Bull Moose and the Rutting Season
Bull Moose, Clyburn Valley, CBHNP
Did you know the first full moon in September is the start of the rutting season for moose in northern Cape Breton. A number of us learn that last year at Hike the Highlands after returning from our sunset hike. Not sure what rutting means, well its mating & breeding time for moose. Always give the bull moose (male) and cow (female) lots of room during this time. Males, I mean Bull moose, can be very unpredictable. As well, do not get in between a cow moose and her calves – They will attack. Rutting season in 2014 started September 9th with the full moon.
Some facts about rutting season – 1) the bull moose will come down from the higher elevation to lower to mate. 2) It is not uncommon for two bull moose to fight for breeding rights. 3) Bull Moose sometimes take more than one mate, but usually a bull stays with a particular cow for as long as it will take for the cow to complete her estrus cycle and be bred. The bull will then begin searching for his next girlfriend. 4) Cow Moose (mother) usually produced a single or twin calves in late May or early June. Triplets have been reported but are rare. Source – Alberta Woodsmen Magazine, Nova Scotia Dept. of Natural resources.
Outdoor Canada magazine identifies six behaviors of bull moose during mating season – 1) Velvet shedding, – sheds off their antlers 2) Thrashing – making lots of noise thru the woods, 3) Sparring -testing their strengths against others, 4) fighting, 5) tending and 6) mating.