![]() ![]() Moose calling during the rut is a bit more involved than standing around yelling "M ooooooooooose, m oooooooooose!" For those who are moose hunting in Maine, moose calling is serious business.We’d been packing boxes all day ready for temporarily moving out of our house. Perhaps the females don't share the same enthusiasm as the males? However, several moose might be in the same area during moose mating season or "rut" (September through October in Maine).ĭuring that time, males grunt loudly to attract females, and females make a sound that resembles wailing. Moose are typically solitary animals and rarely form groups or travel in herds. A number of Maine moose hunting guides provide this service and can help ensure your safety. If seeing a wild moose is on your bucket list, consider hiring a professional to take you on a "moose safari" (use the Search feature at the top right - enter "Maine moose tours"). Even baby moose can inflict serious injuries.īecause moose can be dangerous at times, searching for them on your own in the backwoods of Maine isn't for the faint of heart. Although moose typically move slowly, an angry moose can run as fast as 35 mph! A moose that charges might be bluffing, but this behavior should always be taken seriously. Males are very aggressive during rutting season and are likely to charge you. You should also be extremely cautious around male moose during mating (rutting) season. Stay a safe distance away if you see a female with a calf, because one of the most useful moose facts to know is that mother moose are highly protective and they can be very dangerous. Seasonally, you're most likely to see a Maine moose in May, June, September, October or December. Moose forage for food early in the morning, from noon to around 2 pm and again in the evening, and those are the times of day you'll be most likely to see one. Although the main purposes of these antlers are to show dominance and to display during mating season, they can intimidate people (as well as other moose). ![]() Males have impressive antlers weighing about 40 pounds and averaging about 5 ½ feet wide. Moose have a keen sense of smell and excellent hearing, and though in my opinion they have beautiful eyes, their eyesight is poor. They are good swimmers and waders and often eat underwater plants. Moose are the largest members of the deer family and are vegetarians, eating 40 to 50 pounds of grass, leaves, twigs, bark, tree shoots, lichen and aquatic and marsh plants every day. Wolves, bears and humans are the most common moose predators. ![]() The average lifespan of a wild moose ranges between 15 and 25 years. Their size makes adult moose potentially dangerous even though they are not usually aggressive (except when they're hungry, provoked, pregnant or have a young calf, or it's moose mating season - more on that later). Even baby moose are sizeable, weighing more than 30 pounds at birth and 300 or 400 pounds by the time their first winter arrives. The average height of moose is 6 to 7 feet at the shoulders, and their bodies are 8 ½ to 9 feet long.Īdult males weigh between 1,200 and 1,500 pounds, and although adult females are smaller, they still tip the scales at over 900 pounds. One of the most basic moose facts is that these things are huge! Moose are the second-largest land animal in North America - only the American bison is larger. You may even encounter a moose on the loose on York Beach, like the folks did in late June of 2010. The sheer number of moose in Maine, and the chance of encountering one, makes knowing some moose facts both useful and interesting. This picture, courtesy of the Dockside Guest Quarters in York Harbor, is of a moose that just swam across the harbor to see if the grass was any greener on the other side! I've had moose in my backyard, and once as I watched my noble visitor pick its way delicately back into the forest, I could hear my Texan neighbor yelling to his wife "Janet! C'mere! There's a horse loose across the street!" If you just can't get enough of moose facts or moose-related activities, head for Maine's largest lake during Moose Mania and partake in events like the Moosterpiece Craft Fair, Moose Mainea Kid's Fun Day, Famous Moose Tales, a Quest Fest, the Chamber of Commerce's Annual Moose Photo Contest, Open House at the Moosehead Historical Society's Carriage House, Town-wide Yard Sale and a chance to tour the Katahdin Steamship.Īlthough moose are more prevalent in northern and western Maine, you're likely to run into them just about anywhere, including southern Maine. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |