Moose Associations: When Moose Mingle Outside the Breeding Season
Moose (Alces alces) are the least social members of the deer family in North America. They are often described as “solitary”, except for groups associated with reproduction: mothers with calves, and gatherings during the rut. However, moose sometimes form other types of groups. Certain conditions favor social interaction, and they are more often met in the northern portions of its range. So, moose are generally more social in Alaska and Canada, and less social at the southern fringes of its range, such as southern New England. But, as camera traps constantly remind us, animals do not read scientific publications, and the Massachusetts moose I’ve captured on video over the past year sometimes do appear in small groups. Here I’ll discuss why certain conditions may lead to increased social interaction in moose, and then share some videos of unexpected moose associations.
First, a word about the title. “Moose Associations” is a nerdy reference to the term “loose associations” which refers to odd connections between ideas, as seen in people with certain mental illnesses. (My former career was in psychiatry.) Communicating with someone whose thinking is “loose” can be challenging because they are hard to follow, yet their train of thought makes sense to them. Like loose associations, certain moose associations don’t seem to make sense to us, yet to the moose, they are undoubtedly sensible and meaningful. We just need to make more of an effort to understand them.
Conditions that Favor Social Interaction
Open Landscapes
As relatively solitary creatures, moose actively avoid each other, and may become aggressive during close encounters. They are sometimes described as having an aggressive or ornery disposition, which may come as a surprise to human observers who see them as placid and tolerant. That’s because they often are placid and tolerant around humans (though they are unpredictable and can be dangerous to people). Their aggressive inclination becomes evident when moose are in each other’s company. Yet, in open landscapes, such as shrub communities and alpine tundra, moose do sometimes associate amicably.
Conventional wisdom says that grouping in open areas is a defense against predators since more eyes mean more effective vigilance, which is helpful where protective vegetative cover is lacking. This is undoubtedly true for herding animals, such as elk. But is it true for moose? Not necessarily. A study in Scandinavia found that moose grouping behavior was the same before and after recolonization by wolves. Wolves did not make moose more likely to form groups.
If protection from predators isn’t the cause of increased social interaction among moose in open areas, what is? Just throwing some ideas out — maybe moose tolerate close encounters better in open areas because they can see each other. Maybe the forage is better quality or more abundant in these habitats so that they don’t feel the need to space themselves out. If you have any other ideas, please feel free to explain in a comment.
Crusted Deep Snow
Long legs allow moose to move efficiently through snow of moderate depth, but movement through crusted, deep snow is labor intensive even for these towering cervids. So in such challenging conditions, moose may group up to form trampled “yards” and trails. It is often said that this relates to predation risk, since the much lighter wolves can glide over crusted snow, but maybe moose would create “yards” in such conditions even in the absence of wolves, simply because it saves them energy.
High Population Density
Habitat and snow conditions may account entirely for the increase in moose social interaction in the northern portion of their range, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that their population density is also higher in the North. Might grouping be more common partly because moose are more likely to encounter each other?
Videos of “Moose Associations”
Most of my camera trap captures of moose in Massachusetts have been of lone individuals (or mothers with calves), and I have always assumed it has to do with their more solitary nature, the low moose population density, and the prevalence of mature forest. Moose like young browse, which is less abundant in mature forest than in young forest, and that might force the animals to spread out.
Cow, Calf and Bull
In both northern and southern locales, a cow with a calf or two is least likely to associate with other moose. In a study comparing moose social behavior in Alaska, Montana, and Minnesota, almost no cows with calves associated with other moose outside of the rutting season. Alaska cows with calves were slightly more likely to associated with other moose, which isn’t surprising, given the much higher moose population density, more open landscape, and deeper snow in Alaska. Over 90% of cows with calves in Kenai, Alaska, and 100% of cows in Minnesota and Montana, avoided other moose outside the rut and post rutting period.
That’s why I was surprised to see the trio of cow, calf, and bull in February in the following video (Massachusetts). The snow was shallow and the mating season had long passed. Notice also in the video that the forest is relatively mature and the understory is sparse. It seems that moose would have every reason to spread out and no reason to group. I really don’t know why these three seem to hang out together, but I wonder if the bull is her son from the previous year, or perhaps one she mated with the previous fall.
When you view the video, keep an eye on the time stamp and the dewlap on each moose so you can appreciate that there are two different adults in addition to the calf, who are moving as a group.
Two Young Bulls
In June, two bulls appeared on two different cameras, a quarter of a mile apart, so they were clearly traveling together. Notice the appearance of a third bull, a larger one — he was never seen in videos with the others. The two young companions appeared to be moving along an extensive wetland system with large openings (where moose are more likely to group) and abundant aquatic vegetation (little need for competition). I’m wondering if they are twins who were recently forced out by their mother as she prepared to give birth this past spring.
Lone Bull
Now, just for the sheer beauty of this animal and his surroundings, here is a video of the lone bull in the same wetland as seen by a third camera. I hope he returns in the fall so we can see him in all his rutting glory.
Have you noticed moose forming groups outside of the rutting season? Please share your observations and approximate region in a comment below. I’d love to learn more about how they socialize in different areas.
Related Post Moose
Sources
- Mansson, J., M. Prima, K. L. Nicholson, C. Wikenros and H. Sand. “Group or Ungroup – Moose Behavioral Response to Recolonization of Wolves.” Frontiers in Zoology. 14 (2017).
- Peek, J. A., R. E. LeResche and D. R, Stevens. “Dynamics of Moose Aggregations in Alaska, Minnesota, and Montana.” Journal of Mammalogy. 55(1974): 126-137.
I had three bull moose hanging in the back of our property this past winter and two bull moose testing each other gently in June and July of this year 2021. In winter they were eating all my balsam trees in certain areas and running around chasing each other. There were two younger bulls and as you found, one larger bull hanging off to the side. I had 5 trail cameras in various spots on our 100 acres last winter. The moose were fairly close to the house on occasion and other times fairly far in the back but they hung around most of the winter. I also had one cow moose die from tick infestation this past March or April, can’t remember right now. I photographed her and knew she was sick because I was allowed too close by her but didn’t know what was wrong. I went back two hours later to check on her and she was dead. That is when I found her covered with ticks
Wow, you have had a lot of opportunity to observe moose! Could you tell me what region this was in? It does sound like a more northern location, in which case groupings would be more common, but also of concern since you say the cow was covered with ticks. That would be more common in southern areas.
We are in Silverton, CO, Sept 2023. On Thursday, 8th, we saw four bulls together on the flats north of town. Eating and moving around the beaver ponds. All were still partially in velvet. One was still very bloody. They moved to the pond together, very close together. Two started clashing their antlers, gently, playfully. The youngest, only 2 points, was the least interested in being friendly. After about 30-40 minutes he crossed the road in front of us and left. They came within 30 feet of us, probably 10 people, 4-5 cars. I was taking pics outside of the car. They acted like we weren’t even there. These were very large moose with large antlers except for the one 2pt youngster. After about an hour we left. The 3 remaining were still there just off the road.
That sounds like pre-rut sparring, which helps bulls gain experience for the real deal, which is coming up in late September. Great experience for you to have witnessed it!! But please be careful about approaching moose or allowing them to get close to you. They often appear placid and unaware of people, but they are unpredictable and have been known to suddenly approach and deliver a strong, swift kick to human onlookers.
Nice Flehmen behavior at start of first video
Really great stuff!!!
Interesting observation, and I guess you are right. I think of the Flehmen as being used to detect pheromones, and I thought that moose was just sniffing for palatability. You are right though, it’s the same behavior no matter what they are smelling. And thanks!
Interesting observation with Massachusetts moose. Knowing that we overlap in several camera trapping areas , I reviewed my moose camera trap video / pics to see if I had similar findings. I never thought about “ Moose Socializing” until reading your article.
Reviewing MA. 2021 moose captures and eliminating the obvious same moose same day there were twenty five trail camera captures and two visual April 3rd through July 21st.
There were two instances, one visual ( April 3rd), and one trail camera ( April 19th) where two adult moose were seen together. The visual, I was travelling along a remote road and the two moose were feeding alongside the roadside and the two captured on TC video were crossing a brook.
The moose seen April 3rd gender couldn’t be determined. The two moose camera trapped April 19th one was a bull and the other a cow.
Jim
Hey, Jim, very interesting that you got a bull and cow together in April. The bull-cow-calf group I got in February wasn’t too far from where you have some of your cameras. I wonder if your April bull and cow were the same animals, with the calf not in view, or perhaps the cow had already urged him or her away, in prep for giving birth.
Went hunting for Mulies and Whitetails around the battle river on the day of writing, between Alliance and Hardisty in east Alberta. From sun up to sundown we saw about two dozen Individual Moose, including a group of 3 large bulls mulling around on the range road together, two of whom were at least 1200lb and sported 40 inch racks. Also a group of two bulls and three cows, another similar size group, and some loners.
Wow, I would love to have seen all of that! I guess they really are more social in northern climes. The rut is probably mostly over up there, but I wonder if lingering hormones attributed to that clustering, too.
I see I’m 3-years late to contribute to this conversation, sadly. But this 41-year old siting experience lends a bit of authenticity to the animals that once were prevalent in northwestern Minnesota and now, in 2024, are all but extinct.
This post isn’t about moose population trends and I am not an expert on that but it’s likely that climate change, brain worm, and land conversion (development) are all factors in the MN decline. MN is at the southern limit of the moose range so it seems likely that climate warming alone could do them in within a few decades. Basically we can expect their range to contract at the southern limit. Moose are very vulnerable to heat stress.
Here in Fairbanks Alaska I see male moose traveling together in twos and threes every winter now that we catch it all on camera. I used to think it was rare, my interest in that specifically is what brought me to the page.
Evidently it is common in AK. We used to live in Mass it it was uncommon there. Now we live in Montana and it seems uncommon here as well.
Today’s encounter in the Greater Yellowstone (Montana) brought me here. While trail running, encountered cow, her calf, a massive bull and a separate, what appeared to be, a young cow. It was an extraordinary experience.
That’s great! In person experiences with wildlife are always special. Thanks for sharing.