Moose Information
Moose are a member of the deer family. The name moose comes from a traditional Abenaki word, moz. Moose are found across Alaska, Canada, Maine, and a similar latitude stripe across Europe and Russia.
Moose do not have their trademark antlers all year round. They drop them in the fall, and do not begin to grow them again until the springtime. They are used in mating displays and in fending off competitors. Only the male moose have antlers.Moose eat tree shoots, tree leaves, tree shoots and even bark. They are usually quiet and docile, but they can gallop at an impressive 34 mph when pressed. They can also be very aggressive during mating season or when protecting their young.
Many people want to see moose when visiting Alaska. I took the above moose photo when visiting Alaska in 1998. The mother and child were nibbling peacefully by the side of the road, and both we and the car behind us stopped to take some photos. On a more recent trip in 2007, we deliberately went driving around in a moose-rich park for several hours - and did not see a single moose. They come out when they want to!
Ironically, when we talked with people around the Anchorage area, pretty much every person said they had moose in their back yard. We heard a number of tales about mooses sticking their heads in through windows, being mistaken for a friend in a parka, and much more. One woman had a photo of a moose waiting by a bus stop sign. Moose wander down main streets, oblivious to the traffic. A moose is large enough that he goes where he wants to.
If you visit Alaska and want to spot a moose, my only advice is to be patient. Go out for walks and hikes, take sightseeing drives, and explore the landscape. Appreciate the natural beauty that Alaska has to offer. You'll find that the moose will appear when you least expect it, and that you will greatly appreciate their balance of large size and quiet personality. Just remember to give them a lot of space. They are, after all, wild animals, and you do not want to threaten or upset them.
Here's a photo of moose poop, outside my hotel on a trip in 2007! That's my foot in the photo for scale.
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