When Calling a Moose, It’s Best to Grunt and Groan

--There’s more than one way to call a moose, and judges at the Fourth Annual International Moose Federation Moose Calling Championships in Anchorage, Alaska, heard just about all of them. The calls ranged from something that sounded like “Meeeuuuuwwww. Muh! Muh! Muh!” to Cathy Fast’s mousy “Here moosie, here moosie.” Fast was not among the winners. “It’s embarrassing, sometimes humiliating. It’s tough to get people up there to do it,” said Stan Smith, the 32-year-old president of the federation. “We found we got a better response with the black curtain, if they didn’t have to stand up and do it before God and everybody.” Pat Sawyer, a 38-year-old artist from Wasilla, put together the combination of groans and grunts to be the winner in the men’s division. “It’s good practice to go out in the woods and try out the calls,” he said. Bonnie Jewett took first place in the women’s division after she and three other women offered some fairly unusual calls. “You don’t know what’s going to come out of your mouth up there,” contestant Patty Kennedy said.

--One-third of the British people want Queen Elizabeth II to abdicate in favor of her son, Prince Charles, an opinion poll published by a London newspaper found. But a majority of 57% wants the 61-year-old queen to continue to reign, the Today paper reported. “There is growing concern that Charles could be a grandfather by the time he becomes king,” the paper commented. Some 76% of those questioned said that they thought the 38-year-old heir to the throne would make a good king.

--Anna Stetson is living proof that you’re never too old to learn. The 84-year-old great-great grandmother became Nebraska’s “star graduate of 1987” by receiving her high school diploma 57 years after she dropped out of the 11th grade to raise a family. Stetson was among 165 to complete the adult basic education program and receive a general education degree in ceremonies at Nebraska Western College in Scottsbluff, Neb. President Reagan and Gov. Kay A. Orr were among those sending congratulatory messages, with Orr designating her the “star graduate.” Stetson also received an honorary diploma from the Crawford High School Class of 1922, which would have been her graduating class if she had remained in school.