Moose in 5-1 eating this plant. What is it?

[redhunter]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=9139&stc=1

Moose in Region 5-1 are browsing heavily on this plant. It’s in most of the slashes and in amongst the stands of replanted pine trees. Can anyone identify what it actually is?

thanks Steve

[shortroot]

Looks like falsebox

[Husky7mm]

Shortroot is probably right, is that a type of birch?
There is an app for you phone called plant net, you take a photo of the leaf or flower and it will tell you what it is.

[redhunter]

These appear to be a small bush as opposed to a tree. Never saw any taller than about 10”. We watched a cow and calf browsing on them.

[bighornbob]

Looks like Kinnikinnick

[kitnayakwa77]

Falsebox. Important winter feed.

[jamfarm]

Ya, I was thinking kinnikinnick at first but it does look like falsebox.

[IronNoggin]

Majority of the egg heads on EIA's this year were running with a free App called "Seek".
Downloaded it and use it all the time.

More than fairly accurate.

Cheers

[redhunter]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=9140&stc=1

I suspect Falsebox after watching a few videos on it but I never saw any taller ones as shown in the videos.

None the less it was the food being eaten right now by moose in 5-1 rather than the red willow which is what we initially thought they might be eating now.

[Husky7mm]

Looks like Kinnikinnick




It does, but I don’t think it’s browsed on by moose.

[Arctic Lake]

Redhunter . Interesting thread as “Find the feed find the animals “ !
The more one knows about the animal the better . I knew many of the plants they ate but the Falsbox is a new one to me
so Thank You .
https://www.greentimbers.ca/vegetation-wildlife/vegetation/shrubs/falsebox/

https://www.bctrophymountainoutfitters.com/conservation-hunts/big-game-species/canadian-moose/
I found another good thread on the topic but it’s 54 pages long
Arctic Lake

[redhunter]

Redhunter . Interesting thread as “Find the feed find the animals “ !
The more one knows about the animal the better . I knew many of the plants they ate but the Falsbox is a new one to me
so Thank You .
https://www.greentimbers.ca/vegetation-wildlife/vegetation/shrubs/falsebox/

https://www.bctrophymountainoutfitters.com/conservation-hunts/big-game-species/canadian-moose/
I found another good thread on the topic but it’s 54 pages long
Arctic Lake

I was fortunate enough to shoot a 3 point moose there and when we dressed it it was full of the green leaves. That started us thinking differently about what they were eating and where it was found. Prior to that discovery we were spending all our time looking for fresh browsed red willow or small Aspen and we weren’t finding any signs. We found our freshest sign after this discovery in the pine Christmas tree stands. That was also where my moose came out of.

[srupp]

hmmm actually have never seen moose eating this..hmmm must be early winter food...snow would bury it after dec. interesting all the same..on first glance I too thought kinnickkinnick...not sure the differences..
learn something new daily...know for sure moose seek out willow...now know another food source..

cheers
steven

[Husky7mm]

Where I live moose will also paw up freeze dried ferns after the snow flys. I bet many folks have not seen that often. I was surprised.
Another surprise, elk pawing up sedge grass in the early winter. Where I hunt in the bush of NW Alberta, the preferred browse of moose and elk is young alder( possibly its bog birch as they look very similar) before frost and willow leaves after frost. Their gut bags are full of them.

[Arctic Lake]

Last 3 replies are informative fellas !
Arctic Lake

[Husky7mm]

Where I live moose will also paw up freeze dried ferns after the snow flys. I bet many folks have not seen that often. I was surprised.
Another surprise, elk pawing up sedge grass in the early winter. Where I hunt in the bush of NW Alberta, the preferred browse of moose and elk is young alder( possibly its bog birch as they look very similar) before frost and willow leaves after frost. Their gut bags are full of them.
Sorry, correction, my mind is going a bit soft. Bog birch is very similar to willow in looks, not alder.

[Arctic Lake]

Moose have been know to strip bark off of deciduous trees in winter .
A moose needs to eat roughly 40 pounds a day . That’s a lot of foliage , twigs etc . And in winter it’s frozen !

Arctic Lake

[Husky7mm]

Moose have been know to strip bark off of deciduous trees in winter .
A moose needs to eat roughly 40 pounds a day . That’s a lot of foliage , twigs etc . And in winter it’s frozen !

Arctic Lake


Moose will eagerly eat the bark off a cut down or blown over aspen first and foremost, there must be something in the bark that changes after the tree has died but not yet dried out.

[ElliotMoose]

Moose will eagerly eat the bark off a cut down or blown over aspen first and foremost, there must be something in the bark that changes after the tree has died but not yet dried out.


Husky, the moose eat the fallen over ones as it’s easier to get their upper lip around so they can scrape the bark with their teeth easier. Much more difficult on a tree standing upright. The bark underneath of the aspen is sweet tasting and has been used by the natives for eons. Pretty funny watching the moose try to eat the standing ones, turning their neck and head in all sorts of funny positions!