A Close Encounter of the Moose Kind in Idaho

Moose are curious animals, and dangerous if you get too close.  Todd Eccles, one of our Gun Guys from KLIX, went hunting over the weekend with a couple of his kids.  I’m not going to pinpoint where, because they would like to keep the spot under wraps.  However, we can say it’s in southern Idaho.  They had no luck when it came to bagging deer.  The moose came along at one point and took a brief interest in Todd’s party.  He described it as a giant.

He Was a Very Big Bull

I’ve rarely seen moose, much less one that size, though I did have an up close moment a couple of times.  Once near Jackson, Wyoming, and another time near Bristol, Vermont.  In the latter instance, the moose was more afraid of me than I was of him.  He took off running.  The massive beast I saw near Jackson thought he owned the road and wasn’t in any hurry to move along.  I didn’t argue with him.

We're Having a Moose Population Explosion

A few years ago, cameras at Pomerelle captured images of a massive bull wading through snow.  Because of their size, there’s really nothing they fear.  Their curiosity probably makes them dangerous.  At a safety fair a few years ago in the South Hills, deputies had a visit from a yearling who wanted to investigate what they were doing.  They gave the animal a wide berth.  Very good advice for anyone.

Idaho Fish and Game explains we’ve seen a growth in the regional moose population, and sometimes they even transit the Snake River Canyon, which wouldn’t be considered their usual habitat.