[fatlazyless]

The flat 1 1/2 mile stretch of Rt 49 in Waterville Valley that parallels the Mad River has been moosey forever. Last year, there were two young moose that got hit and killed by cars which opened up the territory to new current occupants. Last week at eight one night, there was a two year old, aka teenage moose, running along the moose path behind the highway fence. There's this one suspended pvc culvert pipe that runs under the road which gets used like a moose water-bubbler.

It's always good idea to use high beams, slow down and watch very carefully on Rt 49. Moosey spots: the Rt 49 flats along the river, ski area road near the mud holes, Rt 49 bottom of Hardy Hill near the river, Village Rd near Corcoran's Pond.

In the past here, both a Crown Victoria police cruiser and a Camry were totaled in two different moose collisions. Some other time, a moose got hit at the bottom of Hardy Hill just where the highway fence starts, and there was a ten foot puddle of thick red blood on the road for two weeks in July. Most cars drove around it, while some went right through and left tread marks in the dried blood........yuck! The bugs loved it!

Big, black and hairy with reflective yellow eyes; not the brightest animal in the woods. Bears are much smarter. Arrrrooooooooooooooooooo!