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bull moose and baby moose photo by Brenda Marcotte

A Six Moose Morning AKA Baby Moose Had Different Idea!
(In case you missed the first half of this moose tale, this is how is all began)

June 27, 2010, was a six moose morning! First we spotted a cow moose in a small but beautiful boggy area and were only able to get a fleeting image (that means blurry photo) of her at she retreated to the woods. A few minutes later we found ourselves at a larger bog looking at another, but calmer cow moose that stayed around for almost a half hour while we snapped picture after picture.

We decided to make a fast trip to a nearby store for breakfast snacks and on our return to the bog a large cow moose bolted across the road in front of us!

Often when we leave and return we find more moose or different moose in the bog and that was the case this morning. There in the middle of the bog was a large, dark (and apparently charismatic) bull moose. I had taken a multitude of photos when I noticed something besides us had his attention. I wasn't surprised when a cow moose came running in from across the road, but was delitefully surprised when we saw there was a newborn calf running nimbly along right behind her!

The cow ran beyond the bull, then turned heading more in our direction, calling her calf as she came, but the calf had other ideas.

(And now for the rest of the story)

As the cow moose hurried past the bull, she was as I mentioned, calling to the youngster to keep up and he was doing a great job until he started to turn the imaginery corner by the big moose. There was not even a speck of hesitation in the little guy's stride. He simply turned and trotted right over to the bull, offered a friendly moose greeting, touching noses with him.

It all happened so fast! The bull stood staring at the young moose, who was making himself right at home beside his new best friend. That's what he thought maybe... but mama moose had her own ideas. I was frightened to think of what might happen next.

She realized her baby wasn't right behind her, turned to see what was happening, and when she spotted it on the other side of the bull moose, she laid her ears back and tore over there. What surprised me was instead of warning the bull and standing her ground if he didn't back away, she started in his direction, ears back, but at the last second, lowered her head and almost slunk back to her original destination nearer to us (ears still back!)

We watched this exciting trio for almost an hour, maybe longer. Mother moose would glance their way often, then return to feeding, occasionally staring for several seconds with her ears laid back. She wasn't happy, but obviously didn't feel the need to make an issue over the situation. At least she knew where he was.

All the while the young moose would follow the bull, almost appeared to mimick his actions. They touched noses another time... but the cutest thing was at one point the little one stopped behind some dead trees, and just stood there looking at his new found friend. The bull, who had managed to get more than a couple steps away from the little pest, turned to look as if he thought he'd finally lost him. But of course, there he was. The bull lowered his head and stared back at the little guy with the sweetest expression on his face! I try not to attribute human characteristics to animals, but hey! I have these pictures, I saw it with my own eyes... and it was SWEETNESS!

After nearly an hour, the bull walked in the direction of the cow moose twice, but when she looked up, ears back, he stopped. He stood there between the two and seemed restless. (I think having the "pest" around wore him out!) Suddenly he simply trotted across the bog, and the road without looking back. The baby moose could have been on a leash tied to his rear leg, because as the bull raced by him and disappeared, the baby turned, also without hesitation or looking back, and raced after him!

In a flash the cow came up, sped across the bog and through the brushy path at the edge of the highway. Her loud, frantic calls clearly meant "STOP! COME BACK!"

I couldn't just sit there, clueless to the outcome, so I did something I seldom do... started the car and drove out to the road. There they were, right in the middle of the road. Mama glanced at us, but was most concerned about the baby and she quickly had him with her on the other side of the road. They both looked back at us one last time, then ran into the woods, baby right on mama's heels! I LOVE happy endings!!

P,S.
Some of the other photos from this story may be seen on the puzzle pages. Each puzzle page should be a different photo!


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