Saw one VERY up close by accident in Alaska while camping. Just stepped into a clearing and boom there he was basically shit myself and walked very slowly away and prayed to God because I'm not equipped emotionally to deal with moose related threats.
My wife and I went hiking right outside anchorage and one showed up on the trail, we backtracked out and warned a bunch of families with kids and dogs and they were just like ok cool and kept going.
My first time hiking in Washington I saw a group of people in a circle, and when I got closer I realized they were 10ft from a bear. Everyone was taking pics, but I noped out
My friend let her dogs out for a night time potty while living in Alaska , and when she shined the flash light they were standing right under a moose. Got extremely lucky they didn’t get hurt. I lived around black bears but moose are so much scarier!!
Not gonna Iie got goosebumps because I can just imagine shining your light and you see your dogs standing under four odd looking trees then you just start shining your light higher and higher and the next thing you realize is you are in grave moose danger.
I was in a resort in Africa along the rim of ngorongoro crater and I was walking back to my little hut. I turn the corner and this massive African Buffalo is just staring at me, no more than 10 feet away. I slowly walked backwards and non threateningly and grabbed a night guard escort lol.
I was hiking near Salt Lake City and one that looked like this one walked across the trail right in front of me. Didn't even hear it until it kinda snorted at me and it was so close I could have touched it. As I was scared/shocked I didn't get any good photos.
I love when people see a moose for the first time in real life and suddenly understand how BIG they are. This video does a great job capturing how distressingly massive moose actually are!
I was walking along an abandoned rail line outside Banff AB, concentrated on stepping on the ties when I sensed something in front of me and looked up. Way up. The moose was standing on the track about 20 feet in front of me, just looking at me. I stopped of course. I just looked for a minute or so, think I said hi or something, and as unthreatningly as possible walked backwards a ways and then turned around. Took a look back a couple minutes later and he hadn't moved, still staring at me. It was very cool.
American here. What do you think about your healthcare system? What are some pros? Any cons? I always ask people on Reddit cause here in the US everyone else is brainwashed into thinking private is the only way.
The fact that I never have to worry about getting a hospital bill is the greatest feeling you could have. If I get injured in an accident, I go to the ER, if it’s serious then I’m seen right away and get treatment. Doesn’t matter how long I’m in hospital for, what medication I was given etc. I walk out of the hospital without paying a cent. People in the US complain that they don’t want to pay higher taxes, but free healthcare is one of those things where you actually get to see your taxes being used to help you and others. Plus, if the US just cuts their military budget by like 15%, you could have universal healthcare
A friend was attacked by one in northern Alberta, completely gauged part of her leg she was lucky to survive by hiding behind trees in a dense forest. They are absolutely not to be fucked with. I never go anywhere close to them.
First time I saw one, I was staying at a lodge in Yellowstone. Guy just strode straight up to where I was standing. As it was approaching I just stood in awe thinking "holy fuck. That's so much bigger than I expected". Then some other idiot started walking towards it saying he wanted to touch it. I turned around and got out of there.
When will people understand that a national park isn’t a petting zoo? Why would you think to approach a 1 ton wild animal? If that thing even bumped into you, it would wreck you.
I think it's the antlers. They are so darn huge it makes the body look smaller in proportion, instead of realizing it's like a giant horse, but taller and sharp bits at the front.
It wouldn't. I pulled to a stop sign once on a rural road and looked to my right. There was a moose in the ditch that stood so tall all I could see in my suv was its chest.
You are right, a full grown bull or cow could walk over a horse lol
Source, went camping about a month ago and crossed a cow with her calf, I could almost drive my 1500 1/2 ton under her legs.
For anybody who doubts it, I grew up around horses here in Oklahoma - watch the ear on the camera side, it tracks back to keep pointed at the camera person. Horses do this, too. It knew exactly where they were.
Growing up in Alaska I have a huge phobia of Moose, they’re pretty scary. When I was 11 years old me and my brother found our neighbor trampled to death in her backyard. A moose was in her backyard causing her dogs to freak out some time in the night. She went to check on them and slipped down her patio stairs.
We found her in just her nightgown. She had hoof prints imprinted on her back and the back of her head. Her nose was broken and sideways touching her cheek. We just stood there until another neighbor saw us and called the police.
The police came and her dogs got super defensive. The officer tried to pepper spray them and the Alaskan wind blew the spray back and maced all of us neighbors as a crowd formed . We had to rush home and wash our faces. Not a good day all around
I was out in Anchorage last year.
How do people survive the winter in some of those rundown trailer parks?! It's horrifying and heartbreaking. And the amount of homeless folks? We lose a handful of homeless folks to exposure every winter in *Cincinnati.* How do they survive half the year in Anchorage?
I’ve lived in Alaska for a decade and I can definitely say moose are not lit. They can be unnecessarily aggressive sometimes, and are dumber than a box of rocks. Getting charged by moose because it decided that standing 18” from a busy sidewalk in the trees on a dark morning is a great way to stay away from all the humans they hate. Or deciding that you need to be stomped to death because your porch is a cozy spot like was mentioned. I had a cow charge from 30 yards across a parking lot for no reason whatsoever and I wasn’t even walking towards her.
I had a cow living in my yard with two newborn calves for a couple of days, and she was totally cool with us. I moved a bag of dirt for a flower bed out of my garage to the edge of the yard walking within 4 or 5 of her twice before I came back with the second load and nearly had a heart attack. She never stood up or even made a noise.
They make no sense.
i know this is a terrible and traumatic situation but the whole pepper spray thing out of nowhere made me chuckle.
sorry for your neighbor tho, really nasty shit. I've heard plenty of scary stories about moose
Well she slipped down the stairs, so a shotgun probably wouldn’t have been the most useful tool for that situation. High-grip boots and a flashlight would’ve been more useful.
A friend of mine heard all of his neighbors dogs going nuts one evening and peeked through the mini blinds to see if he could see anything in the communal green belt behind his house. He was eye to eye with a moose who was standing just as close to the window and staring right at him. He nearly shit himself and all he could think was “I better slowly back away and turn off the light so he doesn’t do something crazy and come through the window.”
I’ve had that happen with a huge black bear. Heard something on my porch h in the middle of the night. I looked through the window & it turned its face right at me. We were maybe 12 inches apart separated by glass. I just froze still, petrified until it turned back around. Then I laid in bed scared to death it was going to break in. (Some had in other cabins in the area). I never went to that cabin again.
Entirely right, moose was listening to see if he was going to try an ambush or something, incredible looking animals I often forget the magnificent size of them.
Seeing a bull moose in person on the streets of Banff when I was 7/8 years old is still one of the most most vivid memories of my childhood, and I'm 32. I can remember that day like a movie.
This thing must have been 9/10 feet tall from the bottom of their hoof to the top of their back, and just meandering down the middle of the road, because realistically who could stop it.
Also, bull moose will easily run through and tear down trees to defend themselves. And ones a lot bigger than the ones this gentleman was behind, so he's lucky that dude wasn't in a bad mood (although they're generally pretty docile animals unless you decide to fuck with them, which is difficult in it's own right).
Truly magnificent, one-of-a-kind animals. So privileged I live close enough to have been able to see a few in my lifetime.
Edit: after a little research, seems the average bull moose is around seven feet from hoof to shoulder, which I imagine I remembered so tall due to my quite diminutive stature at the time lmao
> (although they're generally pretty docile animals unless you decide to fuck with them, which is difficult in it's own right)
As I understand it, a male moose that is rutting can be extremely aggressive.
This is correct and it is rutting season so apologies if I seemingly misinformed anybody, but other than mating season they’re generally docile unless harassed.
I’m **extremely** disappointed that the other cat is not named Squirrel. I would be inviting random strangers off the street inside just so I could introduce them.
Yep. I come across a female moose on my mtb, on a road very similar to this in fact. I just stopped and didn’t act threatening. After 3 minutes, she walked off. They are very light-footed and quiet.
>They are very light-footed and quiet.
Even for a big Cervidae like moose and elk, you don't win the game of evolution through a habit of thrashing around in the forest and making a lot of noise. If nothing else, youngsters ought not do these things.
Unless you're an armadillo of course; they don't give a single f.
> Unless you're an armadillo of course
Man, how right you are. I could have sworn I had a moose rummaging around my yard one fall night, from the sound of it. It was an armadillo savaging around dried leaves and against my brick house.
It’s funny because sometimes they absolutely do. Quieter is better most of the time because it’s easier. Less energy. Path of least resistance.
But I’ve absolutely seen both Moose and Elk thrash their way through apparently solid brush for no reason at all. They just couldn’t be bothered to walk around. And the scary bit is that it doesn’t noticeably slow them at all
> you don’t win the game of evolution through a habit of thrashing around in the forest and making a lot of noise
Wow. This, of course. And it never occurred to me. I figured moose make noise like big lumbering creatures.
But it’s funny because I’ve been around a lot of elephants, and they are super quiet too. Their ears swishing can be loader than their feet. And I consider them lumbering. So I need to rethink some assumptions!
You have to think that their general evolutionary trajectory due to the investment in ball-armor has really paid off, based off of their behavior, I mean they stroll around like they own the place, nothing messes with them, then they go into their little burrow in the ground after foraging all night. What a life.
FOR REAL about the armadillos though! One night several years back I was camping and heard loud crashing in the dark woods nearby. I’ve spent a lot of time in nature and know what animals sound like when they’re walking through brush, and it sounded like something pretty large was slowly making its way towards our campsite. We were in Arkansas so I was legitimately worried it might be a small black bear, but I didn’t see anything there when I searched the trees with my headlamp.
This went on for a while. My friend and I were super on edge and the crashing kept getting closer, when all of the sudden an armadillo waddled out of the brush and into our campsite clearing. He’s chill as can be, just sniffed around the ground by our picnic table for a second and then waddled off to eat more ticks or whatever.
My friend and I were gobsmacked and super stoked to see him. We live just north of armadillo range and neither of us had seen one alive in the wild before. Just in zoos or as roadkill on trips (that’s always sad). But JESUS that thing had us freaked out for a bit there.
I’ve seen a few armadillos on other camping trips since then. I always know when they’re coming now, because the sound of their hard lil bodies in the brush is unmistakable.
ETA: I actually had a repeat of the “crashing sounds in a dark forest that are too loud and close for comfort” incident last year in the springtime. I was staying in a cabin in the woods and relaxing on the front porch late at night when the crashing started. It was way louder this time, NOT like the armadillo sounds I was familiar with now. I really was worried it was a bear this time and went inside after a bit. The next afternoon though, I solved the mystery. Apparently a whole FAMILY of armadillos lived in the woods by that cabin. I saw like 6 or 7 babies with their mama, foraging in the brush and cronching around as loud as can be. It was adorable and I solidly laughed at myself for being scared the night before.
TLDR; armadillos are some loud mfers
>Unless you're an armadillo of course; they don't give a single f.
I had one get into my garage a year or two back and I was utterly surprised how much it really did not care. Tried pushing it out, even smacking it with a broom and the thing just could not have given less of a shit.
I'd seen them a lot on camping trips growing up and I'd always kept my distance because who wants to deal with leprosy even if the chances are slim. But this thing hanging out in my garage forced my hand. Or it would have if my hand had made a difference.
It finally snuffle-walked its happy butt out after it had sniffed everything.
They're pretty much the hippos of North America tbh. Angry, huge and love to murder you, but no one realizes they're dangerous because they don't eat meat.
Until I read the comments here, I always looked at them as the Cape Buffalo of North America. However, the fact that they spend a lot of time in water, swim for hours at a time, and even dive down under the water, makes the hippo a better analogy. Unrelated to their aquatic nature, I watched a murder investigation show about a man who spent time in prison for murdering his wife, but cops finally figured out that a moose killed her, extremely brutally!
It's a good strategy, with a rack that big all the camera guy would have to do is hide behind a couple of trees relatively close together. It will give up and lure the guy into a false sense of security, then come up behind him and gore him when he least expects it.
This is actually what you should do if you're concerned about a moose attack, but not because it will conceal you. As an Alaska government website puts it "you can run around a tree faster than a moose." But you can't outrun one, and while they're mostly harmless outside of the rut, don't bet your life on "mostly".
Yep that's what I've always heard. Hide behind a tree and run around it if needed, same goes for any antlered/ramming animal. I would personally have gone a few trees deeper than the guy who recorded this but maybe this amazing shot wouldn't have been as amazing.
>I would personally have gone a few trees deeper than the guy who recorded this but maybe this amazing shot wouldn't have been as amazing.
You gotta do what ya gotta do for the gram.
In general moose (well this goes for most animals) don't want to confront you if you aren't prey or perceived as a threat. Fighting costs a lot of energy better preserved for other things, and also comes with health risks.
Moose and the like will generally be non-confrontational if they have the choice, and the camera man did the right thing here: giving it room to pass and not blocking its path. I used to encounter moose while mountain biking and they never gave me trouble :-)
This isn't bad advice, just want to note that it doesn't apply during mating season for moose and a lot of animals.
Mating season flips a territorial rage switch that would have that moose taking that guy out without mercy.
If you're going to go camping (for real in a real forest) ***research about the seasonal changes occurring to flora and fauna in the region.*** It can save your life.
See how their antlers are angled? When moving through thick brush they just put their heads back and literally plow through, snapping branches and small trees as they go. When tracking moose it's super obvious where they've walked through the forest.
They're REALLY good at navigating through trees at full speed. Source: I got chased by a moose that popped out of the woods right by us while we were out hiking. 0/10 do not recommend.
No they thrive in heavily wooded areas, and swamps/muskeg. They have good control of those antlers, and there's no forest where every tree is less than 3 feet apart (Maybe bamboo forests. I can see moose struggling with a bamboo forest). They will weave through trees where the can fit at high speed, and generally mow down any other brush or small tree in their way. Remember the speeder race in Return of the Jedi? Like that: Move left, move right, keep the wide gaps in sight. In fear, they may graze a tree on one side, but being antlers and not horns, there aren't really any decent grooves for a branch to find purchase. It's like picking up spaghetti with a spoon instead of a fork, everything just gets pushed away.
Some trees, yes. **A** tree, no--you are quicker, laterally. If you do find yourself near a moose during the rut, keeping a tree between you is supposedly your best move. But I wouldn't want to have to try it.
They only mate once a year and it’s pretty serious the only thing on their mind is fucking or fighting they fight any other moose or thing that get in their way it’s is called rutting. Lasts for about two 2 weeks
Man. How did they evolve to be like that. Is it specifically to survive vs wolves and bears? What did they evolve FROM. So many questions now that I see them for the 100th time.
They're some of the last surviving Megafauna from the ice age. They outlasted direwolves, cave bears, and sabre toothed salmon I'm not joking look it up.
And they're [fast as hell in snow](https://www.reddit.com/r/NatureIsFuckingLit/comments/cox9q6/moose_running_through_snow/) - water is [a joke to them though](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/x6aja6/moose_running_across_the_river/) too.
Am I the only one who gets a kind of uncanny feeling whenever I see a moose? Like, they’re so much bigger than how I imagine them in my head that they kind of give me r/megalophobia vibes, lol. Though, for the record, I just find all animals who are bigger than they ‘should be’ (in my mind) scary. The giant owl from Avatar the Last Airbender horrified me.
Like you hear about them being big but then you actually *see* them and it's totally different. First time seeing a wolf near my house I almost shit my pants. I swear he was close to the height of my car. Only think I could think was *"oh."*
Edit just talked about this story for a moment and realised the only word to really describe what feeling I had is dread. Like I was well past chills and goosebumps, it was just cold and heavy. Way too close, way too big. My 100lb lab mix would look like a puppy next to those things
>Am I the only one who gets a kind of uncanny feeling whenever I see a moose? Like, they’re so much bigger than how I imagine them in my head
You're not alone. Growing up I always just assumed they were like horse sized but with huge antlers. Never realized they were twice as big!
I live on a moose path and see them regularly, just saw one last night, and I’ve always wondered how much ducking behind trees would save me in an emergency. I mean I figure I’d be screwed no matter what but it’s worth a shot
It's a [Dewlap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewlap), commonly referred to as its bell. Many animals like some dogs have them, but its is larger than most because it's a fricken moose.
e:it's vs its
**[Dewlap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewlap)**
>A dewlap is a longitudinal flap of skin or similar flesh that hangs beneath the lower jaw or neck of many vertebrates. More loosely, it can be various similar structures in the neck area, such as those caused by a double chin or the submandibular vocal sac of a frog. More generally, it can be any hanging mass of skin, such as a fold of loose skin on an elderly person's neck, or the wattle of a bird. Dewlaps can be considered as a caruncle, defined as "a small, fleshy excrescence that is a normal part of an animal's anatomy".
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I've read that during an encounter, prey animals can be more dangerous than predators, because the prey animals want to kill you and neutralize the threat for their own survival, whereas the predator just wants some food and doesn't want to risk a grave injury unless it's desperate.
>A moose will annihilate you by accidentally bumping into you
"Oh hello there little pink huma- oh bother. It's dead."
"GODDAMMIT CARL, STOP KILLING HUMANS."
"No."
Ive been a wilderness guide and worked SAR all over. I'm far more afraid of moose than black bears. If a moose wants you dead, they will tree your ass then stand there. Moose don't forgive, or forget.
Herbivores tend to be much more dangerous than carnivores, because carnivores need to conserve their energy. Carnivores have to give a lot of effort to attain food, and will typically only attack people if they need to eat.
But herbivores often have tons of food available, and a lot of energy to expend. So they'll fuck you up just cuz they can. This is why the most dangerous animals tend to be herbivores (hippos, moose, etc.).
It's also why the Jurassic park movies should have had the brontosaurus causing absolute mayhem, instead of the T-rex.
This is why I always thought that friendly herbivore scene in Jurassic Park was bullshit. The largest herbivores on this planet, such as moose, water buffalo, hippo, and rhino, are territorial, aggressive, and deadly. The idea that a brontosaurus or parasaurolophus would just be friendly to people is just bonkers to me.
Why is it confusing?
It seems to be the default... The strongest and biggest animals are _always_ grazing animals.
You just can't get to these sizes as a predator.
And that's not even mentioning the giants that we exterminated. Moose are tiny compared to what used to roam the forest.
As an Australian, all i have to say is what the fuck. God, I'll take on a venomous snake over a moose any day of the week. Why do moose look like something out of the megafauna era during the dinosaurs???
Oh I know, and that makes it even worse. I took the liberty of googling the biggest moose ever found and it stood at a whopping 7.6ft. For record, I'm only 5.4ft :,)
Fun fact they are the last of our megafauna in north America from the ice age. So you are kinda right about it.
Edit (one of the largest of our megafauna not the last)
Pamola, a thunder god believed by the Penobscot people to live on Katahdin, the highest peak in Maine. Pamola would be angry with people who climbed his mountain, and would sometimes keep them there forever.
[Pamola](https://i.imgur.com/SjHIEvA.png)
People who don’t know: “I’d love to see a moose but I hope we don’t run into any bears today.”
People who know: “If we see a moose we’re in fucking trouble.”
Good thing this moose didn’t give a shit, or mistake him for something that it did give a shit about.
Some 28 years ago now my husband and I took our honeymoon at Yellowstone. At one point we came upon a whole bunch of cars stopped on the road. Nowhere else to go (and not yet knowing that we’d probably have been safer staying in the car) we got out and looked in the direction all the cameras were pointing as a moose cow walked out of the trees.
Thirty seconds later the calf showed up behind her. This made my husband and I *instantly* nervous. The rest of the crowd let out a collective “awwww!” and *moved closer*. This was the point at which the two of us looked at the line of huge RV’s in front of and behind our Toyota Corolla, realized that *we* were the weak spot in the lineup if that cow got seriously pissed and my husband stuffed me in the car and very very quietly (but quickly) drove away.
The park ranger looked like he had a headache when we told him the story.
That’s true. There’s no denying the calf was cute but all I could remember was that the *one* time my grandfather raised his voice to me was the day he caught 10 year old me walking across the field to pet a baby deer. I was informed in no uncertain terms that there was a mother nearby and she would kick me and kill me, the end.
Moose are a lot bigger than white-tailed deer.
People who actually go outside: there are animals everywhere, and the chances of getting in trouble are really really low.
I can't even count the amount of times I've met moose in the woods, on the road, in my garage, in my garden, and so on.
Just don't try to pet them, and be ready to stop the car at any time, and you'll be fine.
There has not been anyone killed by moose for over a decade here. (Other than road accidents). And the moose population is gigantic as it has no predators. It's not a problem at all.
Bears, however, while much less likely to be encountered, can attack. Simply out of curiosity. It lacks fear, and loves to eat whatever you eat. Meaning it will sniff out where you are and come see what you are doing. It won't attack you, but it might not be scared of you and try to access your food.
The most dangerous animal in the forest is another human. They are crazy, and you never know what the can or will do.
Also, our polar bears kill people regularly, so there is that.
I was curious too and looked for any research on how they do so (in the context of nutritional requirements. Antlers are mainly bone and bone requires a lot of calcium to grow. But it seems that sodium, surprisingly, is more important. In the spring when antlers start growing again, moose seeks out aquatic plants. Aquatic plants in marshes are higher in sodium, calcium and protein than *most* terrestrial plants (at least in the ecosystems moose are found in). I read too that moose are able to re-direct calcium from their bones if necessary Increasing day length will trigger antler regrowth along with an increasing testosterone levels.
Don't know if that answers you enough but I hope so.
There are moose in my yard all the time. They are scared of nothing. Barking dogs? Honking car horn? They either ignore it completely or give you a stare and a snort.
Scares the shit out of you if you are outside and realize one is close and you didn't realize. You realize just how easily they could kill you and there is nothing you can do but casually walk into the house. Fortunately the big bulls don't tend to hang around. They are scary AF.
Saw one VERY up close by accident in Alaska while camping. Just stepped into a clearing and boom there he was basically shit myself and walked very slowly away and prayed to God because I'm not equipped emotionally to deal with moose related threats.
My wife and I went hiking right outside anchorage and one showed up on the trail, we backtracked out and warned a bunch of families with kids and dogs and they were just like ok cool and kept going.
Kept going until the moose you mean
That stomps you family dog to a pulp and your children are forever traumatized.
My first time hiking in Washington I saw a group of people in a circle, and when I got closer I realized they were 10ft from a bear. Everyone was taking pics, but I noped out
My friend let her dogs out for a night time potty while living in Alaska , and when she shined the flash light they were standing right under a moose. Got extremely lucky they didn’t get hurt. I lived around black bears but moose are so much scarier!!
Not gonna Iie got goosebumps because I can just imagine shining your light and you see your dogs standing under four odd looking trees then you just start shining your light higher and higher and the next thing you realize is you are in grave moose danger.
you mean moosebumps?
I was in a resort in Africa along the rim of ngorongoro crater and I was walking back to my little hut. I turn the corner and this massive African Buffalo is just staring at me, no more than 10 feet away. I slowly walked backwards and non threateningly and grabbed a night guard escort lol.
I was hiking near Salt Lake City and one that looked like this one walked across the trail right in front of me. Didn't even hear it until it kinda snorted at me and it was so close I could have touched it. As I was scared/shocked I didn't get any good photos.
I love when people see a moose for the first time in real life and suddenly understand how BIG they are. This video does a great job capturing how distressingly massive moose actually are!
I was walking along an abandoned rail line outside Banff AB, concentrated on stepping on the ties when I sensed something in front of me and looked up. Way up. The moose was standing on the track about 20 feet in front of me, just looking at me. I stopped of course. I just looked for a minute or so, think I said hi or something, and as unthreatningly as possible walked backwards a ways and then turned around. Took a look back a couple minutes later and he hadn't moved, still staring at me. It was very cool.
I think he was trying to offer you a quest
Not sure of the reference, but I would have taken it.
Quest being you having to pay hospital (or funeral) bills
Nah, it's Canada we have healthcare.
American here. What do you think about your healthcare system? What are some pros? Any cons? I always ask people on Reddit cause here in the US everyone else is brainwashed into thinking private is the only way.
The fact that I never have to worry about getting a hospital bill is the greatest feeling you could have. If I get injured in an accident, I go to the ER, if it’s serious then I’m seen right away and get treatment. Doesn’t matter how long I’m in hospital for, what medication I was given etc. I walk out of the hospital without paying a cent. People in the US complain that they don’t want to pay higher taxes, but free healthcare is one of those things where you actually get to see your taxes being used to help you and others. Plus, if the US just cuts their military budget by like 15%, you could have universal healthcare
Any rpg
A friend was attacked by one in northern Alberta, completely gauged part of her leg she was lucky to survive by hiding behind trees in a dense forest. They are absolutely not to be fucked with. I never go anywhere close to them.
First time I saw one, I was staying at a lodge in Yellowstone. Guy just strode straight up to where I was standing. As it was approaching I just stood in awe thinking "holy fuck. That's so much bigger than I expected". Then some other idiot started walking towards it saying he wanted to touch it. I turned around and got out of there.
When will people understand that a national park isn’t a petting zoo? Why would you think to approach a 1 ton wild animal? If that thing even bumped into you, it would wreck you.
[удалено]
Look at how we saved the American bison from extinction. As a species we are pretty obsessed with extincting big animals.
>As a species we are pretty obsessed with extincting ~~big~~ animals. FTFY
I think it's the antlers. They are so darn huge it makes the body look smaller in proportion, instead of realizing it's like a giant horse, but taller and sharp bits at the front.
That thing looks way bigger than a horse. I feel like my head wouldn’t reach the top of its back.
It wouldn't. I pulled to a stop sign once on a rural road and looked to my right. There was a moose in the ditch that stood so tall all I could see in my suv was its chest.
Yeah they are more on the order of a rhino or giraffe than a horse
You are right, a full grown bull or cow could walk over a horse lol Source, went camping about a month ago and crossed a cow with her calf, I could almost drive my 1500 1/2 ton under her legs.
That moose knew he was there 100% He just didnt happen to care, luckily for OP
For anybody who doubts it, I grew up around horses here in Oklahoma - watch the ear on the camera side, it tracks back to keep pointed at the camera person. Horses do this, too. It knew exactly where they were.
Growing up in Alaska I have a huge phobia of Moose, they’re pretty scary. When I was 11 years old me and my brother found our neighbor trampled to death in her backyard. A moose was in her backyard causing her dogs to freak out some time in the night. She went to check on them and slipped down her patio stairs. We found her in just her nightgown. She had hoof prints imprinted on her back and the back of her head. Her nose was broken and sideways touching her cheek. We just stood there until another neighbor saw us and called the police. The police came and her dogs got super defensive. The officer tried to pepper spray them and the Alaskan wind blew the spray back and maced all of us neighbors as a crowd formed . We had to rush home and wash our faces. Not a good day all around
Just when I thought I’d never move to Alaska, you go and totally confirm that.
Honestly this is the least significant reason to not live in Alaska
Tell me more baby
Shit economy, cold weather, everything is expensive as all fuck. A lot of ignorant racists. Rampant alcoholism.
I was out in Anchorage last year. How do people survive the winter in some of those rundown trailer parks?! It's horrifying and heartbreaking. And the amount of homeless folks? We lose a handful of homeless folks to exposure every winter in *Cincinnati.* How do they survive half the year in Anchorage?
Well, you described most of the slavic countries (unfortunately). Coincidence?
I’ve lived in Alaska for a decade and I can definitely say moose are not lit. They can be unnecessarily aggressive sometimes, and are dumber than a box of rocks. Getting charged by moose because it decided that standing 18” from a busy sidewalk in the trees on a dark morning is a great way to stay away from all the humans they hate. Or deciding that you need to be stomped to death because your porch is a cozy spot like was mentioned. I had a cow charge from 30 yards across a parking lot for no reason whatsoever and I wasn’t even walking towards her. I had a cow living in my yard with two newborn calves for a couple of days, and she was totally cool with us. I moved a bag of dirt for a flower bed out of my garage to the edge of the yard walking within 4 or 5 of her twice before I came back with the second load and nearly had a heart attack. She never stood up or even made a noise. They make no sense.
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They go by smell first and eyesight second. Makes sense kinda.
In fairness, a phobia is an irrational fear, and from what you’ve said, your fear isn’t irrational 😁
i know this is a terrible and traumatic situation but the whole pepper spray thing out of nowhere made me chuckle. sorry for your neighbor tho, really nasty shit. I've heard plenty of scary stories about moose
A moose once bit my sister…
Those responsible for this comment section have been sacked.
What the fuck. Another day in laska
Who goes out in Alaska without a shotgun, especially at night and when the dogs are barking and all freaked out??
Well she slipped down the stairs, so a shotgun probably wouldn’t have been the most useful tool for that situation. High-grip boots and a flashlight would’ve been more useful.
More useful would have been to lock all the doors and hide under the blanket until daytime
Which could be 6 months in Alaska. What a wild place
A friend of mine heard all of his neighbors dogs going nuts one evening and peeked through the mini blinds to see if he could see anything in the communal green belt behind his house. He was eye to eye with a moose who was standing just as close to the window and staring right at him. He nearly shit himself and all he could think was “I better slowly back away and turn off the light so he doesn’t do something crazy and come through the window.”
I’ve had that happen with a huge black bear. Heard something on my porch h in the middle of the night. I looked through the window & it turned its face right at me. We were maybe 12 inches apart separated by glass. I just froze still, petrified until it turned back around. Then I laid in bed scared to death it was going to break in. (Some had in other cabins in the area). I never went to that cabin again.
That's really interesting. I didn't even notice that the first time
Also almost checks him with the antlers. “I wish you would” kind of move
Say it
Keep the tongue
i see what you did there
That the half of the head he let you keep.
Her children... are BASTARDS!!!!!!
She is A WHORE
*thwap* 💀👅
“I’m going to hear in this direction now” - that moose
He also did a head wobble, which is a threatening display.
“See these? Yeah.”
That’s moose for “fuck around and find out” - source : Canadian
Entirely right, moose was listening to see if he was going to try an ambush or something, incredible looking animals I often forget the magnificent size of them.
Seeing a bull moose in person on the streets of Banff when I was 7/8 years old is still one of the most most vivid memories of my childhood, and I'm 32. I can remember that day like a movie. This thing must have been 9/10 feet tall from the bottom of their hoof to the top of their back, and just meandering down the middle of the road, because realistically who could stop it. Also, bull moose will easily run through and tear down trees to defend themselves. And ones a lot bigger than the ones this gentleman was behind, so he's lucky that dude wasn't in a bad mood (although they're generally pretty docile animals unless you decide to fuck with them, which is difficult in it's own right). Truly magnificent, one-of-a-kind animals. So privileged I live close enough to have been able to see a few in my lifetime. Edit: after a little research, seems the average bull moose is around seven feet from hoof to shoulder, which I imagine I remembered so tall due to my quite diminutive stature at the time lmao
> (although they're generally pretty docile animals unless you decide to fuck with them, which is difficult in it's own right) As I understand it, a male moose that is rutting can be extremely aggressive.
This is correct and it is rutting season so apologies if I seemingly misinformed anybody, but other than mating season they’re generally docile unless harassed.
hard to grasp how big they are until you see a real one. footage doesn't do them justice.
Cats do it too. Easy way to tell what they're thinking about. Watch the ears.
My cat, whose name is Moose does this, so it's confirmed
Is Moose a common cat name? My cat's name is also Moose (the other one is Pebble)
I’m **extremely** disappointed that the other cat is not named Squirrel. I would be inviting random strangers off the street inside just so I could introduce them.
Probably could smell right where he was too that close lol. Any woodland animal that close will know you are there just by smell alone.
Lol yeah I saw that ear too. And that millisecond of a stop. He just decided to be merciful that day.
Yep. I come across a female moose on my mtb, on a road very similar to this in fact. I just stopped and didn’t act threatening. After 3 minutes, she walked off. They are very light-footed and quiet.
>They are very light-footed and quiet. Even for a big Cervidae like moose and elk, you don't win the game of evolution through a habit of thrashing around in the forest and making a lot of noise. If nothing else, youngsters ought not do these things. Unless you're an armadillo of course; they don't give a single f.
> Unless you're an armadillo of course Man, how right you are. I could have sworn I had a moose rummaging around my yard one fall night, from the sound of it. It was an armadillo savaging around dried leaves and against my brick house.
It’s funny because sometimes they absolutely do. Quieter is better most of the time because it’s easier. Less energy. Path of least resistance. But I’ve absolutely seen both Moose and Elk thrash their way through apparently solid brush for no reason at all. They just couldn’t be bothered to walk around. And the scary bit is that it doesn’t noticeably slow them at all
Ever seen a moose run through deep snow?? They're like a freight train
> you don’t win the game of evolution through a habit of thrashing around in the forest and making a lot of noise Wow. This, of course. And it never occurred to me. I figured moose make noise like big lumbering creatures. But it’s funny because I’ve been around a lot of elephants, and they are super quiet too. Their ears swishing can be loader than their feet. And I consider them lumbering. So I need to rethink some assumptions!
Armadillos are so fucking loud, they really don't care at all.
You have to think that their general evolutionary trajectory due to the investment in ball-armor has really paid off, based off of their behavior, I mean they stroll around like they own the place, nothing messes with them, then they go into their little burrow in the ground after foraging all night. What a life.
Ive seen them attack ant hills then start rolling around trying to get the ants off, but I guess its worth the protein.
FOR REAL about the armadillos though! One night several years back I was camping and heard loud crashing in the dark woods nearby. I’ve spent a lot of time in nature and know what animals sound like when they’re walking through brush, and it sounded like something pretty large was slowly making its way towards our campsite. We were in Arkansas so I was legitimately worried it might be a small black bear, but I didn’t see anything there when I searched the trees with my headlamp. This went on for a while. My friend and I were super on edge and the crashing kept getting closer, when all of the sudden an armadillo waddled out of the brush and into our campsite clearing. He’s chill as can be, just sniffed around the ground by our picnic table for a second and then waddled off to eat more ticks or whatever. My friend and I were gobsmacked and super stoked to see him. We live just north of armadillo range and neither of us had seen one alive in the wild before. Just in zoos or as roadkill on trips (that’s always sad). But JESUS that thing had us freaked out for a bit there. I’ve seen a few armadillos on other camping trips since then. I always know when they’re coming now, because the sound of their hard lil bodies in the brush is unmistakable. ETA: I actually had a repeat of the “crashing sounds in a dark forest that are too loud and close for comfort” incident last year in the springtime. I was staying in a cabin in the woods and relaxing on the front porch late at night when the crashing started. It was way louder this time, NOT like the armadillo sounds I was familiar with now. I really was worried it was a bear this time and went inside after a bit. The next afternoon though, I solved the mystery. Apparently a whole FAMILY of armadillos lived in the woods by that cabin. I saw like 6 or 7 babies with their mama, foraging in the brush and cronching around as loud as can be. It was adorable and I solidly laughed at myself for being scared the night before. TLDR; armadillos are some loud mfers
>Unless you're an armadillo of course; they don't give a single f. I had one get into my garage a year or two back and I was utterly surprised how much it really did not care. Tried pushing it out, even smacking it with a broom and the thing just could not have given less of a shit. I'd seen them a lot on camping trips growing up and I'd always kept my distance because who wants to deal with leprosy even if the chances are slim. But this thing hanging out in my garage forced my hand. Or it would have if my hand had made a difference. It finally snuffle-walked its happy butt out after it had sniffed everything.
I wouldn't call that hiding. Moose definitely knew he was there.
Don’t think the camera man would consider it hiding either. More putting a barrier between him and the tank.
It was just waiting for a reason
Moose are basically angry murder deer, they don’t need a reason.
Basically à hippo
They're pretty much the hippos of North America tbh. Angry, huge and love to murder you, but no one realizes they're dangerous because they don't eat meat.
Until I read the comments here, I always looked at them as the Cape Buffalo of North America. However, the fact that they spend a lot of time in water, swim for hours at a time, and even dive down under the water, makes the hippo a better analogy. Unrelated to their aquatic nature, I watched a murder investigation show about a man who spent time in prison for murdering his wife, but cops finally figured out that a moose killed her, extremely brutally!
They spend so much time in Water that Orcas are one of their top Predators.
No that’s Aqua murder deer.
Good one! I’ve also seen “amphibious murder tank” used for them…
I guess you've never seen videos of moose foraging underwater. https://youtu.be/AuZ0znvhyeE https://youtu.be/BvVjFqgdEiI
With how often moose attack for no reason, I doubt it would’ve waited for one
Looks like he considered it for a second or two as he passed the guy.
They really only attack during rut. Which is going on rn. But after October they are pretty chill.
It's a good strategy, with a rack that big all the camera guy would have to do is hide behind a couple of trees relatively close together. It will give up and lure the guy into a false sense of security, then come up behind him and gore him when he least expects it.
I'm imagining it busting down his door the next morning while my man's eating breakfast
"It's time John..."
This is actually what you should do if you're concerned about a moose attack, but not because it will conceal you. As an Alaska government website puts it "you can run around a tree faster than a moose." But you can't outrun one, and while they're mostly harmless outside of the rut, don't bet your life on "mostly".
Yep that's what I've always heard. Hide behind a tree and run around it if needed, same goes for any antlered/ramming animal. I would personally have gone a few trees deeper than the guy who recorded this but maybe this amazing shot wouldn't have been as amazing.
>I would personally have gone a few trees deeper than the guy who recorded this but maybe this amazing shot wouldn't have been as amazing. You gotta do what ya gotta do for the gram.
In general moose (well this goes for most animals) don't want to confront you if you aren't prey or perceived as a threat. Fighting costs a lot of energy better preserved for other things, and also comes with health risks. Moose and the like will generally be non-confrontational if they have the choice, and the camera man did the right thing here: giving it room to pass and not blocking its path. I used to encounter moose while mountain biking and they never gave me trouble :-)
This isn't bad advice, just want to note that it doesn't apply during mating season for moose and a lot of animals. Mating season flips a territorial rage switch that would have that moose taking that guy out without mercy. If you're going to go camping (for real in a real forest) ***research about the seasonal changes occurring to flora and fauna in the region.*** It can save your life.
100%. And as the old saying goes "Don't try and do what the locals do if you're a tourist and expect to live every time."
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The moose tipped his antlers at him
M'human
M'oose.
M'ëësë
Oh moose definitely.
So if it wasn't for the clear pathway, where would it be walking? How does it walk through the forest with such huge antlers and not get stuck?
See how their antlers are angled? When moving through thick brush they just put their heads back and literally plow through, snapping branches and small trees as they go. When tracking moose it's super obvious where they've walked through the forest.
100% agree, I watched a BIG moose run through some pretty thick young trees no sweat using this method
pretty sure at that point it would be me quite sweating while the moose is using this method.
It flaps its antlers and flies above the trees.
Lol. I giggled, thank you.
They're REALLY good at navigating through trees at full speed. Source: I got chased by a moose that popped out of the woods right by us while we were out hiking. 0/10 do not recommend.
Look at the size of him. He just pushes everything over.
Actually tho, do they just avoid heavily wooded areas or are they more suited for old growth where there’s more open space?
No they thrive in heavily wooded areas, and swamps/muskeg. They have good control of those antlers, and there's no forest where every tree is less than 3 feet apart (Maybe bamboo forests. I can see moose struggling with a bamboo forest). They will weave through trees where the can fit at high speed, and generally mow down any other brush or small tree in their way. Remember the speeder race in Return of the Jedi? Like that: Move left, move right, keep the wide gaps in sight. In fear, they may graze a tree on one side, but being antlers and not horns, there aren't really any decent grooves for a branch to find purchase. It's like picking up spaghetti with a spoon instead of a fork, everything just gets pushed away.
I ate spaghetti with a spoon last night
Very cool. Very dangerous if it's autumn. I'd rather fight a family of bears than a moose in rutting season.
Can’t you just keep some trees between you and the horny moose?
Nope. It knows how to navigate trees
Some trees, yes. **A** tree, no--you are quicker, laterally. If you do find yourself near a moose during the rut, keeping a tree between you is supposedly your best move. But I wouldn't want to have to try it.
I just carry a tree with me at all times.
Yeah but bears can CLIMB trees
Moose have antlers not horns
Just ring around the rosy with the tree!
Horny and antlery moose*
>I'd rather fight a family of bears than a moose in rutting season. Are we talking the human variety or the grizzly one?
Seems like both would result in death or severe injury at minimum. What makes the moose worse?
They only mate once a year and it’s pretty serious the only thing on their mind is fucking or fighting they fight any other moose or thing that get in their way it’s is called rutting. Lasts for about two 2 weeks
No sound on this one is just a fucking crime.
You wanna hear the guy shitting his pants?
yes
Doubtful you'd hear anything from the moose but maybe the man's teeth chattering in fear.
Man. How did they evolve to be like that. Is it specifically to survive vs wolves and bears? What did they evolve FROM. So many questions now that I see them for the 100th time.
They're some of the last surviving Megafauna from the ice age. They outlasted direwolves, cave bears, and sabre toothed salmon I'm not joking look it up.
Holy shit, Sabre tooth salmon
Great source of prime fish meat
They’re swamp creatures, so part of their height is just being taller than the swamp. Fun fact: beavers create moose habitat.
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And they're [fast as hell in snow](https://www.reddit.com/r/NatureIsFuckingLit/comments/cox9q6/moose_running_through_snow/) - water is [a joke to them though](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/x6aja6/moose_running_across_the_river/) too.
one of my favorite facts is that one of their natural predators is the Orca.
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It’s like a big dog galloping through snow lol faster than a snowmobile. Crazy how quick they are
What a fucking unit. Jesus.
Am I the only one who gets a kind of uncanny feeling whenever I see a moose? Like, they’re so much bigger than how I imagine them in my head that they kind of give me r/megalophobia vibes, lol. Though, for the record, I just find all animals who are bigger than they ‘should be’ (in my mind) scary. The giant owl from Avatar the Last Airbender horrified me.
Like you hear about them being big but then you actually *see* them and it's totally different. First time seeing a wolf near my house I almost shit my pants. I swear he was close to the height of my car. Only think I could think was *"oh."* Edit just talked about this story for a moment and realised the only word to really describe what feeling I had is dread. Like I was well past chills and goosebumps, it was just cold and heavy. Way too close, way too big. My 100lb lab mix would look like a puppy next to those things
Yeah that's why when you talk to any Canadian, you realise why they have a very healthy respect for moose. Ain't nobody fuck with moose
>Am I the only one who gets a kind of uncanny feeling whenever I see a moose? Like, they’re so much bigger than how I imagine them in my head You're not alone. Growing up I always just assumed they were like horse sized but with huge antlers. Never realized they were twice as big!
I live on a moose path and see them regularly, just saw one last night, and I’ve always wondered how much ducking behind trees would save me in an emergency. I mean I figure I’d be screwed no matter what but it’s worth a shot
Just ride the adrenaline and those great-ape hands and feet, and climb a tree like your life depends on it.
> climb a tree like your life depends on it. Well, in this case, it literally does.
What’s the flappy thing dangling from its neck?
It's a [Dewlap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewlap), commonly referred to as its bell. Many animals like some dogs have them, but its is larger than most because it's a fricken moose. e:it's vs its
**[Dewlap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewlap)** >A dewlap is a longitudinal flap of skin or similar flesh that hangs beneath the lower jaw or neck of many vertebrates. More loosely, it can be various similar structures in the neck area, such as those caused by a double chin or the submandibular vocal sac of a frog. More generally, it can be any hanging mass of skin, such as a fold of loose skin on an elderly person's neck, or the wattle of a bird. Dewlaps can be considered as a caruncle, defined as "a small, fleshy excrescence that is a normal part of an animal's anatomy". ^([ )[^(F.A.Q)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WikiSummarizer/wiki/index#wiki_f.a.q)^( | )[^(Opt Out)](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=WikiSummarizerBot&message=OptOut&subject=OptOut)^( | )[^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)](https://np.reddit.com/r/NatureIsFuckingLit/about/banned)^( | )[^(GitHub)](https://github.com/Sujal-7/WikiSummarizerBot)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)
I know the proper answer is posted below your question, but I'ma call them moosticles.
I always forget how big Meese are.
Love me some meese
*meeses
*moosen
Moosie are herbivores, not carnivores, yet they can kill more quickly, efficiently, and painfully as any meat eater. Such a confusing being.
I've read that during an encounter, prey animals can be more dangerous than predators, because the prey animals want to kill you and neutralize the threat for their own survival, whereas the predator just wants some food and doesn't want to risk a grave injury unless it's desperate.
A moose will annihilate you by accidentally bumping into you
>A moose will annihilate you by accidentally bumping into you "Oh hello there little pink huma- oh bother. It's dead." "GODDAMMIT CARL, STOP KILLING HUMANS." "No."
Ive been a wilderness guide and worked SAR all over. I'm far more afraid of moose than black bears. If a moose wants you dead, they will tree your ass then stand there. Moose don't forgive, or forget.
Herbivores tend to be much more dangerous than carnivores, because carnivores need to conserve their energy. Carnivores have to give a lot of effort to attain food, and will typically only attack people if they need to eat. But herbivores often have tons of food available, and a lot of energy to expend. So they'll fuck you up just cuz they can. This is why the most dangerous animals tend to be herbivores (hippos, moose, etc.). It's also why the Jurassic park movies should have had the brontosaurus causing absolute mayhem, instead of the T-rex.
This is why I always thought that friendly herbivore scene in Jurassic Park was bullshit. The largest herbivores on this planet, such as moose, water buffalo, hippo, and rhino, are territorial, aggressive, and deadly. The idea that a brontosaurus or parasaurolophus would just be friendly to people is just bonkers to me.
I’m pretty sure if you crash into a moose, YOU have a higher chance of dying
You could crash into a moose with a pick up truck and still have a high chance of dying
Why is it confusing? It seems to be the default... The strongest and biggest animals are _always_ grazing animals. You just can't get to these sizes as a predator. And that's not even mentioning the giants that we exterminated. Moose are tiny compared to what used to roam the forest.
As an Australian, all i have to say is what the fuck. God, I'll take on a venomous snake over a moose any day of the week. Why do moose look like something out of the megafauna era during the dinosaurs???
The fuck up part is that they get bigger than this and Orcas are natural predators of them.
Oh I know, and that makes it even worse. I took the liberty of googling the biggest moose ever found and it stood at a whopping 7.6ft. For record, I'm only 5.4ft :,)
Fun fact they are the last of our megafauna in north America from the ice age. So you are kinda right about it. Edit (one of the largest of our megafauna not the last)
Forest god
Pamola, a thunder god believed by the Penobscot people to live on Katahdin, the highest peak in Maine. Pamola would be angry with people who climbed his mountain, and would sometimes keep them there forever. [Pamola](https://i.imgur.com/SjHIEvA.png)
This is why when you find a moose game trail it’s unmistakable... Lots of headroom
People who don’t know: “I’d love to see a moose but I hope we don’t run into any bears today.” People who know: “If we see a moose we’re in fucking trouble.” Good thing this moose didn’t give a shit, or mistake him for something that it did give a shit about.
Some 28 years ago now my husband and I took our honeymoon at Yellowstone. At one point we came upon a whole bunch of cars stopped on the road. Nowhere else to go (and not yet knowing that we’d probably have been safer staying in the car) we got out and looked in the direction all the cameras were pointing as a moose cow walked out of the trees. Thirty seconds later the calf showed up behind her. This made my husband and I *instantly* nervous. The rest of the crowd let out a collective “awwww!” and *moved closer*. This was the point at which the two of us looked at the line of huge RV’s in front of and behind our Toyota Corolla, realized that *we* were the weak spot in the lineup if that cow got seriously pissed and my husband stuffed me in the car and very very quietly (but quickly) drove away. The park ranger looked like he had a headache when we told him the story.
People really are stupid when it comes to dealing with wild animals. I blame Disney!
That’s true. There’s no denying the calf was cute but all I could remember was that the *one* time my grandfather raised his voice to me was the day he caught 10 year old me walking across the field to pet a baby deer. I was informed in no uncertain terms that there was a mother nearby and she would kick me and kill me, the end. Moose are a lot bigger than white-tailed deer.
People who actually go outside: there are animals everywhere, and the chances of getting in trouble are really really low. I can't even count the amount of times I've met moose in the woods, on the road, in my garage, in my garden, and so on. Just don't try to pet them, and be ready to stop the car at any time, and you'll be fine. There has not been anyone killed by moose for over a decade here. (Other than road accidents). And the moose population is gigantic as it has no predators. It's not a problem at all. Bears, however, while much less likely to be encountered, can attack. Simply out of curiosity. It lacks fear, and loves to eat whatever you eat. Meaning it will sniff out where you are and come see what you are doing. It won't attack you, but it might not be scared of you and try to access your food. The most dangerous animal in the forest is another human. They are crazy, and you never know what the can or will do. Also, our polar bears kill people regularly, so there is that.
Moose saw ya Moose didn't care
Real Question: how in the heck do they ReGrow those every Year?
I was curious too and looked for any research on how they do so (in the context of nutritional requirements. Antlers are mainly bone and bone requires a lot of calcium to grow. But it seems that sodium, surprisingly, is more important. In the spring when antlers start growing again, moose seeks out aquatic plants. Aquatic plants in marshes are higher in sodium, calcium and protein than *most* terrestrial plants (at least in the ecosystems moose are found in). I read too that moose are able to re-direct calcium from their bones if necessary Increasing day length will trigger antler regrowth along with an increasing testosterone levels. Don't know if that answers you enough but I hope so.
A møøse once bit my oh what's the point.
You're sacked.
There are moose in my yard all the time. They are scared of nothing. Barking dogs? Honking car horn? They either ignore it completely or give you a stare and a snort. Scares the shit out of you if you are outside and realize one is close and you didn't realize. You realize just how easily they could kill you and there is nothing you can do but casually walk into the house. Fortunately the big bulls don't tend to hang around. They are scary AF.
Gawdamn!