It's a MOOSE-T-see!

Jerry Schmanda photo

This is the best time of year to go moose spotting in Algonquin. The snow storm today notwithstanding, a drive along Highway 60 will almost certainly score you at least one moose sighting.

As spring breaks through winter's grip, the moose come out along the roadside, eager to get the salty water from the road run-off after a long hard winter of nibbling on boring twigs and buds.  They are rubbing off their winter coats, and the bulls are wearing their velvety antlers -- small and fragile looking now, but going to develop into massive racks by the end of summer.

It's worth a drive.  Our good friend Jerry Schmanda works with Algonquin Oufitters, and gets to spend a lot of his time in the Park. (lucky him!) He is rarely without his camera, and has been kind enough to let us have some of his pictures to go with this post.

Jerry Schmanda photo

The moose are eager for spring for other reasons as well.  They can hardly wait for the ice to go out of the lakes, letting the moose move in.  Moose love the water, and the water lilies that grow therein.

Many years ago, I was paddling along at dusk (coming back much later than I was supposed to, in fact).  There was a large log floating in the water where the cat-tails and reeds grow in the corner of the bay.  At least, I thought it was a large log, in the gloom, it lacked definition.  Until it lifted its head, and looked right at me.  This photo of Jerry's reminds me of that moment, and how I then managed to set a world record for speed paddling a canoe.