I was back on Skyline. I was finishing up a 2 hour ride near dark on a narrow road that had a coating of ice on all of it except the outside 18 inches. I spotted a young moose about 150 yards ahead and below us. None of my four-legged friends had noticed it. I held up for a few seconds. The calf charged into some brush so I moved on ahead.
To my surprise, a half minute later and 20 yards closer, there stood the calf but now he was beside his big momma. That was when the horses got a good scent of moose. The horses froze. Then, when the moose pair turned to head down hill, the horses caught their movement. It didn't take much to turn them around to head back. It was all I could do to keep their exit somewhat controlled.
In a few weeks we'll be headed up the Selway River trail where the rangers have already spotted signs of grizzlies. I have to wonder what would happen if we run into one of those.
For the next 15 minutes the horses thought they were seeing moose every few minutes.
On the Selway we will be carrying pepper spray, and a rifle, but if it ever came down to using one of them, the horses would be well into their own little rodeo.
while in Canada a few years back and with more evidence of bears around, we were told by a park ranger that a cow moose with a calf is more unpredictible and dangerous than any other animal in the woods. hmmmmmm
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