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Moose Being Shot in Acton Just ‘To Watch Them Die’

November 12, 2008 - ACTON -- Maine wardens are investigating the killing of moose in the York County town of Acton.

A deer hunter this week discovered an 800-pound bull moose that had been shot off Sam Page Road. The killer took none of the meat and not even the antlers, which is rare, say wardens.

There is no hunting season for moose in Acton.

What makes the act more unusual is that this is the third consecutive year in which a bull moose has been shot and left behind in that town.

"They've touched nothing," said Maine Warden Jason Luce. "I don't even know if I can call these people poachers. They're just killing these to watch them die. Usually a poacher will take the antlers or the meat."

Now wardens are hoping more responsible hunters and others in the public can give them a break in the case to help catch the people responsible.

"Usually guys will talk and brag," Luce said.

Based on the amount of decay in the carcass, wardens suspect the moose was shot on Saturday, the opening day of deer season for residents, Luce said. A hunter spotted it late Monday and wardens were on the scene Tuesday morning. They have interviewed several people in town but have turned up no solid leads.

Wardens performed an autopsy in the field and were able to recover some evidence, though Luce would not say what.

The wasteful killing in an area where moose hunting is not allowed runs counter to the general trend of improved hunter ethics, said George Smith, executive director of the Maine Sportsmen's Alliance.

"It's appalling, obviously," Smith said of the crime. "The fact it was just left there will just enrage sportsmen even more. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a good chance the wardens will get information that allow them to arrest whoever it is."

The Legislature recently strengthened the state's laws. Now, wasteful killing can lead to mandatory jail time and the loss of hunting licenses for long periods, Smith said.

Smith said poaching problems have diminished in the state in recent years.

"Hunter ethics have improved tremendously ... so there are far less people shooting extra deer or poaching," he said. "Societally, it's not acceptable, and there are not as many people poaching because they are desperate for meat."

This year, for the first time, a special moose hunt has been held in southern Maine, with 25 permits being issued for wildlife management district 15, which stretches from Limington to Bethel and eastward. The area does not include Acton, Luce said.

There is little chance the moose was mistaken for a deer, Luce said. It was in a clearing and weighed four times what a large buck would.

Anyone with information is asked to call Maine State Police at 657-3030 or the Maine Warden Service anonymous tip line, 1-800-ALERT-US (253-7887).

By DAVID HENCH Staff Writer, Portland Press Herald, November 7, 2008


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