Two dead moose in separate locations 7/12-7/13

[B the Hiker]

Spotted a dead moose just entering Franconia Notch on 93 coming from the south, the morning of Saturday 7/12. Some friends who drove up Friday night said when they drove through the body was in the passing lane.

Sunday morning, heading west on 302 near Zealand road, I spotted a second corpse lying by the side of the road.

I've seen a handful of moose walking and eating along the roads in my commutes over the years (mostly at night), but never a dead one, let alone two. I shudder to think what the vehicles that hit them looked like afterwards, and I hope the drivers were okay.

 

[bobandgeri]

We saw the one on 302 this morning as well. A little before noon as we were leaving the trailhead for the Sugarloafs, we saw it on a trailer heading up Zealand Rd. Anybody have any ideas on where they were taking it?

 

[zman]

We saw the one on 302 this morning as well. A little before noon as we were leaving the trailhead for the Sugarloafs, we saw it on a trailer heading up Zealand Rd. Anybody have any ideas on where they were taking it?

About 2 months ago 1Happyhiker and I were exploring one of the snowmobile trails (the one that goes to Mt Tom) off of Zealand Road- I believe it was either by the TH for the Sugarloafs or Hal Brook- (1Happyhiker would know) We stopped by the side of the trail to look over a small drop off and spooked a bear who stared at us until we left. On the way back, we decided to see if our bear friend was still there- as we tip toed to the edge we nearly died of fright- 2 very large blackbirds took off just below us as we peeked over- a blur of black…not the bear…. We wondered what was down there that was drawing all this attention- the smell hit us first and then the remains of a very large moose- it seemed like an odd spot for a moose to meet it’s end-

The trail is certainly wide enough for trucks and it would have been easy to roll the carcass down the drop off-

 

[DrewKnight]

I think that's a good guess, ZMan... last year we found a thoroughly dead moose in a clearing about 300 yards up the Old Waterville Road (about 30 yards ACF off Route 49). When we found him he was about mid-way through the scavenging process, and there were fox/coyote/bear/etc. sign everywhere... later in the summer, bones were scattered all over the field. At the time we figured that he'd gotten tagged on the road but made it to the field before going down. It was an interesting lesson in the circle of life for the kids.

Then, this spring, we found another moose in exactly the same location -- we thought we might have stumbled on a mythical, Tarzanesque moose graveyard, but a local naturalist friend advanced the more plausible theory -- like yours -- that the town or state must be picking up road-killed moose and trucking them back off the road (there is a chain gate, and it's an easy four-wheel drive up to the clearing).

 

[zman]

I think that's a good guess, ZMan...

Actually, some credit needs to go to Forestgnome who we met sometime after on Table Mountain- after sharing many stories he wondered if the moose had been put there by the forest service.

A couple of years ago while I was running on the Gale River loop road I met a man training his dogs (bloodhounds?) who was complaining that they always bolted to a spot off the road where the forest service dumped road kill- don’t want to find that spot!

 

[Waumbek]

I-93 Exits 34-38 is known as "moose alley," hence the mobile warning signs, although there are lots of other highway stretches that qualify for that designation. Usually there's a reason for these alleys, perhaps a nearby clear cut that has revegetated with willow, or a topographical funneling onto the highway, etc.

Last week's warm weather may have deactivated moose during the day and sent them into the shade, only to bring them out ufull force at night along the popular roadside wallows and feeding spots. Hence, the even higher number of accidents.

There are several "moose dumps" in this area off forest and other back roads. Earth to earth....

 

[1HappyHiker]

About 2 months ago 1Happyhiker and I were exploring one of the snowmobile trails (the one that goes to Mt Tom) off of Zealand Road- I believe it was either by the TH for the Sugarloafs or Hal Brook- (1Happyhiker would know) We stopped by the side of the trail to look over a small drop off and spooked a bear who stared at us until we left. On the way back, we decided to see if our bear friend was still there- as we tip toed to the edge we nearly died of fright- 2 very large blackbirds took off just below us as we peeked over- a blur of black…not the bear…. We wondered what was down there that was drawing all this attention- the smell hit us first and then the remains of a very large moose- it seemed like an odd spot for a moose to meet it’s end-

Just to follow up on the exact location where Zman & I spotted the dead moose, it was over an embankment along the Corridor 11 snowmobile trail, about a tenth of a mile E/SE from the Sugarloaf trailhead on Zealand Road. And yes, it’s unfortunate there wasn’t a videographer present to record our reaction to the crows/ravens that flew up in our face when we peered over the embankment . . . . might have won a funniest video award!!

 

[wardsgirl]

Not quite dead yet

We saw a moose yesterday on 302 near Sawyer River Road that appeared to be quite ill. He was standing near the road and looked lethargic and dull-eyed. He nibbled on a fern, but didn't seem to be affected by our presence. He had a broken (bloody?) antler and a small abrasion on his side. On a return trip up the notch he was lying on his side in the grass near the road. After driving up to the AT crossing, we banged a U-turn and soon came upon a State Trooper's vehicle with the blue lights on and the officer approaching the moose. Since I had my kid with me, we didn't stick around to see any more. He could have been hit by a car, I suppose, but he looked more ill than injured.

 

[B the Hiker]

I had heard a rumor that there was a "moose list" kept by area police departments of locals who would take a dead moose. Seems odd to just toss them. I would have thought someone would have wanted them for the pelts, if not for the meat.

 

[Kurchian]

"last year we found a thoroughly dead moose in a clearing about 300 yards up the Old Waterville Road (about 30 yards ACF off Route 49"


I was hiking in this area last fall and ran across a ranger depositing a moose carcass just off the Old Waterville Road. He told me that was there "dumping ground" for road kills.

 

[DrewKnight]

I was hiking in this area last fall and ran across a ranger depositing a moose carcass just off the Old Waterville Road. He told me that was there "dumping ground" for road kills.

Well, score one for my naturalist friend. I rather liked the romantic ideal of the Great Moose Cemetery, but road-kill dumping ground just made too much sense.