Doris the moose finds a routine on the green

Cow moose creates spectacle as she recuperates at Bucksport golf course

Doris lying on the golf course. Photo courtesy of Deidra Davis.

Aug. 18, 2026

Maizy Weirich and Emily Baer

BUCKSPORT–A female moose has developed a routine on the green.

For the past three weeks, golfers, tourists and lucky drivers have caught sight of a cow moose at the Bucksport Golf Club.

The community has even named the moose Doris, simply because “she looks like one,” Katie Daniel, a club employee, said. 

A local game warden who observed Doris said she appeared to have an inflamed back left leg, but was otherwise healthy and not considered a danger. Since the golf course is an open landscape, well lit and flat, it gives a safe space for a moose to heal and watch out for predators, Daniel said. 

Doris is most active in the morning and evening, moving between the driving range and pond everyday around 3 p.m. to get a drink. She has gone across the street a few times though, and has been seen lying on lawns.

“During the evenings, cars will be lined up or slowing down, especially when she’s out. So many people here have never seen one,” Daniel said.

Erik Johnson, a 63-year-old golfer from northern Virginia said, “It’s the first time I’ve seen a moose, and it was not as big as I expected, but still pretty big.” Thompson visits Maine a couple of times each year. 

While Doris has become a local wonder, Daniel emphasizes the importance of giving the moose space and respecting her vulnerable position. She encourages people to check in with the staff during open hours and follow their lead.

Doris lying down in front of a Bucksport house. Photo courtesy of Deidra Davis.