Chased by a Moose

Last week, I set out for my usual afternoon walk around Meeker Park when I spied a moose in the field. If I kept going on the road, and the moose stayed where it was, I would pass within several feet of it. Because it showed no inclination to move, standing as erect and still as a statue—I wisely altered my course and went in the opposite direction.

Having moose in the neighborhood has brought a new awareness when I hike. There’s an animal—one that can weigh as much as 1200 pounds and stand as tall as 6½ feet, not including its antlers—that could run me down, if it wanted. You don’t realize how big these animals are until you see it dwarfing your car or hanging out in your front yard (in the two photos below, taken last summer).

Most visitors to the Colorado mountains are fearful of bears or mountain lions. I see people with bells on their packs, meant to scare off bears. But I know, to use an old cliché, that bears are more scared of me than I am of them, that they’ll go to great lengths to avoid humans. The same goes for mountain lions, the only other big predator here in the Rocky Mountains that could kill me if it so desired.

But moose have poor eyesight, so if you stumble across one and it didn’t hear you coming, it won’t wait to see if you’re friend or foe, but charge you just in case you’re a mountain lion. Despite their huge size and awkward-looking body—a massive torso and antlers, which can weigh 50 pounds, combined with narrow legs—moose are able to run at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.

I’ve had several near confrontations with moose. Last summer, walking my  usual route around Meeker Park, I saw a male moose standing in the road, so I went up the hill to avoid it, but it kept walking toward me. At some point I realized there was a young moose nearby, so I changed directions, but Dad kept coming.  I wasn’t seriously scared, because there were cabins and cars around where I could have sought help. Eventually, the moose and I peacefully parted ways, but it was a good reminder for me to be always alert.

Despite their huge size, they have an amazing ability to blend in with the woods. I once took a photo of some aspen trees in the mountains, and when I looked at my pictures later, hiding in plain sight among the trees was a moose that I hadn’t seen.

Last fall, when Rocky Mountain National Park was on its permit system, and I didn’t have a permit for that day, I sneaked into Wild Basin along the creek, where the willow bushes can hide a moose. Twice, I emerged from thrashing around in the bushes to find a moose staring at me, while I slowly backed off, uttering what I hoped were comforting words: “Nice moose. Hi moose. I’m leaving now.”

Over the years, as moose have become a permanent fixture in the landscape around the cabin, I’ve learned to make noise when I’m walking through aspens and willow bushes—moose’s favorite food. If I have my hiking poles, I’ll clank them together. Or I’ll clap loudly. Just to let them know I’m there.

Many years ago, I was in Juneau, Alaska, and decided to go for a walk on a dirt road that led up the hill and out of town. Part way up, I suddenly thought: Wait, aren’t there grizzly bears around? I headed back down the hill a lot quicker than when I came up.

Being around animals that could kill you sharpens your senses, makes you aware of every sound, every snap of a twig, every slight movement in the landscape. It keeps me on my toes, keeps me alive.

Comments

[Jennifer Woodhull]

When I lived in Juneau, my job required me to be at work at 4:30 AM. It was not uncommon for me to open the front door to find bear tracks in the snow on the welcome mat. I also remember cutting a mountain hike short when I encountered some breathless hikers moving at a swift pace down the trail. "Bear," was all they had to say. I turned around and followed them down. I've heard neighbors here in Colorado Springs report seeing mountain lions roaming through vacant lots near downtown. We've displaced so many creatures from their natural habitat, it's almost surprising that we don't come across more of them more often.

[Kathy Kaiser]

Jennifer, indeed neighbors here in Gunbarrel (on the plains) have reported seeing mountain lions and bobcats recently. I suspect there are more wild animals around than we are aware of. My neighbor to the north has "caught" a fox on camera in her backyard, and she thinks the fox is sleeping in one or both of our yards at night.

[shoney]

Wisely altered your course...remind me to tell you about my moose encounter while running the Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage. Moose deserve a lot of respect and some space.