This moose cow, focused entirely on snacking on road salt, seems oblivious to the excitement around her as local photographer Nace Hagemann snapped her photo. The moose wasn’t even distracted when a vehicle slid off the road behind it.
The salt and sand that is applied to roads during our Minnesota winter makes driving a little safer for motorists—but not necessarily for moose. The beloved behemoths are drawn to the roadway and the awkward stance they take to lick the salt off the pavement puts them—and approaching vehicles—in danger.
The Cook County Sheriff ’s Office issued a reminder in December to watch for moose after three moose-car collisions. Two moose were killed, the other wandered off the road, its condition unknown. No humans have been injured, but damage to vehicles has been significant.
Sheriff Deputy Julie Collman said the two that were killed were a yearling bull and yearling cow, both “super healthy,” she said. “They had no ticks on them; no hair loss. They were in really good shape,” said Collman.
Deputy Collman said drivers need to be particularly alert on the Gunflint Trail from South Brule Road to Clearwater Road. “That is kind of known as moose alley,” she said.
Drivers should be especially attentive after dark, as the dark-colored animals are hard to see at night. Even their eyes are harder to spot, as they reflect green in headlights, not as easy to see as deer or other wildlife.
As Tails from the Trail columnist Cory Christianson wrote in the December 12 issue, motorists should watch for tracks in the snow alongside the road. If there are tracks, there could be a moose ahead. As Christianson said, “Slow down and give them a ‘brake.’”
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