They're Baaaack!

All children love tire-swings, apparently.

Mom and calf are back this morning. The baby (yeah, all 800lbs of him) scared the crap out of me. I was leaning on the back of the truck, parked in that open bay you can see in the shop in the background, drinking my coffee and planning the day's shop schedule, when he stepped around the edge of the open door about 3 feet away. I don't hear as well as I used to (something about people blowing shit up next to my head for the last 20 years), but still I'm a little embarrassed that 800lbs of moose could get within 3 feet of me without me noticing. He gave me the beady eye and put his ears down flat on his head and snorted out both nostrils - not a good sign. I calmly put the coffee cup down on the truck bumper and prepared to dodge around the truck. But he lost interest and wandered across the driveway to eat the raspberry bushes (those green leaves on the hill behind him). I looked around for Mom and heard her coming through the bush on the left side of the shop. I grabbed the camera which I always keep in the shop for just such an occasion, and quietly eased around and down into the yard so I could get some pictures.

That's mom to the left in the trees. Baby for some reason, wanted to play with the tire swing.


I was really afraid he was going to get his head stuck inside the tire. Instead he licked it, then chewed on the nylon rope for a while. Then like all kids, lost interest and wandered off.

I'm about twenty feet away, taking these shots, using a Sony professional DSC770. Just so you don't think I'm completely crazy, since moose can be extremely dangerous - especially a mother with a calf, I've got the Mossberg 12ga on a sling over one shoulder and the Colt .44 in a shoulder holster. I also had 3 clear paths to retreat down hill if necessary. They're used to me and I have no desire to shoot either of them, but better safe than sorry - plus getting stomped retired Warrants out of the yard is a major pain for the widow.