MonadnockVol
New member
Today I hiked south on the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail from Troy, NH. I only had this section to do to complete all of the M-M in NH. Although mostly a road walk the trail abandons the woods road in favor of the forest just over a mile and a half from the summit. I was post-holing in corn snow and was wondering whether I should turn around when I saw a moose hoof print in the snow and - as if in confirmation - a large pile of moose droppings that were still steaming.
Now I moved to NH in 2000 and I have spent countless hours in the woods, but I have yet to see my first NH moose. I've seen moose in Vermont but not NH. Well actually, I should say that I haven't seen a live moose in NH. Driving up to Franconia a couple of years ago before dawn, I saw what looked like a huge spill of dark paint on I-93. Shortly I passed the carcas of a dead moose on the shoulder and realized I was seeing blood, not paint.
So I was very excited that one seemed to be so close. Moreover, it seemed to be heading south on the M-M too, so I didn't even have to change my plans. I noticed that I was post-holing worse than the moose and made a mental note to go on a diet. Soon I passed several other piles of dung: 11 in all. Apparently, the moose hangs out in this area, or else it had a bad burrito.
At one point the trail, the moose and I all went up a small ledge (maybe 6-8 feet). I climbed it using the moose's footprints as steps. I could fit my whole boot (10.5 medium) inside the hoofprint and I noticed that the two halves of the hoof were really splayed going up the cliff. So I guess moose invented front-pointing long before 12 point crampons were invented.
As time went on I saw deer tracks (and scat), the scat of some sort of carnivore (coyote?), turkey tracks, but still no moose. I began to think that I was making too much noise or that the wind was from the wrong quarter, but then I came over a little rise and startled 12 white-tails, so I guess I was quiet enough.
In the end, the moose tracks left the trail and entered a swampy area near the power-line. I never did catch a glimpse and I have still not seen my first NH moose.
- Monadnock Volunteer (aka Steve)
Now I moved to NH in 2000 and I have spent countless hours in the woods, but I have yet to see my first NH moose. I've seen moose in Vermont but not NH. Well actually, I should say that I haven't seen a live moose in NH. Driving up to Franconia a couple of years ago before dawn, I saw what looked like a huge spill of dark paint on I-93. Shortly I passed the carcas of a dead moose on the shoulder and realized I was seeing blood, not paint.
So I was very excited that one seemed to be so close. Moreover, it seemed to be heading south on the M-M too, so I didn't even have to change my plans. I noticed that I was post-holing worse than the moose and made a mental note to go on a diet. Soon I passed several other piles of dung: 11 in all. Apparently, the moose hangs out in this area, or else it had a bad burrito.
At one point the trail, the moose and I all went up a small ledge (maybe 6-8 feet). I climbed it using the moose's footprints as steps. I could fit my whole boot (10.5 medium) inside the hoofprint and I noticed that the two halves of the hoof were really splayed going up the cliff. So I guess moose invented front-pointing long before 12 point crampons were invented.
As time went on I saw deer tracks (and scat), the scat of some sort of carnivore (coyote?), turkey tracks, but still no moose. I began to think that I was making too much noise or that the wind was from the wrong quarter, but then I came over a little rise and startled 12 white-tails, so I guess I was quiet enough.
In the end, the moose tracks left the trail and entered a swampy area near the power-line. I never did catch a glimpse and I have still not seen my first NH moose.
- Monadnock Volunteer (aka Steve)
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