Topic: Moose!

[Jennifer-]

Beautiful fall day here.. I just finished getting dressed and ready for a hike.. sat down to eat breakfast and looked out to see two huge bull moose walking just inside the treeline of my back yard.  If they step out in to the open Ill take photos.. maybe Ill see them hiking.

[Jennifer-]

Off for that hike!

Enjoy your day 

[Michael]

such a beautiful animal!
has that sad look like elephants

[Jahn]

The Scandinavian mooses gets a bit confused in the autumns. You may find them in gardens eating apples or running around in the suburbans, sometimes with bad results.

Here is one running around in Stockholm.



and one poor fellow that met his match on a gate

[Jahn]

Hunting on elks (Älg) is strictly regulated in the whole Sweden and the season start in the middle of October.






I have met a few elks or Älgar myself and have taken some good pictures during the years but those pics above is not mine. I have also seen them swim and that is fun because you willl only see their head above the water, and then when they reach the shore and start to get up from the water, that is a view!

[Jahn]

Found some more good photos






And here you see why the male is called the King of the Wood!




Some facts:
A male can weight about 500 kilos (1/2 ton) should be nearly 1000 pounds. It becomes about 2 m high and has a horizontal length of 3 m.
and in Sweden there are a total of 300 000 elks.  Some hundred years ago the military tried to use the mooses in a sort of moose cavalery  , but the project faild.

[Jennifer-]

  Gentle giants.. I too have seen them swimming and agree, its a wonderful site to see! 

Ill never forget my first encounter when walking in the deep woods.. the size sent my heart thumping and I couldnt decided it I should run or hide. lol It just looked at me and walked the other way making me feel foolish.

During mating season (which is starting now) they can be a bit dangerous.. its always wise to keep a safe distance.

Excellent pictures! Thanks for sharing your hometown giants!

[tangerine dream]

Moose are one of my most favourite animals.  We have a lot of Moose around Canada.  They are a bit of a national mascot.
Also one of the first animal sprit guides that I met in waking life.  Weird story that was, but taught me some good lessons.

Thaks for pics Jen and Jahn.

[kaycee]

In Alaska in 2000, I was scurrying to an airport for an early flight above the Arctic Circle.  I needed gas and spotted a station - still dark - just up ahead.  I saw someone moving about by the pumps and thought maybe I could get a fill-up before actual opening time.

When I pulled in - it was a moose walking about!  I think we were both equally surprised to see the other.  I don't know how he felt about the encounter, but it sure was one of the highest points of my trip.
Luv, K