Running the Moose Gauntlet

Mama and her calf

The hockey game was between periods, and I had to make a quick run over to the neighbor’s. I turned the corner from my front walk, and was looking right into the shoulder of a cow moose. “OH! Hello.” I reevaluated my route, and took the long way around the cow. I was guessing there was a calf close by, but hadn’t seen it yet. The cow seemed to anticipate my rerouting, because she was waiting for me when I popped back out, but her ears were not laid back, so I scooted by, and made my way next door.

On my way back, the calf had come out onto the narrow road to join the cow. I still would have been fine, but a snowmachiner chose that moment to drive by. The rider spotted the cow, and stopped even with the unseen calf. Then another snow machine came up and stopped, but both engines were idling. That was too much for the calf, who started to panic, which caused mom to get edgy. The two moose then took my long route back to my cabin, so I tried to make a quick go at the short route. The moose beat me. I hesitated, then made a break for my front door. Mama Moose was not impressed, and tried to cut me off, but a huge spruce blocked her way.

She spent the next 30 minutes at the end of my walkway, just daring me to come back out, but I had college hockey to watch, and the moose had already caused me to miss 10 minutes of the game as we played tag.

The moose may not look that big here, but when I first met her on the drive, I had to look up to see into her eyes.

About icefogger

Just a basic, down to Earth, laid back type of guy here, who loves the outdoors, the indoors, jazz on the turntable, a fire in the woodstove, the northern lights blazing across the sky, and the company of good friends. View all posts by icefogger

4 responses to “Running the Moose Gauntlet

  • mfzeissler

    I totally emphasize and understand.

    Many years ago I stupidly followed a bull moose into the woods with my camera up in Baxter State Park in Maine. It looked big from inside our car, but it wasn’t until the bull decided to confront me on his territory that I realized *just* how freaking BIG that monster was.

    Then it was “screw the photos”, and I beat a hasty retreat back to the relative safety of the car. I’ve never made that mistake again.

  • Pete

    Pictures of moose never truly do them justice,
    there were times I was so close close to one that I felt one could almost saddle the animal and ride off into the sunset.

Leave a Reply

%d