Rudy

Off we go to search French Gulch for those ever elusive moose!

Zoom, zoom on the search for moose!

French Gulch is known for its delicious smelling and ever growing moose population. Zorro, Jack and Rudy's actions told me the scent of moose was very present in the air this morning. While we failed to see a moose, it was not from lack of trying :)

"Beep beep - we all SMELL moose to the right!" says the moose focused trio.
Look at that focus from youngest Rudy!

The prior photo was a good foreshadow to the morning as the scent and evidence of moose was present in French Gulch all morning long. A little ways past the prior photo and moose tracks coming onto the trail from the gulch to the right!

"Sniff, sniff - VERY fresh!!!!!" says the moose inspecting trio.
Notice the tracks go left from Zorro and then up the trail.

I've been joking lately that youngest Rudy's "moose detector" is not as refined and mature as Zorro and Jack's. Well, today is the day I think Rudy's moose detector matured! Jack was roughly 2 years old when his moose detector matured to become as accurate as Zorro's. Well, Rudy is almost 2 weeks past his 2nd birthday and his moose detector was spot on this morning! Take a look at the following photo as Rudy is lined up perfectly on the path of moose tracks on the trail:

You can just make out the "two toed moose prints" to the right of my left ski.
Rudy is dead on following the moose tracks as Zorro & Jack sprint alongside
in search of moose.

Today's video clip showcases Rudy's new moose detection skills. Come along as Zorro & Jack are cruising along the trail as we search for moose. But watch as Rudy drifts with the path of the moose tracks. He was "on" the moose trail all morning long.

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

How refined has Rudy's moose detector become? Well, for the first time EVER, he found the moose exit point (the place where the moose left the trail to go back in the forest) BEFORE Zorro or Jack! Way to go moose detecting Rudy!

"I found the moose exit trough first! I did, I did!!!!! Delicious!" says Rudy showing everyone
the wonderful smelling moose trough.

Before 2 years old (e.g., before having an accurate moose detector) both Jack & Rudy were equally distracted by all forms of wildlife. Zorro, on the other hand, has a completely different behavior for moose over all other wildlife. Jack developed the same separation between "moose and everything else" at roughly 2 years old. Well, today is the day that Rudy matured into showing a definite separation between "moose and everything else". I now have to start taking Rudy seriously :)

Oh my - moosing Rudy!!!! Follow a line from his nose to the side of the
trail and you see another moose entrance or exit path from the trail to the forest!

I looked left with Rudy but did not see any moose. But, I did see the entrance/exit point and was on high alert on the lookout for moose. I now have to listen to Zorro, Jack AND Rudy's moose detectors!!!

Rudy's first "mature moosing" day as we were on the search all morning long in French Gulch: 5.3 miles traveled with 500 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2019/2020 Season to Date: 62 days on the trails covering 427.4 miles with 40,600 feet of elevation climbed.