Moose Fact #3

In the next several days http://www.swampdonkeyadventures.com/ will be giving you a series of facts that you may or may not already know about moose. Please feel free to comment on any and all blogs

Breeding takes place in late September thru October and some cows may even be breed as late as November and December. Cows will not typically breed until they are 3.5 years old and will only breed once eggs have been released into the ovaries. Once the eggs reach the ovaries the cow then has 24-48 hours to be breed by a bull. If she is not breed in that time period the eggs will then be discharged and will repeat the entire cycle 25 days later until she is breed. This is when you hear the term second rut come into play. Bulls and Cows will find each other during this time in a number of ways including scent and calls. Scent is dispersed by both sexes by Secretion of liquid thru glands and urinating in wallows. The vocalization of moose during this time is a great experience with the cow letting the bull know that she is ready to breed. The bulls are Polygamous and will seek out and breed multiple cows during this cycle.  Breeding of cows however does not come so easy to these mature bulls as they will have to battle each other for the right to breed. The young will be pushed away by the more dominant bulls and will not be allowed to take part.  Some will die for the right to breed!