I want to see a moose from my kayak. I’ve seen them before from my car and while hiking, but I want to see one from my boat. I’ll soon be in Pittsburg NH, which is prime moose territory. And from reading the descriptions in the Quiet Waters book the East Inlet sounds perfect. So what time? Sunrise up there is 5AM. Yeah, that number actually does exist. So dawn is what, 4:30? Yikes. Dusk may be more practical from a sleep perspective but then you have to paddle back to the launch in the dark.
Find some good moose habitat. They like willows and aquatic plants rooted in the bottom of lakes and slow streams. benthos, especailly around 3-5 feet deep. They are most active early and late. Sometimes they escape insects in the water during the day. Be careful when they have their heads under water. Some friends of mine hit the back of a moose with their canoe in the BWCA at dusk.
I have had them in the yard in eastern WA on the Idaho border near Post Falls,
Just don’t get too close. Moose are erratic and once in a while someone gets killed when they treat them carelessly. They are most likely to charge when in rutting season in the fall. But they are several hundred pounds of surprisingly fast moving critter at any time. They can accelerate much more quickly than most people would think, given how ungainly they look.
Game wardens who have to encourage them out of back yards in Alaska and Maine generally keep a pretty solid tree between them and the moose. On the water you do’t have a tree.
On one of my first canoe trips into Algonquin PP, we were paddling down a winding narrow creek with tall vegetation both sides. It opened up into a larger section and we saw two young moose in the water to our right. It was the first time any of us had seen large wild animals and would certainly be the highlight of the trip.
Until, from the LEFT, came another impossibly massive and gangly creature, presumably their mother, crashing through the reeds heading directly toward us in our canoe. That part remains permanently etched in my brain.
Surprising how quickly motivated novices can get a canoe moving.
Ever since I’ve had a great respect (okay, maybe a little fear) for them. Some say they should be given even more respect than black bears.
I came around an island on the Batchawana and came across a cow & calf moose in the river. I picked up my camera to take a picture and then hit record … for just a few moments. The video ends with the camera hitting the bottom of the canoe as I grabbed my paddle & started back padding. I was drifting rather faster than they were walking at the time. Fortunately, Mom soon decided to head on down river and out.
Seals are the same way. You wouldn’t think it, but they can outpace a human on land. We try to keep as much of a buffer between us and the wild things as possible. It’s also why we carry binoculars.
Moose are very grouchy when the trees , particularly striped maple, bud out in May. They demand their nourishment and if they see you anywhere near where they want to feed they will let you know. I have had a trail hike aborted by a displeased moose. Even going around in the woods the moose moved to block me.
Once on a river in Temagami we came around a bend and lo a calf and Momma standing in the river and not wanting to budge. They filled the navigable part of the river and we had no choice but to continue on and act obnoxiously loud hoping they would move. We are very glad they did.
