# Moose in Northwest Oregon?



## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

Today, while worming a couple goats, we heard a howl(not really focused on this sound, we have plenty of neighbors with dogs plus coyotes), followed by a series of deep bellows. It certainly freaked my mare out, she was sprinting around and snorting. I listened to some sound clips and elk sounds too whistly & high to be right, and the deer sounds are too snorty. When I listened to the moose sounds, I was astounded. Some of them sounded almost exactly like what we heard. In addition, a few weeks earlier I heard some low, bear-like grunting sounds from across the river in the cow pasture. Since some of the moose sounds I listened to sounded quite similar, I am thinking that it may have been the same animal. I did some more research, and it turns out that the moose population in eastern OR is rising with more moose coming in from Idaho and Washington, it it possible that they've made their way west? So, I know some of you might think I'm a bit crazy, but I have a few questions to help me figure this out.

Will moose scare cattle? Not five minutes after I heard the first grunting sounds I saw the cows and they didn't look spooked at all.

Has anyone in eastern OR seen moose or signs of them?

Is there any other animals that make deep bellowing sounds?


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

I can't say anything for moose but I know animals don't just stick to the range people say they are in. As someone who has seen a pair of red wolves in Mississippi. If it sounded like a moose and doesn't sound like anything local it probably was.


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## AmyBoogie (May 20, 2013)

We had a moose walk through our cattle pasture stepping over all the fencing (including the 5+ foot one). No one seemed to be bothered but the moose was just passing through and had no desire to hang out there. I also haven't seen one since on our property. Too many people.

I imagine how bothered your cows are might depend on the cows. Moose seem like just really large cows so they might not be bothered. 

And I completely believe it's possible that you have moose. Animals migrate.


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## enchantedgoats (Jun 2, 2013)

I dont know about Oregon, but in NH when i was a child we had no moose, bears, coyotes, wolves, bald eagles, wild turkeys, or vultures. I am now 61 and we have plenty of all of the above, and more every year. The conservation practices seem to be working. I'm sure your critter was a moose, or maybe bigfoot!! Yes, i believe in bigfoot, so i'm not being sarcastic.
As the forest comes back from clear cut and abandoned pastures these animals are taking the place of farm animals. The vultures seem to have followed the the interstate system and eat the road kill. The moose have no real predators except for hunters,and they have to buy their tags by lottery. I expect the wolf population to follow the moose. We have a few canadian red wolves. Wild turkeys were reintroduced about 30 years ago and their population has exploded. That made way for the coyote explosion. Bald eagles are coming back as the rivers are getting cleaned up, and the fish are ddt free.


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## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

Lol is it sad that I actually thought Bigfoot at one point? I have mixed opinions about Bigfoot, but it certainly is possible it's out there  I honestly don't know what else it might have been if it wasn't a moose...and I certainly hope that howl wasn't a wolf  I already have to worry about coyotes, cougars and bears eating my goats, I really do _not_ need wolves. Although, I can't see how a wolf would be able to get into their pen...Either way I looked up the wolf population, and it appears to be very localized in the Northeast, a lone wolf did make it to the southwest last year, but it was killed by the ODFW because of demands made by livestock owners.

I just find it really odd about how long the animal continued to call. Every 3-7 minutes it would make the same sound. This lasted for about 15 mins, then we went inside and after that we don't know. My horse continued to stare in the direction it was coming from at least an hour after we went inside, so maybe it was a mother separated from her calf? Or it was hurt/injured....I'm unsure as to why it would go on so long.

Any suggestions as to what else it may be are welcome


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

yeah, like we have mountain lions and keep being told there are none here, but keep having sightings


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

It's very possible. I live in southeastern Wyoming and all of the moose are supposed to be in northern Wyoming - specifically Yellowstone Park and surrounding area. That didn't stop a certain moose from wandering through our corn fields and sticking around for a few days over the course of a couple of years. I never saw him, but I sure saw his footprints! A number of other people saw him.


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## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

Lol! Good to know  I think it's kind of cool that we have moose, unfortunately it would be very difficult to tell it's prints from a cow's, and it's poop from an elk's(unless it's huge), so we have really nothing to go on unless we see it. And I wish we didn't have cougars here Stephanie...it really stinks that we'll have to completely lock up our animals in the winter.


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

While bird hunting last fall just out of Pendleton, my friend took a pic of a small bull moose. I was going to post the pic, but I can't seem to find it at the moment. So....yes they are definitely around.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Kaneel said:


> And I wish we didn't have cougars here Stephanie...it really stinks that we'll have to completely lock up our animals in the winter.


Mountain Lions/Cougars are not going to attack your goats unless things get really desperate - ie a very bad winter when they can't find anything else to eat, or he becomes injured and can't hunt. How do I know this? Because I have a mountain lion that wanders through my yard from time to time. I haven't seen him or his paw prints in a year or so, but he has never attacked our calves or my goats.


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## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

Lol that must have been a surprise  Quite a big bird....


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