Author Topic: How close have you been to a moose? (Read 2226 times)

John Y Cannuck · « **on:** June 17, 2003, 11:17:52 AM »

I think my closest encounter was when canoeing in Algonquin. We were doing the Tim river, wich is a windy ba$tard of a more or less creek. As we came around one of those bends, a cow came into view. at 15feet. We were very lucky. She had a calf with her, but ignored us totally. Thank god the beagles were asleep in the bottom of the canoe.
We stopped counting, and taking pictures, after we'd seen fourteen moose on that trip. Outstanding!
I've had a few more dangerous entounters with them, but none quite so close.

Rick Teal · « **Reply #1 on:** June 17, 2003, 02:58:20 PM »

A couple of times I've still hunted - then stalked - to within 25 feet of cow moose. One was shielding her calf (for which I had a tag), but she never gave me a shot - talk about frustrating!

One of the guys I hunt with saw a cow coming, (during deer season) and hid himself in a stand of trees to see how close it would come. When it went by him he reached out and touched it on the rump. :shock: :roll:

Moose-Hunter · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2003, 10:29:53 PM »

Had a bull charge me just this past winter and had to drop him with a shot to the head with my 300 WSM. I paced seven steps until I was able to touch him. Pretty exciting.

John Y Cannuck · « **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2003, 12:38:54 AM »

I shot a calf a few years back at twenty one feet. (Bud had to measure it :roll: ) Momma was not a happy camper. She bluff charged several times. (Yes, this is the school bell and the moose story)

John Y Cannuck · « **Reply #4 on:** June 18, 2003, 12:41:24 AM »

I watched one of those camera jockeys in Algonquin get within about ten feet of a bull at the side of Hwy 60. Mr bull swung around and I think he about crapped his drawers getting outa there.

Ron T. · « **Reply #5 on:** June 21, 2003, 10:25:20 AM »

How close?

Hmmmmm..... to a live moose, about 125 yards.

To a dead moose, I dug my Nosler 210 grain Partition bullet out from under the hide on the off-side... so you might say I was "inside" him a bit, eh? Can't get any "closer" than THAT... :wink:

Daveinthebush · « **Reply #6 on:** June 21, 2003, 10:34:24 AM »

My first and closest moose was also in Algonquin canoeing up a creek. We came very close(20 feet) to her as she walked to shore and wandered off.

Somethimes you will see me post a moose dead in the willows, he was shot at nine yards.

John Y Cannuck · « **Reply #7 on:** June 22, 2003, 04:21:40 PM »

Ron T.
We've gutted a few, so I know what "inside" is really like. :shock:

tony212 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 26, 2003, 01:33:29 AM »

Last year I watched a calf moose from the previous spring try to jump a single wire fence. She got her legs tangled in the wire and fell to the ground unable to get up. I walked toward her and the mother came and chased me back. I would say I was about 10 feet from the mother. After a couple minutes the mother kind of calmed down and let me walk over to the calf. My father, brother and I pulled the fence staples out of the posts and eventually got the wire off of the calf's legs. We were actually touching the calf while we worked. It was really exciting.
Seeing the calf finally get up and walk over to the mother unhurt was one of the best things I have ever seen. Don't get me wrong we are all hunters, but knowing you saved an animal from a slow agonizing death can be as good as finally taking the trophy you've been after.
Anyway, How close have I been to a living moose? I have touched one.
Tony212

John Y Cannuck · « **Reply #9 on:** June 26, 2003, 06:07:14 AM »

Fine work! Don't you just wish all those anti-hunter types had been watching? For sure they wouldn't have been helping.

sport240 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 22, 2003, 06:22:10 PM »

Pretty darn close!!!!!

Last year I was stalking a moose which I had seen run off in the bush. To make myself discreet, I was walking in a ravine about 6 feet deep that runs completely across our land (water evacuation ravine that was dug when they logged the land 7 years ago)....well I'm stealthily walking in this ravine and out of nowhere....BOOM the moose jumps into the ravine only 10-15 feet in front of me!!! I don't know if it was the adrenaline or what, but it did'nt seem to make more noise than a woodcock!! I know this does'nt make much sense out of a 1000 pound bull jumping in from 6 feet above, but that's what I remember....the problem is that this thing was being stalked and he knew it, he was nervous (not to mention me) and there were only two directions he could take in the ravine...that way...or my way!!! I had my 300 Win slung over my shoulder and I never even thought of shouldering it!!! I dared not move not to provoke him. I WAS SCARED S#"$%LESS!!! I stood there trembling like a leaf and he ran off....that way...I was so relieved that I did'nt even want to chase it anymore...I knew he was heading directly towards my brother-in-law's blind (but that is another story).

We never got that bull, but Lord Almighty, moose are huge powerful beasts up close...I do not recommend such an experience to anyone. Maybe a more experienced hunter would have acted differently, but I had never been confronted by such a huge creature so close.

As an anecdote, when I got back to camp that day I was so amazed I could have sworn that he stood 10 feet tall and his rack was 7 feet wide!! I know this is ridiculous, but I was just too close for comfort with this moose...when they stand tall 10 feet away...they do look big!!!

Sport240

Silverado · « **Reply #11 on:** October 11, 2003, 06:53:36 PM »

A cow and calf crossed the river I was fishing in about 150 feet away a couple years back.

That's the closest so far, as I haven't hunted swamp donkeys yet. Hope to change that next year.

Kathy-Fish River Lodge · « **Reply #12 on:** October 12, 2003, 02:58:07 AM »

:eek: Have been about three canoe lengths from a big bull I used to watch all the time. Go looking every chance I get so I see a lot. Had a guest pat a young cow one year. Wife stayed in the car and took pictures. Plugged the disk into the computer and now I have nots of shots of one really ugly spring cow. Lots of luck to everyone on the hunt. Saw a nice bull Thursday and have some hunters on his trail. Will report in later in the week.

jdt48653 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 12, 2003, 02:34:52 PM »

John Y Cannuck · « **Reply #14 on:** October 13, 2003, 01:07:05 AM »

Quote from: Kathy-Fish River Lodge

:eek: Had a guest pat a young cow one year. Wife stayed in the car and took pictures.

:eek: :eek:
A very lucky fellow I'd say.
In my experience, cow moose are not usually as dangerous as elk in close quarters, but I certainly would never attempt to pat a wild moose, of either sex.
Bulls are totally unpredictable.
Bulls have really attacked train locomotives in northern Ontario. (they lost)

John Y Cannuck · « **Reply #15 on:** October 13, 2003, 01:10:05 AM »

Thats one of those incidents that the anti hunters like. "look how gentle they are"
Sadly, one of them recently was mauled to death in Alaska doing similar stunts with the big bears.

Maine_Hound_Hunter · « **Reply #16 on:** November 26, 2003, 02:45:38 AM »

I've cvame to within 1 foot of a moose before, and 10 feet on two occassions....The one that came within 1 foot of me was a moose that ran right by my front door when I was looking out it.....he ran right by me and I almost fainted....the other 2 were ones that were in the road or crossed in front of us

I've also been within 50 feet to a lot of moose.....

Darrell Davis · « **Reply #17 on:** December 24, 2003, 12:19:48 PM »

Hey there moose hunters,

Now as per close, can I count the one in the back yard of the house across the street here in Ol'I--dee--ho. Guess maybe 20' +/-

Think it was the same critter left something behind in my yard while I was sleeping - about another 20' unless it walked around back of the house which would have made it just on the other side of the wall oh maybe 5 - 6'

Took my once in a life time bull a short (5 min.) drive from the house and the wife's was only about 15 min. away. Skinned and quartered both of those critters on the garage floor.

Kind of nice to remind myself why I live in and love Ol'I-dee-ho.

Keep em coming! :wink:

John Y Cannuck · « **Reply #18 on:** December 25, 2003, 01:30:26 AM »

Close?

Darrell Davis · « **Reply #19 on:** December 25, 2003, 04:28:22 AM »

Hey there John,

W O W!!!!!!!!!!! That must have been ONE TOUGH WINTER!

I'm thinking that stopping at McDonald's would be a real come down from the normal level of grub for even a moose. Wonder why PETA isn't around crying about abuse, cruel treatment or some such.

But yes, that is close!

Keep em coming! :wink:

woodseye · « **Reply #20 on:** December 25, 2003, 05:06:01 AM »

Walked up on a bull during the rut and froze as he swung his head around to look right at me. Stood there for several minutes and had a small chainsaw in one hand and a trimmer in the other(was going in to bush some trails to deer stands out). Finially I let the trimmer down real slow keeping both eyes on the bull and as soon as I moved he came right at me from about 25yds. That saw always started on the third pull and thank the LORD it roared to life when he was about 10yds and his eyes seemed to open up huge and he turned without changing pace and disappeared into the jack firs right next to me. I revved the saw some and when I turned it off he was gone and the firs were still shakeing back and forth as was I. I was hoping the noise would scare him as the saw would have done me no good in defending myself and running would have been futile. They can really move in that fast trot they have and you never know whats going thru that mind when they look at you, I never saw fear in his eyes just surprise.

woods

CEJ1895 · « **Reply #21 on:** February 26, 2004, 03:37:44 AM »

I've had five cow moose within 25 feet of me in the span of 20 minutes one day two years ago in Northern Maine! :eek: We always seem to be jumping the darn things! Now if we had a moose permit we'd never see one :wink: Also walked within 15 feet of a big bull bedded down in a wind storm! I saw him before he saw me and when a tree snapped in the wind he went one way and I went the other! :grin: They definately make hunting interesting!

CEJ...

Leverdude · « **Reply #22 on:** March 06, 2004, 04:26:08 PM »

Been close to alot of them in northern NH. The closest was probly 30 ft or so, with the cow moose across a wallow on the roadside. Saw a nice bull last year with a friend. The bull was blocking a logging road, just hanging around eating. We stopped about 75' away & got out to watch. He let us watch for almost 1/2 hour before he let us pass. Theres no doubt about it, they are impressive animals. My buddy Mike was real nervous & kept askin if we could get away if the Moose "attacked" :grin: I told him I figured we might make it into the truck, but we might not neither.
Havent drawn a tag yet but I'm still trying.

jgalar · « **Reply #23 on:** March 07, 2004, 03:24:01 AM »

I was camping out in just a sleeping bag in Wyoming. I woke to a thump, thump thump sound. A moose trotted by at most 10 feet. I guess I was lucky not to get walked on.