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Moose

This page is a collection of moose photos in some of the areas we frequently visit. Some of these moose we see often and others we might see only once in a while but the following will give you some idea of this areas' scenic quality as well as a few interesting moose photos and some narrative about the moose in the photos.

The photo in the header above is a young bull with only button antlers (tiny antlers) in velvet in a pond with Mt. Katahdin in the background.

In the photos below you see a nice bull that we saw for this time only, we never came in contact with him again. I think these photos are worth viewing not only because he is a nice bull but also to show you that many times we are able to get very close to the moose without stalking the animal. He came out to see us!

Stalking moose is something that we don't do for several good reasons. One reason is that we don't have to because we generally don't need to but more importantly it is not wise to do so. The moose is unpredictable and may turn on you when stalked and since he is able to run over 30mph where does that leave you...perhaps on the receiving end of his antlers. Mothers with babies are very protective of their young and should not be approached.

Another good reason for not stalking moose whether you are with us or by yourself is that it is usually a futile attempt at best to get a "better" photo. All it really does is drive the moose deeper into the woods because they are afraid and then there are so many trees and bushes in between you and the moose your photos will not be as good as if you had stayed in an open area and waited for the right time or for the moose to come closer to you.

While I'm on the subject of stalking, please don't attempt to approach a moose by kayak or canoe while they are in the water. There are many times we see people attempt to get close to the moose by kayak while the moose is in the pond feeding and all they do is drive the moose from the pond and by doing so they have ruined their opportunity as well as for everyone else.

These stalkings also teach the moose that when people are around to stay clear. I have seen moose that was always good, friendly moose that were not afraid of people change completely because someone tried to get to close and even today years later that same moose will not come out around people.

Notice in the photo on the left the bull's dewlap is long and skinny, much different than Gordon's'. His is wide up close to the neck and then skinny in the posterior of the dewlap. If you notice in photos of Gordon on the previous pages, by fall when his antlers have lost the velvet that long skinny part is less visible and his dew lap is much larger due to the amount of fat he has built up over the summer.

In the next photo you will see a mother with a set of twin calves who are on the move. When we found them they were just passing through so it is all a matter of knowing where to go but also being in the right place at the right time.

It is common for cows (female moose) to have twins but it is more likely that she will have only one calf per year. On occasion some cows have given birth to triplets and on very, very rare occasions they have given birth to quadruplets. The cow moose is able to breed after her first year, unlike the bulls who are able but will not be allowed to bread until a time when he can boot the dominant bull from his position and only then will he be allowed to breed.

Below you will see a photo of a cow moose who is very alert and attentive to something. Many times so much emphasis is placed on the bulls that the cows get little or no attention unless she is parading her newborn with her then she gets lots of attention. You can see by this photo that even the cows have a dewlap though usually smaller than the bulls.

The next photo you will see is a bull that we have seen in this area before but not frequently. He is a nice big bull that would definitely be a contender for any other breeding bulls in the area. Notice the fall colors around the edge of this clearing and Mt. Katahdin in the background.

In the following photos you will see this very same bull in the water feeding. The lighting is very good with the fall colors in the background and Mt. Katahdin pressing ever skyward. It is not very often when everything comes together and is perfect but this was one of those days.

While I was taking these photos I wondered to myself why he was alone. A big dominant male like this should have been with a female this time of year and even if she wasn't quite ready the bulls will hang around until they do become ready, but this guy was all by himself. If you look closely at the photo above with the Mt. and colored trees it gives us a clue as to why he is alone. Do you see it? Look on the forward shoulder and you will see a white patch. Now look at the photos below for a closer look at the battle scars he wears as a reminder of a recent battle with a more able bodied bull.

As you can see from this photo he has a gapping wound that is probably only hours old, or a day old at the most. I have other photos that are closer and more graphic but I thought this might be up-close enough for most viewers. You can clearly see from this photo the open wound is about 12 inches long and 3 inches at the widest. I can attest to the fact that this was not just a spot where the hair had been rubbed away. No it was clearly through the hide so when you looked through a telephoto lens you could see the muscle beneath as it was fighting off infection. The wound was weeping with a white pus that would have sent you or I to the nearest hospital but in the natural world mother nature would eventually heal the wound and leave only a scar as a reminder of a battle he could not win.

When two animals of this size come together and battle for mating rights it must be quite a fight. I have seen smaller animals sparring but never a heated battle like the one this guy participated in. Many times in the fall we come upon areas where they have been fighting and it looks like quite a showdown. The dirt road is so hard packed from thousands of tires packing it down over the years but still when creatures of this size come together and push and dig in with their hooves like these guys do, we find the road all dug up and trees and bushes pushed over. I have seen roads where a huge tractor with steel lags have left the road less harmed than these guys. When we examine the area thoroughly we will find patches of hair that have been knocked from the hide by antler blows and fallen to the ground in clumps sometimes as big as your fist.

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