Moose, much like deer, tend to move more during the early morning and late evening hours, so it is normal to see them at those times.
How often have you heard of seeing or actually seen moose being active in the rain?
Moose can and do move about during the rain, although the severity of the rain plays a factor in whether they do or not.
It really depends on the circumstances and what is going on. There may be other things factoring into the equation that may persuade a moose to come out or not in the rain.
Learning about moose and their likelihood of coming out in the rain is an important part of understanding nature and the world we live in. A moose’s movement, or lack thereof, during the rain can be more indicative of the environment they live in than you expect.
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When Can Moose Move About During the Rain?
Moose can come out during the rain anytime they want to do so. It is important, however, that they are able to see clearly enough to move about easily.
Moose are extremely large animals, weighing somewhere between 1,000 and 1,600 pounds on average. It is imperative that they can maneuver through the woods and nature without injuring their large bodies.
Moose that live near cities and residential areas may be more cautious about moving during the rain, due to their inability to see vehicles and people clearly. The same is true for moose that live in areas where predators like wolves are common; moose want to be able to see danger coming.
Why Are Moose Active in the Rain?
Moose are active in the rain for a variety of reasons, but mostly for food or for mating purposes.
If it is lightly raining and a moose is hungry, it may not be out of the question to see one grazing or to see a male bull searching for a nearby lady moose.
Moose are large animals, as we have discussed, and they need a lot of food to keep their bodies functioning properly. Eating during a light rain is a great way for moose to get a little extra food while other animals are hiding.
Moose will sometimes come out in the rain during the rut, or mating season, which usually happens during the months of September and October. The rut can cloud a moose’s better judgment and they will not be opposed to finding a mate, even in the rain.
Another reason a moose may come out in the rain is to get away from a predator. It is possible a predator spooked the moose out of its resting place, forcing it to come out in the rain.
When Will Moose Not Come Out the Rain?
Moose typically will not come out during heavy rain or severe storms. This is because visibility is too low and staying where they are is usually the best choice.
Flooding and lightning are enough to scare anyone, including moose. Moose are intelligent creatures and they know it is safer to just stay where they are during a storm if they can.
Why Would a Moose Need to Come Out in Heavy Rain?
There are several reasons why a moose would need to come out in heavy rain.
Seeing a moose during a heavy rain is not common, however, and it may be an indication they were forced to move locations. Moose sometimes have to come out during severe rainstorms because they sensed or saw a predator lurking too closely in their area.
A female moose may need to come out in heavy rain because they are unable to find their young. They could have gotten separated before the rain began.
The storm itself could have forced the moose out of their bedding area due to flooding or fallen trees. If a moose feels threatened, even by the storm, they will come out in the heavy rain to reach safety.
Will Moose Come Out After a Rainstorm?
Moose are likely to come out after a rainstorm is over. Many hunters swear by the fact that they enjoy hunting during a rainstorm because they know the moose will move when it stops. Moose are even more likely to come out after the rain ends if it is their normal grazing time.
Moose prefer moving first thing after sunrise and again right before the sun goes down.
It is not uncommon to see moose come out after the rain stops if it is early morning or late evening. They do not want to miss out on their normal movement window.
Will Moose Come Out in the Snow?
Moose will come out in the snow, especially if snow is common for their area. They will even move some during light snowfall, although they may wait until it stops.
Snow is not uncommon for many moose in this country, so it is unlikely to deter them. Even if snow covers the ground, you will still see moose coming out and looking for food to graze on.
Will Moose Come Out During a Blizzard?
Moose do not tend to come out during blizzards. Moose try not to move around during storms, including snowstorms, which make it hard to see outside. This does not mean that it is impossible to ever see a moose come out in the middle of a blizzard, but just know that it is not commonplace.
Will Moose Come Out During a Tornado?
A moose may or may not come out during a tornado. Unless they are forced out of their location by the storm, it is more likely for a moose to stay bedded down or hidden in the woods during a storm like a tornado.
Moose, unfortunately, do not get weather updates, so they do not know a tornado is coming, although they may sense bad weather on the horizon. This may even encourage them to leave the area altogether until the storm passes.
Where Are Moose When It Is Raining Hard?
When it is raining or storming too hard for a moose to come out, they are probably bedded down in the woods or a pasture somewhere.
Like deer, moose look for safe areas in or around the woods that allow them to bed down without leaving themselves vulnerable to predators. They choose an area that makes them feel safe and that helps shield them from some of the rain and wind that storms bring with them.
Final Thoughts
Moose do come out in the rain sometimes, but not all the time. They prefer to stay safe and bedded down during bad storms and torrential downpours. However, that is not to say you will never see a moose come out in heavy rain or snow.
Resources:
I have always been interesting in moose and why they do some of the things they do. I used the sources listed below to research and write this article.
