moose # 1
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A cow moose eating lunch • click to embiggenAaron called at around 11:30AM and basically said, "Meet you at the moose."
When I arrived in the vicinity, there was neither a moose nor an Aaron to be found. However, the story that has been making the rounds is that a cow moose was hanging out in the area so I grabbed my gear and headed into the woods. About 100 yards in I came across her bed. I stop for a few minutes listening for any sounds but nothing was happening but some bone-chilling wind.
I moved on through the brush and some pines only to discover another bed about 50 feet from the first. There were fresh droppings on the ground. Again I stopped and listened, but again, nothing. With just a very light snow cover on the ground, I picked up her prints and followed them a short distance to a ski trail where, once again, I stopped and listened. Again, nothing.
I moved a short distance down the trail, farther into the woods. Again, nothing. I stood around
moose eating lunch • click to embiggen for about 5 minutes and still it was still. So I figured I'd head up the trail towards the road and maybe Aaron might be around. Less than 20 yards up the trail, there she was just off the trail in a small clearing, munching on some lunch. We were separated by about 15 feet.
She glanced my way for a few seconds then when on about her business. I hung around for 10 minutes or so making pictures and just watching her. She was quite a sight. It took all of my wilderness ethics in order to resist the temptation to put on a wide angle lens and walk right up to her and take a close up of her nose. She was incredibly unfazed by my presence.
Which actually got me to thinking that maybe she's ill - there's some kind of brain worm disease
Looking up a moose nose • click to embiggen that they can contract. But, to be honest, I have never encountered a moose in the flesh prior to today so I have no idea whether this one looks healthy or not. She seemed very alert and focused.
In any event, it's great to verify in person that the moose are back. I turned back onto the trail and walked by her on the way out. At that point we were separated by only 6 feet and the bush she was munching on and I couldn't resist making a few more pictures.
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