Moose Sighting Near Vroman's Nose

Originally posted on the Catskill 3500 Club listserve:

http://www.thedailystar.com/news/stories/2005/09/27/moose8.html

Are they sure it wasn't Elie Bijou (aka Moose McKenzie)?

Cool story, hope we see one in mid october when I'm back in the cats that weekend... Are you joinging us Matt?

Jay

Jay H said:

Are they sure it wasn't Elie Bijou (aka Moose McKenzie)?

Cool story, hope we see one in mid october when I'm back in the cats that weekend... Are you joinging us Matt?

Jay

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Not completely sure yet, but there's a good chance I'll do at least part of that trip. As for moose in the Catskills proper, man that would be cool if there was a breeding population, wouldn't it? Someone else posted something recently on the Club listserve about why there isn't a moose herd in the Catskills (at least one reason). Apparently there is some type of parasite which infests ungulates. The Catskill deer herd carries it, but does not suffer ill effects, but it is deadly to moose.

Matt

Very cool!! I didn't know moose wandered that far!

grouseking said:

Very cool!! I didn't know moose wandered that far!

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There used to be (maybe still is) a sign in Fishkill, NY that said "Moose Crossing". It was not an official sign, but it commerates the day a moose wandered across Main Street in Fishkill. It's a good 50 miles south of the Catskills. The moose was widely reported in the area.

the moose was right across the road from barber's farm stand - while coming back from a catskill hike sunday afternoon i saw 2 trooper cars and a forest ranger's pickup truck (was kind of wondering if someone got lost (like in barber's "corn maze") but it was a moose out in the field

mcorsar said:

As for moose in the Catskills proper, man that would be cool if there was a breeding population, wouldn't it?

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NO - having hit a deer 13 years ago on route 30, i was slowed to about 20 miles an hour when i hit (got $600 from insurance company and 85 pounds of venison, fixed car myself and made $600) and a running bear 2 years ago while doing 70 on the northway, no time to slow down (got $4300 from insurance company, fixed car myself and made $2300) - i am hoping the moose go back where they came from - - i don't need to be driving back up route 30 to my place in schoharie county after a nice day in the catskills and have one of those run in front of me at full speed - they are like a cow on stilts - i'm sure if i hit one of them it would be more than just "bolt on" parts damaged and i will have to bring it someplace and would not make any profit...
even a moose just standing there is hard to see - a deer has eyes on the side of the head at about the level of your headlights, so a deers eyes reflect nicely - a moose has its eyes in the same place but is quite a bit taller, so your headlights shine under and you don't get the nice reflection like a deer (moose are tall) - while driving in new hampshire you just see what looks like tree trunks on the road in the dark before you realize what it is - a bear is also bad - the eyes are in front of it's head, you wont see a reflection unless it looks at you (and a runnung bear is looking ahead as he crosses the road, you won't see the eyes reflect) so you won't see it till it gets it's body in front of you - at least the bear and deer are just slightly higher than your bumper (below hood on an SUV) - - i saw an accident in new hampshire where a motorcycle went under the moose - the guy died overnight in the hospital - be careful what you wish for...
by the way - always be careful after you avoid the deer crossing the road - while you are looking at the pretty deer there is usually another following it - that is often the one that gets hit (while the first deer is diverting your attention to the other side of the road the second one steps out onto the road in front of you while you are looking the other way).

Confused moose in Hudson Valley has his eyes on quarter horse mares

This two year old bull moose has been seen across the Hudson River in Columbia County, and is a little confused. There have also been other Hudson Valley moose sightings near Platte Clove in West Saugerties and several locations in Dutchess County.

And regarding deer, be very careful of dawn and dusk, it seems deer are fairly actively grazing during those hours and the lack of cars brings them closer to the roads, where ya never know when or if they will cross. And the lack of lighting and shades doesn't help.

Whenever I drive through harriman in the morning, I'm almost guaranteed to see a herd of deer grazing on the nicely mowed grass on the shoulders. Even on the GSP in NJ down by the Pinneys, you'll see deer impervious to 75mph traffic whizzing by.

Jay

Excellent point by Ken regarding deer. They're seldom alone, so as you watch one cross the road, expect more to follow!

The same goes for bull moose travelling together, and calves following behind their mama.

Jay,
I have had the misfortune of hitting 3 deer so far in 30 years of driving. There is one good thing about driving small cars - The deer can go right over them (although timing is the key issue )
It was NY's eve 2002, as dusk was approaching, I was on a rural country road near my old home in PA and 4 deer came from a hedgerow moving like lightening. I had nowhere to go and knew I would take 2 of them out. the first two jumped clear of me, with one going over the hood of my Jetta, the third one hit chest first on my front hood by the left wheel slamming it's head into my hood right in front of my windshield. I saw the 4th one coming at my driver's side window only a couple of feet away out of the corner of my eye, and then it was gone - It went right over the car, clearing it easily.

I heard that a Moose was hit by a truck on the N.Y.S. Thruway at exit 19 by Kingston this morning. Unfortunately it did not survive. It was a younger bull. Someone I know from the D.O.T. will try to send me a pic..If it's disturbing to look at I will not post it.

they're in CT, several recent sightings (including this morning) in Litchfield County (northwest CT). If moose are sedated elsewhere in the state, they bring them up here also. Bear, turkey, coyote, moose...I understand boar will be next. It's WILD BABY ! I was ridiculed as a scout for attempting to hang food, just wasn't necessary, they were more concerned about damage to the trees !

hermit said:

I heard that a Moose was hit by a truck on the N.Y.S. Thruway at exit 19 by Kingston this morning. Unfortunately it did not survive. It was a younger bull. Someone I know from the D.O.T. will try to send me a pic..If it's disturbing to look at I will not post it.

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A moose was definitely hit on the Thruway this morning. I saw it up here in Albany. It's on its way to Delmar. That's it in the picture. I recognize the bone in its back hoof. Encon thinks it probably swam across the Hudson. Too bad. It was only about two years old too.

Newspaper account of the 800 lb,, 3-year old moose that was hit on the NYS Thruway at Kingston.