The word elk in north american english refers to a completely different species of deer, cervus canadensis, also called the wapiti. Being part of the same deer family, it is difficult for most people to identify an elk from a typical moose. We tell our gang to look for a dull,dark russet color as opposed to jet black like an adult,small short nose,no bell and usually,no more than 5 at the head. Set in the wilds of northern minnesota, moose tracks is a book many rural minnesotan students will instantly relate to. Moose are sexually dimorphic, bulls weigh between 8501200 pounds and the smaller female cow weighs around 600800 lbs. Moose have long faces and muzzles that dangle over. Cow moose generally breed at 212 years of age and typically give birth to twin calves from mid may to early june after a gestation period of about 230 days. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. The moose and old koshkoosh bend and discover this same law. Bull moose will be much larger than cow moose and will appear blockier. By description, ungulate tracks can be divided into two general groups, i. Nothing is left unsaid thanks to kelsos dedication to the sport.
He is bigger than the moose and he has a lower center of gravity. You can certainly breed a cow moose with a bull moose. Several weeks ago during the regular rutting season. Bull moose article about bull moose by the free dictionary. Moose, like all species in the deer family, lose their antlers in the wintertime and regrow them throughout spring and. Moose tracks is a story that came from my love of the northwoods.
Here is a top five list of moose hunting tips, and some 2015 moose hunt pictures from another great season of our remote ontario flyin moose hunt packages. However, if you mean domestic cattle, then the answer is no. This bull was previously injure in a fight, after napping for 3hrs, a cow came along. Because cow moose or female deer give birth they have a wider pelvic girdle than males. Elk tracks are kind of a mix of deer and elk tracks. Every year several moose are mistakenly shot and killed by hunters who do not take the time to differentiate between the obvious differences between the two big game species. Muscular shoulders make the moose appear humped and they have a characteristic bell of skin known as the dewlap which hands from their neck. There are a number of ways to distinguish between an adult, a yearling and a calf moose. How do you tell the difference between a cow and a bull. Burnwoorth crew 2015 moose hunt, brownstone lake, ontario. The hair of newborn calves is generally redbrown to a rust color. A bull moose sniffs the air for pheromones during the autumn rut in grand teton national park, wyoming bull and cow moose. Those toes can and will spread out considerably to support the weight of the moose on soft ground. I was just thinking that it might be helpful to some newold elk hunters to be able to identify a cow elk track from a bullhow to you tell the difference when you didnt see what made it.
Seth is a young boy who wants to prove himself to be brave. Notice the size and more rounded shape of the cow elk hoof for sake of argument, deer, moose, elk, pronghorn, and to some extent wild. The earliest inspiration came from my grandpa eric, an old railroad man in northern minnesota, who used to tell me stories about moose. Unfortunately, she had no interest in a handicap bull. A moose in its second year of life is a yearling and is considered an adult moose under ontarios selective harvest system. River valleys are also preferred bull gathering spots, often offering the same good browse, excellent thermal cover and flowing water i found at the lakeside honey holeperfect for an old moose with limited energy. It took me a little research to confirm it was a she. The penalties are severe for taking a moose without a license, even if it was by accident. This bull moose has been following a cow for some time so as to be sure he is the one to mate when the time comes. Mary casanova books for young readers moose tracks. Bull moose shed their antlers at this time of year and i didnt want to assume the sex based on the lack of antlers. Once the leaves start to turn and the air gets a bit more crisp, thousands of hunters find themselves in the alaskan backcountry in hopes of finding a legal bull moose to fill their freezers, let alone a record breaking alaskan bull moose to remember for years to come. Even more easy if it is a cowcalf operation the big moo cow tracks will be with the little moo cow.
Imagine a line drawn along the inside of the track. It may take a moment to realize what animal is narrating the story, but, ultimately, kids will get the joke. Stuff to think about before you shoot cute moosies. Some outfitters recommend sticking with cow calls only, while others advise you use a mix of soft bull grunts and cow calls.
Difference between moose and elk difference between. He has been begging his stepfather to take him out into the woods and so he could see what his job of game warden is like, but he is continuously told it is too. How can you tell which direction a moose was going when the tracks are blown over in the winter. A mature male moose is called a bull, a mature female a cow, and an immature moose of either sex a. Difference between bull and cow skulls posted by larry bartlett on feb 25 2004 you can tell the difference between a cow and bull skull by inspecting the area above the eye socket and below the ear canal. Its not always so simple as big moose little moose shoot the little moose calves can stay with the cow for up to 2 years. On murtle lake near anderson creek bull and cow moose.
As the largest members of the deer family, mature bull moose create tracks that are at least 6 inches long. Moose tracks is a branded flavor of ice cream owned and licensed by denali flavors inc. A bull moose is fast and can easily gore and fuck up other creatures but with the lower center of gravity and the mass of a charging bison would probably knock it down. Moose tracks largely resemble the tracks made by other members of the deer family the simplest way to identify them is by measuring the size of the tracks. In moose hunting, expert guide dave kelso outlines every skill needed to perfect the art of moose hunting. Stalking tactics such as what scents are best at attracting moose and how to properly identify moose vocalization guarantee success for hunters. Alces alces is called a moose in north american english, but an elk in british english. Recognizing moose habitat alderleaf wilderness college. Pro tips for calling in big bull moose outdoor canada.
This bull moose has been following this cow for some time so as to be sure he is the one to. The moose bull the male moose is larger than the cow moose the female and has antlers. Newly born calves weigh between 28 to 35 pounds and grow quickly. I for one have heard many times, that if the tracks had the 2 starts or depressions showing, it was a bull moose. The shape of the foot are what you see as the track from a moose. How to distinguish between a cow and a bull moose sciencing. I saw a big mature bull in the flesh this year and went and looked at his tracks after he walked by. In order for two different species to interbreed, they must be closely related usually within the same genus, and at least within the same family. Big bulls like to travel in pairs, so two sets of goodsize tracks are always worth following. An adult female moose is a cow, and an adult male moose is a bull. The cow, on the other hand, has a shock of white hair on her hindquarters that the male moose doesnt. Tell me how to indentify a moose as bull, cow or calf.
Moose photos from alaska by photographer patrick endres. The hair on the chair came from a bear, the nutshells on the counter were left by a visiting chipmunk, and the feathers on the carpet fell from a goose during a lively rendition of the hokey pokeybut who left all these moose tracks. Guys, i got into a discussion with a friend of mine the other day while moose hunting near peak pond about bull moose and cow moose tracks. In either case, youll need to be patient and vigilant.
A lone track can be a bull or a cow, but if its a bull of any size, youll see where his antlers. They do appear rounded and have a curve to the front of. Overall cow tracks are wider at the top and bottom, the toe area on an elk is much thiner. Cow moose article about cow moose by the free dictionary. What are the differences between the tracks of a bull and a cow moose. Where alaskanyukon cow moose can have hoof widths of 4 38 111mm inches and bull moose may have greater than 5 12 inches 140mm width. Compare the dew claw wear to that of the front foot. An eastern or taiga bull moose hoof can have been found to be 5 inches 127mm, cows to be 3 34 inches 95mm and calves are about 2 78 inches 73mm. The moose was killed by wolves when it lagged behind the rest of the heard.
A better way to tell the difference between a bull and cow moose track is through the following observation. Top five list of moose hunting tips red lake, ontario. And because the moose is the largest division and the more popular specie of the two, some may not be aware of the existence of the elk. Moose tracks in my opinion, i agree with those who do not believe the dew claw marks left on the ground are a good indicator of the sex of a moose. However, this isnt a failsafe method of determining sex. Old koshkoosh decides that this is the law of life. They are not quite as big as moose tracks but definitely bigger than deer tracks. As for the bull the only way would be to look between its legs lol just kidding, if it were me and i was on the track of a moose, one thing you could do is find where it has urinated and that should tell you if it is a bull or cow, especially if there is snow on the ground, a bull will urinate between its legs with the urine traveling ahead. Therefore it stands to reason the rear leg spread the distance between the legs will be wider than that of a male. In a set of tracks it will be the longer, wider tracks, usually with a bit more curve and, in good conditions, more definition between the hoof and the pad. How to identify animal tracks free hunting tips and.
Anatomy differences allow you to distinguish between a cow and a bull by examining their tracks. Bull moose have a dark brown or black nose bridge that contrasts sharply with their lighter forehead. A record breaking alaskan bull moose harvesting a giant. In conclusion, old koshkoosh decides this is the law of life. Ive been elk hunting for a lot of years, but if i didnt see him leave them i would have sworn up and down, without question that it was a bovine track. A cow moose skull has a shorter space here than a bull skull, which is extended on a bull to accomodate antler growth. Males are immediately recognizable by their huge antlers, which can spread 6 feet from end to end. Elk tracks are more rounded than moose or deer tracks. Bull moose stock photos download 5,190 royalty free photos. They do appear rounded and have a curve to the front of the print but not as sharp as deer tracks. Often, especially during the fall, when a train would chug down the tracks, a bull moose would charge the train and sadly, get killed. One was bullwinkle, the lovesick moose, by reporter jim wright, published in the charleston, sc, news and courier, on dec. In my experience a front track length of around 7 in a walking track, undistorted by speed or soft ground, will be a bull if youre talking about shiras moose.
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