Elusive Moose

 

I have seen a lot of large land mammals while hiking and biking in the US. The list includes bison, bear, elk, deer, big horn sheep, wild horses and burros. But the only moose I’ve seen, in the wild, was from the window of a greyhound bus, traveling through Colorado. The largest concentration of moose, in America, is in Maine but the Great North Woods, in NH, have a lot too. The whole week here, I have kept my eyes peeled for this large elusive creature. We’ve intentionally chosen hikes in the early morning or late evening on trails where moose signs like tracks and droppings were evident. We have literally walked in the hoof steps of moose but haven’t seen one. We still have a chance for a sighting in Vermont or Michigan but for now I’ll have to content myself with LL Cote’s moose mannequin. 

Moose facts: Moose have 32 teeth, just like humans. The word moose comes from a Native American word that means “twig eater.” Moose are usually loners and don’t form herds. The plural for moose is moose, not meese.