I would like to introduce you to Frank the Moose. I found Frank at the Eagle River Campground where I was staying for a short time. He ambled around and munched on birch for a couple of days and gave me more than an adequate amount of time to get plenty of great shots of him. In fact, he gave me so many I decided I would use him for my yearly PSA on moose safety and have a little fun while I was at it. But first let's take a look at Frank.

M184Front shot of bull moose in velvet.

Isn't he a beautiful bull moose!! As you can see his antlers are still in the velvet and look sooo soft that you just want to reach out and stroke them. But one should always use caution when around any moose!

M186Caution should always be used around moose.

Moose can move fast and those long gangly legs can be used to stomp on yea with very little effort by the moose. One of the first things I was taught when I moved to Alaska were that moose were a different breed, most animals would only attack until they felt the danger was taken care of but if you rile a moose it will finish the attack once it feels better. So the moral of the story is give them room! Watch their ears, they are similiar to horse in the aspect that if their ears are forward then they are comfortable and curious but if they fold back the moose has become irritated! They also have a line of hair that will rise like a mohawk along their back and neck when they get irritated. So give them their space and watch for the clues that would tell you that they have had enough of your interest! Does this mean you should avoid moose? Heck, no! Moose can be alot of fun. They love to teach moose yoga classes:

M188Bull moose yoga

I believe this move is called the sideways moose! They can also be folded for easy transport:

M183Compact sized moose

All joking aside, these animals are just amazing creatures but just like with all wild animals it is important to give them the space and respect that they deserve. Frank the moose and all of his buddies would appreciate it if you just wach them from a distance and let them go about the business of putting on the pounds for the long winter. Thanks and enjoy the moose!

M187A peek at a bull moose in velvet.