A Moose in Our Neighborhood
I like to keep tallies of wildlife we see when we are road trips. On our trip to southeastern Idaho this past weekend we saw a bighorn ram crossing the road in front of us. Lyle pulled over so I could take a picture, but it disappeared over the bank before I could get a shot of it. We also saw 3 separate herds of antelope at different times, ranging from about 6 in the herd to probably 30. (I was really hoping that a group of antelope would be called something interesting, but nope, they’re just called a herd. A group of turkeys, however, is called a rafter. I learned that this year. Just thought you’d like to know.)
Turns out, I don’t even have to leave home to get some good wildlife shots. This morning as I was taking care of some desk work at the print shop I happened to look up to see a bull moose ambling along past my window. I immediately dropped what I was doing, grabbed my phone and ran out the door to snap this picture.
The moose was headed toward Main Street and I knew I’d want my good camera with the zoom lens, so I scurried back in the building to get it and hollered at Rebecca: “Come see! There’s a moose!”
By the time I got back with my camera, the moose had wandered into the parking area of the auto shop across the street.
He was fenced in with the only way out the same way he went in. It took him a bit to figure that out.
Naturally, he stopped traffic on Main Street. One woman jumped out of her car to get a better picture. I think she was nuts to get that close to him. Can you tell how big he is? (And he was a young bull, on the small side.)
He finally figured out how to get out of the fenced area and strolled on down Main Street like he had places to go and people to see. At that point, Rebecca and I returned to the shop, excited about the pictures I had been able to get.
A few minutes later Rebecca told me she saw people over at the skate park across the street taking pictures. Apparently he had wandered down there. I told her she could take my camera and go over there, but to be careful and not get too close.
In a little bit she was back. “I got some good ones, Mom! He was looking right at me!”
I guess he was! Don’t you just love that face?
Here’s a screenshot of Google Earth showing our neighborhood so you can visualize his route.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a moose in town, but it’s rare enough that we do get excited about it!
Have you ever seen a moose? Up close and personal?
8 Comments
Michael Ann
Oh my goodness! I had heard they were big, but that third shot (of him standing between the cars) made me gasp! And he’s young?!? Wow!
Karla Ezell Cook
Yes, it was a young one. The one we saw in town the other time was bigger than this one.
Rachel Going Creative
Yes I did notice how big he was comparing his legs to the car! ! The only one I’ve seen up close and personal is at Cabelas in Indianapolis. He’s stuffed. He’s huge too. Remember those children’s readers about Morris the Moose and he had all kinds of Aventures? ? I’ve heard that moose are mean and aggressive. I wonder if that is true?
Karla Ezell Cook
I think it is true. Or that they can be mean and aggressive anyway. I was across the street from him, taking pictures. A pickup pulled up beside me and the guy had his window rolled down, so we were visiting a little bit while we were watching the moose. The other guy said the lady who jumped out of the car to take pictures was way too close, and later, others who saw my picture of her said the same thing. I’ve been told that it’s just best to keep your distance.
Farrah Braileanu
Only one that was mounted on the wall.
Karla Ezell Cook
You need to get out in the woods more! No, that’s silly for me to say. We went for long drives on forest roads for years before we saw our first moose… and now we’ve seen two right in town! One in Post Falls and one in Rathdrum! Who knows? Maybe one will show up in Liberty Lake one day!
Sheila @ Making the Most of Every Day
He’s huge!! Wow!
Only once, a fleeting glance, on my second trip to Alaska.
Karla Ezell Cook
He does look so big in the pictures, but he definitely wasn’t as big as they can get.