BIG PREY - The Moose

Moose are the largest of all the deer species. Males are immediately recognizable by their huge antlers, which can spread 6 feet (1.8 meters) from end to end. Moose have long faces and muzzles that dangle over their chins. A flap of skin known as a bell sways beneath each moose's throat.

Moose are so tall that they prefer to browse higher grasses and shrubs because lowering their heads to ground level can be difficult. In winter they eat shrubs and pine cones, but they also scrape snow with their large hooves to clear areas for browsing on mosses and lichens. These hooves also act as snowshoes to support the heavy animals in soft snow and in muddy or marshy ground.

In summer, food is far more plentiful in the northern regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. When the ice melts, moose are often seen in lakes, rivers, or wetlands, feeding on aquatic plants both at and below the surface. Moose are at home in the water and, despite their staggering bulk, are good swimmers. They have been seen paddling several miles at a time, and will even submerge completely, staying under for 30 seconds or more.

Moose are similarly nimble on land. They can run up to 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour over short distances, and trot steadily at 20 miles (32 kilometers) an hour.

Males, called bulls, bellow loudly to attract mates each September and October. The usually solitary bulls may come together at this time to battle with their antlers for mating supremacy. After mating, the two sexes go their separate ways until the following year. Though they may occasionally feed in the same grounds, they tend to ignore each other.

Females give birth to one or two calves in the spring—each weighing some 30 pounds (14 kilograms). These calves grow quickly and can outrun a person by the time they are just five days old. Young moose stay with their mothers until the following mating season.

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Bulls: 840-1800 lbs
Cows: 700-1080 lbs

01: 840 lb (bull) / 700 lb (cow)
02: 865 lb  / 715 lb
03: 880 lb / 730 lb
04: 900 lb / 745 lb
05: 925 lb / 760 lb
06: 950 lb / 775 lb
07: 975 lb / 800 lb
08: 1000 lb / 815 lb
09: 1050 lb / 830 lb
10: 1100 lb / 850 lb
11: 1130 lb / 860 lb
12: 1160 lb / 870 lb
13: 1240 lb / 880 lb
14: 1280 lb / 890 lb
15: 1300 lb / 900 lb
16: 1350 lb / 915 lb
17: 1400 lb / 930 lb
18: 1550 lb / 975 lb
19: 1675 lb / 1000 lb
20: 1800 lb (bull) / 1080 lb (cow)

Originally from STP Strong