a few recent moose pics

[forestgnome]

thought I'd post a few recent sightings...

I planned to hike Mt. Cocorua and the Sisiters on monday but I saw these two crossing the road at sunrise. I geared up and caught up to them after a little search, then hiked with them for six hours.

This is Kezossa,the same calf I've been seeing since the spring, and his mom.

Kezossa is now only about three months old but he surprised me with some behavior that was startling but cute. He acted like a rutting bull. He bluff charged at me, stomped his front hooves, snorted and kicked his rear hooves. It happened so fast and it surprised me and I did not any good pics.

Here he was browsing with mama after about an hour and just suddenly turned toward me and started acting like an upset bull.

Here he is thrashing his non-existant antlers...

Here is a classic "leave or die" look, with ears down and out (not pinned back)

He then ran around and went back to mama and they browsed some more...

a short time later our big tough bull moose needs his mama...very cute...

Mama decided to take a break and Jr. laid down nearby. I got to about 15' away after she was dozing for awhile and she didn't care. Then I saw something extra special. She was dreaming. Her breathing became slow and deep and her whole face was twitching. Here eyes repeatedly opened, but an inner lid covered the eyes. Her hooves were also twitching.

dreaming moose...

They dozed for over an hour when I left them.



continued...

 

[forestgnome]

Yesterday, I visited a beaver bog and found two bull moose enjoying the grass along the sides of the beaver pond. I had to move across a long distance of loud, dry, tall grass to get near the pond and they picked me up quickly. I decided to try mimicing the call of a cow moose in an attempt to avoid them leaving. It worked.

One still has velvet and the other has rubbed it off. The antlers are bone-white when the velvet first is shed. They become colored brown from the tanins of trees as the bulls thrash their antlers to polish them. If the moose hangs out in hemlocks he will have darker antlers then a bull who hangs more in hardwoods.

Autumn is coming! A few swamp maples have turned. Very pretty...

I kept making the cow grunts until he looked as if he was about to cross the pond, but he never did.

happy autumn

 

[sardog1]

Thanks for sharing! Looks like someone got into the testosterone a little early.

 

[Peakbagr]

Patrick, you're killing us again.

Great photos.

PB

 

[Viewseeker]

wow, just awesome...now thats a great time in the woods. I walked up on a moose in maine one time hunting deer. was the best 30 minutes watching him before he go up and left.. amazing time....nice hobby

 

[bobandgeri]

Wow! Such a nice set of photos!

 

[Mattl]

Great stuff, looks like those moose were nice and healthy this year. In about two weeks those bulls won't be so happy to hang around each other.

 

[DrJJFate]

Excellent photos. Thanks for sharing.

 

[DrewKnight]

Lovely as always, Patrick. You made (rescued) my day.

 

[cooperhill]

Thanks for sharing these fabulous pictures. I love the story about the young moose twitching while dreaming. My dog does that all the time.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Grrrrrrrrreat pics! I wish I could have gotten a glimpse of these impressive animals last July in Pittsburg. I tried but no luck. Good reason to go back next year.

Thanks for posting them.

 

[kmac]

Amazing!! ..you must be a very patient person.

 

[Cymbidium]

Awesome to see a moose dreaming!!

WOW what an awesome, magical encounter! To see a moose dreaming. There is a poem in there somewhere! Great photos.

 

[Skyclimber]

Very beautiful photos. I bet a few of these would make it in the National Geographic Magazine or any Outdoor Magazines. I just love the ones of the moose in the swamp with the Autumn Foliage.