New York DEC offers tips when encountering bear and moose

Tupper Lake, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation recently closed Goodman Mountain in the town of Tupper Lake due to the presence of a bull moose observed over an extended period of time.

Just prior to press time the agency reported the moose was still in the area and the trail was still closed, and advised the public to stay clear of the area as it is suspected the moose may have some form of illness.

“DEC staff, accompanied by the New York State wildlife veterinarian, conducted a site visit to Goodman Mountain on July 10,” a DEC press release stated. “The same moose continues to reside on or near the trail and continues to demonstrate unusual behaviors. It is suspected that this moose may have an underlying illness influencing behavior as it continues to remain on or near the trail and is not responsive to attempts to move it off the trail.”

DEC said any of the quintessential wild animals of the Adirondacks and other parts of New York are majestic, but still “wild,” and can be unpredictable and potentially dangerous when approached or startled. The trail closure is a precautionary measure to protect public safety and minimize disturbances to the animal.

DEC continues to monitor the situation closely, and Forest Rangers are actively enforcing the closure. An update will be issued when the trail reopens

The agency is providing some tips for the public to stay safe when hiking should they encounter wildlife like moose or bears:

• Don’t hike with headphones. Keep your eyes and ears open to pay close attention to your surroundings. Moose especially can be silent, and invisible as their brown fur blends in with the forest so well;

• Although a quietly camouflaging moose may startle you, be mindful that you don’t startle wildlife. When hiking alone, it’s wise to make some noise every now and then (like by clapping your hands loudly) to prevent startling a bear. If the bear knows you’re there, it will likely skedaddle;

• With any wild animal that you encounter, your first step should be to back away to create more distance. This is especially true if the animal is with its young as they are more likely to be aggressive when protecting their offspring.

• After creating distance, how you react should depend on the animal.

• If it’s a black bear who notices you, get big by raising your arms and talk in a loud voice if the bear is approaching you to scare it off.

Moose, DEC said, are more likely to stand their ground than a bear, so avoid behaving in a threatening way- instead just keep moving away from the moose and talk softly.

If you’re being charged at:

• If a black bear is charging at you, don’t run. This can trigger the bear’s instincts to chase. Instead, get big and loud and consider banging pots and pans if camping or blowing a bear whistle to scare the bear off. Bears are easily frightened by people;

• But if a moose is charging at you, you can run. Moose are herbivores so they don’t have the same instinctual urge to chase. However, avoiding getting to that point is the most important, by remaining calm and creating distance so that the moose does not feel threatened enough to charge you to begin with.

For more information on hiking safely, visit DEC’s Hike Smart webpage.

New York Outdoor News Editor’s Adirondack Moose Encounter

In the summer of 2017, a buddy and I spent a day kayaking and fishing on Cedar River Flow, a remote impoundment in the central Adirondacks. Early on in the trip we noticed a large, dark object moving along the shoreline about 200 yards away. A glance through my binoculars confirmed it was a bull moose.

We quickly paddled over to the area and as we got closer I readied my digital camera. As we got even nearer, I realized how shallow the water was – and how big this moose was – and decided then not to get much closer.

At about 50 yards we stopped and remained silent as the moose made its way along the water’s edge, feeding. All the while I snapped photos.

This moose didn’t show the slightest concern that we were there, but we also kept our distance. When it eventually made its way into the woods we expressed our jubilation for the encounter.

Other than winter aerial surveys with DEC, this is my only New York moose sighting. But having hunted moose in Canada where I encountered several, I knew how fast they could move if they wanted to and fully advise folks to heed the cautions DEC has mentioned in the accompanying article. –Dan Ladd