A Powell couple is turning heads after counting 73 moose on a single trip through Park County and Sheridan County in Wyoming.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department says the sighting reflects a healthy herd in the Bighorn Mountains.
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Kay and Randy Townsend spotted the moose along a stretch of Highway 14 Alternate, west of Burgess Junction.
"That morning and afternoon, it was like crazy, 73," said Kay Townsend. "And people were amazed that we saw that many even on Facebook, and so it was just cool, jackpot day."
Some moose appeared in groups of up to nine, while others traveled in pairs, such as a mother and calf.
"They're majestic, and their legs are so tall, and when the grass is starting to get green, they kneel down on their front legs," Kay Townsend said. "Well, I just particularly care for moose."
Wyoming Game and Fish biologist Eric Maichek says the moose gathered in the area because of a food source, drawn out by new spring growth.
"Moose tend to be solitary most of the year," Maichek said. "Breeding season, they'll group up a little bit, and that's more in autumn fall. But then, this time of year, we'll find them out in big openings where they're extremely visible and they're grazing on all the new green-up."
Maichek estimates a healthy herd of about 420 moose currently roams a 2.5 million-acre area of the Bighorn Mountains.
He says moose prefer to travel alone or with their offspring, relying on staying out of sight to avoid predators.
"Their life strategy — typically not kind of how they work is, oh, if you can not be detected, then that's, that's a pretty effective way to go about avoiding predators," Maichek said.
But Maichek says many people see large numbers of moose at this time of year.
Many people camera hunt moose just as the Townsends do, but Maichek warns against getting too close.
"Moose and any wild animal are pretty unpredictable this time of year," Maichek said. "Especially females with calves, can be particularly dangerous. And so yeah, we encourage people to view them from a distance."
The Townsends say awareness is key for anyone traveling through moose country.
"Everybody should be moose aware," said Randy Townsend. "That's their habitat and we're infringing on it, but it's the recreational opportunities for everybody else."
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