes.

“Tourists see a lot of value in doing a guided trip verses doing it on their own,” he explained.

The day and overnight wilderness trips that Boutin offers start at $25. For the early morning or late evening moose safaris, he guarantees a sighting or another trip. Only once in five years has his safaris failed to produce a moose sighting, he noted.

Boutin, who supplies the necessary equipment from his retail store, hires a handful of seasoned guides to officiate on the trips. These local guides educate visitors about the region and of its wildlife and lighten the trips with a few colorful jokes. “You’re going to get a little entertainment and a little history, Boutin tells visitors, prior to their trip.

And Almon delivers. He has a vast collection of adult jokes he’s willing to share to age-appropriate patrons and he is very knowledgeable about the region and its wildlife.

Moose, an Algonquin term for “eater of twigs,” have a keen sense of smell and hearing, but are near-sighted, Almon explains to visitors. Because they lack a set of upper incisors, moose strip off browse and bark and chew it as a cud, he said. The animal primarily eats leaves, twigs and buds of hardwood and softwood trees and shrubs in fall, winter and spring, and feeds heavily on sodium-rich aquatic plants in the summer months.

Almon cautions visitors not to get between a cow moose in the water and the shore where a calf may await. If a moose feels threatened or thinks a calf may be in danger, it will charge to the shore running over anything in its way. “They’re really good swimmers,” he advises. “If they’re going to rebel, you don’t want to be around – their first place of refuge is the ground.”

An adult moose, averaging 1,000 pounds and standing 6 feet tall, is the largest wild animal in North America, according to Almon. An oddity is that their front legs are longer than their hind legs, but this makeup allows them to jump over debris and fallen trees, he noted. Bull moose grow antlers in March or April and shed them starting in December. Once they shed one, they like to shed the other one close by because of the weight of the remaining antler, he explained. He said the moose will jam its head between the branches of a tree to rid itself of the other antler. Once shed, the antlers become forage for mice and other rodents.

Almon recalled with a chuckle the time a woman asked him when the deer turn into moose. “How do you answer that one and be serious?” he asked. “I busted out laughing,” he said, his eyes straying to the nearby moose, who was swinging its head to rid itself of the water.

Apparently full of tender plants, the moose wandered slowly to the shore. By this time, Almon noticed another moose near the shore where the canoe and kayak had been launched.

We paddle to shore and watch the bull moose raise its enormous antlered head from the bottom of the pond. The water that pours off its body sounds like rainfall. The animal makes a loud munching sound as it grinds the plants between its jaws. It’s a breathtaking scene.

For Almon, the wilderness is a thing of beauty. “It’s just the beauty of the land, it’s the whole experience and if you see a moose that’s a bonus,” he said.