Several wildlife photographers in the Bighorns have caught images of an enormous bull moose. It’s not his antlers that are causing the stir. His antlers are still fairly small, but he appears to be a young bull. What’s got people buzzing is the size of his body.
The photos almost look PhotoShopped. This guy is huge, even by moose standards. Wyoming’s subspecies of moose is the smallest subspecies in the moose world, but this fella is more the size of one of his Alaskan cousins.
It’s not clear whether he’s just had a good year of browsing, or if there’s some genetic aberration that’s allowed him to get this big, but if he survives the hunting season and the winter, maybe he’ll be even bigger next year.
He’s bound to lose a little mass over the next several months, though. During the rut, bull moose hardly eat at all. All of their energy goes into trying to spread their genetics. Maybe this bull’s excess weight will give him a leg up on his competition. And hopefully it will help him through the winter, too. Most of Wyoming’s wildlife species expend more energy finding food than the calories they get from eating it in the winter months. Those that go into the winter in good condition have a better chance of surviving to see the spring.
I’m pulling for this big fella. I hope his size works in his favor and helps him add a few more giant-bodied moose calves to the Bighorns population.
Maybe, if he makes it, next year his antlers will catch up to his body. That might be dangerous for him, because he’ll be an even bigger target for someone with a moose license, but I’d love the chance to get some images of him myself. Here’s hoping the Tank of the Bighorns is still out there next fall.
