From the Rangeley Lakes to the Allegash and across in New Brunswick loggers tell of an animal which has puzzled many a man, even those who were not strangers in the woods. Frequently the report is circulated that the tracks of a bear have been seen near camp, but a little later this is denied and moose tracks are reported instead. Heated arguments among the men, sometimes resulting in fist fights, are likely to follow. It is rightly considered an insult to a woodsman to accuse him of not being able to distinguish the track of either of these animals. To only a few of the old timber cruisers and rivermen is the explanation of these changing tracks known. Gus Demo, of Oldtown, Maine, who has hunted and trapped and logged in the Maine woods for 40 years, once came upon what he recognized as the tracks of a moose. After following it for about 80 rods^* it changed abruptly into unmistakable bear tracks; another 80 rods and it changed to moose tracks again. It was soon observed by Mr.Demo that these changes took place precisely every quarter of a mile, and, furthermore, that whatever was making the tracks always followed a tote road or a blazed line through the woods. Coming up within sight of the animal, Gus saw that it had front feet like a bear's and hind feet like those of a moose, and that it was pacing carefully, taking exactly a yard at a step. Suddenly it stopped, looked all about, and swung as on pivot, then inverting itself and walking on its front feet only, it resumed its pacing. Mr.Demo was only an instant in recognizing by the witness trees that the place where the animal changed was a section corner. From this fact he reasoned that the shagamaw must have been originally a very imitative animal, which, from watching surveyors timber cruisers, and trappers patiently following lines through the woods, contracted the habit itself. He figures that the shagamaw can count only as high as 440; therefore it must invert itself every quarter of a mile (452: p.23).

Found to-day exclusively in Maine. At one time common on the Allegash waters, and still reported from New Brunswick. While distinctly forbidding-looking, he is shy and quite harmless.

Pretty much of a puzzle. Nobody seems to have any idea how he originated. His front legs end in bear paws, while his rear ones are shod with moose hooves. He always walks erect, sometimes using the front pair, sometimes the rear pair of legs. The change from bear to moose tracks, occurs regularly every twenty chains. The shift in his trail marks has dumbfonded many an inexperienced woodsman and trapper. Since the beast is of low mental stature and probably imitative, it is believed that he makes this regular swap either from watching surveyors or because he can only count up to 440.

His usual beat is along tote-roads, where he eats mittens, rubbers, caulked boots and other forgotten or discarded apparel (453: p.53).

Modern news also confirms that Shagamaws still roam the forests between the USA and Canada. Sherri Kharapat, one of the reenactors of the life of the camps of loggers of the early 20th century, says:

I swear, once a week he follows me: By the time I get to the river, I put the axe down, and I take the yoke off of my shoulders so I can take one bucket at a time. I chop the hole in the ice with the axe. And then — so I don't get my mittens wet — I take them off and put them behind me, and I fill up one bucket and set it on the bank, and I fill up the other bucket, put it on the bank, get it attached to the yoke and hoist it back up; I grab the axe and turn for my mittens and they're GONE! I kid you not. He hangs around the tote roads, and he shagamaws the mittens (*).

So if you find yourself in those places, do not leave unattended items, but if you still can not find your mittens or scarf or other woolen things, then you will know who ate them.