Adirondack Life – September 2019

44 ADIRONDACK LIFE September + October 2019

in all, including a dozen adult cows, two

juveniles, two calves and one adult bull.

The biologists were happy with the num-

bers, but they were more pleased by the

apparent health of the animals. Specif-

ically, none showed evidence of winter

tick, a parasite that has recently had dev-

astating effects on moose in New Hamp-

shire and Maine, where the animal’s pop-

ulations are much larger.

“You would see bald patches and

white patches where they groom them-

selves to remove ticks,” Stickles said over

the din of the helicopter, noting that the

moose coats here appeared undisturbed.

In addition to surveying collared

moose, researchers have taken blood

samples to test for various pests, includ-

ing brain worm, a parasite that normally

resides in deer without harm, but that

can prove fatal to moose. And on sepa-

rate outings in the summers of 2016 and

2017, scientists looked for moose scat

with the help of specially trained dogs.

The scat can provide information about

diet and health, as well as contribute to

population estimates.

There is no doubt that for many res-

idents and visitors, moose are a prized

symbol of a vibrant ecosystem, a remind-

er that we are part of a majestic web of

life. But there are tradeoffs. Vehicle col-

lisions are a harrowing prospect, with a

couple dozen occurring in the Adiron-

dacks in a bad year. “If you hit one with

a car, that’s a traumatic experience for

both the moose and the people involved,”

said Jeremy Hurst, a wildlife biologist

with the DEC.

Although moose are listed as a big-

game animal, New York does not operate

a hunting season for them. In fact, the

only way the public can harvest a moose

is through an accidental collision. “If the

moose gets hit by a car, the person who

hits the moose has some legal authority

to take the carcass,” Hurst added. “That’s

a lot of stew. Moose is a fantastic edible

meat and it’s very lean protein.”

Another potential conflict with moose

centers on private timber companies. In

the Adirondacks, the animals are concen-

trated in the northern and northwestern

reaches of the park. “That area has the

complete package for moose,” said Paul

Jensen, a senior wildlife biologist with the

DEC, referring to the southern portions of

ESTIMATE OF

ADIRONDACK

MOOSE

POPULATION:

400

LIFE SPAN:

7 TO 20 YEARS

WEIGHT RANGE

OF BULLS:

600 TO 1,200

POUNDS

HEIGHT OF BULLS:

UP TO 6 FEET AT

SHOULDER

WEIGHT RANGE

OF COWS:

500 TO 800 POUNDS

ANTLER WIDTH

(BULLS ONLY):

4 TO 5 FEET

HOME RANGE:

5 TO 50

SQUARE MILES

BREEDING SEASON

OR “RUT”:

LATE SEPTEMBER TO

EARLY OCTOBER

NUMBER OF

PARTNERS PER BULL

IN A BREEDING

SEASON:

5 TO 6 COWS

GESTATION:

230 DAYS

NUMBER OF CALVES

PER BIRTH:

1 OR 2 (RARELY

TRIPLETS)

PREDATORS OF

MOOSE CALVES

IN NY:

BLACK BEARS

AND COYOTES

VOCALIZATIONS:

BELLOWS, CROAKS,

BARKS, GRUNTS

DAILY FOOD

CONSUMPTION:

40 TO 60 POUNDS OF

PLANT MATERIAL

STOMACH STORAGE

CAPACITY:

100-PLUS POUNDS

OF FOOD

PREFERRED MENU:

WILLOWS, BIRCHES,

MAPLES, VIBUR-

NUMS, BALSAM FIR,

ASPEN, MOUNTAIN

ASH, AQUATIC

PLANTS

HOW TO TELL A BULL

FROM A COW:

COWS HAVE LIGHT

BROWN FACES AND

A WHITE PATCH

UNDER TAIL; MALES

HAVE DARK FACES

AND NO PATCH

SOURCE: NYS DEPARTMENT OF

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

MOOSE

METRICS

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