For many visitors to the North Shore of Minnesota, there’s a list of highlights and hopes they aim to check off each trip. The lists are often long, and many items will remain unchecked, eventually added to the new list. The one for the next trip up The Shore. A slice of pie at Betty’s, a hike to Minnesota’s highest point – Eagle Mountain, donuts and fudge, Bean and Bear, Sven and Ole, a stop at some of the lighthouses, night sky and northern lights, hiking the High Falls, visiting Grand Portage National Monument… the lists can be endless! One of, if not THE most popular and common item I hear about can’t be found on a map, really. It’s iconic, landing on many logos, signs, shirts and shop names. Yet, it seems to remain one of the most elusive for some visitors. It’s Minnesota’s largest mammal, the moose. It often makes “the list” again and again and again. I’ve heard countless tales from visitors whose top priority has been to spot a moose in Minnesota. The stories are often similar. Hours of time spent combing the backroads of Cook and Lake Counties, early, late, the swamps the clearings, the lakes and rivers… to no avail. The search will have to continue on the next trip. Put it on the list. I can’t blame them. As often as I see moose in the Northwoods, you’d think it would become ordinary. I am still awed and stopped dead in my tracks every single time I encounter one of these beasts, so it’s no wonder so many are in pursuit of their first glimpse. With the fall months upon us, I’ll give you a few tips, and a few do’s and don’ts to help maximize your chances and maximize your experience if you do encounter one. Eventually, you will! If you don’t, I have 2024 Minnesota Moose Photo Calendars available for purchase 😉
Fall and spring are probably the best times of year to spot a moose in Minnesota. They are definitely my favorite times for photographing them. In spring they become more active as winter loosens its’ icy grip on the north. They conserve energy in winter months, and just don’t move around as much as the snow can take it’s toll with travel and moving, even for the long legged moose. So once spring hits, the moose get spring fever and start to move around more and eat more aquatic plants, often feeding early in the mornings and evenings at sunset in the waterways. It’s also the time for pregnant cow moose to give birth to their young. There’s usually one, and often twins for the mama moose in late May to early June. Summer months seem to slow the moose down a bit. You’ll still find them on occasion, often in the water somewhere or in a flash, crossing a road. Late summer marks the start of the moose mating season, or the prelude, at least. In late August to early September, the bull moose will begin to rub off the velvet coating on their antlers, revealing their shiny new head-gear which will become essential in the coming weeks. The bull moose will begin actively pursuing female moose in hopes of mating. Other male moose in the area may have the same idea, and efforts to establish dominance in an area often lead to fights among the males. The largest and strongest will often prevail. The moose will crash their antlers together, digging in and pushing with their heads, thrashing side to side, sometimes twisting until the other is forced to the ground. It’s often brutal and bloody. The pursuit of the female isn’t easy either. She may not be ready, and may not be interested. Most of September can be the lead up. Bulls will spar and fight and eventually, mating will take place. In October, when the rut is over, the bulls will often stay together and hang around in social groups without all the drama of fighting for a mate. This can be a wonderful time for moose watching. All of this activity after a quiet summer can be quite exciting for wildlife photography or just wildlife viewing in the forest. When, where and how often will be key to knocking the moose off your list this fall.
When should you go looking for the majestic moose? As our daylight hours decrease in fall, so do our useable light hours for wildlife photography. The wildlife seem to still prefer the morning hours and the evenings, just before and after sunset. Days are cooler, so the wildlife may be more active than summer months throughout the day. It’s worth checking some water spots and clearings any time of day in fall. I’ll often head out well before sunrise, sometimes arriving at or walking into a location in the dark. If I am doing any calling, I may start that before I can even see around me. For most people, getting out into the woods by sunrise is a good place to start. If I only have a couple hours of a day to dedicate to wildlife, it’s always going to be the morning hours if I have a choice. In my opinion, it’s one of the best ways to maximize your chances of crossing the moose off your list.
Where is the best place to find a moose this fall on your visit to the North Shore? It really doesn’t matter where you are based or staying on the North Shore corridor if you are hoping to include a moose safari on your trip. The key is to pick a “Trail” and head into the State and National Forests. Your maps will show main roads heading into the woods, away from Lake Superior near almost every town, almost every 30 miles or so up or down 61. Two Harbors, Silver Bay, Schroeder/Tofte/Lutsen, Grand Marais, Hovland and Grand Portage. They all can be a gateway to your moose adventure. Arrowhead Trail, Gunflint Trail, Caribou Trail, Sawbill Trail, Cramer Road… they all make a great starting point and they are all inter connected and rather easy to travel with a little mapping and preplanning homework. You can connect these backroads from Two Harbors to the Canadian border without hitting highway 61, and these roads will lead you to the moose. You’ll always hear a little more about the Gunflint Trail and Highway 1 when it comes to moose sightings, but they are also the most traveled, so it would make sense that they get reported the most. There are moose distributed nicely from Finland area to the Grand Portage area, and I would recommend mixing it up and getting to know a new area each time you head out for a moose expedition. It keeps it fun, and that’s how you find “new places” and new adventures. There’s so much to see and explore on our public forest lands. All of the major “Trails” have secondary arteries, often unpaved but nicely maintained roads leading to lakes, rivers, camping areas. Many of these gravel roads have another tier of roads or fingers off of them. They can be roads of varying degrees of drivability. Some narrow, some rutted, some with trees down. It’s up to you, your comfort level, self rescue ability, and vehicle to decide where the adventure ends on the backroads. These are my favorite spots to look for moose in the fall and spring months.
How you react that first time you spot a moose can dictate how your encounter will unfold. Many encounters are quick, chance, fleeting blurs that happen in an instant. A flash running across a road, a black spot a half mile down the road, a squatchy blob in the woods. You can count it, but it’s not as fun as long, photographable encounter at a feeding area like a swamp or a clearing. Your first reaction may be to jump and holler and celebrate if you see a moose. Be aware, they have VERY good hearing, and may not share in your enthusiasm. Be very quiet, and very still if you’re able. You don’t want them to think you are a threat or a predator. Be still and try to blend in with the background. Stay together, don’t separate if you’re with a group. You may look like a pack of wolves or predators if you are spread out as individuals. Rather, stay close to each other until you and the moose have evaluated the scene and settled in. Often, if the moose doesn’t feel threatened, it will continue feeding or tracking a female. In fall, it likely isn’t too concerned with you if you’re cool. Be cool. If you encounter a moose on a road while in your vehicle, slowly pull over, stop and shut off the car. Wait before trying to open the doors for photos or a better view. A sudden stop and door opening will likely scare a moose off. Waiting while the moose assesses the vehicle can often result in the moose seeing no real threat and continuing on with it’s day. Sometimes you’ll be able to quietly photograph them acting more natural and unthreatened if you give them a few minutes to gain some comfort and trust. It’s often worth it.
I hope these little tips and pointers can help you encounter one of my favorite creatures to see and photograph in our forest. Patience, perseverance, countless trips into the woods, a little knowledge of your quarry and a little luck will all help you on your quest. It can be addicting looking for these massive mammals. I hope these pointers help, and I hope you can finally check it off your list this fall. Send me a picture if you do! Happy moosing!
Thomas J. Spence Images 