How dangerous are moose?

[Popnfrsh24]

Hey all,

I just watched this video with les stroud (survivorman) being stalked by a moose, pretty cool story check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xltg0iagMJY

This makes me concerned though, I am leaving this saturday for my NOBO 2013 attempt. I haven't heard any horror stories with moose while on the trail, but after watching this video, I would have to say I am a little concerned about running into these animals up north at the end of my journey. Will I be fine as long as I don't mess with them at all?

[Tom Murphy]

Will I be fine as long as I don't mess with them at all?

http://www.nps.gov/dena/naturescienc...eRut2010-2.pdf

http://www.jackmanmaine.org/maine-moose.php

IMO a bull moose in rutting season is more dangerous than a bear.

[EllieMP]

Good Luck on your adventure in hiking the trail! I am so envious... My time will be next April if all goes as planned. You can't worry about every possible danger you could encounter. Enjoy yourself, make friends and know you will make it to Maine! I have lived and played in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. I had to go looking to find a moose. You have a very good chance at seeing deer. I did notice that you call it your NOBO 2013 "attempt".. Don't attempt it.. Do it!

[mikec]

I had a moose run away from me while ascending Moose Mountain, NH. I also had a close encounter (within 25 feet) with a moose while camping at Dolly Copp campground near Pinkham Notch, NH. This second moose was huge. It just looked at me for about 30 seconds, then proceeded to walk through the campground.

[garlic08]

It's not a huge risk on the AT, and you should count yourself lucky to see a moose. But do a little research on signs of attack and what to do in case of one.

I'm more wary around moose than I am around black bear. Moose, some say, are very unpredictable. I was confronted by a young bull on the AT during rutting season. Bear have always run away from me.

A friend of mine who worked on a grizzly research project in AK came to respect grizzlies, but came to fear moose after he was attacked by one, on campus.

I found this quote: "Each year in Alaska more people are injured by moose than by bears. In the past ten years two people have died from moose attacks in the Anchorage area. Each year there are at least 5-10 moose-related injuries in the Anchorage area alone, with many reports of charging moose in neighborhoods or on ski trails," from here.

[peakbagger]

With the exception of rutting season (October) dont worry about moose except for driving to and from the trail. My house is a few miles from the AT and two years in row 7 moose got hit and killed each year and 2 people in a car died. Many of the access roads to the AT Maine are prime moose territory and at night they are just about impossible to see when they step out of the woods.

Unlike Alaska Me and NH do not seem to have as moose hanging around neighborhoods. Needless to say, give them space but they arent an issue.

[fredmugs]

I think the thing about moose is they have very poor eyesight so I'm guessing anything moving towards them they will view as a threat.

[BirdBrain]

I have been fairly close to moose a few times (floated my canoe directly under the nose of a huge bull once). I forget who said it (Walk in the Woods author I think), but moose are just poorly drawn cows. I fear mice more than moose. There is nothing you have that would attract a moose. There is no reason they would want to bother you. Just don't try to aggravate them and you should be fine.

[poopsy]

Moose are crazy dangerous!!! when you are driving. In the woods not so much except in October during rut. The best advice I have for people in the woods in moose country during rut season is to carry a lighter and a handful of birch bark in their pockets. Even rutting moose don't like smoke and birch bark is waterproof and produces a good quick fire. It may not be LNT however.

One of the few times I have been spooked in the woods was once when a young cow moose followed me for about half an hour. She was curious and every time I looked around I couldn't see her. Just the occasional breaking branch behind me as I walked along. Gave me the willies until I finally saw her peering at me from around a tree. Big brown eyes and flicking ears. Maybe she thought i was sexy.

[Feral Bill]

I see moose every so often in Idaho, and have been closer than I should be to them in Alaska. They can be dangerous, but I don't lose sleep worrying. The can't run through a decent sized tree.

[Dogwood]

How dangerous are moose?

If you have the required anti-moose pepper spray NO PROBLEMA with dangerous mooses.

[Dogwood]

Moose are crazy dangerous!!! when you are driving. In the woods not so much except in October during rut. The best advice I have for people in the woods in moose country during rut season is to carry a lighter and a handful of birch bark in their pockets. Even rutting moose don't like smoke and birch bark is waterproof and produces a good quick fire. It may not be LNT however.

One of the few times I have been spooked in the woods was once when a young cow moose followed me for about half an hour. She was curious and every time I looked around I couldn't see her. Just the occasional breaking branch behind me as I walked along. Gave me the willies until I finally saw her peering at me from around a tree. Big brown eyes and flicking ears. Maybe she thought i was sexy.

+1 Ditto I had a cow with a yearling come to within 10 ft of me at dusk at Isle Royale NP. She and the calf just kept getting closer and closer. Big brown eyes, flickering long eye lashes, and flickering ears while chomping buds from the ends of branches. She knew I didn't pose and danger to her or the calf.

[JAK]

Moose, deer, bears, coyotes, are all potentially dangerous. Give them all a wide berth. Get to know and understand them without them getting to know you, and you and they will all be better off. In New Brunswick there is no historical record of bears killing humans, other than by motor vehicle collisions. Moose, and even deer have killed people. Coyotes are even more weary of people than bears, but there was that woman killed in Cape Breton. There was a fatal attack by a bear in Gaspe. Anyhow, they all deserve our respect, and are worthy of our study and understanding, and that should go a long way to keeping us safe. I would add that I think larger adults are safer around bears and coyotes, and smaller children are probably safer around deer and moose. Just my opinion. Zero data to back that up.

[Another Kevin]

Moose can kill you - if you hit them with a car. One time in about 1976, heading up Ravine Lodge Rd on Moosilauke, I had to stop short - fortunately, in time - for a very pregnant moosess (is that a word?) who was standing in the road. She just stood there. I figured maybe she was hypnotized by headlights, and turned them off. Nothing doing. I blew my horn. She blew hers. Eventually she lumbered off, in no particular hurry. She no doubt outweighed the Volkswagen that I was driving at the time.

[peakbagger]

The normal response to a moose being attacked by a predator is to stand their ground and kick whatever the threat is, unfortunately it doesnt well with cars and tractor trailer rigs.

[Lyle]

Pretty shy and non-confrontational except during their fall rut. Then the bulls become very territorial and aggressive, especially when their cows are near-by.

Was tree'd by a bull one time on Isle Royale. Tried to give the trail to him, moved about 30 0r 40 yards off the trail for him to pass, but he followed our scent. Found an angled tree to shimmy up, dropping our packs on the ground below. He came directly to the tree, circled it, smelled our packs, snorted, pawed the ground, but couldn't seem to locate us up the in the tree. Stayed at the base, greatly annoyed for about 45 minutes before he left the area.

One other time was charged by a bull while his cows crossed the trail in front of us, but he was not persistent and ducking behind a tree was all it took once his cows were safely off in the woods. He then just followed them.

RESPECT is the order of the day when dealing with Moose. They could do a lot of damage if you seriously tick them off. They don't normally go looking for trouble though.

[SCRUB HIKER]

dont-kid-yourself.jpg
Pretty much the same goes for moose, IMO.

[Lone Wolf]

if they're lookin' to ****, stay away from them

[Dogwood]

At least two differnt AMC folks related the number one cause for human traffic fatalities in New hampshire were moose being hit by cars. The tall gangly legged moose would come through the front windshields of the car after being hit killing both the driver and the mooose.

[slow mind]

The moose on Isle Royale know to stay away from cars, not one has ever been hit by a car.