May is normally unofficial "Moose Month" in Northern New Hampshire, but not so in 2026. I live in the northern tip of the state and have found that the month of May normally results in the most sightings of the gigantic creatures.
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| Moose in my driveway |
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, moose were everywhere. At that time, the estimated population was roughly 7,000-8,000 animals. On my walks in the woods, I would often have to change my path due to a moose blocking my way. Dodging them while driving on the roads was always a contest trying to avoid a collision. The huge animals would often walk down my driveway, and a cow moose came after my wife and I in one frightening encounter. I once spotted 11 young bull moose together by the side of Route 16 in the nearby Rangeley, Maine area.
They were particularly visible in numbers on the sides of the roads in May, usually appearing somewhat ragged as they shed their winter coats. Even as their numbers declined significantly, in the past decade or two, the month of May always produced frequent sightings.
This May has been different. On my frequent logging road walks and car trips past "moosey" areas, I have seen NO moose. ZERO. My wife, Linda, saw only one a few weeks ago while driving from Errol (NH) to Colebrook.
Loss of habitat, blood loss from winter ticks and predation of moose calves by bears are cited as the causes of the decline in population in New Hampshire. The New Hampshire population of the creatures is now estimated at 3,000-4,000. That may be an optimistic figure.
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