Moose Gazing 2023-03-14 Morning (Fairbanks, AK, USA)

I tried to do some stargazing early this morning before work, as there were several indications that conditions would be good. After a comedy of errors and difficulties, that plan didn't really work out. But, I did have one interesting experience. When I went barreling out the apartment door this morning to get the SUV started, I nearly ran headlong into a cow moose.

The cow moose was browsing some foilage near the door, about five feet away, and the calf was underneath a thicket of branches a little further away, making munching noises. The cow jumped a bit, and I stopped in my tracks. The cow turned away a bit, and at first tried to act nonchalant, but she was obviously aware of me and viewing me as a potential threat. I remained still, not wanting to appear afraid, but also not wanting to scare or threaten the moose any further. I was not afraid, trusting that God is in control, and having also recently studied Genesis 9:2, but I also have a healthy respect for the powerful capabilities of a large moose when it feels its calf is threated.

The cow made two or three threatening motions towards me — small, brief charging motions. The message was that she did not really want to fight, but she did want me to go away. So, I slowly stepped backwards and slipped into the door.

I was able to snap a few photos as they were walking away, but the pictures were dark and the angles were very poor, so that none of them seem worth uploading.