In the fall, bull moose begin to think of other things besides eating and aimless meandering. As the female moose begin their lonesome calls hinting at the need for male companionship, the bull moose start making preparations for visiting with the cows.
A moose is at a distinct disadvantage in the handsomeness department with his large nose, bulging eyes and big ears. Since he seems to know this, he concentrates on some things he can influence. The bull begins to rub the velvet off his antlers to make his antlers nice and shiny. He also perfumes himself. Kind of reminds me of a teenager brushing his teeth and repeatedly coifing his hair before splashing on a little too much Old Spice or other such female attractant. The moose form of this scented attractant is not found in your local Walmart.
Moose have no money and have to be a little more creative. Yesterday Karen and I came upon some of this creativity. And believe me we could smell it before we could see it.
Take a good look at the picture. It doesn't look like much but it is a fresh moose rut pit. The bull paws the dirt, urinates in it to impregnate it with his musky bull moose smell and then rolls around it it until he feels he is attractive to a lonely cow moose. To me, she better be really lonely, but to the bull he thinks he smells like a freshly perfumed teenager going on a first date.
Moose mating season is upon us and this bodes well for our archery moose hunters.
