By Phil Freeman, CEO, MotoQuest Tours
"When a moose knocks you down turn on your stomach, put your hands over head, and take your stomping like a man." - Trapper, Chicken, Alaska
Moose are the unsung heroes of danger. Sure, they are gangly, cute and edible. The fact is, they can and will kill you. Here is some data (source:Animal Planet) " Moose outnumber bears nearly three to one in Alaska, wounding around five to ten people in the state annually. That's more than grizzly bear and black bear attacks combined."
Now, if given a choice, reasoning with a bear is better than reasoning with a moose. Moose seem to not have the same body language as a human. You simply can't gauge what the ungulate is thinking. They, like bears, do not like surprises and will at a whim do just about anything.
FAST:
A full grown moose is designed to outrun wolves, so 35 miles an hour is their top end. This is faster than you can run, so pray for an escape strategy!
STRONG:
The largest of the deer family, moose look clumsy and awkward, but are frighteningly quick and exceedingly strong. Moose are designed to fight off brown bears, so as humans, when they decide to stop nibbling on the carrot you are feeding them and turn to you, your chances are bad or worse.
WIND DIRECTION:
Sure, the sense of smell of a moose is good, but they don't tend to really react to our smell one way or another. They will run, but they will also just stand there and look at you. It seems they are comfortable, or unable to comprehend, the danger that humans present.
WHAT TO DO DURING AN ENCOUNTER:
Moose are rather passive, and that is the dangerous card they play because they usually just do nothing, when suddenly "BAM!" they come at you and you make the papers. Just keep your eye on the moose. You can talk to it, but talking does relatively nothing. It's like dealing with a pile of laundry (except for the stomping part). Give a wide berth to the moose when going around it. Have an out: search the immediate vicinity, and make sure you have a place to flee, a tree you can put between you and it - anything. Be VERY WARY when in close proximity to a moose - It is VERY embarrassing as an omnivore, to be killed by an herbivore.
MOOSE PROTECTION:
Bear spray just may work. A large caliber handgun or rifle too...but really, you should not need these if you just GO AROUND the moose. In a pinch, just keep a tree between you and it, and provided you don't fall down, you should be able to fend it off.
OTHER COUNTER MEASURES:
Tree...get a tree!
SHOOTING A MOOSE:
If a moose attacks you, and you are in a position to shoot it, by all means. There is, in our society, NO ONE who can blame you for downing a mad cow. Just be sure to call it in to the State Troopers and if the paperwork clears, get out your knife, your meat grinder and your Italian seasoning...
ON THE ROAD:
Moose are uncommon along the road way, but pose a much bigger threat than bears to the motorcyclist. At almost 7 feet high, and weighing in at up to 1500 pounds you simply cannot afford to hit one. Their unpredictability is the real danger. They have the ability to appear suddenly out in the road and their height is perfect for shaving a motorcyclist off their bike. Keep a keen eye along the brush and forest line along the highways when traveling Alaska.
TYPES OF MOOSE:
Bull: They are the males with the big horns and the ones to try not to get punctured by.
Cow: No horns, big body, long floppy ears. These are arguably more dangerous, due to the fact that they can be on alert, trying to protect their little ones. Be very careful when approaching a cow with calves.
In short, Alaska is a big country, and has big land animals. Some of them, we can eat. Some of them can eat you. Some of them can't eat you, but they can kill you. Really, the take home to all this is, travel with someone who can't run as fast as you.
Enjoy your ride through Alaska.
Phil Freeman is the co-author of Adventurous Motorcyclst's Guide to Alaska.
