How to be safe when you're
 seeking a moose.

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Moose

If a moose wants to cross the road, what do you say?  Be my guest, because you won’t find a bigger deer in the entire world. Moose are the elephants of the deer family. A big bull moose can weigh in at 1000 pounds or more. If you were standing next to him (absolutely not recommended) you’d be looking at his shoulder or below. So you might guess that the moose population was never in trouble in New England. Guess again.

As with other animals in this issue, moose were over-hunted at times. Their habitat was changed by farming, logging and the building of roads, towns and cities. If you don’t have your habitat, you can’t live.

In the early 1600s, historical writings say that moose were common in Maine. By the early 1900s it was estimated there were only 2000 left in Maine and only 50 in New Hampshire. Now there are close to 30,000. In other New England states the moose population is also growing. New Hampshire reports successful hunting in every county. The range of moose has extended south through Massachusetts and into Connecticut. Why the moose explosion?

Moose is an Algonquin word meaning “eater of twigs”. If you’ve got lots of twigs, and swamps or ponds for summer time feeding (especially by moose cows and their calves) you’re a happy moose. Since the end of the era of farming in New England the forests have re-grown. But if they re-grow too much then the twigs are out of reach. Logging, and fires, help keep new twigs growing.

He’s Got Brainworm!?

Strangely enough, keeping the deer population down helps moose populations go up. Deer carry a parasite called a brainworm. It doesn’t hurt deer. But it gets passed in deer droppings to a land snail, which can be accidentally eaten by moose while they’re twig-eating. Brainworm is deadly to moose. It messes up their central nervous system wiring, and the moose can’t remember how to eat. Less deer, less brainworm, more moose. The unfortunate moose isn’t out of the woods however – some get winter ticks, which can infest a moose with 10,000 – 120,000 on a single animal! And let’s not talk about lungworms, which is another parasite.

Despite the hardships that the largest wild animal in North America suffers, their numbers are growing. Wildlife biologists are studying their habits and habitats to help maintain the herd at a healthy level for hunting and viewing. Hunting regulations and habitat protection go hand in hand to prevent this mighty deer from becoming a legend. When you see  a moose on the road, or in the forest, or a pond, remember it always has the right of way.