Moose in Maine

They are perhaps the single signature animal of northern North America, and the largest animal roaming the entire North American continent. Despite this tremendous size and reputation as a top tourist catch, they can also be remarkably elusive. Yes, even though moose are all but synonymous with Maine wildlife, they are not merely a stone’s throw away from you at any point in the state, despite what the internet might have you believe. Indeed, it is the great shame of this author that in 20 years of living here, walking along all the preserves and hiking trails, he’s never seen one with his own eyes!

Moose in Deer Isle and Penobscot Bay

But what about those parts of the state which are distant and remote? The farthest fringes of its forest frontiers? Surely no moose, as big and cloven-hooved as they are, would brave the frigid, rushing currents of the Eggemoggin Reach just to try the grass on the opposite shore of Deer Isle? Yet that is exactly what some moose have evidently done over the years, even when the currents of the Reach deter most human swimmers or kayak travelers in Penobscot Bay.

Strong Swimmers

Moose are surprisingly capable swimmers, their long legs and strong strides pushing them through the water. Their coats aren’t just dense, thick, and insulating against cold; they also repel water, reducing drag and allowing them to endure longer swims compared to other species like elk. They can also, as somewhat unfathomable as it is with their up to thirty-pound antlers on their heads, dive (and to greater depths than elk)! Given that moose must eat up to 70 pounds of vegetation per day, perhaps it should not be all that surprising that aquatic vegetation would also end up on their menu.

Moose Rutting Season

It is not just maintaining their impressive sizes which require moose to go to extreme lengths like swimming to nearby islands in search of abundant food; it is also to build up strength for the most important moment of every bull moose’s life: mating. Rutting season, the preferred term for the span of the year (September to October) of moose rutting activity, is marked by a unique and complex ritual, made all the more visually impressive by the sheer sizes of the competitors. Just prior to the start of the season, moose, bulls and cows alike, begin to congregate in thicker than usual density around set locations, a particularly large one being Holt Pond Preserve near Bridgton, though there are plenty of other ones, including those more local to the Penobscot Bay area and Deer Isle. As the rutting site sees a steady stream of new arrivals for the next year’s season, the bulls begin to fully arm themselves for the combat ahead.

Antlers and Velvet

From spring to late August, they have been growing a fresh set of antlers, encased in a fleshy ‘sheathe’ called velvet, for use in this pivotal event, and this sheath must be shed to unveil the impressive, signature weapons beneath. The process takes roughly two days and is believed to be triggered by an itching sensation from all the nerves in the velvet dying off suddenly. This done, the bulls begin sizing each other up, engaging in half or practice bouts in preparation for the real event. None want to expend too much energy at this stage, but these early clashes allow them to test their strength compared to the competition. The third, and perhaps the most puzzling, since it doesn’t appear all that impressive to human observers, yet still essential stage is the peeing in a hole. It’s exactly what it sounds like. The prospective bull digs a hole with his hooves, and pees in it, then just stands there and waits for cows to come by and check him out. The pee is pungent in rutting season, loaded with pheromones that, though the cows are already set on mating, drive them, both cows and bulls, wild, and primed for the ‘big show.’ Lastly are the famous bouts between the prospective bulls. The rules of these engagements are relatively simple: both contenders lock their antlers together, and proceed to shove against each other with all their bodyweight and muscle. It’s a literal ‘head-to-head!’ The bout continues until one bull starts to tire and retreat under the driving force of their opponent, until finally, once it has become obvious that the lost ground will not be regained, the loser disengages with the winner and runs off. These bouts will continue, round-robin style, until the final pecking order has been established.

After the Bouts

Curiously though, researchers and observers have noted that the determination of the cows on the ‘most desirable’ of the prospective bulls in a rutting area does not always correlate to success in the bouts, with more ‘in the middle’ bulls sometimes winning more cows than the champion of the season. The determination criteria aside, the now exhausted bulls reproduce with the cows and then rest in the rutting area for a while, expelling what lingering excitement they still have in them, and once their strength returns, they will scatter again, the cows having already done so, until the next season. 

While it may not sound like much in print, the sight of moose engaged during rutting season is a truly unforgettable event, the closest you will ever come to seeing two giants of nature clash here in Maine, and if you happen to be here in the span of that season, it may be worth taking time to visit a known gathering location for the upcoming drama so you can behold it live. Otherwise, just keep an eye out, even on the fringes like here in Deer Isle, Penobscot Bay, and the other islands of the region, for what better way to behold a marvel of the Maine wildlife than completely by surprise!