I find myself staring out the windows or standing on the porch, scanning the fields, in the hopes I catch a glimpse of my favorite wild creature. Normally, they start making their way through our yard, returning from wherever it is they winter, before the snow has even fully disappeared. With this year’s peculiar weather, the snow is almost gone, and after doing a walk about in the areas still covered in snow and the mud from the thawing ground, I came across nothing. Not a single track from any creature. Perhaps, they are just doing what my daughters have always said they do, they are either hiding from me or waiting for the opportunity to kill me. And trust me, I’m pretty vigilant. You may be wondering what I am talking about. The most beautiful oddity. The majestic Maine Moose.
After a long Maine winter, the girls and I would hop in the truck and drive endless miles in search of a moose. Many days, we would see five to eight. We knew all the hot spots and areas they fed from and frequented. That was over twenty years ago. Now, we can travel miles and miles without a single sighting. Newcomers to the area say they are around. Yes, maybe so. But not like they used to be.
The first time I took the girls out, we were heading north and getting into an area where power lines no longer run. They were asking me what a moose looks like and I explained similar to a horse with a bit of cow mixed in. When they asked how large, I stated they were roughly the size of a horse and just as we came around a bend in the road, there stood a large cow moose and her baby. I think of this moment every time I drive around that bend, which is on a regular basis.
Years later, we were heading to camp (now home) for Reaghan’s birthday. Kenz, Reaghan and I, had just picked up Reaghan’s friend, Skylar, in the tiny town of Brighton. This particular day, I was driving Jesse’s Dodge Charger. Being a truck girl, I wasn’t used to sitting so low to the ground and having so many blind spots. We were heading down the same stretch of road that we had seen the mom and baby on. Sky and Reaghan were talking loudly and excitedly in the back and Kenz was in the passenger seat. All of a sudden, Kenz yells, “MOOOSEE”. Next thing I know, there is a moose head in front of my face on the opposite side of the windshield. A millisecond before we connected, the moose reared, spun and ran back in the direction it came from. I never saw it beforehand, because the car sat so low and the door frame acted as a blind spot. Needless to say, I drive VERY slow through that area now.
Another close encounter wasn’t in Kingsbury, but it’s another one of the reasons why my girls have said that moose either hide or try to kill me. In reality, they don’t actually try to kill me. I just tend to have a few far too up-close experiences with them. Reaghan had been away at Bible camp, and we had gone to pick her up. We decided to head south to Bangor to have dinner. As we were going through Howland, along the river, I told Jesse to back up. He put the VW Beetle in reverse, and I jumped out. I had seen a moose standing down in the river and about the same time I jumped out of the car the moose ran up the embankment. There we stood, with only the roof of a VW Beetle between us. I’m not sure who was more surprised or whose eyes were bigger. Kenz was looking out her window and the only thing she could see were legs and a chest. From the back seat she sternly grumbles, “Mom, get in the *%@$ car!!”. I said my Hello’s and goodbyes and got back in the car. Needless to say, no pictures were taken that day.
Nearly, two years ago, a friend of mine and I were returning from a day spent at The Common Ground Fair. Heather and I were on the six mile stretch of dirt road home when I noticed something up ahead of us. She was in the passenger seat knitting away, as she often does in the car. Once I realized what was running directly at us, I slammed on the breaks and threw the Jeep in reverse. Heather is laughing at me asking me what I was doing, she wanted to get a picture of the moose that was barreling down the road at us. I explained to her that moose have terrible eyesight and can’t see straightforward, as their eyes set towards the side of their heads, which creates a blind spot in front of them. This guy probably didn’t even know we were in front of him, especially since it’s in panic mode, just like me. As I continue backing up, the out-of-state Hummer, that was chasing down the moose, kept following it at a pretty good speed. Never even stopping as he approached us. Thankfully, the moose veered to the opposite side of the road just as it reached the front of my Jeep and went into the woods. I was shaking and cursing at the ignorant driver of the Hummer. I told Heather the moose would probably be dead in the woods soon enough from stress. As we made our way home, we could see the hoof tracks in the dirt road, dug down deep and long strides. That poor moose was chased and ran over a mile. Let’s just say I had a few extra words and hopes for the driver of the Hummer.
Heather is not the only person who has had a good laugh at my expense. When you are driving down roads, with your mind off in Lala land, you don’t expect to see this giant animal, who tends to appear out of nowhere. When I see them from a distance, I’m excited. When we are in a moving vehicle and we come upon a 800 pound (or more), unpredictable animal, yes, I tend to panic. Years ago, when the girls were in elementary school they had a game in Bingham. We took the shortest route, which happened to be Route 16. Jesse was driving and our friend, Nicci was in the backseat of our truck. Through the snow-covered woods, I caught out of the corner of my eye, two…not one…but TWO large bulls running through the trees towards the road. Panic kicked in, as I wasn’t driving and had zero control, and I didn’t know if they were going to run out in front of us. Nicci is in the backseat in hysterics, I’m hyperventilating in the front seat and Jesse, who is driving is telling me that the moose weren’t going to run out in front of us. How the hell does he know that? Did the moose put on his turn signal? Once Nicci caught her breath from laughing so hard, she manages to get out, “I know you are scared of hitting a moose, but just seeing one??” and then starts laughing all over again. I think of this evening whenever I go get groceries and I can still hear Nicci from the backseat.
A few years later, Jesse would have his own encounter, and it wasn’t his last. It was early fall and we had spent the night at camp. We ran a small general store at the time and getting away to camp was a gift, especially after working a ninety hour week. Sunday was “Donut Day” and my day to sleep in. Sunday’s, I went in late morning and worked until closing. That particular morning, the weather was beautiful, and he decided to drive the four-wheeler down to the store. The twenty minute ride in a vehicle was an hour ride by trail. Jesse had gotten about half way through the trails and turned to head up a hill on an adjacent trail. As soon as he started up, a large bull stepped out of the overgrown saplings just yards ahead, turning in Jesse’s direction. The moose stood in the middle of the trail daring Jesse to approach, slowliy lowering his head that held a giant rack of antlers. Jesse slowly backed up the wheeler, sat and waited for the mooses next move. It became a waiting came for a few minutes, as the large beast challenged him to approach. Eventually, Mr. Moose did move off the trail. But the question was, how far? Jesse gunned up the hill and prayed the moose wasn’t playing a trick on him. Thankfully, he had moved on his merry old way.
This past fall, Jesse had another encounter on his way to work. This time with a cow moose. As he made his way down the dirt roads, he came around a corner. There on the side of the road stood a cow, who had just left the bog. The cow, with her ears pinned back, started walking towards Jesse in his work van. He then threw it in reverse (see…I’m not the only one). The cow then turned around and started moving in the same direction Jesse was heading in, he slowly went forward as well, that’s when she decided to turn back around and charge him. Jesse decided enough was enough and she had yet physically attacked the van. He turned around and came home for another cup of coffee, before heading off to work. We’re pretty sure Ms. Moose had a baby in the near vicinity. On separate occasions we had seen a mom and baby in the bog across from us, another morning they strolled down the road in the fog. I tried getting a picture, but my tired eyes couldn’t focus my lens to save me. A week or so later, our friends had a young moose looking in their window. I came up on it on a narrow short-cut we take. I never saw mom, but I wasn’t taking a chance. She had a temper. I backed up the hill and turned around, taking the long way around.
My favorite place to see moose, is right from our own yard. Over the past twenty years we have had them on our front lawn, saunter by our windows as they pass through the fields and leisurely checking out the scenery as they walk down the road. I’ve witnessed their curiosity, while working in my flower gardens on sunny summer mornings. Standing a good distance, watching me, just as I watch them. Periodically, I’ll look up, wave and carry on with my weed pulling. Most of the time I catch a butt as it crosses the road after leaving the bog or vice versa. Once I catch a glimpse though, my day is pretty much done with and nothing gets accomplished. I spend the remainer of the day waiting for the moose to emerge from wherever it may be.
I have been lucky to have the number of sightings and encounters that I have had, these were just a handful. Many people born and raised in Maine have never seen a moose, besides in photos or on television. There are those who come to Maine from all over. They go to all the right locations and still never get to see a moose. How unfortunate for them, to not witness one of the most amazing and majestic animals.
Off-Grid Soul 