Moose and deer spotted crossing mighty Columbia River

One hoof stroke at a time

A moose heads toward the Douglas County shore of the Columbia River south of Brewster. Courtesy Tara Hosking

A mule deer swims across the Columbia River not far from where the moose was seen minutes earlier. Courtesy Tara Hosking

Droplets fly in the sunlight as the moose shakes off water following its swim. Courtesy Tara Hosking

Posted Tuesday, February 21, 2023 10:59 am

Mike Maltais, Staff Writer

BREWSTER – It is a rare sight to witness a deer or a moose swimming across the Columbia River. It is even more unusual to see both ungulates doing so within minutes of each other.

Tara Hosking, a Douglas County PUD Land Use Specialist, experienced just such a life memory while on the river with her co-worker, Karl Schulke, on Groundhog Day, Feb. 2.

Hosking and Schulke were conducting a reservoir inspection by boat on the Wells Reservoir when the sightings occurred. While cruising upstream near Brewster the two watched the moose as it crossed to the Douglas County side.

“I frantically managed to get our camera out of the case and started taking photos,” said Hosking. “We started upstream again after watching the moose disappear into the riparian vegetation.”

As they continued the inspection Schulke related a story about a boat passenger he once had who did not believe that deer swim the challenging Columbia River. As Schulke was trying to convince his skeptic that deer do indeed swim the river, a deer swam out right in front of them.

“Pretty funny timing,” said Hosking. “Even more funny, as Karl was telling me this story, he slows the boat and there’s a deer swimming right in front of us.”

The deer was spotted just southeast of Columbia Cove on the Douglas County side of the river.

Hosking said it was crazy to be able to witness a moose and seven minutes later a deer swimming the mighty Columbia.

“Who does that happen to?” Hosking wonders.