Roving for moose

BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE — 05/14/2014 — Sandy Stream Pond in Maine’s Baxter State Park. Brian Feulner

I took my wife, aunt from California and daughter up to the Golden Road and Baxter State Park this weekend in search of moose. My aunt Kim, said she didn’t believe moose existed in Maine because she had never seen one in the Pine Tree State. Of course Maine being the moose state my goal was to prove her wrong.

Sandy Stream Pond is at the top of my list for guaranteed moose sightings. I took my folks here a few weekends prior and showed my mom her first moose, so I knew there were moose in the vicinity.

Often people ask me, how many miles to gallon does that thing (the rover) get? Well I haven’t officially figured it out yet. But I’m thinking somewhere around 14 to 17 miles to gallon. Having said that, just in gas, the trip cost about $60. I drove roughly 230 miles round trip, which included some off-roading on side dirt roads. At roughly $4 a gallon for premium gas, I used 15 gallons. 230/15 = 15.5 miles per gallon. Now, there should be some room for error because I caught myself going almost 90 mph more than once on the 75 mph Highway 95N.

Ok, enough math for one day. The reality is, taking the rover on long trips can get pricey, but oh so worth it.

BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE — 05/14/2014 — A moose walks around Sandy Stream Pond eating vegetation in Maine’s Baxter State Park. Brian Feulner

 

We hiked into Sandy Stream Pond in Baxter as our first stop, no moose. We started for the trail around the lake and low and behold, hidden in the bush was a big bull.

We continued down the trail, keeping our distance. Eventually he came out to munch on some organic Maine pond salad and I snapped a few photos of him.

BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE — 05/14/2014 — A moose walks around Sandy Stream Pond eating vegetation in Maine’s Baxter State Park. Brian Feulner

After our hike and a quick pit stop at Togue Pond to heat up some vegetable chili, we barreled down the Golden Road and spotted another bull out in a distant pond.

I’d say the $60 was well worth the safari and proving there are, in fact, moose in Maine.

Brian Feulner

About Brian Feulner

Brian Feulner is the visual editor at the Bangor Daily News and a photographer in the state of Maine. Feulner frequently freelances for a variety of publications and companies and operates Feulner Studio and Gallery in Bangor.