Bartibog Moose

Bartibog wants to travel to Newfoundland to meet his great great grandfather "Howley" in Deer Lake. He would like to have his photo taken with him. He would also like to visit with any other moose he can along the way. Can you help him?

After that he would like to travel around the Atlantic provinces seeing the sights and eventually return to New Brunswick.

The origins of the moose in Newfoundland can be traced back to Bartibog, which is located on the Miramichi in New Brunswick. A man by the name of John Connell was largely responsible for the capture of moose in that area that were shipped to Newfoundland in March of 1904.

The moose population in Newfoundland is currently estimated at 120,000 to 150,000 animals. This may not seem significant unless you know that the ancestors of these moose once roamed the forests in the vicinity of the Bartibog River.

The story of the capture of the live moose to stock the forests of Newfoundland is well known in the Miramichi area. There are many versions of the story and most of them have heard of the man who led the hunt, John Connell, who has more than one claim to fame. He is also known for having a tame moose named "Tommy", which he had trained to ride like a horse. (Tommy's original saddle is on display at the Miramichi Natural History Museum)

He is probably best known for his involvement with the moose capture in the winter of 1904. John was a well known guide in the area, and an avid hunter and fisherman. It is believed that the request for live moose came from the Newfoundland government. The men who involved were paid $50 for each moose. (A lot of money in those days!)

That March it is remembered that the snow was four feet deep. This made it very hard for the moose to travel any distance and they were mainly confined to “yards”. This made the moose easy to locate. The men travelled on snowshoes into the woods, as the snow was too deep and heavy for their horses to negotiate. When they found the moose they formed a circle around them and lassoed them just like cattle. This was possible because the moose have no antlers at this time of the year and it is also the time of their least strength. Moose are often thin in the late winter, and may weigh a couple of hundred pounds less than they would in the fall or summer.

After lassoing the moose, the men lead them out to where their horses waited with high-sided sleds. When they had captured six they drove to Chatham (a distance of 10 to 12 miles) and put the moose on the train.

It is believed that one of the moose died of fright at the station and another died in route. Reports indicate that only four moose eventually arrived in Newfoundland - two cows and two bulls.

The four moose were released in the Howley area of Newfoundland as an experimental attempt to introduce this species of big game animal to Newfoundland. The success of this project is evident. By 1920 moose were being recorded in good numbers over fifty miles from Howley. By 1935 moose occupied much of the island. In 1941 moose were first reported seen on the Avalon Peninsula.

Statistics show that more than one million have been harvested since a provincial hunt began. Some people think there are now too many moose for the island to handle. On average, almost one a day is involved in an automobile accident and the collisions are at times fatal for both moose and man.

In 2004 the residents Newfoundland celebrated the 100th anniversary of their arrival. A statue of a moose was constructed and stands outside of the Irving station in Deer Lake. A contest was held for local school children and it was named “Howley”.

The Bartibog River empties into the Miramichi River just outside of the Miramichi City limits and slightly downstream. Its upper stretches have been logged heavily over the years but the moose remain just the same. Today they are closely monitored and protected except for an annual three day moose hunting season. Laws are enforced by Provincial Conservation Officers.

Poaching is a problem in the area as it is in other areas of the province and across Canada. Despite this illegal hunting and the ever receding forests, moose in New Brunswick continue to live on. Provincial biologists monitor the population and alter the moose hunting quota accordingly.

New Brunswick has an estimated population of 25,000 moose, and is a much smaller province than Newfoundland. Many animals here suffer the same tragic collisions with automobiles. Public awareness, fence barriers and under road tunnels have helped to prevent fatalities to both the moose and man on New Brunswick highways.