Facts to Know Before Meeting the Moose:

• There are approximately 300,000 wild moose in Sweden. During hunting season, about 50,000 are hunted each year.
• A male moose (bull) is fully grown at 7 years old, with the largest bulls weighing up to 800 kg and standing 2.2 meters tall at the shoulder.
• A female moose (cow) is fully grown at 4 years old, with the largest cows weighing up to 500 kg.
• Moose can live 15 to 25 years.
• Moose are ruminants with four stomachs.
• The rutting season occurs in September–October, and a cow is pregnant for approximately 235 days, giving birth in May–June.
• Bulls shed their antlers between December and April, and new ones start growing within four weeks. The antlers are polished before the rut, preparing bulls to compete for mates—the strongest wins the cow.
• Moose Senses:
• Their sense of smell is four times stronger than a hunting dog’s and 200 times more sensitive than a human’s. Their widely spaced nostrils may allow them to estimate a scent’s position in three dimensions.
• Their hearing is 60 times sharper than a human’s.
• Moose vision in daylight is poorer than a human’s, but they are highly sensitive to movement and have a 360-degree field of vision.
• Wild Moose Behavior:
• Wild moose are extremely shy. Typically, they will sense your presence and retreat long before you see them. Spotting moose in the wild can be very challenging.