The state bird of Maine is the chickadee, but the moose is the iconic symbol of the state. This one was caught 'trespassing' at a rest stop on the Maine Turnpike yesterday. He's on loan from the Ira Mountain Association in Kingfield, Maine. I've seen quite a few real ones in the wild in the North Maine Woods, on the Golden Road up North and in Baxter Park. At twilight, they come out of hiding and are quite a sight to behold. You just don't want to run into them on the highway. If you do, and you're traveling at a high rate of speed, because of their height, they're most likely coming through your windshield, and the end, as they say, won't be pretty.*postscript: I did hit one once with my Honda. Luckily, I was moving at a pretty low speed (maybe 40 MPH), and she just glanced across my front bumper, bounced up and continued to head back into the woods. The next morning, Elenka wanted to know why the front of the car was covered with all kinds of hair.
In 1966 I was a 1st Lt. in the Army and assigned to Camp Bullis which is the training facility for Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. I was called into the post one day when I had shared a ride and didn't have my car. I borrowed the Major's staff car which was very dear to him, promising to be careful with it. As I drove back into Camp Bullis three white tail deer came galloping from out of nowhere and charged across the road. One crossed in front of me, one behind, and the 3rd hit me just in front of the right tail light, did a few somersaults, jumped up and took off after the first two. I don't think the major ever believed that the deer hit me rather than the other way around.
ReplyDeleteNever seen a moose, as I recall not even in a zoo...
ReplyDeleteGod bless you!
Cezar
I was taking photos in northern Arizona once when a moose appeared seemingly out of nowhere. He just trotted across my field of vision and disappeared again over a ridge. He was certainly a majestic sight.
ReplyDeletetheir legs look impossibly thin. too thin to support those enormous barrel bodies. glad both you and the moose lived to tell the tale of your encounter.
ReplyDelete" THE car?".....MY car!
ReplyDeleteYes, the fog of the previous night provided just enough moisture on the front of MY car to 'glue' the moose fur to MY bumper.
Better than moose guts glued to the front of my bumper.
Looks like the moose got oiled up before posing for you, Birdman!
ReplyDeleteoh, you and the moose got lucky on that one! deer do enough damage; i'd hate to encounter a MOOSE!
ReplyDeleteI have only seen one in the zoo. But they are pretty animals. Glad your run-in didn't turn out worse.
ReplyDeleteLove when Elenka adds on a few, erm, details to your stories. . .
ReplyDeleteHitting an animal of the size of a deer or larger is a smashing encounter, one to miss if possible. Our son called us last night from MN. He was able to stop to allow deer to cross his path, but when he started his car again, a young deer that had been slower glanced the rear of the car; fortunately it caused no damage to either the animal or the car. Yet it is a frightening occurrence.
ReplyDeleteAh, yes, Elenka does "fill in the Bird blanks"
ReplyDeleteGlad that THE car did not lose that run-in and no one was hurt!
Bises
Genie
Poor Moose! I like this one.
ReplyDeleteMoose hair on the car hood -- that's a new one to me! Although I lived in Michigan for over 30 years, amazingly, I never hit a deer.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a moose:(
ReplyDeleteSpring is in 72 days. I added a counter on my blog only for you! :o))in case you need to know...
I've seen pictures of golf courses covered with mooses...very hard to play golf around them or through them.
ReplyDeleteI like this one. And it probably won't wander out on a highway to become a danger.
We also ate at P Bread yesterday. Probably a great minds thing...I did not have the turkey, bacon ranch bravo thingy, though. I had 1/2 a tuna sandwich and a small French onion soup. And a chunk of really good bread.
Wow lucky miss for you, Birdman! My closest call with large wild life, I had a doe jump over the hood of my car on a freeway @ about 70mph... that wouldn't have been pretty either. You mention Studs Terkel's book 'Working...' I've read that too and it is excellent and also 'Hard Times.' Have you read that one too?
ReplyDeleteYou had a lucky escape! The poor moose.
ReplyDeleteThe moose has to be one of my favorite animals. Although when I have attempted to see one in Yellowstone, Tetons, Glacier, they elude me.
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to see a moose.
ReplyDeleteTwo things. First an apology for accidentally deleting your comment on my blog pg. titled Keegan, ME. Had it posted and went back to remove the mail notice but hit delete instead of trash on my IPad. Cant get it back.
ReplyDeleteSecond is that I did a quick stop on Rt 201 or 202 somewhere up towards the Canadian border to take a picture of a Moose but slipped on the rain soaked grass sliding straight for the Moose. The Moose and I went in opposite directions at about the same speed....very fast.
Poor Elenka and HER car!
ReplyDelete