How to View and Photograph a Wild Moose

Consider the moose: a huge, weird looking beast that seems like it should have gone extinct in some bygone prehistoric era. Yet it thrives in virtually all of the states that border Canada; Alaska and many northern nations including Canada, Russia and Scandinavia. Compared to most other wildlife, moose are not that difficult to observe and photograph in the wild.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• car
• binoculars
• camera with telephoto lens

1. Anyone can see a moose - the trick is being in the right place at the right time. Head to where the moose are. These largest members of the deer family are abundant in southern Alaska, Isle Royale in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and many of the national parks out West. In my neck of the woods, there is a population of moose around western Massachusetts' Quabbin Reservoir; but I generally head to Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont - the farther north, the better. Pittsburg, NH near the upper Connecticut Lakes and Errol, NH near Pontook Reservoir, the Androscoggin River and Lake Umbagog are great viewing locations. Aquatic plants are a gourmet delicacy to moose; and the animals are surprisingly good swimmers - so they are most often spotted in and around water. My very first moose encounter was on the Saco River in Maine on a crisp October day. The canoe outfitter scoffed at the idea of seeing moose at that time of year, and the first 3/4 of the paddling trip seemed to bear him out. All we saw were a chattering blue jay and a few minnows. But then - looming behind us were two large humps in the distance - too large to be dogs and there were no cows around. Peering through my binoculars I beheld a mother (cow) moose leading her calf across the river.
2. Lakes and other waterways are the best places to find moose. When to look for 'em. You might see moose by the roadside licking leftover salt in the spring and my brother has viewed them in winter while riding his snowmobile - and as the aforementioned canoe trip notes, you might see them in autumn as well. But the BEST time to see moose is in the summer, when mother moose are out teaching their calves the way of the world. The stereotypical image of moose is the fully antlered bull moose. It is, in fact, only the males that have antlers. They tend to be more elusive and don't tolerate each other's presence; so the great majority of sightings are of females and babies.
   Seeing a moose at any time of day is not out of the question. However, you can increase your odds of having a successful moose safari by searching around sunrise, sunset and late afternoon.
3. Combine the where and the when. When the weather is reasonably warm in northern New England, I can combine two of my favorite pastimes; kayaking and wildlife viewing. On one memorable occasion, my friend Linda and I were paddling down a stream in Pittsburg, NH. On the ride back - blocking our progress was a huge, fully antlered bull moose! As a moose is a huge, formidable animal we debated for several minutes about how and if to pass. How did we end up passing? Very carefully!
   You don't need a boat to see moose, however. Simply ride around in your car in some of the aforementioned areas at the aforementioned times - including such places as Errol's 13 Mile Woods - and you're quite likely to see some! Look especially for watery bogs, often at the bottom of hills - "moose mud" as Linda calls it!

Tips & Warnings

• Some areas offer moose tours - buses manned with knowlegeable guides and huge spotlights to pinpoint and illuminate the beasts after dark. Sometimes I "cheat" and follow these buses around in my car! Moose tours by boat are available on Lake Umbagog on the Maine/New Hampshire border.
• When moose-cruising by car (the locals refer to it as their "nightlife") look for cars pulled over to the side of the road - they're often looking at a moose!
• You may get some bonus wildlife sightings. Some of my most memorable ones are of black bears, otters and even a fox by the side of the road munching apples that had fallen from a tree! I've seen soaring bald eagles, loons with their haunting calls and ospreys diving for fish.
• Observe a rare white moose (stuffed, unfortunately for him) in Errol NH's sporting goods store. White moose are easy targets for predators, and in this case some human hunter.
• Other wildlife/pet/photography articles by this writer include HOW TO: Photograph Wild Seals, Photograph your Pet Bird, Feed Live Brine Shrimp to your Aquarium Fish and Keep a Betta Fish.
• They may look placid, but the moose is a wild and potentially dangerous animal. Keep your distance and enjoy viewing them with binoculars. Use your camera's telephoto lens. Stay in or near your car. Keep dogs leashed or restrained.
• Never come between a mother and calf moose, and bull moose are especially dangerous during the rut, or mating season.
• Not again, Bullwinkle! Take those yellow "Moose Crossing" signs seriously. Dark colored moose with their tall, spindly legs are virtually invisible at night when you are driving - until you hit one and it comes crashing through your car.