I would like to start a thread for people to post moose sightings, as I have always been fascinated by moose.

So, where and when have you seen moose in the BW?

I'll start with my sighting last year.
mid June 0f 14' we base camped on Cummings (EP4)and day tripped to Buck lake for fishing. Along the 470 rod portage on our way in there were fresh moose prints everywhere, I remember thinking what text-book moose habitat it was, with all the swamps and low ground all around. On our way back to base camp that afternoon I got a glimpse of a large cows rear end when I rounded a turn in the portage.

Minnesota side of Bottle lake Aug. 9, 2014

quote PaddlinMadeline: "
Minnesota side of Bottle lake Aug. 9, 2014 "

That is one healthy looking moose.

Shell Lake
south bay, from site #49
evening of July 29, 2013

In 2013 I saw this one on the Little Isabella.


Last September we saw a huge bull swim across the Isabella. Didn't get a picture though.

Have seen several moose but none for many years. For a few years, back in the day, we seemed to see them every time we went on Horseshoe Lake, true to its reputation. Have also seen them a couple times in the Jack/Kelly Lake area out of Baker, once swimming all the way across the lake right in front of our campsite.

One time on Horseshoe we saw a mama wading chest deep with two calves on shore perhaps 50 feet away. She would lower her head underwater and pull a mouthful of plants up and munch on them - we would sneak a little closer every time she ducked but remained pretty motionless when she was above water. Got within 15-20 feet of her (closer than we should have) and got some great pics. Their hides are pretty beat up when you see them that close. Eventually just back paddled away from her and went on her way. Cool experience I will not forget. My pics are slides from the old film era and not conducive to posting unfortunately.

I see them on nearly every trip

a couple I never got pics of.....cow with twins crossed the Moose River 10 feet in front of us (I was a little nervous)and a big Bull on Cherokee standing on the portage landing to Gordon. We heard him crashing off when we crossed the portage but never saw him again.


forgot one...

Beaver pond portage between Lower Pauness and Shell. The baby moose just went inside the timber before I could get the camera.


This big guy crossed right in front of us on the Echo trail, just before Little Indian Sioux entry point

quote cowdoc: "


a couple I never got pics of.....cow with twins crossed the Moose River 10 feet in front of us (I was a little nervous)and a big Bull on Cherokee standing on the portage landing to Gordon. We heard him crashing off when we crossed the portage but never saw him again."

The Windigo moose is missing an antler these days....maybe when you examined him, it startled him and he banged his head on the sign and knocked the antler off

wow, I dint expect so many pictures, great stuff. I'm especially impressed with Chlorin8ed's big bull. I hope to get lucky enough to see another moose this paddling season.
thanks for the responses, and keep them coming.

If you drive the Gunflinf early in the morning your more likely to see a moose than not. Theres a couple places up there where I know where they bed down so whenever we have a new person in the group we go there so they can see a Moose.

I saw one on Eugene Lake on my 2nd trip, but didn't get a picture. A couple of years ago, I saw this one on Muskeg Creek.

Last Christmas, Nashville, TN

some of the best Moose pics were those by UncleMoose on his 2006 sept trip on the Isabella river. Two big bulls fighting......awesome pics

In the BWCA over 20+ trips, I've seen two...on the same day!

Mid-May last year right after ice out. Cow with two calfs on the Kawishiwi just before Kawasachong. Then a cow with one calf on Koma.

On the road: I've seen three. One on the Gunflint right by Bearskin Lodge, one on Highway 1 near Isabella, one on Highway 2 almost to Highway 1 south of Ely.

quote schweady: "
Shell Lake
south bay, from site #49
evening of July 29, 2013
"

When you gotta go, you gotta go.

We have seen Moose sign in various places, but not one in the flesh yet. Tracks and droppings on the mile long portage to Gun Lake out of Mudro was the closest we have got.

We are going in at Little Indian Sioux this year and headed north. Hoping for a sighting.

quote amhacker22: "

quote schweady: "
Shell Lake
south bay, from site #49
evening of July 29, 2013
"

When you gotta go, you gotta go."

Would seem like that was the case, eh. But the next exposure in the sequence shows that it's just one of the tall reeds bent over a bit. :)

Brule bay

Gunflint Trail

Jack Lake

About 15 years ago my buddy and I counted 19 moose one morning on the Tomahawk by Bog Lake over to the Grade by Fourmile. I think that's a one day record for my own personal moose sightings, although back in 1985 my Dad and I took a camping trip on Fourmile and saw over 50 moose in a week long period along the Grade...although some could have been the same ones seen at different times.

I usually see at least one moose every trip somewhere along the way. My wife and I watched a big bull drink water in Alton a few years back...he gulped for 45 minutes and only lifted his head once! It was HOT that day and I imagine the beast was thirsty:)

My record was 16 moose in about 2002, driving from Isabella to Finland (Town) one way in January. It was about -30 below and they were all on the shoulder of the road eating salt.

I saw my first one last August driving to Mudro. We were maybe 2 or 3 miles from the parking lot and it was walking across the road. Not in much of a hurry but still too quick for our cameras.

My only sighting while in the park (Quetico) was on Silence lake back in 2006. We first saw him eating aquatic plants across the narrow part of the lake. My dad waved his hands over his head (I have no idea why) and the moose decided to swim over and check us out. The picture of him swimming about to come on land is about 30m from where we were standing. He then went behind our campsite a walked off.

quote Goby: "My only sighting while in the park (Quetico) was on Silence lake back in 2006. We first saw him eating aquatic plants across the narrow part of the lake. My dad waved his hands over his head (I have no idea why) and the moose decided to swim over and check us out. The picture of him swimming about to come on land is about 30m from where we were standing. He then went behind our campsite a walked off. "

That is a monster bull! If you're only going to see one I'd say you saw the right one!

quote TuscaroraBorealis: " Brule bay


Gunflint Trail


Jack Lake"

That Bull is very impressive !

Just came across this post and couldn't resist adding my moose stories.
August 2013, Beaver pond along Shell & Lower Pauness portage. Chlorin8ed I don't know when you were there but this might be the calf you just missed!

My first BWCAW trip that I planned/lead as an adult started and ended with sightings. This guy checked us out as we were heading to the Cross Bay EP from Tuscarora Lodge. On our last morning, we were fishing the north bay of Gillis by the portage to French. We heard him huffing before we saw him. Watched him swim all the way from the east shore and crossed right in front of our canoe. Shook himself off.
And politely posed for a photo op before making his way into the woods.

Need more moose.

The last Moose I saw was last year up the Gunflint. Prior to that I have had sightings on the Moose river heading to Big Moose Lake on 2 different occasions over the last 15 years. Have seen 2 or 3 on the LIS River, again heading south toward Bootleg. I Did see 1 on Poohbah Lake in Quetico 2 years ago.

This goes back several years. It's somewhere north of Ely.

My wife just wants to see a moose. If she is along, no moose. It's become our thing. Every christmas, every trip, I find something to bring home that is moose themed,

Took her to the zoo to see moose once and for all, we STILL didn't see them!

Seen a moose twice. Unable to get any photos.

We have had quite a few moose sightings, but unfortunately, none in the past few years when I had a decent camera. Of course, in the past few years when I had a decent camera we didn't go for as long or get away as far because we are getting older and slowing down! Darn!

On our 22-day trip we saw 13 moose, 18 if you count calves. But that was 1992. Since then, there haven't been as many. Here are a few photos of moose that I do remember fondly.

quote ECpizza: "My wife just wants to see a moose. If she is along, no moose. It's become our thing. Every christmas, every trip, I find something to bring home that is moose themed,
Took her to the zoo to see moose once and for all, we STILL didn't see them!"

That is SO FUNNY, we were just talking to friends about that TODAY (LOL)! We say she's a "Bear magnet" but has "Moose repellent." In 30 years and about 15 trips for her she's seen about 6 moose. I see moose every trip she's not with me (LOL)!

Near the Morgan Lake E.P. On the forest road.

We saw two moose, a mother and calf about half way up Sawbill Lake last Wednesday 5/27. Was only able to watch for about a minute and then they slowly walked deeper into the forest.

May 13, off the Gunflint, on Alpine.

This year, May 23 at the big beaver dam on Nina Moose River going south to Big Moose Lake. First sighting in about 10 years of trips.

I almost ran in to two moose on Nina Moose River two years ago. The river was high so we decided to skip the first portage and went down the rapids. We ended up stopping in the rapids because two moose were in the pool just below the rapids.

This year on Beth, 1st day

Second day On phoebe river.



Then seen a 3rd the last day on Temperance river, I'll a pic when i get home.

May 2015....Gunflint area

I found this moose floating in the water on Gabbro Lake over Memorial Day Weekend. It most likely fell through the ice and drowned as there were no apparent wounds and seemed pretty well entact.

quote ozarkpaddler: "

quote ECpizza: "My wife just wants to see a moose. If she is along, no moose. It's become our thing. Every christmas, every trip, I find something to bring home that is moose themed,
Took her to the zoo to see moose once and for all, we STILL didn't see them!"

That is SO FUNNY, we were just talking to friends about that TODAY (LOL)! We say she's a "Bear magnet" but has "Moose repellent." In 30 years and about 15 trips for her she's seen about 6 moose. I see moose every trip she's not with me (LOL)!"

Being quiet helps with moose sights....I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin', y'know? ;)

quote egknuti: "


I found this moose floating in the water on Gabbro Lake over Memorial Day Weekend. It most likely fell through the ice and drowned as there were no apparent wounds and seemed pretty well entact."

I have seen the same a couple of times over the years.

May 24th on the north end of Malberg

Ram Lake (5/23/15)
Mama with 2 babies:

quote LindenTree3: "My record was 16 moose in about 2002, driving from Isabella to Finland (Town) one way in January. It was about -30 below and they were all on the shoulder of the road eating salt. "

The old mud-salt lick area south of the tower?

This mom and calf gave us our first moose sighting.

Saw a cow on Birch a few weeks back. Didn't get a picture.

June trip. Cow with twins on Frond. Cow with twins on south end of Koma (no pic). Cow with single swam out to island on Phoebe. Also found a nice shed antler while trying to find the portage on the west end of Bug.

I did an early May solo from Mudro to Moosecamp before the fishing opener and a Memorial Day weekend trip w/ little duckling from Bower Trout to Swan and did not see a moose. I did see a lot of mooseplums though. In fact..... at our campsite on Swan we saw well over 20 different piles spread out all over the place.

Saw a bull moose with small antlers on 07/09/2017. He was neck deep in water eating lily pads, or something in the water. We were paddling on Kelly lake from Jack lake going south. The small point on the right side just before entering into the main body of water of Kelly lake. Saw a lot of moose tracks on the portage from Jack to Kelly. Pretty neat, I've never seen a moose in the BW until last weekend. Impressive animals. This one saw us staring at it. He slowly got out, and with three steps vanished into the woods.

Great idea for a thread: we always look with anticipation for moose, and seeing moose is a high point of any trip. We've been blessed to see many, though the frequency seems to have declined over recent years. That said, on last year's trip, in the Gunflint area .... we were retuning and had hoped to camp on Cove Lake. All the sites were taken.
You know the story, you're tired, hungry, ... baked. We portaged into Larch hoping for a site. We ended up at a site across the lake -- recently quite damaged by high winds. We set up .... and as we were enjoying dinner on the rocks, I spied what appeared to be a bull moose swimming across the lake. A closer look revealed that what I thought were antlers was actually big moose ears, 2 sets! A cow and calf swam across the lake (~ 1/2 mile), and began feeding in the bay across from us. The calf then turned back and began swimming out into the main lake. (?) Eventually the calf turned around and rejoined mom. After they fed in the bay for a bit, they took to the shore, and off into the woods. While not our closest viewing, we enjoyed watching this pair for a long time.

I was beginning to think my nephews wouldn't get to see a moose on their first trip to MN? But as we were headed back down the Gunflint on a gray, rainy day (June 25th) we came around a curve and almost ended up with a big cow in the truck with us! Thank God the F-150 has great brakes. No pic, as the offended cow skeedaddled away, but the boys couldn't stop talking about how BIG she was. They're used to seeing deer all the time, often at close range, but they were amazed at how much larger a moose is.