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Dogs and Moose

Panda Bear

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Joined
Apr 23, 2019
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There have been a couple of stories in the news recently about moose attacks on dogs, specifically sled dogs. These stories prompted some to ask questions and I will answer here.

I personally would prefer to lose a race than a dog and therefore I carry a rifle. Most carry a revolver, in an effort to keep the weight down. And although I can legally carry, I dont, I take a rifle. Others prefer flare pistols like the Orion, and they do work.

Although the Polar and Wolf can cause one to worry, it is the Moose that is the main culprit . They hate dogs, which comes from their constantly being harassed by the Wolf.

When we do shot a Moose, it is done under the DLP law. However you must gut the animal and take it to the next station. The second animal ( if one ) must also be reported and taken to the station, but you do not have to gut in the field. We do get to keep the meat. It is distributed to the community.

EUROPE and SALMONCHASER were both scheduled to meet me this year, but a variety of things got in the way. Covid, Africa, Spain, Health. My loss as these three (Salmonchaser's lady was also coming ) are so much fun, and knowledgeable.

Iditarod starts today
 
My dogs have been charged by moose. I’ve unloaded a couple rounds into the ground but never into a moose luckily. One of them I swear I could’ve reached out and touched as she veered off trail upon hearing the booms. Always cows and usually in calving season. I try to avoid. Also ran a bull off my property swinging a rake at it once.

A coworker told me he bear sprayed a moose once that was stomping someone’s dog on the trail. Dog lived. Said he never a saw a moose move that fast after getting hit with the spray.

Good PSA.
 
No, I'm not there. That was from 8 years ago. Wouldn't mind being there but no rental cars plus the cabin is "pending sale" now so even having a place 4 miles from the lake doesn't do me much good!
 
Non-dog moose encounters happen too.

I was headed up a trail once early I. The morning. Saw a moose off the trail that ran up the the slope when I shouted at it to let her know I was there. The trail did a couple switch backs and came round up top a ridge. When I got to the top of the switch backs, there was 3 older ladies waiting.

I asked if they saw the moose. They did and said it not far ahead off the trail. They said they’d feel better if I went first. One of them asked if my rod tube was a gun and I told no but I had a sidearm.

I went ahead and there was the moose right off trail. I shouted at her a little bit but she wouldn’t budge. So I called back to the old ladies that I was going to shoot off a round to scare her off so they had a heads up.

The moose trotted down the trail. I followed her shouting a little. Eventually she stopped right on the trail then started eating branches. Stupid moose. So I shot off another round and this time she trotted off trail down the steep hillside.

I headed back to let the old ladies know that the coast was clear. I was expecting to be hailed as a conquering hero. Maybe be rewarded with a butterscotch candy from one of their purses. But they were gone. I guess the excitement was too much for their aging hearts.
 
With over 3 feet of snow and up to 5 feet of snow in interior Alaska, moose spend most of their
time trying to avoid deep snow wolves have a major advantage on.
It does not take much to initiate a charge when they are on a trail.
HouseMoose.png
 
My border collie saved me from a moose charge once. Granted, he's probably the reason the moose charged in the first place. This happened at Meadowlark Lake in Wyoming.

Worst part was, after the dog stood his ground snarling and repelled the initial charge and sent the moose into the timber and uphill and we made haste towards the vehicle...I had a funny feeling I should make sure it wasn't following us again. I remember thinking, "No it wouldn't follow us....still, you'd be pretty stupid not to turn around and look." Sure enough, it followed us clear into the parking lot, and the second I made eye contact it charged again. We were close enough to the car my buddy yelled "get in the blanking car, and proceeded to dive in the back seat head first. I used the car as a barrier and it zipped right by. Pretty crazy encounter that luckily ended up ok for all parties involved.
 
You know the thing about a moose…he's got lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll's eye. When he comes at ya, he doesn't seem be living, until he tramples ya and the black eyes roll over white.
 
My wife and I were hiking with our new young dog and ran into a young moose.

Dog was running in circles around the moose, my wife was calling the dog and she got mad at me when I told her to stop calling the dog, that I didn’t want the moose to come back with the dog,

And she really didn’t appreciate my comment that I would buy her a new puppy.
 

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This cow survived the winter a few years ago, gorging on spring greenup, but still dangerous.
A neighbors dog came up to our yard, barking at the cow, her ears went back and she snapped.
Not only did she snap, but she tried to stomp the dog with her front hooves and when the dog ran,
she chased that dog a good 100 yards until I lost sight of them.
PrayingMoose (2).jpg
 
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