Moose joins cattle in Bruce Crossing herd

BRUCE CROSSING - A new bull joined the herd of crossbreed Angus at the Talsma ranch in Bruce Crossing on a late September morning.

"The beast caught my eye because of the long legs. None of the crossbreed Angus that we pasture in that field had legs that long. The large head, small behind, and long, skinny legs made this animal look almost comical compared to the svelte cattle," Valerie Talsma said.

A second look revealed the strange beast was a bull moose, probably a yearling, as "his antlers were no bigger than his ears."

It's not unusual for young male moose to wander the U.P. in the fall months.

The sighting on Sept. 30 was the first moose recorded on the Talsma family ranch south of Bruce Crossing.

Moose are native Michigan wildlife, but were gone from Upper Michigan in the early 1900s. The great moose lifts of the 1980s revitalized the U.P. herd.

In 1985 and 1987, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources captured 59 moose in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario. They were released in Marquette County, just north of Van Riper State Park. The small herd has been growing slowly and has expanded its range.

Talsma believes declining deer populations in the past few years may benefit efforts to increase the U.P. moose population.

"Fewer deer mean less competition for browse and less exposure of moose to the parasitic brainworm endemic in Michigan's deer population," she said.

The moose on the Talsma ranch was last seen following the Baltimore River, heading downstream.

Wisconsin moose spotted

In Wisconsin, DNR officials reported sightings of a young bull moose in Barron, Dunn and Eau Claire counties.

Moose occasionally wander into Wisconsin from Minnesota or the U.P., but the DNR said the presence of a moose that far south was rare.

The moose was seen Wednesday southwest of Eau Claire at the edge of a horse radish field.

In Eau Claire County, DNR spokesman Kevin Harter said 40 cars lined up along Highway 37 to observe the antlered male.

In 2012, the WDNR said moose had been seen as far south as Taylor and Langlade counties, much farther north than the latest discovery.