We’ve only been in Yellowstone since Saturday so why am I writing about moose, and not even moose in Yellowstone, but moose in the Tetons? Today we saw 2 moose on the banks of Soda Butte Creek near Round Prairie. I got out and got my camera set up only to find they had crossed the creek and were headed to the trees. Since they were so far out I walked to the edge of Soda Butte Creek and tried to film them. Well I did film them but when I looked at the footage tonight I realized how bad the clips where so I threw them away and looked at some of our moose photos from the Tetons last year.
You’ll notice I titled this “Moose I’ve Known and Loved.” That is kind of a joke with Verne and me because every time I want to tell a story about an animal the first title that comes to mind is “‘Name of animal here’ I’ve Known and Loved.” And if I titled them all like that it would really be true. There are some humans I am not too crazy about and I really don’t like cockroaches but I truly love all of the other animals, the plants, the fungi, the protozoans, the algae. You name it I love them, especially when I am looking right at them. And moose are so dopey looking how could you help but do anything other than love them.
Verne was sitting along the edge of the Snake River last year trying to photograph fish when he suddenly heard a loud sniff. He looked around and found the moose in the top photo about 10 feet away from him. The moose was not happy. Of course Verne wasn’t all that pleased either, but he was afraid to move. The moose just kept going and crossed the river while Verne sat in his lawn chair and tried to act invisible.
The last time we spent a couple of weeks at the Gros Ventre Campground in the Tetons was in the fall. Several of the loops had already closed and I really enjoyed riding my bike around the empty loops and pretending the campground was all mine. There was a female moose and her calf that didn’t agree with me. For some reason they loved to spend the middle of the day on one of the gravel tent sites. The same tent site everyday. After a few days I learned to avoid that loop on my bicycle but we could walk in there and photograph them as long as we kept our distance. I want to believe they learned to look for us every day and missed us if we didn’t come visit them. Yea I know it’s not true but it is fun to think it is.
The above young male was on an island in the Gros Ventre River between the main road and the Gros Ventre Campground trying to hide from a big male moose.
Judy, I was there that same weekend and those moose were still hanging around. The small one was going towards the road where there was still a patch of snow and she would plop down and kind of roll in that patch! It was beautiful to watch and experience!
I would have loved to see a moose roll in snow. Moose look goofy but in all of my years of watching them I have never seen them do anything goofy like that. Would have loved to have seen it.
Love your moose story Judy and you do translate from heart to words well.
Love your story Judy. I so agree with you about how dopey moose look, you just love them. I think they look or act like trees- so still and long legged. The babies are so tiny compared to their mamas. The babies look like rhinoceros to me though they are so vulnerable. Any way you get the picture I feel the same about nature as you do and I thank you for stating it so well with words. Sometimes it is hard to translate from heart to words. You do it well.
Thank you Jane! Saying I can translate from heart to words is one of the very nicest compliments I have ever gotten. I think I have a way to go but thank you so much for saying that.