Saturday morning, I was driving to Princeton, when I came over a hill I spotted a cow moose and yearling calf who were crossing the road at the bottom of the hill (just 200 yards away)! I immediately slowed down and braked, frantically reached for my camera, rolled down the window and hastily snapped some images as both animals trotted quickly into the woods. (Find the calf by the brush pile!)
The cow stopped and looked at the car for a moment, shook her head, then turned and trotted away. I was so busy looking in the woods that I nearly missed seeing a second yearling calf dithering about on the other side of the road, seemingly conflicted about crossing in front of my car. Fortunately, I noticed its movement and pointed the camera out the front windshield as it crossed the road. He barreled into the woods to catch up to the rest of the family.
Soon those yearlings will be on their own, as this family will be breaking up. The adult cow will be calving in late May or early June and before that event occurs she’ll be harassing the “teens” away to get out from her oversight.
Isn’t it amazing that this largest member of the cervid, or deer, family can be found in Massachusetts, the third most densely human populated state in the nation?!
To find out more about moose in Massachusetts, check out the MassWildlife moose page.
Holy cow! Nice catch! (I'm glad both of you were safe!)
Posted by: OtterX | 03/28/2012 at 12:34 PM