About an
hour thirty into our training run tonight I came around a blind corner to see a
huge moose in the middle of the trail going after my leaders. Same cow I’ve been seeing all season, about
1500 lbs, but before she always left the trail as I held the team back. Now she gets one or both front feet tangled in
the lines and is half drug down the trail.
I can’t tell if she is tangled just behind the leaders or the swing dogs. Jump on the brake to stop the team and give
her a chance to get loose.
She
stomps at the dogs, Rosemary and Mocha in lead try melt into the snow, Dash and
Ginger in swing pull as far away as they can.
Her feet come loose. She stomps
again and walks down the team towards me.
Then she turns into the team and stomps Pilfer and Thyme in first team
just after swing. Back into the trail,
still coming towards me. She stops
opposite Z-2 and Basil, two pair of dogs up from wheel. The moose is 20 feet away, facing me at an
angle. The trail is 6 feet wide and she
is taking up the 2/3 of opposite me.
Options? I don’t’ carry a gun. I’ve got an axe in the sled, a Quest musher
killed a moose during the race with his axe when it attacked his team (handguns
forbidden in Canada). The front of the
team is tangled, but I didn’t hear any dogs scream as they were stomped and I don’t
hear hurt dog sounds. Can I drive the
last 4 dogs and the sled past her? No
time to think, just do it.
Off the
brake and the front of the team begins to move – it’s not pretty with the
tangle but its working. The moose stomps
at Pepper and Dukat in front of wheel, then stands there. I’m watching the dogs and don’t know how far
I was past her nose (or if I even went under it!). Let’s get out of here!
Stop the
team around the first corner, is she chasing us? Don’t see her. Set both snowhooks real firm (the team has
been pulling them loose) and check again.
Nope. Walk up to the leaders and
check again. Still clear. Untangle the leaders, swing dogs, and first
team dogs. Still no moose. Cursory exam shows no blood or lameness. Let’s go.
At home
everyone looks fine. I’ll know more about
soreness in the morning, but I don’t expect anything. Five hours later Marti says my twitch is
hardly noticeable and I expect my heart rate to return to normal in a couple of
days J
Keep ‘em
Northbound
Eric
6 comments:
OH My Gosh Eric,
Wow what a horrible experience that must have been for you and your team.
First I am very happy you and your dogs are safe (when I was reading names of dogs I knew) I got goosebumps!!
I hope this never happens again.
Please be safe and maybe? carry a gun if you feel comfortable.
Happy Valentines Day to you and Marti.
Marlys (Bug)
Wow Eric, glad you and the dogs made it back home in one piece.
Think running into a moose must always be scary and frightening as you never know how such
a huge animal will react.
It seems there's so many more moose out there this year compared to other years
as i see how many mushers already had accidents or close encounters with them
(Jodi, Martin, i think Dee Dee, now you...)
But, i'm very happy you and your team are OK.
See you soon,
Eric, Antwerp - Belgium
I would be happy to let you take my gun and practice at the range....glad you are OK....and the dogs too....I hate those moose on our trails.....
Wow, Eric. I'm so relieved that you and all your dogs are ok.
WOW Eric, didn't you and your team have another run-in a few years ago with a moose? Those creatures are so unpredictable. Hope your twitches and heart rate have returned to normal and pups are no the worse for the stomping.
My heart rate increased just reading the story! Glad you and the team are okay!
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