The Cow Moose, and her Calf.

As I was hiking in the woods, near the Cabinet Mountains of Montana, I saw a brown patch of fur off to the side of the trail. My first thought was “Great I’ve just walked into a bear.” I stopped on the trail and started to backup very slowly when this animal backed up onto the trail and I realized it was a cow moose.

I sat down and waited for her to move back into the trees and I began to walk down the trail. As I got closer she backed back out onto the trail and blocked my way. She wasn’t aggressive; she just didn’t want me to pass. I walked back again fifty yards and sat down. I really didn’t want to turn around and go back.

I tried to walk down the trail 3 to 4 times in an hour’s time and she would just do the same thing. Being the curious person that I am, the last time I walked up to her really slow to try and see what she was doing. I have a walking stick about 5 feet long, so I walked within that distance and touched her on the rump with the stick. Her skin shook like she was shaking off a horse fly or something. I looked to my right and there was a new born calf in the trees not 10 feet away. It was still shiny and wet.

I decided then to turn around slowly and walk away. I was really surprised that the cow wasn’t more aggressive. Another incident, this is why I enjoy the woods so much. You never know what you might find next.

Ray