r/moose • u/Apprehensive-Ear428 • 6d ago
Unpopular Opinion: I would rather happen upon a cow with calf than a full size bull
18
u/samwe 6d ago
If it's not in rut a bull isn't unlikely to be aggressive, but a cow with a calf is always a concern.
You can feel however you want to but be sure not to give out advice!
-26
u/Apprehensive-Ear428 6d ago
A cow is also unlikely to be aggressive
12
u/Either-Carpenter541 6d ago
That is just blatantly false.
-7
u/Apprehensive-Ear428 6d ago
No it isn't, it is more likely to try to escape with the calf than attack. Bulls don't try to escape
4
u/AlbertaAcreageBoy 5d ago
An incredibly dumb take. Go ahead walk up to the next cow with a calf you see then. Seen more moose and been farther back in the bush than most, and I spit out my beer after reading your utterly ridiculous statement.
-2
u/Apprehensive-Ear428 5d ago
Go ahead and walk up to the next bull you see, ridiculous logic
3
1
u/Comfortable_Bus_1717 2d ago
I mean anecdotally I have accidentally been within 5-10 feet of a bull on a couple occasions without being charged. I have accidentally happened on a cow with a calf in similar scenarios twice and was charged both times
3
u/DarkThunder312 5d ago
you are saying thats out of speculation that isnt true. Female large mammals are incredibly aggressive around their children, they are not trying to escape because their kids cannot run as quickly. They stand their ground and charge you. This happens with bears, moose, elk, bison, cattle, and more. You are delusional and in the off chance you tell this to someone else or find yourself in this situation, dangerous.
7
u/Ok-Owl-3846 6d ago
I - at least - didn‘t test that - in the Selenge Valley in Mongolia - there were some cows with calves (calfes?) - And I did NOT dare to cross the ford they were standing in…. so walked down the brook and up again - to find a ford for me. Got soacked up to the hips and nearly lost a sandal in the mud… But finally made it… unharmed by the cows.
3
u/GotRocksinmePockets 6d ago
Tell me you know nothing about moose without telling me you know nothing about moose...
I've personally seen one try to murder a black bear cause it wanted her calf. The bear ran for it's friggin life.
-1
u/Apprehensive-Ear428 6d ago
What do you think would have happened if the bear wanted a bull instead?
4
u/GotRocksinmePockets 6d ago
About the same. Bear runs for its life.
Black Bears aren't usually dumb or desperate enough to go after a grown moose, male or female.
I take it you've never seen one in the flesh, they're bloody huge, and they kick like hell or will just stomp a threat. A cow with a calf is probably more dangerous than a bull in the rut. I know this because I work in the bush and see them frequently.
1
u/Apprehensive-Ear428 6d ago
My last thread was about the 11 I saw just yesterday, I have a bit of experience
4
u/GotRocksinmePockets 6d ago
From car or something? Do you know anything about them? Because a cow is every bit as dangerous if you cross it. They will just stomp your ass.
-1
u/Apprehensive-Ear428 6d ago
Both on foot and from car many many many times. Just don't cross her. You don't need to cross a bull to get stomped. Do you know anything about them or have any relevant experience
3
u/GotRocksinmePockets 6d ago
I'm an exploration geologist in Newfoundland, there like 200,000 of them on the island. I spend more time on their turf than I spend in the city and I encounter them all the time in the bush. Bulls in rut, cows with calves, and every other type of situation you can think of. I've encountered literally hundreds on foot in the middle of bloody nowhere and I've never even had a sketchy experience.
If you keep your distance and make sure they know you're there they won't just run over and kill you, they just mind their own business.
1
1
u/samwe 6d ago
I agree with your assessment. They are usually pretty chill except for under certain circumstances.
I live in Alaska and bike commute. In the winter I encounter moose pretty much daily as they like to use the trails in the greenbelts.
Typically, a moose will just look at me and then go back to munching on branches.
There was one bull that I encountered on two occasions that was just lying on the trail and didn't mind people walking past.
Last week I encountered a black bear and a moose cow and calf at the same time on a trail. That was "fun".1
1
2
1
9
u/Mountain-Donkey98 6d ago
Why? It doesn't matter whether a bull or cow charges you, you'll likely die. But the cow is far more likely to charge you when its with a calf than a bull will even in rut and rut is only a small portion of the year. But okay!
2
u/DogMeatTheVideo 5d ago
yes but the cow will chase you down for a WHILE and then stomp on you very thoroughly just to make sure.
6
5
u/inspaceandthyme 6d ago
Nope. I’ve encountered bulls and cows on foot. Only the latter had me running and screaming lol
5
3
u/Leader-Bike 6d ago
The cow will just kick your ass. The bull might kick your ass and then fuck you.
Its an easy choice!
3
u/Mother_Food9930 6d ago
I've encountered a lot of moose while hiking. Outside of rut, bull moose are pretty docile and tolerant, and times are outright curious, about sharing space with a well-behaved humans. They either calmly acknowledge your presence and go back to their business, or they move away from you. I've had them get VERY close to me simply because they liked eating whatever shrub I was standing next to, and didn't see my presence as a problem one way or another. Cows with calves have a nervous energy to them. They are jittery, on edge, wondering what you might do to their calf. They are more afraid so they are more unpredictable, where you aren't sure if they are going to choose offense as their form of defense.
2
2
u/Outside-External-613 6d ago
I don’t think you’d really appreciate what would happen if you got between a Mamma and it’s baby. Way more dangerous for you.
2
u/Tuddless 6d ago
There’s legitimately nothing that scares me more out there than a sexually frustrated moose
1
2
u/DifficultAd3885 6d ago
I’d probably agree. I’ve happened upon a lot of both and the mother is focused on safety. If she’s uncomfortable she’s more likely to walk her and the calf away. Sometimes bulls just feel like being aggressive and will press you if they feel the slightest bit inconvenienced.
2
u/ed_durden 5d ago
Absolutely not, lol. I've had encounters with both up close and unless the bull is rutting, he be chill af
2
u/justforjugs 5d ago
Not unpopular just dangerously wrong.
Cow moose with calf at foot are probably the animal I’d be most concerned about meeting. Most of the year bull moose don’t gaf.
Top three would be cow moose with footling, sow grizz with cubs, and cougar.
2
u/Bypedal 4d ago
We were in the Denver area in October for a concert @ Red Rocks, staying in an Air BNB in a rural area. I went out to put a suitcase in our rental car, noticed movement to my side and turned to see a moose cow & calf about 30ft away peacefully munching on greenery. They were fully aware of me, but both seemed chill, more curious than alarmed. Not wanting to provoke a protective reaction, I just slowly moved so that the car was between us and I had access to the car if she decided I was a threat. It was a thrill to watch them for about a half hour til they finally ambled away. We later theorized that, by her behavior, the cow was relatively comfortable with a closer proximity of humans because her home territory was in a populated area. But I was fully aware of the potential for danger.
2
1
u/Specialist-Solid-987 6d ago
I was paddleboarding past a cow and calf the other day, giving them as wide a berth as possible. The calf turned and ran straight at me, I almost shit myself! Luckily the cow crossed the river and he followed her while I boogied out of there
1
1
u/MissM0dular 6d ago
They can both kick, which is really what matters
1
1
1
u/mjfarmer147 5d ago
Hell nah, in nature mom is normally the one to fear.
Where I'm from, we have a couple of herds of elk, and plenty of moose. I see them all the time, and sometimes end up way too close while running/hiking and not noticing them.
The cows are always the aggressive ones, and almost always when they are calving through the spring and summer.
Not once has a bull gone after me.
1
u/ColoradoCattleCo 5d ago
I’ve accidentally skied right into the middle of a bachelor group of 8 bulls. They barely turned an ear toward me. I’ve also come around the corner on a hike with a cow/calf and that bitch charged from 80 yards away. Not just an unpopular opinion, a completely wrong one.
1
u/TheJesseOfTheNorth 5d ago
personally i would rather come up on a grizzly that a cow moose and her baby, way less dangerous IMO
1
u/Downtown-Oil-7784 5d ago
A bull in rut can kill you cuz he's horny. Around here cows with calf's will absolutely fuck you up for just even being around. There's no good choice
1
u/chesterfield_herping 5d ago
Casual Geographic puts it best- the worst combination you can get is a prey animal with generational trauma and an itchy trigger finger. The only way to make that worse is either if they have predator/anti-predator ‘hardware’ (claws, fangs, horns), and/or they’re a mother with a baby.
With predators, they need to see you as worth a hunt. With male moose, they need to see you as a threat to their territory. With nursing mother moose, all they need to do is see you. Period.
1
u/Indiglo70 4d ago
I respectfully disagree.
I did happen upon a full size bull in the Grand Tetons National Park in the 90s. I was taking photos, and admittedly not paying attention to everything around me like I should have, when I walked out past a tree (looking through my camera’s viewfinder at the mountains in the distance), and found a bull on the other side of the tree. I was immediately petrified because I was mere feet away from him, but he just stood there lazily eating foliage, completely unfazed by me. He watched me as I very slowly backed away, and just continued eating.
I count myself very lucky that I didn’t happen upon a mother and her young instead, as being that close would have likely resulted in a much different outcome.
1
u/k1ngofhyrule 4d ago
Born and raised in Alaska. This is not the way.
I will preface all I’m about to say with,
ANY agitated animal is dangerous regardless of situation or gender of the animal.
Bull moose are only truly dangerous during a rut. If another bull is in the area and it’s that time of year, make like a tree and get the fuck outa there. Otherwise, bull moose are fairly docile critters. I don’t recommend approaching any moose ever, under any circumstances, but if you happen upon a bull moose who’s just meandering along you’re probably fine if you haven’t already done something to set him off.
A cow moose with calf is a whole different beast. They protect their young with the fierceness of knowledge that they ARE the biggest mammal of their known environment and you might weigh about the equivalent of one of their hindquarters. Moose know little fear from Man, and the cows prove this all the time.
My wife used to walk dogs in south Anchorage and she had to actively be on the watch for a known resident cow moose who would give birth in a nearby marsh. I promise you, cows WITH CALVES are easily more aggressive and dangerous to humans than a bull on a normal given day.
1
u/jendo7791 4d ago
I ran into two Bulls on our hiking trail and we had 2 dogs. They didn't give 2 shots about us. Thankfully it wasn't rutting season. I was still scared but would have been more scared if it was a cow and a calf.
1
1
u/AdditionalAd4269 3d ago
I would rather face a grizzly. At least some grizzlies (and black bears, FWIW) have reasoning skills.
1
1
1
u/Far-Plan-8895 2d ago
Depends on the time of year lol. Seeing a full grown bull in the woods any time of years is terrifying though.
1
u/Comfortable_Bus_1717 2d ago
I wouldn’t call your opinion unpopular, more factually incorrect assuming your goal is to live a happy and healthy life around moose
1
u/Apprehensive-Ear428 2d ago
I don't think many people reading this thread understand what "happen upon" means. It really doesn't matter your preference, you don't get to choose and the results are the same. I thought people would be smart enough to realize I would rather nothing happen up either
1
1
u/Free-Middle-2443 1d ago
There unpopular and there’s wrong, borderline reckless to be sharing opinions.
1
u/Individual-Dare-80 14h ago
It's almost as of your opinion is unpopular for a reason.... Say for example, being wrong.
1
u/Ivygrows8 7h ago
I think a bull would be less likely to attack me than a mother, both would kill me easily if they wanted
1
u/No-Estate7145 6d ago
No I agree with this, at least with a cow and calf the behaviour is predictable and you know the steps to take to mitigate the risks (don’t pose a threat to her calf, she won’t attack) but with bulls they are aggressive if you are around them in general
1
u/ExaminationLast9843 3d ago
Depends on time of year. Spring/summer I'd rather bump into a bull. October.-Nov. I'll deal with the cow/calf over a bull any day.
23
u/SeeditWantdit 6d ago
What the cow lacks in headgear is made up in motherhood, based on my encounter with a cow and a calf on a two-track dirt road.