Moose Watching at Moose
Alley Pittsburg, NH
On
this trip, we headed up to Pittsburg, NH to find moose. We stayed at a
cabin we rented for
the second time this year. The first time was for a snowmobile trip. The cabin
sits just a couple miles south of Moose Alley, just off Rt. 3 in Pittsburg, NH,
which is the reason why we chose the same cabin. Moose Alley has always been
known for it's unusually high Moose population.
We learned quickly that you have to be careful when
driving this stretch of Rt. 3 through Moose Alley. Moose tend to be on the
roadway, all times of the day and night. Once the Moose make their way onto the
road,
it's usually hard for them to find their way back into the woods as the woods
are so thick in this area that it is almost like a wall of trees.
Later in the day, I walked along the roadside and found
that the trees are so close in some places that you can only get your hand and
arm through them. I couldn't
even
get through the dense growth. Moose become trapped on the roadways, rarely
remembering the path that provides their exit, they get confused and from what
I've seen, tend to run in circles until they find their way back into the woods
as shown in the images from this trip to Moose Alley.
Moose
Alley has been an attraction for many years for people from all over the world.
It has also been the target of illegal hunting. Recently, a Canadian resident
passing through Moose Alley was charged with cutting off the head of a bear that
was killed by a car. Reports said that he wanted to have the head mounted,
unaware of the laws that were being violated here in New Hampshire.
Moose live in many areas of NH, not just Moose Alley.
A
week after our trip to Moose Alley, we spotted a Moose in Chichester, NH (forgot
the camera). We also saw a Moose on the side of the road about 50 miles south of
Moose Alley (picture on left). neighbors said the the moose had been recently
hit by a car and had a broken hind leg. While her limping was noticeable,
residents said that it appeared she was doing much better. This Moose drew quite
a crowd as she ran back and forth in a large field on the side of Route 3 It
appeared as if she was enjoying the attention.
Directions to Moose Alley in Pittsburg, NH:
Rt. 3 North towards the Canada border. The last 12 miles
of Rt. 3 in Pittsburg, NH is Moose Alley. Drive carefully!
Best Times to Find Moose on Moose Alley:
The best times to see moose wandering around Moose Alley
is just before dawn. This is when Moose are most active. The owner of the cabin
we rented in Pittsburg, NH told us that she saw nearly 20 Moose one morning, at
times there were 2 and 3 moose together. We also had good luck moose watching
around sunset (in case you're not much of an early bird).
Moose Watching Tours:
There are companies in NH that offer moose watching tours.
Some guarantee you'll see a Moose.
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Fast Facts About This Trip: |
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The Good: |
- Parking is excellent and right next the cabin. You can pull
right up to load and unload your luggage!
- Moose Alley begins right down the street!
- The view from the cabin is unbelievable
- The sunset and sunrises are beautiful at the lake
- The cabin we rented was clean and well-equipped
- The cabin rental cost is the lowest compared to neighboring
cabins.
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The Bad: |
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The Ugly: |
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Tips to Remember: |
- Watch for Moose while driving! Moose are very hard to see,
especially at night. Their eyes do not reflect light as deer
eyes do. Moose are almost black in color. Many times a Moose can
be right in front of you and you are unaware.
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Websites Used For Our Trip: |
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Date of Report: July 27-29, 2007 |