Desiree spotted a moose just off the highway as we were whisked along the highway through the Upper Blackfoot Valley on the way to the cabin yesterday. Fortunately, a nearby spur from the highway allowed us to crank back around and backtrack for a photograph.
Moose are not particularly abundant
in our part of Montana, so sighting one is a treat. Surprisingly, Desiree has
developed a knack for spotting them. She has spotted the last three we have
encountered, whereas I would have driven by without notice.
The photograph we managed is not of
great quality, but it plainly shows the mottled coloring and outright shaggy
appearance of an animal in the process of molting. Moose molt, or shed, their
guard hair twice a year, once in spring and then again in early fall. Summer
guard hairs are shorter and grow very dense, which helps to protect moose skin
from biting insects. At this stage of molting, our moose looks a bit tattered,
but handsome enough for a quick portrait.
—Mitchell Hegman
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