Real Live Moose

When I was in my teens my family had a cattle ranch in Montana.  It was high and remote and we saw a lot of wildlife.  Coyotes, porcupine, marmots, golden eagles and deer were commonplace. Sometimes we saw bear and wolves. Each summer we usually saw some moose.  A moose is big. They stand over six feet tall at the shoulder.  Females are as big as the males.  Momma moose with their babies are fiercely protective and will kick, stomp and otherwise take care of any creature that gets too near their baby.   My Noah's Ark Moose are based on the ones I remember.

While in Yellowstone Park and even in Island Park at the cabins and while floating the Henry's Fork we saw lots of moose.  All were mommas with babies. 

Try floating your raft full of kids right by a momma moose and baby without upsetting her. Thankfully they were so busy eating yummy leaves and plants that grew right by the water that they let tolerated us.  I was pleased to see that my Noah's Ark Moose were true to the moose I saw.  Oh, and baby moose are maybe my current favorite animal.