August 2024 - 42

urinated. Then he walked again. Less than 100
yards later he stopped and again made a scrape on
the ground. I've seen white-tailed deer bucks do
the same thing. It was leaving a sign for a female
announcing: " I'm in the area. If you find this, hang
around and I'll be back. "
A moose love note.
MOOSE MOVING FORWARD
Cufaude speaks with optimism and enthusiasm
for the Snowy Range moose population.
Bull moose are relatively tolerant of people, but they can be aggressive if they feel threatened. (Photo by Tim Christie)
" That dark coat influences them year-round, "
Cufaude said. " In the winter when we fly doing
population surveys, on a sunny day, even if it's very
cold, you'll find moose hanging out in the shade
of aspen and pine trees. "
Like Thomas and Cufaude, I've long been enamored
with the quirky-looking moose. I've cherished
every opportunity given to spend time in their
presence, be it with a big bull with massive antlers
or cows with calves. I defy anyone to tell me that
a pair of young moose calves are anything but
undeniably cute.
Two years ago, I was gifted several hours with
a big bull as he wandered through a river bottom
searching for cows. I was with him for less than
10 minutes when he stopped and started pawing
the ground. I was more than 75 yards away
photographing him with a large, telephoto lens.
Initially, I thought he was giving me a warning to
back off, but all his other body language didn't
convey that he felt threatened. After pawing the
ground for several minutes, he stood over it and
42 | August 2024
" We have excellent habitat with ample willow
communities and the results show it, " she said. " The
health of any population is determined by how
well cow moose are doing. Calf production and
survivability are two factors we look at. We're very
happy seeing more twin calves born and surviving.
Collared moose studies out of the University of
Wyoming show female survivability is high, a sign
that the population is healthy. "
That is good news, especially given major challenges
over the last several years. The landscape has
suffered from drought, a pine beetle infestation that
killed trees for shelter and a wildfire in 2020 that
burned more than 170,000 acres. At this point,
the Snowy Range population has adapted to that
adversity. Yet, a looming threat to the species is
hotter, dryer days and drought. Thomas referenced
a report of a long-term weather forecast for
Wyoming.
" It predicts slightly warmer winters with more
rain and less snowpack, equaling less runoff and
warmer, dryer summers. If that proves true, it
doesn't bode well for moose, " he said.
The changing landscape of the state presents
some of the problems for moose.
" Development of land into housing tracts and
ranchettes of 5-10 acres divides and fragments
habitat, " Thomas said.
More roads present challenges for many animals,
too. Thomas said research shows that elk
retreat from roads; moose are more tolerant than
elk or deer. Roads often closely follow drainage
bottoms, paralleling riparian habitats that are good
for moose. While this often provides great viewing
opportunities for moose, it also can increase the
potential for moose-vehicle collisions.
Vehicle accidents pose danger for both humans
and moose. A friend of mine traveling in a fullsized
pickup hit a young bull moose at about 25
mph that killed the bull and totaled the pickup.
As he put it, " We saw him on the side of the road
and slowed down, but then he stepped out in front
of us. It was like hitting a brick wall. " The bull
was broadsided at impact and because of its long
legs, the bull's body flipped onto the truck hood,
launching it through the windshield into the cab.

August 2024

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