Thanks to successful introduction efforts by the Colorado Division of Wildlife over the last three decades, moose are thriving in Colorado. Moose are the largest antlered animals in the world. Even though Colorado’s Shiras moose (
Alces alces shirasi) is one of the smallest North American subspecies, adults can weigh 800 to 1,200 pounds. The males, called bulls, are larger than the cows and stand up to 6 feet at the shoulder.
These bulls can be 9½ feet long from tip of nose to tip of tail—but only 4 inches of that is tail! If you are not sure how to tell the males and females apart; only the males have antlers, which are huge, flat, and dish shaped. Exactly how huge? The largest antlers can span six feet and weigh more than 75 pounds! Even more impressive, bulls shed and grow new antlers each year.
As animals go, moose are fairly funny-looking. Their legs seem too long for their bodies. Their front legs are longer than their hind legs, and moose appear to have a humpback. They have long heads, large ears, wide, droopy noses, and overhanging top lips. A long flap of fur-covered skin called a bell dangles under their chins. Each of their feet has two large hoofed toes and two smaller toes. Moose are dark brown and can appear black at a distance, and they have white hair on the inside of their legs. Their rumps are brown, not white or cream colored as found in deer, elk, or pronghorn. The calves are reddish or rusty and do not have white spots like other young in the deer family.
Where does one look for moose? One thing you can bet on: if it's mushy, it's moose-y. Moose are most likely to live in riparian areas—wet spots located along rivers, streams, and lakes—that have an abundance of willows, their primary food source. Moose feed on the leaves, twigs, and buds of willow and other trees and shrubs. A healthy moose consumes 40-60 pounds daily. In summer, moose also feed heavily on sodium-rich aquatic plants to meet their salt requirements.
In spite of being as large as a horse, moose can be difficult to spot. Moose are mainly found as singles or in small groups, not in large herds. They are remarkably quiet, capable of gliding through brush or pond with hardly a sound. They spend a great deal of time in heavy cover in willow bottoms and forests. Summer offers opportunities to see cows (females) with their calves. Twins are common in good habitat, and triplets have been documented.
As the rut begins in mid- to late September, moose will become more active and visible. Bulls begin breeding activities by setting up territories and attracting cows by calling with a low grunting sound that resonates across the willow bottoms. Both bulls and cows are aggressive during the breeding season.
Safe moose viewing is essential. Moose are bigger and faster than any person and give little warning before attacking a perceived threat. Cows are extremely protective of their calves. Bulls in the rut are unpredictable. No one should ever approach these animals no matter how tolerant they appear. Moose can move fast, even when it is wet and muddy. The two large toes on their hooves spread wide apart to keep the animal from sinking. They are also good swimmers. Do not make the mistake of getting too close to a moose just because it is in deep water. Watch and photograph from a safe and respectful distance using telephoto lenses, binoculars, and spotting scopes. High spots looking down into drainages afford excellent vantage points for spotting moose.