That’s one jacked up moose.
Seeing a peak form bull moose running at you is as scary as it gets, we’re talking about a massive animal.
Moose are the largest members of the deer family, with the largest moose ever recorded was over 1,800 pounds. The average size of a bull moose is around 1,200 pounds, with them hitting 1,500 pounds being a fairly normal occurrence.
One of their most recognizable features is their huge antlers. The bulls grow antlers every year that can reach up to a 6-foot span. The size of the antlers can vary depending on the age, health of the moose and their genetics. Antlers are used by male moose for attracting mates, establishing dominance and getting food.
Moose are generally shy animals and will avoid people if possible. They can become aggressive if they feel threatened, particularly during the breeding season. This can lead to aggressive behavior like charges and attacks. Moose are able to run up to 35 miles per hour and have long legs that you don’t want to get kicked from.
This group of moose is seen running through some brushy area. A big ol’ bull is running with a cow.
The massive moose turns on a dime and starts sprinting right towards the guy who is filming… and he’s standing pretty far away.
He watches for a second before he realizes what is happening.
The man figures out the moose is indeed charging him from a long way out and he turns to figure out his next move. A nearby tree is the answer as he begins to frantically climb up it.
The man turns to see what the moose is doing as it continues to charge in. He climbs up to a safe distance and the bull circles the tree, seemingly very mad at the man’s presence.
That is one animal you don’t want charging at you… thank God for the tree.
Alaskan Moose Attacks Dogsledding Couple
Them Alaskan moose ain’t having it this time of year.
Towards the end of winter, when food is scare and tempers are flaring, moose are much more prone to violent interactions with people and other animals.
We just saw a moose attack a sled-dog crew that training for their first Iditarod outside of Fairbanks, Alaska. Despite emptying his handgun into the bull, it was able to stop and severely injure a number of the pups.
And now, according to Outdoor Life, there was another.
A video has surfaced on Facebook of a couple from Oklahoma who took a trip to Alaska to go dogsledding. Go dogsledding they said… it’ll be fun they said…
However, things quickly took a turn for the worse, as a massive cow moose that had been holding its ground on the trail, protecting her calves, charged the group. In the video, you can see the moose trample a few of the dogs, and even knocks over the woman as it makes its way up the trail.
The woman shared her account of what happened
“So, here’s what happened (I was the one sitting, my bf is the one with the cam and the guy between us was the guide).
This entire video is 20 seconds, so reaction time is insane. The cam being used is a 360 that was on a stick sitting higher than we where, so you can spot the moose and her calves on it faster than we did.
My foot was hung in a rope, so I was having problems getting out of the sled. Then when I stood to go my foot got hung again, and down I went. The owner had just ran the trails on the snowmobile before we left on the dog sleds, shit happens – wildlife is unpredictable.
The dogs are all 100% fine and all of them finished the tour happy as could be. I’m fine, just bruised legs thankfully. The guide from the second team that was behind us said he’s ran dogs for 36 years and that was his first experience like that, I said, “welcome to my life” hahaha.
We would 100% book with Snowhook Adventure Guides of Alaska again, and we truly did enjoy our experience with the sled team and environment minus this freak episode, lol. We’re laughing now, but I won’t lie that was 100% me screamin’ like a lil’ bitch when I went down.
Also, I’m not from Alaska, I have no experience with moose or dog sledding… obviously we are aware of wildlife and the possibilities, but you can’t expect me to react properly in a situation I’ve never even been in or prepped for.”
I’d say you handled it like a champ.
Moose aren’t to be fucked with, but sometimes, when you find yourself in their kitchen, all you can do is just get the hell outta the way.
Thankfully, these folks and their pups were able to walk away unscathed.
Snowmobiler Shoots Charging Moose From His Sled
You just can’t make this stuff up.
Thank goodness for the new helmet cams because it makes it so even more crazy stuff is caught on camera when people are just out and about enjoying life.
Moose, or any animal who doesn’t hibernate for that matter, have it rough throughout the winter months.
They don’t have jackets, houses to stay in, or fire to keep them warm… they’re really just out here roughing it the whole time.
For a moose, food becomes scarcer, meaning they have to expend extra energy constantly just to survive all while wading chest deep in snow.
Then they come across a free and clear area like a road or trail and everything that comes across it is trying to move it out of the way. They’re hungry, they’re cold, they’re pissed… and now they gotta move?
Needless to say, moose can be some of the most aggressive mammals in North America when the situation is right… or, wrong.
That being said, you can’t help but feel slightly bad for the moose in this video.
Often times moose only charge because they are angry. They wear their emotions, much like humans. They don’t want to, but if they feel threatened and mad, they’re coming for ya.
As the snowmobiler slows up and starts to yell at the moose who is staring at him, you know this is the case. The moose just wants a few minutes of rest time of this nice trail through the woods.
At no fault of his own, the snowmobiler wants the moose out his way. He even has good practice, stays far back and uses noise to his advantage.
The moose comes in charging as the sledder yells for his life. He catches amazing footage and gets very lucky as the moose charges and lets out a fury of kicks at him. The moose backs off as the man stumbles to grab something.
He pulls out a Glock, which isn’t the most common tool to have in the woods on a snowmobile but it’s a good thing he did. He pleads for the moose to stop but it won’t listen.
As it runs at him again he shoots a warning at its feet as it keeps charging. The man chooses his life over the moose, and rightfully so. He outs four quick shots into the moose, dropping it down as he speeds past it to get out of the dangerous situation.
This video caused a bit of outrage and I understand why, but this man protected himself and the person he was with. They can cause serious harm a person, and for some reason this moose wasn’t backing down.
And as far as not taking some of the meat, trust me… that moose fed a number of animals that night, and I’d venture to guess that not much of it was left by the next day.
