On Saturday past my two grandsons, Matthew 10 yrs and Mitchell 9 yrs, joined my son and me for the last day of our rifle deer hunt.
Mitchell was on watch with me when we had an amazing close encounter with a big mature bull moose with a massive rack. We were watching a somewhat clear area in hardwoods from a ridge and rocky knoll about 8 feet high. The dogs started barking in the distance indicating the start of a chase. A loud snap was followed by the moose entering the clearing off to our right about 40 – 50 yrds away. He trotted about half way across the clearing and stopped broadside to us. When the dogs barked again he continued about another 20 yrds or so starting to veer off towards the far ridge but then stopped again. I’m sure he was listening for the dogs as they barked again he headed over the ridge. My son and Matthew were on a watch just on the other side of that ridge so I radioed them to watch for the moose. Mitchell and I were discussing the sighting as being pretty neat and exciting. Well I had no sooner made the radio call when the moose came back over the ridge about a 100 yrds away this time trotting directly towards us. He continued coming straight at us until he was just maybe 20 - 25 feet away. Looking at that bull head-on so close is not something I’ll soon forget. At the base of the knoll we were standing (motionless) on he turned and trotted past us fully broadside no more than 15 feet away and of a course a little below us. We literally could have jumped on his back and gone for a ride. He continued past us and stayed in view probably another 50 or 75 yrds before going out of sight in the trees. It was pretty exciting and a little unnerving to have that huge bull come so close . I actually had the rifle at the ready as if he had not turned when he did I was ready to fire off a couple of quick .44 mag rounds to discourage him from getting any closer. It was interesting to note that he didn’t seem stressed about the dogs and not in a big hurry but obviously staying clear of them. There was no indication that he ever saw us. We learned later that after he went over the far ridge he came face to face with my son and Matthew. He stopped starred at them for a few seconds then turned around and left back over the ridge towards us. Oh for a video camera. I’m sure it was a once in a lifetime experience. Mitchell couldn’t stop talking about it – he’ll have good story for school on Monday.
I wonder if others have ever had a similar encounter?
Ron
Mitchell was on watch with me when we had an amazing close encounter with a big mature bull moose with a massive rack. We were watching a somewhat clear area in hardwoods from a ridge and rocky knoll about 8 feet high. The dogs started barking in the distance indicating the start of a chase. A loud snap was followed by the moose entering the clearing off to our right about 40 – 50 yrds away. He trotted about half way across the clearing and stopped broadside to us. When the dogs barked again he continued about another 20 yrds or so starting to veer off towards the far ridge but then stopped again. I’m sure he was listening for the dogs as they barked again he headed over the ridge. My son and Matthew were on a watch just on the other side of that ridge so I radioed them to watch for the moose. Mitchell and I were discussing the sighting as being pretty neat and exciting. Well I had no sooner made the radio call when the moose came back over the ridge about a 100 yrds away this time trotting directly towards us. He continued coming straight at us until he was just maybe 20 - 25 feet away. Looking at that bull head-on so close is not something I’ll soon forget. At the base of the knoll we were standing (motionless) on he turned and trotted past us fully broadside no more than 15 feet away and of a course a little below us. We literally could have jumped on his back and gone for a ride. He continued past us and stayed in view probably another 50 or 75 yrds before going out of sight in the trees. It was pretty exciting and a little unnerving to have that huge bull come so close . I actually had the rifle at the ready as if he had not turned when he did I was ready to fire off a couple of quick .44 mag rounds to discourage him from getting any closer. It was interesting to note that he didn’t seem stressed about the dogs and not in a big hurry but obviously staying clear of them. There was no indication that he ever saw us. We learned later that after he went over the far ridge he came face to face with my son and Matthew. He stopped starred at them for a few seconds then turned around and left back over the ridge towards us. Oh for a video camera. I’m sure it was a once in a lifetime experience. Mitchell couldn’t stop talking about it – he’ll have good story for school on Monday.
I wonder if others have ever had a similar encounter?
Ron
