A cow moose feeds on aquatic vegetation in northwest Wyoming on a frigid winter day. (Timothy C. Mayo)

Photography Timothy C. Mayo was scouting some beaver ponds near Jackson in search of a family of otters when he spotted a different creature entirely. 

A cow moose stood in the water near the frozen bank, amid rising mists, munching on aquatic vegetation. Mayo captured the scene in this stunning image. 

The best part of this happy accident? 

“As I photographed the moose, the otter family showed up and fished for brook trout for more than 30 minutes,” Mayo said. 

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Katie Klingsporn

Katie Klingsporn is WyoFile's managing editor. She is a journalist and word geek who has been writing about life in the West for 15 years. Her pieces have appeared in Adventure Journal, National Geographic...

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  1. I can hear the stillness. Far away in London, UK, in the middle of this city, I can feel the good clean air of Wyoming and the well-known poster I brought here with me – “God bless Wyoming and keep it wild.” We cannot, must not ever EVER take this for granted.

    Thank you for this photo.

    Reply