VIDEO: Fishing Trip Turns Majestic in Upstate NY When Moose Swims By Boat

A fishing trip turned into a majestic moment when a moose was seen swimming across a lake in Upstate New York.

A fisherman caught more than fish on Cranberry Lake in St Lawrence County. Sonny McPherson first noticed the moose a couple of hundred yards from shore. "I immediately shut the motor off and used the trolling motor to quietly get close enough to capture a once-in-a-lifetime moment with my camera zoomed in."

The moose climbed ashore and finished swimming to the other side of the lake. McPherson didn't follow. He continued to watch from a safe distance. "The moose's safety and health were most important to me. I did not want to stress the animal. I captured a rare encounter and left the animal completely okay.

Lifetime Moment

The encounter lasted no more than a few minutes but it'll live with McPherson forever. "My encounter with the moose was no more than 3 minutes. He looked very healthy and continued on his journey across the lake. It was a very neat experience."

McPherson did manage to actually catch fish, which was the reason he was on the lake in the first place.

Raquette Lake Moose

Laura Pluta recently captured a moose swimming across Raquette Lake while she was out fishing with her family. "I’m feeling so blessed. We were out fishing for lake trout and came across this amazing sight."

Report Moose Sightings

If you see a moose, you're asked to report it to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). They are conducting a multi-year research project to obtain information on the status of New York State's moose population, the health of the moose, and the factors that influence moose survival and reproductive rate.