You Need to Be Extra Careful Looking at Fall Foliage in Maine, NH

It's officially leaf peeper season here in New England! Well, somewhat the start of it at least, which makes it exciting to live around here during season changes.

Here's my quote of the day; "The leaves are about to show us how lovely it can look when you let the dead things go."

Okay, so I know it's super exciting to go hike all the mountains that Maine and New Hampshire for all the colorful views they have to offer.

There's a great fall foliage tracker from NH.gov that you can check out to see where things are at in New Hampshire, and Maine.gov releases weekly reports about the foliage as well.

Many of us also take long drives on roads to take in the sites or get to our next leaf-peeping destination, but

Here's Why You Should Take Extra Caution When Driving to Look at Fall Foliage in Maine and New Hampshire:

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is warning us to be extra cautious while cruising for fall foliage due to the presence of moose. Yup, moose.

They can be very destructive if you aren't prepared for what they're capable of.

According to nhfishgame.com, if you come in contact with a moose on the side of a road, expect it to run in front of you or your car no matter what. Slow down, and just be hyper-aware of your surroundings while you're peepin' the leaves.

The NH Department notes that:

"Drivers should be prepared to see and react quickly to moose on or near the road. While moose/vehicle collisions can happen at all times of the year, fall is a time of increased moose activity and therefore accidents. In 2021, 72 moose were killed by vehicles in New Hampshire, which is similar to the 69 moose deaths as a result of car collisions in 2020."

Similarly, the Maine DOT also emphasizes using "extreme caution" as apparently, it's moose mating season from August through October. Who knew?

Just give them plenty of room and let them be if you see a big 'ol moose on the side of the road. Don't want them attacking your vehicle while you're just trying to enjoy some leaves!

Sidenote: If you do happen to come across a big guy, please take pictures and send them to me. I've never seen one in person and I've been living in Maine for about seven years. Just be careful while you do it!