Eastern Moose (Alces alces americana) New England, Atlantic provinces

Western Moose (Alces alces andersoni) Central Canada, North central US

Alaska Moose (Alces Alces gigas) Alaska and Yukon

Shiras Moose (Alces Alces shirasi) Northwest US

The moose is the largest living species in the cervid family and are distinguished by the male′s broad, flat (or palmate) antlers. Other cervids have twig-like (dendritic) antlers. Moose typically inhabit boreal forests and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests only in the Northern Hemisphere, in areas between the temperate climate and subarctic climate.

Their diet consists of both terrestrial and aquatic vegetation. The most common moose predators are the gray wolf, bears and humans. Unlike most other deer species, moose are solitary animals and do not form herds. Although generally slow-moving and sedentary, moose can become aggressive and move quickly if angered or startled. Their mating season in the autumn features energetic fights between males competing for a female.

Hunting and other human activities over time have caused a reduction in the size of their range. Currently, most moose are found in the Rocky Mountains, New England and the Great Lakes area of the contiguous United States. Also, moose can be found in Alaska, Canada, Estonia, Fenno-Scandinavia, Latvia and Russia.

After stopping in Saratoga for a hot shower, I continue south on SR 130, then SR 230, cross into Colorado and continue south on SR 125. Then after crossing Willow Creek pass, I begin driving slowly down Willow creek looking to see the moose family that was here last summer.

At three-thirty in the afternoon, almost at the same spot, I see a male yearling who is so busy filling his stomach that he does not care when I get out of the jammer, walk across the highway, sit down and begin photographing the show.

Even with several more cars stopping, people getting out and walking across the highway, the young moose just keeps feeding on the tender aquatic grass. Too, he continues to work his way upstream and keeps getting closer and closer to the growing crowd of camera wielding humans.

He reaches the place where the creek curves along and directly below all the humans on the highway. I take a photo showing the tops of my flip-flops. He then turns upstream but since the water gets shallow, he decides to hoof it back into the woods.

When visiting my brother at his home near Columbine Lake, I see a bull moose walking through the forest and then into the community. I try to get a photo but as soon as he sees me, he leaves out of the back yard back to the forest.

Later I drive into the park and stop for a swim in the Colorado River, well, more like a bath, but the water is so cold that the time in the water is reduced greatly.

After my bath, I walk to the area where there is a crowd gathering and see a cow with her calf try to get across the swollen Colorado river. She walks along the bank until she finds a ford shallow enough for her young one to cross.

They both make it across to safety away from the swelling crowd of humans.

While camping at the Pioneer Camp in Hot Springs, Colorado, there was has hot spell during the last week in July, 2016. So, not being able to achieve sleep until really late, I decide to drive up to Willow Creek Pass on Friday, 29 July to camp. Arriving a little before sunset, I find a perfect place to overnight at a trailhead.

The next morning, having slept great in the cooler temperature, I rise just before daybreak and begin driving slowly down along Willow creek hoping to get a photograph of a moose. The photograph session was successful when I see a moose in the shallow creek but later he walks downstream to meet up with the rest of is family and I get a few of the group before they walk into the deep forest.

The moose after seeing that I was not going away, decides to leave the creek, walk up onto the band and head downstream.

I follow him slowly in the jammer trying to be as quite as I can.

In about five minutes, I see where he is going, to meet up with his two brothers, who turn to see who is approaching.

Finally, all of the moose, I think a total of five leave for the deep forest. The one in the bushes was the cow and she was nursing a calf.

Then cow left out the rear exit with the calf following closely, then one by one, the three juveniles males followed mom.