mealtime

The “moose” (alces shirasi) is the largest member of the deer family, weighing 800-1200 lbs and up to 6 feet at the shoulder.

Alces shirasi

They range from sagebrush flats to timberline feeding primarily on brush, especially willows where they can be easily concealed. The first group of 12 were transplanted into Colorado in 1978 near Walden and in 91-92 to near Creede. They now number over 3,000. “Historical records dating back to the 1850s indicate that moose wandered into northern Colorado from Wyoming, but were transient and never established a stable breeding population. It was in the 1950s, Colorado wildlife officials considered bringing moose to the state for a permanent habitat.

The summer of 2024, we ventured into the western side of the Never Summer Range, west of Rocky Mtn. Nat’l. Park with the hopes of photographing the well established moose population there. We were not disappointed in finding some located along the upper portions of the Illinois River. We were able to watch these imposing creatures grazing in the willows not far from our campsite for two evenings in the waning light. Not showing any signs of alarm, and focused on “mealtime,” we managed to get very close to them and obtain several photos like the one here.